Work is the source of a decent life or even riches, although neither is the basis of happiness: That belongs to God. Next Sunday’s readings focus on the futility of working apart from God’s will. The Lectionary 114 readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, are here. To prepare […] Read more »

Knowing, loving, and serving God is like going on a diet and exercise plan. But it is not for two months to lose thirty pounds and to gain a flat stomach. Rather, it is a plan for life to lose all our vices and to gain the mental outlook and […] Read more »

Our Lord was ever the master teacher. He was not merely the teacher of his universal doctrine of salvation. He was also the teacher of individual souls who needed formation. One way he taught persons what they needed to know was by responding to them with something completely unexpected but […] Read more »

God wants us to become the sort of persons who are ready for eternal life and happiness with Him, and the angels, and all the saved in heaven.  Human freedom is essential for us to become that sort of person—how we respond to everything and what we do.  We become […] Read more »

The readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lectionary 102) can be found here. The Gospel reading recounts Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples to prepare the towns and places he intends to visit.   The seventy-two had only a very limited amount of time to do their work. I think this […] Read more »

To view Lectionary 99, click here. The Homiletic Directory suggests the following Catechism points and themes for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: CCC 587: Jesus’ ascent to Jerusalem for his death and Resurrection CCC 2052-2055: Master, what must I do…? CCC 1036, 1816: the urgency of discipleship It is always […] Read more »

The Lectionary readings for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (169) can be found here.  For an updated and revised outline with the following themes, click here. Central idea: Christ is the eternal high priest who offers us what he offered to the Father, himself. Doctrine: The Eucharist. Practical application: Eucharistic Adoration […] Read more »

Central idea: Be good. Doctrine: Forming conscience and decision-making. Practical application: Form and obey your conscience. Read more »

Central idea: Christ’s new law for the new person. Doctrine: Christ as the New Adam. Practical application: Living as New Adams and Eves ourselves. To view Lectionary 81, click here.  Reading 1 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziphwith three thousand picked […] Read more »

Central idea: True poverty and riches. Doctrine: Poverty of heart and Christ’s grief over the rich. Practical application: Growing in detachment. Read more »

The readings today are on the virtue of charity and on the call of the prophet Isaiah and of the apostle Peter. For an outline that focuses on the fear proper to a child of God, click here. For an outline on the virtue of awe and vice of presumption, […] Read more »

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ fellow townspeople flip from adulation to murderous anger. This is unfortunately the pattern of his life. Here are links to two full, updated and revised outlines. The first focuses on the virtue and acts of hope. The second focuses on the laity’s legitimate role in […] Read more »

The lectionary readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time focus on (a) Ezra’s reading of the rediscovered Scriptures to the remnant who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity and (b) Jesus’ reading of the prophet Isaiah followed by his proclaimation that He is the promised long-awaited messiah. Here are […] Read more »

The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time is the Wedding Feast of Cana. Christ reveals himself to be God through his miracle. He also blesses human marriage, perhaps at that moment instituting the Sacrament of Matrimony. He also shows forth the spousal relationship between him and every baptized […] Read more »