Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

If Easter is our highest holy day, the Epiphany is rightly the second.  It is the celebration of the realization that God's salvation is a gift for all people, everywhere.  It is this feast that defines us as Christians, revealing not only that this child, Jesus, is the Christ, but that the grace of reconciling the people to God is a universal invitation. The Word for the Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-2 Our first reading comes from the later chapters of Isaiah.  Here the prophet sees a glorious vision for Jerusalem… the city shall be radiant and become a beacon for all the nations.  And that is the key point of this reading today... that all people, all kingdoms, will see Jerusalem, God's city and God's people, as the light and life, and be drawn to her and the glory of the Lord.  These later chapters of Isaiah reflect the hope for the end of the Babylonian Exile, and the rec...

This Sunday the Church in the United States celebrates the feast of the Ascension in place of the 7th Sunday of Easter. Traditionally a Holy Day of Obligation, we celebrate the moment when Jesus, after the Resurrection, is taken up to Heaven. Our readings for this special day are the same for all three Lectionary Cycles. The Word for the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1-1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Ephesians 1:17-23 Matthew 28:16-20 Our first reading comes from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, where the opening act is the Ascension of Jesus. This is a far more dramatic (and detailed) version than where Luke leaves us at the end his Gospel (Chapter 24), but like many great sequels, the opening moments recap the story thus far (as a reminder of where we left off) in order to set the stage for the narrative moving forward.  It is interesting to note that the event of the Ascension is noted only briefly at the end of Luke and Mark, while Matthew and John don’t even mention it....

This 4th Sunday of Lent we continue with our journey through Salvation History, and like last week, the themes and symbols revealed in these passages hold special meaning for us in the RCIA.  Last week our theme was trust – trust in the Lord, and our symbol was water – life giving and life sustaining. water – the primary symbol of Baptism.  This week our theme is redemption, and our symbols are anointing and light The Word for the 4th Sunday of Lent 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 We open with our first reading from the 1st Book of Samuel.  To put us in the proper context, Samuel was the last of the Judges, and it was he whom the Israelites cried out to for a king.  This was not what God wanted, but he granted their request, and Saul is appointed as the first King of Israel.  At this point in the narrative, Saul is getting on in years, and the people need a successor.  None of Saul’s sons are suited to the ...

Traditionally the celebration of the Epiphany would mark the end of our Christmas Season (the Twelve Days of Christmas), whereupon we continue the celebration with the Octave of Epiphany.  With the revised Liturgical Calendar for the US, however, we celebrate the Epiphany on the first Sunday after New Years Day, and extend the Christmas season through to the second Sunday after New Years with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. The Word for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 Our first reading comes from the later chapters of Isaiah.  Here the prophet sees a glorious vision for Jerusalem… the city shall be radiant and become a beacon for all the nations.  These later chapters of Isaiah reflect the hope for the end of the Babylonian Exile, and the reconciliation of God to the people of Israel.  As seen through our Christian eyes, this passage also speaks to our hope for t...

Instead of the celebrating the 7th Sunday of Easter, the Church in the USA uses this coming Sunday to celebrate the Ascension (which under the traditional calendar is celebrated this coming Thursday).  Our readings for this Sunday recount that moment.  Our first account is from Acts of the Apostles… a much more detailed account (right down to the traditional 40 days) than any of the Gospels recount.  By now we have learned that Acts of the Apostles is the sequel to Luke’s gospel… but as with all Hollywood blockbuster sequels, Luke begins his new narrative with a recounting of the end of the previous book, but with much more detail and special effects… taking a moment from the previous work and fleshing it out to build into the continuing story.  The Word for the Ascension of the Lord:         Acts 1:1-11         Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9         Ephesians 1:17-2...

For those attending the 2nd Scrutiny, we will be hearing the story of the man born blind from John's gospel... a story that uses the blindness of others to see that Jesus is the light: The Word for the 2nd Scrutiny (4th Sunday of Lent Cycle A):         1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a         Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6         Ephesians 5:8-14         John 9:1-41 For those attending one of the regular Masses, we will be reading the story of the Prodigal Son... a parable unique to Luke's gospel. This popularity of this parable stands the test of time because the characters and their motivations ring true for so many of us, and yet we find it difficult to accept the conclusion: The Word for the 4th Sunday of Lent:         Joshua 5:9a, 10-12         Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7   ...