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Friday, March 29, 2024

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Sunday Scriptures

Heaven in the here-and-now

Before Jesus’ ministry, the law prescribed an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when seeking revenge. And so David would be justified in dispatching King Saul — yet he extends mercy.

God’s call prompts mission and action

For the person in biblical times, there was an intuitive dread about suddenly encountering the living God.

Not only heard, but understood

Having taught in the St. Paul Seminary for 15 years, I am regularly approached by the faithful about how a recently-ordained priest or deacon preached. They ask me, “Did you teach him that?”

The triune God

Although centuries of theological reflection have made a connection between the baptism of Jesus and Christian baptism, the ceremony narrated in Luke recounts a mass baptism administered by John the Baptist. In the context of this ceremony, Jesus aligns himself with the Baptist’s message and submits to the ritual activity prompted by his preaching.

Presents will fade, but love remains

According to Forbes Magazine, American holiday spending exceeded $1 trillion in 2016, and it dropped to a little more than $700 billion in 2017. As we are now just a few days away from Christmas in 2018, no doubt Americans have started to rack up an impressive amount of spending again this year.

Does our life point to Christ?

“A voice of one crying out in the desert.” What a wonderful description of John the Baptist. He is no more than that — the voice. He is the voice that announces Jesus. The one thing that is very clear about John the Baptist is that he knew his purpose. He was steadfast in fulfilling the mission given to him by God. His whole purpose was to prepare for Jesus. “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” His whole being is defined by Jesus. In all that the Gospels tell us about John the Baptist, never did he make it about himself.

King of the Universe

By means of his encyclical letter “Quas primas,” promulgated in 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King, to be celebrated in the Roman Rite as the last Sunday of the month of October, meaning the Sunday that immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints.

How much do we actually give?

Our Scriptures this weekend invite us to consider the offerings of three different people, beginning with the widow of Zarephath. She encounters the prophet Elijah at a critical time for both of them.
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