The Rich Fool and the Danger of Wealth: The Mass Readings Explained (The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

My latest video on this Sunday's Mass readings is now out.  Check it out after reading John's contribution below.

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Wealth and Poverty: The 18th Sunday of OT

“How I long for a poor Church for the poor!”

These were some of the first words of Pope Francis’ pontificate, and the Readings this week support the Pope’s emphasis on the spiritual value of poverty.  Texts from the Old and New Testaments remind us that human happiness is not to be found in the accumulation of material goods.  Riches are fleeting and empty.  We are called instead to “store up treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moth destroy, where thieves cannot break in and steal.”

1.  Our First Reading is Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23:

Scepter Releases Pocket Catholic NT

There have been at least a dozen times that Pope Francis has urged Catholics to carry a NT with them, and Scepter Press has just helped fulfill that call by producing a high-quality RSVCE translation of the NT in a handy pocket-sized format.  Before this, the only similar NT available was the old Confraternity edition, the precursor of the NAB.  It was pretty good, but I'm sure most Catholic readers of the NT would like a more up-to-date translation.  This edition can be purchased from Scepter Publishers here.  Stuart Dunn has a good review of it over on his blog.

Jesus Teaches Us How To Pray: The Mass Readings Explained (The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

My latest video on this Sunday's Mass readings is now available.  I hope it helps!

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Haggling With God: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Who has the guts to bargain with the Divinity?  Abraham, the father of the Israel, does.  In the Readings for this Sunday, we find united several themes: persistence in prayer, the justice and mercy of God, the generosity of God.

1.  Our First Reading is Gn 18:20-3:

The Myth of the Council of Jamnia and the Origin of the Bible

Check out my latest video with the guys at Catholic Productions on "The Myth of the Council of Jamnia and the Origin of the Bible."  I hope this helps!

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Martha, Mary and the One Thing Necessary: The Mass Readings Explained (The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The guys at Catholic Productions just released my latest video for this Sunday's Mass readings.  Check it out after reading John's commentary below.

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Entertaining God: The 16th Sunday of OT

This Sunday, as we continue to accompany Jesus on his fateful journey to Jerusalem in the Gospel of Luke, we are confronted with a pair of Readings in which human beings host a meal for God: Abraham for the LORD in the First Reading; Martha and Mary for Jesus in the Gospel.  But is it really possible for us to “do God a favor” by giving him a nice meal?  We are going to discover that, while God graciously accepts our services, it’s really about what God does for us, not what we can do for him.

1.  The First Reading is Gn 18:1-10a:

The Jewish Roots of the Merciful Samaritan: The Mass Readings Explained (The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

While I'm not as clever with the titles as John apparently is(!), after you check out his post below,  I hope my video may be of help to you as well.   And, if you can, please Like and Share!  Thanks!

Won't You Be My Neighbor? The 15th Sunday of OT

Fred Rogers used to sing at the opening of his classic children’s show:

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Would you be mine? Could you be mine? …
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please, won't you please?
 Please won't you be my neighbor?

Fred Rogers was a highly theological educated man, an ordained Presbyterian minister who also gave generous grants to St. Vincent’s College and Seminary (Roman Catholic) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  I think he was well aware of the theological significance of the concept of “neighbor,” which we will explore through the Readings for this Sunday.

This Sunday Jesus issues us a strong challenge to break down the barriers and prejudices that prevent us from showing love to other human beings.  Jesus’ teaching is in continuity with the best synthesis of the moral instruction of the Old Testament and Judaism, which views every human being as a “neighbor.”

1.  The First Reading is Dt 30:10-14: