Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

Since the close of the Christmas season we’ve been following Jesus as he begins his ministry.  We’ve seen him Baptized by John, we’ve seen him gathering his first Apostles (Andrew, Simon-Peter, James and John), and this week we continue our journey as Jesus begins to preach, teach, and heal.  Jesus has many different titles, but this week we focus on three:  Prophet, Teacher, and Lord. The Word for the 4 th Sunday of Ordinary Time Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Mark 1:21-28 First, so that we have a clear understanding of what it means to be a prophet, our first reading from the book of Deuteronomy tells us.  In our passage Moses says to the people that a prophet is one like himself… someone chosen by God to speak for God.  Now upon hearing this you might ask why God can’t speak for himself?  Addressing that exact point Moses continues by reminding the people that it was they themselves who requested that ...

Our readings this week focus on a core theme that runs through Jesus’ ministry… repentance.  There is no sin so grave that cannot be forgive with true contrition and a return to God.  This was the message that John the Baptist proclaimed, and the message Jesus continued as he took up his ministry.  This theme not only runs through the gospels, but is a major theme that binds the entire Bible into a cohesive volume.    The Word for the 3 rd   Sunday   of Ordinary Time Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 Our first reading comes from the book of Jonah.  The story of Jonah is well known in both Jewish and Christian circles, yet for all its popularity, we only hear it in the Liturgy this once.  For this reason, many Catholics only have a passing familiarity with Jonah and his story.  They know his name and that he was swallowed by a large fish (or whale), but that’s about it.  In our passage this ...

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 first Sunday after Christmas Day is reserved for the Feast of the Holy Family.   By Church standards this a relatively modern celebration, established in 1921, first celebrated the first Sunday after Epiphany, but later moved to first Sunday after Christmas in 1969.   Coming as it does at this time of year, it crystallizes for us the importance of family life in our creation and formation.   Jesus, as the Incarnation, was born into a family and raised by that family.   Mary and Joseph may have had a sacred trust in parenting the Son of God, but it is also growing up in that ordinary family structure that brings Jesus closer to us.   Our readings this week offer a number of alternatives, but all focus on the importance of family life.   As it is most likely you will be hearing the first of all our selections, I will focus on these... The Word for the Feast of the Holy Family Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or ...

This 4th Sunday of Advent we focus on the Incarnation… God made manifest through the birth of Jesus.  Nothing captures this moment better than our Gospel, but as we will see, our other readings would suggest that this meeting between God and his people has been coming for some time… The Word for the 4th Sunday of Advent 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27-29 Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38 To better understand our readings for this week, I think we should first look at our Gospel.  In a story that is unique to Luke’s Gospel, we here the of the angel Gabriel coming to Mary to announce God’s plan for the birth of his Son.  It’s not hard for us to imagine Mary’s amazement in this moment.  Not only is this humble girl from Nazareth (already likely anxious over her betrothal to Joseph) being approached by an angel, a messenger for the Lord, but the angel’s message is almost unbelievable:  God has chosen her to bear his Son.  Ma...

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...