Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

For the Western Church, the Christmas Season officially comes to an end this Sunday with  our celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.    The celebration of the Nativity is behind us and the new year stretches before us, so what better way to transition from Christmas to Ordinary Time than by celebrating the Lord’s Baptism.    Baptism marks a new beginning…    a rebirth.    For Jesus, this marks the beginning of his ministry, and serves as an excellent transition from the infancy narratives to the story of his life and ministry.    So this week we begin a new journey… The Word for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 55:1-11 Psalm 12:2-3, 5-6 1 John 5:1-9 Mark 1:7-11 Our first reading is the famous “banquet invitation” which concludes 2 nd   Isaiah.    This song from Isaiah is a fitting end to his prophecy on Israel’s liberation from Exile in Babylon.    It sings of the goodness that ...

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...

The third Sunday of Advent marks the midpoint of the season… in Catholic terms, this is like “hump day”, where we happily see that the conclusion of our journey is within sight.  Referred to as Gaudete Sunday, it takes its name from the Latin word for rejoice.  We will hear this word several times throughout this Sunday's Mass in our prayers and our readings.  We light the rose colored candle on our Advent wreaths, rose being a mixture of Advent violet and Christmas white.  Not only is Christmas a joyous occasion to celebrate the birth of our Lord, but it reminds us that we are joyous (not fearful) of his return. The Word for the 3rd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11 Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28 We open with a great announcement from Third Isaiah, that the anointed brings glad tidings to the poor.  If his words sound familiar, they should.  Not only are they reminiscent to the announcement made by the angels t...

This is the clarion call we receive for this 2nd Sunday of Advent.  Preparation is indeed the message that’s in the air as we are bombarded with all sorts of advertising right now... to find the perfect gift, create the perfect meal, decorate the perfect home, all the while surrounded by the perfect sense of family.  Trouble is, when we seek this type of perfection, we often find ourselves disappointed.  Not only have we missed the point of the season, we’ve allowed the secular world to obfuscate our understanding of the Gospel message… The Word for the 2nd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14 2 Peter 3:8-14 Mark 1:1-8 We open with one of the finest songs of forgiveness and triumph from the Prophet Isaiah.  There is an established pattern in all of our worship… that before we ask for something from God, we first must ask him for forgiveness for our sins.  We see this every time we celebrate the Mass as we begin with the Penitential Ri...

With the 1st Sunday of Advent we welcome a new Liturgical Year, but unlike our secular celebration of the new year, we don’t do it with champagne and noisemakers. Instead the Church begins her new year with a season of solemn reflection. One secular new year’s tradition that does carry over well with our season of Advent is that of making new year’s resolutions, an opportunity to look how well we are following through with following Christ, and ask ourselves if we are ready for his return. The Word for the 1st Sunday of Advent Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7 Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:33-37 The beginning of the new Liturgical Year also brings with it a new Lectionary cycle. Last year, Cycle A, we spent with the Gospel of Matthew, but now we transition to Cycle B with a focus on the Gospel of Mark. Our first reading comes from the Prophet Isaiah… in this case, from third Isaiah. Here we have a vision that has us begging for God to take us back, to mak...

Sometimes it can be aggravating when someone answers a question with a question, but when looking for the theme of our readings this week, that’s what I get.  Who is God and what do we owe him?  The answer to both questions is “everything.”  This theme has its origins in the 1st Commandment, “I am the Lord your God… there is no other.”  But what does that mean to us on a practical level?  In short, it is God whom we thank for everything we have, and because of this, it is only to God whom we owe our allegiance. The Word for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 Psalm 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b Matthew 22:15-21 We open with a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah… in this case, “Deutero” or Second Isaiah.  The Exile is coming to an end.  The Babylonian Empire has fallen to the Persians and now Cyrus, whom we know as Cyrus the Great, has been, according to Isaiah, anointed by God.  Cyrus?  A pagan?  A...

Invitation.  This is the theme that resonates through our readings for this 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  And not just any invitation… an invitation to the Lord’s house.  Who wouldn’t want to go?  Who would turn down this invitation?  Let’s explore our readings to see what we might be missing… The Word for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Isaiah 25:6-10a Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 Matthew 22:1-14 We open with a reading from Isaiah at a point where he sees great hope for Israel (for a brief time as King Hezekiah begins his reign).  In this poem of praise for God, he describes what it is like to live on the mountain of the Lord… a paradise with rich food and choice wines… a place where God’s people rejoice under the umbrella of his protection.  Our Psalm echoes this joy with its chorus “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”  Who would want to leave? Our Gospel from Matthew has Jesus using this i...

This week we continue with our series on morality.  While our readings give us examples of what could be considered “bad behavior”, the focus is not so much on the behavior but the consequences of that behavior.  Bad consequences for bad behavior is indeed a motivation for right behavior, but it is not, and should not, be the only motivator for taking the right path.  God wants us to see the right path, but we sometimes miss the opportunities that are right in front of us... The Word for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Isaiah 5:1-78 Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 16-16, 19-20 Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43 We open with a lament from early Isaiah.  Remember that Isaiah is known as one of the greatest prophets, and is often quoted in the New Testament.  His prophetic book, by three different authors, takes us from a time before the Assyrian uprising, through the Babylonian uprising, through the great Babylonian Exile, and all the way to the return to Jerusalem....

When we talk about the Sacrament of Penance, we generally think about what is right and what is wrong… what is a sin and what isn’t a sin.  But our readings for this coming Sunday don’t so much focus on what is right or wrong in God’s eyes, but rather on what is fair in God’s eyes. The Word for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18 Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a Matthew 20-1-16a We open with a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah… in this case, from the closing chapter of Deutero or “second” Isaiah.  This comes from a point in Israelite history where the people have been released from their Exile in Babylon.  The Lord has shown them great mercy and forgiveness, and freed them from exile.  But why?  They broke their covenant with God and they were punished.  Why now take them back?  By our human standards of fairness, this is difficult to understand.  Because, as the prophet tells us, for those who turn to the ...

Who’s in charge?  Whenever we find ourselves working in a group situation this is a very fundamental question.  While all the members of the group may have certain skills they can bring to the table, it takes a leader to effectively marshal those skills (and individuals) to their goal.  In fact, it’s built into our human nature.  Think about any crisis situation… without someone to step in and take charge, chaos reigns.  Yet when it comes time for someone to step up, many people also find comfort in letting someone else do it. When it comes to Church, however… the People of God, the question of who’s in charge is both simple and complex… and is the core question considered in our readings for this 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Word for the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm: 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20 Our first reading comes from a rather obscure passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  In fact, this passage...

Who is God for?  EVERYONE!  The answer is almost automatic for modern day Catholics… one barely even needs to think about it to know this is true, yet our scriptures for this 20th week of Ordinary Time remind us that this understanding was not always so obvious nor accepted. The Word for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm: 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 We open with a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah… Trito-Isaiah or 3rd Isaiah to be more precise, authored during the post-Exile period.  This week’s passage has the prophet telling us that God will accept the sacrifices of all peoples… that is, people who are not of Israel.  The God of Israel is telling his people that he’s not just the God for them, but for all others who follow his commands.  The foreigner, the Gentile, also have an open invitation to join in the Covenant.  There are two ways to look at this passage.  On one side we see this a ge...

“God will provide.”  It’s a common response by well meaning people of faith when we’re struggling with a difficult situation and we find ourselves in need.  Be these needs physical or spiritual or both, the phrase “God will provide” can be hard for us to accept, especially when our common human reason would seem to suggest otherwise.  Our readings for this 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time helps us to find faith that God will answer our needs… The Word for the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 55:1-3 Psalm: 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18 Romans 8:35, 37-39 Matthew 14:13-21 Our first reading comes from the book of Isaiah, “Deutero” or “Second” Isaiah to be precise.  This part of Isaiah speaks of redemption for an Israel that finds itself in Exile in Babylon.  The Babylonian’s destruction of Jerusalem and their subsequent Exile was a deeply transformative experience for the Hebrew people, and much of that transformation is seen in our Scriptures.  Yet through that pain, ...

“Can you tell me a little about yourself?”  It’s a question many of us have had to answer… maybe during a job interview or when meeting someone for the first time.  More often than not our answer to this question will start with talk of family, friends, where you grew up, where you went to school, where you worked.  From the moment we are born we live our lives in the context of our environment.  Put another way, the story of our lives is written within the stories of those around us.  Their stories become our stories, and in turn define who we are.  The same is true for the Church. The Word for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23 Our first reading for this coming Sunday is from the master story teller of the Hebrew scriptures… Isaiah.  In a short poetic stanza from the time near the end of the Exile from Deutero-Isaiah, the passage paints a picture of the rain and snow giving nour...

During  our celebration of Palm Sunday there is no other time in the Liturgical Cycle where the readings wreak such havoc on our emotions, where we are taken from a growing state of pure joy to utter despair within the course of just one Mass. For weeks now we’ve been celebrating Jesus’ triumphs… gaining new followers in Samaria with the woman at the well, curing the man born blind, and last week, raising Lazarus from the dead. With joy and revelry the people welcome Jesus into Jerusalem cheering and waving palms, but the dark undercurrents that have been following us all along are now coming to fruition… The Word for Palm Sunday Matthew 21:1-11 Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Philippians 2:6-11 Matthew 26:14-27:66 We begin our Mass outside in front of the church as we relive the moment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into the City of Jerusalem. With our opening reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus has planned for everything as the people cheer in wel...

Lent is almost upon us… that season of introspection and soul-searching reminiscent of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert (after his baptism).  Our readings for this coming 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time help prepare us for our Lenten Journey by helping us focus on what is truly important… The Word for the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 49:14-15 Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Matthew 6:24-34 We’ve spent the past several weeks listening to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus’ teaching starts with the Beatitudes (blessed are the poor in spirit), and then proceeds to teach his disciples about the Law – which we know to be the Commandments or the Mosaic Law.  In following this, Jesus teaches, is the key to salvation.  So now with our heads filled with all this “what to do” and “what not to do”, as if sensing our overload, our readings for this week take a decidedly different tone.  In liturgical terms, we call it “Divine Providence” – a reminder that we are...

We Catholics sometimes have a tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be.  Take for instance our use of certain words, like catechesis or liturgy to describe certain regular activities of Catholic life (to teach and to pray).  Their meaning gets lost because they’re just not part of everyday life.  Take for example the phrase Social Justice.  Within Catholic leadership circles this has certain meaning for a wide array of Church activity, but if you were to ask the rest of us what “Catholic social justice” means, you might be hard pressed to explain.  Perhaps this Sunday’s readings can help… The Word for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 58:7-10 Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Matthew 5:13-16 Our first reading comes from later Isaiah, where we are reminded of what it is that God really wants to see of his people.  Not festivals, but works of mercy.  This passage comes from a period after the Exile… the people are back...

For the past two weeks our readings have focused on the Baptism of the Lord… that moment where John baptizes Jesus in the Jordon river.  This was a significant moment because it marks the start of Jesus’ public ministry… the passing of the prophetic torch from John to Jesus.  From here we follow Jesus, literally and figuratively, into Ordinary Time… The Word for the 3 rd  Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 8:23-9:3-1 Psalm 27-1, 4, 13-14 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 Matthew 4:12-23 Our first reading comes from early Isaiah.  The Northern Kingdom (Israel) has fallen to the Assyrians, and the people of the Southern Kingdom (Judah) fear they are next.  But over some time a new regime has taken has hold of the former Israel, and Isaiah sees this not only as benevolent, but a useful example of God’s mercy.  Lands that were in anguish and darkness now “have seen a great light.”  This light shines from a land that now h...

With the Christmas Season and all its celebrations now behind us, we venture forward into Ordinary Time where we begin our journey of the story of Jesus.  Last week we celebrated Jesus’ baptism which marks the beginning of his ministry.  This week our readings focus on who, exactly, this Jesus person is, and what happens after his baptism… The Word for the 2 nd  Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 John 1:29-34 Our first reading comes again from Isaiah.  For some time now our readings from Isaiah have been introducing us to the “servant of the Lord”… the chosen one who is to come.  Today’s reading continues with another of his “servant songs.”  This week from chapter 49, he tells us that this servant was formed in the womb… created and destined to be the chosen one. Indeed, this is what we believe of Jesus, but it is ...

With this Sunday’s celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Church brings the Christmas Season to a close and transitions to a period of Ordinary Time.  Baptism marks a new beginning…  a rebirth.  For Jesus, this marks the beginning of his ministry, and serves as an excellent transition from the infancy narratives to the story of his life and ministry.  So this week we begin a new journey… The Word for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 Acts 10:34-38 Matthew 3:13-17 Our first reading, from the Isaiah, tells us about “the servant of the Lord”… in this case, the prophet chosen by God to save Israel.  This prophecy comes from the section of Isaiah that predicts the coming glory for Israel.  That not only will he raise it up in gleaming splendor, but through is servant, make it a beacon, a shining example to all the other nations.  No small task given that Israel, at this time, is still living...

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...