The Kingdom of Heaven is like a SeedToday’s Gospel marks the beginning of the third long discourse given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Throughout this discourse, Jesus will offer several parables to illustrate for his listeners what he means by the kingdom of heaven. He begins with the parable of the sower, which…
Jesus Prays in Thanks to God, Who Has Revealed Himself to the LowlyToday’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel comes after a discourse in which Jesus reproaches people who have witnessed his mighty deeds yet still lack belief. In this context, today’s Gospel explains the reason or this unbelief and reveals what is necessary for faith. Today’s…
Jesus Outlines the Costs and Rewards of DiscipleshipToday’s Gospel is the conclusion of the instructions and consolations that we have heard Jesus offering to his disciples during the past few weeks. In this passage, Jesus summarizes both the costs of discipleship and its rewards. Once again our understanding of the Gospel is strengthened by considering…
God Cares About His PeopleWe read today’s Gospel in the context of last week’s Gospel in which Jesus sent the twelve disciples to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. In between last week’s reading and today’s reading Jesus has predicted that the disciples will face difficulties in their mission. Many people will not receive them well,…
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 out, and the dead are raised to life. The disciples are sent to…
The feast and its objectivesToday, 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:…
The Mystery of the Holy TrinityToday’s feast invites us to live in the awareness of the presence of the Triune God within us: The Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity, a doctrine enunciated by the ecumenical councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, is one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity…
Pentecost FeastAfter the Ascension of the Lord, the apostles were reunited with the Mother of Jesus. It was the dayof the feast of Pentecost. They were afraid to go out and preach. Suddenly, a strong wind was heard andsmall tongues of fire settled on each one of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit…
The Feast of Ascension of the LordForty 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 meantime hides him…
The Holy Spirit is Promised In today’s readings there is a constant allusion to the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus. He comes to tell them that the “passage from him to the Father” does not mean “empty” or “absence”. His presence among his own is assured even after his departure: “I will not leave you…