The Divine Attraction In today’s Gospel the crowds were mesmerized by Jesus and they hung on His every word.  They were so drawn to Him that they crowded along the shore to listen as Jesus spoke from the boat. This Gospel story should pose a question to you on a personal level. Are you drawn to…

What are You Yoked To?                   Christ says: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Jesus is telling the truth. Compared to the burden of chasing after whatever our…

Jesus Outlines the Costs and Rewards of Discipleship                   In today’s Gospel, Jesus summarizes both the costs of discipleship and its rewards. Once again our understanding of the Gospel is strengthened by considering the context in which it was written and the perspective of Matthew’s audience. The conditions of discipleship outlined in Matthew’s Gospel may…

Jesus Assures that God Cares About You                   Matthew’s Gospel should be read in the context of Matthew’s intended audience, a Jewish-Christian community. The Gospel alludes to the dangers and persecutions that this community has most likely already faced and will continue to face. To reassure this community, Matthew recalls for them the encouraging words…

            Jesus Sends the Twelve Apostles to Proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven                               In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares his mission to proclaim the kingdom of heaven with his disciples. The signs of the kingdom’s presence consist of the work that Jesus has already been doing: the sick are cured, lepers are cleansed, demons are driven…

The feast and its objectives                   Today, we celebrate the solemn feast of Corpus Christi. It is three feasts in one: the feast of the Eucharistic sacrifice, the feast of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the feast of the Real Presence of Jesus in this Sacrament.  Corpus Christi is a doctrinal feast established for three purposes:  1)…

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity                 The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 234) teaches that the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God Himself — the source of all other mysteries of faith and the light that guides…

             Pentecost Feast                   Pentecost Sunday is one of the most important feasts of the Catholic Church, known as the “Birthday of the Church,” because it celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Virgin Mary fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The word Pentecost means “fiftieth day.” Pentecost…

The Feast of Ascension of the Lord                 Forty days after Jesus’ Glorious Resurrection, Our Lord ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:6-11). The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 665)  says, “Christ’s Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the…

                  To fully appreciate this week’s gospel reading, we must consider the context in which Christ spoke these words: to his disciples at the last supper. This context is important to fully embrace what Jesus means when he emphasizes that if we love him, we will keep his commandments. Jesus washed the feet of his…