Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

As with last week’s readings, this 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time is usually usurped by other feast days, but since Easter is somewhat late this year, we get to finish out this stretch of Ordinary Time with some readings we rarely get to hear during Sunday Mass: The Word for the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time Sirach 27:4-7 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 Luke 6:39-45 Our first reading comes from the book of Sirach, also known as the Wisdom of Ben Sira, a great sage from Jerusalem who embraced the Wisdom tradition.  The work was originally finished around 175 BCE and was later translated into Greek by the author’s grandson sometime after 117 BCE during the Jewish diaspora that flourished in the later Ancient Greek Empire.  Since our earliest manuscripts for this book were found in Greek, it does not hold the same canonical status for Jews and Protestants, but more recent archeological finds have verified its Hebrew origins.  Like all Wisdom literature in the Bi...

It is rare that we hear these readings for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time because our calendar usually has more important celebrations on this particular Sunday, but with Easter falling where it does this year, we have a unique opportunity to study and celebrate the readings selected for this the 7th Sunday or Ordinary Time: The Word for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Luke 6:17, 27-38 We open with a reading from the 1st Book of Samuel with a rather interesting story about King Saul (the first of the Israelite kings) and his protégé and successor, David.  To understand this story, one needs to understand the relationship between Saul and David.  At the people’s insistence, and God’s acquiescence, Samuel anoints Saul as the first King of Israel.  But things are not going well for Saul.  After being chosen by God, Saul has turned is back on God and his prophet Samuel.  Becaus...

Depending on the Liturgical calendar and the timing of Lent, we don’t always have the opportunity to celebrate the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  But this year we have a chance to dive into some of the most important Christian teachings, which we will see have their roots in much older texts: The Word for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, and 6 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 Luke 6:17, 20-26 Our first reading comes to us from Jeremiah, that prophet who came to prominence under the great King Josiah, only to see the people turn back to idolatry and witness the inevitable destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the kingdom of Judah.  This Sunday’s passage is from his oracles in the days of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son and successor.  Here he decries those who put their faith in men, and praises those who put their faith in God.  Those who trust in man are like a dessert whereas those who trust in the Lord are like a tree planted near a stre...

If there’s an over-arching theme to the readings for these first weeks of Ordinary Time, it would be “a call to mission.”  It starts with Jesus answering the call through is Baptism and the beginning of his ministry.  We see this theme continue in this week’s readings as others now answer the call: The Word for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 5:1-11 Our first reading is from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Most of the stories of the prophets begin, quite logically, with the story of their calling.  The book on Isaiah, however, follows a slightly different construct.  It opens with his great oracle of indictment against the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.  This continues for the first 5 chapters.  Finally, when we get to Chapter 6, we go from oratory to narrative history.  This is where we begin our first reading with the story of Isaiah’s calling.  This story is present...

Through our Baptism we are called to be Prophets, because just like Jesus, our baptism consecrates us as priests, prophets, and kings.  Being a prophet means speaking God’s truth, but when it comes to speaking that truth, especially to authority, we can find that our message is not always well received.  As our readings will show this week, being a prophet has its difficulties… The Word for the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 or 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Luke 4:21-30 Our first reading comes from the book of the prophet Jeremiah with the passage that describes his calling to become a prophet.  Jeremiah began his mission under the much-revered King Josiah but was eventually witness to the fall of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians.  Jeremiah understands the dangers that can befall a prophet, so in his calling the Lord reminds him that his foes will not prevail over him – that he ha...

“In the beginning there was the Word…”  These are the dramatic opening lines from the Gospel according to John, and though we will not be reading from John’s Gospel this Sunday, these words ring true for our readings for this 3rd Sunday of Ordinary time.  The people are in the midst of something new, a new beginning that, as our readings will show, begin with The Word… The Word for the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 (or 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27) Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 Our first reading is from the book of the Prophet Nehemiah.  Nehemiah, along with the priest/prophet Ezra, are the architects of the Restoration of Israel.  Their great Exile in Babylon is over and through the grace of the Persian King Cyrus the Great, Israel is free to return to their land, to rebuild the Temple and to rebuild their lives as the people of God.  In an effort to guild them in this new beginning, Nehemiah...

 New beginnings.  This is the promise of the New Year.  We bid farewell to the troubles of the previous year and approach the new year in front of us fresh with enthusiasm and hope.  Our new year’s resolutions are a common expression of those new beginnings.  As we enter into Ordinary Time we appropriately focus on this idea of new beginnings with our readings for this Sunday… The Word for the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 John 2:1-11 Our first reading is from Third, or trito -Isaiah.  Here the followers of the original prophet Isaiah foretell of a new beginning for the people of Israel.  Their Exile in Babylon is over!  Israel’s sins have been expiated and her vindication will become a beacon to all the other nations.  Where God was once someone to be feared (as in the earlier Mosaic texts), He now seems giddy with delight over his people, so much so he refers to the people as hi...