An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - February 16, 2025
“Blessed Are You Who Are Poor, For The Kingdom Of God Is Yours”
Our readings this Sunday teach us that with the Kingdom of God, up is down and down is up. The poor are rich and the rich are poor. We are given a simple choice — Put your trust in mankind and you will be like a “barren bush in the desert.” Put your trust in God and you are like a “tree planted beside the waters.”
In our first reading (Jeremiah 17:5-8), the prophet Jeremiah paints a very clear choice—”Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings” vs. “Blessed is the one who trusts in God.” One turns our hearts away from the Lord while the other turns us toward the Lord.
In our Epistle reading (1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20), St. Paul also gives us a clear choice—Do we believe Christ was raised from the dead or don’t we? Do we believe that we will also rise with Christ? If we do not, then Paul says that we are ”the most pitiable people of all.”
In our Gospel reading (Luke 6:17, 20-26), we hear Luke’s account of the Sermon 
on the Plain, similar to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5-7). Here, Jesus lists four beatitudes or blessings and four woes or opposites. It can be said that the beatitudes are the countenance of Jesus. Jesus was poor, Jesus was hungry, Jesus wept, Jesus was persecuted. He was preparing us for the life of following Christ. But the rewards in heaven are joy and blessedness for eternal life. Jesus contrasted this with being blessed in this life and thus being distracted from the things of God and of the next life. Is it possible to be blessed in this life and blessed in the next? Yes, but it is more difficult when the blessings of this life lead us away from God. The answer is to detach ourselves from anything that distracts us from God.
Often in life, we are presented with choices -- Do we put our trust in God or do we trust in humankind? Are we detached from the things of this world or do we cling to wealth and possessions? Do we believe Christ rose from the dead? Do we believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist? We are defined by our choices. Our choices define our actions and our actions define our destiny. Straddling the fence is not a luxury we have.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - February 9, 2025
“Here I Am, I Said; Send Me!”
Our readings this Sunday remind us that God calls each of us to mission in our own unique way. He does not call us because we are worthy or capable or talented. He calls us to cooperate with His grace because He loves us and wants us to be like Him. By virtue of our baptism, we are called to be prophets—to speak God’s truth to every one who will hear, especially within our families and social circles. Jesus depends on us to be His eyes and ears, hands and feet, and His mouth.
In our first reading (Isaiah 6:1-8), we hear Isaiah's description of his call by God to be his Prophet. Isaiah's initial response to God was typical of the reluctant servant - I am not worthy, I am sinful, send someone else. Yet, God, in His Grace, did not regard Isaiah’s sinfulness; He sent him on a mission to speak God's word. Isaiah's response then was, "Here I am . . . Send me."
In our Epistle reading (1 Corinthians 15:1-11), we hear about the results of Paul’s acceptance of his call by Jesus. Like Isaiah and Simon, Paul saw himself as unworthy, “For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle”. And yet, Paul accepted Jesus' call to preach the cornerstone truths of our faith - “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day.”
In our Gospel reading (Luke 5:1-11), we hear about the call of Simon (Peter) by Jesus, with the miraculous catching of an overabundance of fish. Simon's response was similar to Isaiah's - "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man". Jesus did not see his sinfulness. He saw a loving and capable leader of His disciples and of His Church. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching men." Simon's acceptance was similar also to Isaiah's: "They left everything and followed Him."
How does all this apply to me, you might ask? We, in our own way, are all Isaiah; we are all Paul; we are all Simon. We are all unworthy, sinful people. And yet, we are all given the ability and responsibility to accept the Gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed; and without hesitating, to courageously identify and denounce evil . With God's grace (not our own), we will accomplish God's will.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020925.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - February 2, 2025
“The Child’s Father And Mother Were Amazed At What Was Said About Him ”
This Sunday is the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple. It occurs 40 days after the birth of Jesus (Dec. 25) and fulfilled the Mosaic
Law of presenting the newborn first male child to God in the temple. In a sense, this feast highlights the priesthood of Christ as it marks the significance of the Messiah’s first entrance into the temple.
In our first reading (Malachi 3:1-4), the Prophet Malachi foretells the coming of John the Baptist, “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me as well as the time when the Messiah himself will enter the temple, and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi also warned that this would be a time of judgement and purification of liturgical abuses. This was indeed seen as Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple and criticized their lack of proper respect for the Father’s house.
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 2:14-18), we learn that, in order to “expiate the sins of the people”, Jesus shared in our blood and flesh that “he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is , the Devil.” Jesus “had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God”.
In our Gospel reading (Luke 2:22-40), we hear the story of Mary and Joseph’s presentation of Jesus to God in the temple, as the Law of Moses had required of them. They offered for sacrifice a pair of turtle doves because they were too poor to afford the prescribed year-old lamb. During this ceremony, we hear the beautiful canticle of Simeon, as he recognized the baby Jesus as the "Christ of the Lord, the long-awaited Messiah, “...and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to Him, Simeon took Him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples....” We also hear of the prophetess Anna, “And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020225.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - January 26, 2025
“Today This Scripture Passage Is Fulfilled In Your Hearing”
Today, we hear two readings from the Scroll of the Word of God. In our first reading, the Israelites recommit themselves to God's Word as they seek to rebuild Jerusalem after their return from exile in Babylon. In our Gospel reading, Jesus proclaims Himself to be the long awaited fulfillment of Isaiah's prophesy of the Messiah.
In our first reading (Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10), the priest Ezra read and interpreted to the people the Law of God (the Torah that most had forgotten while in exile). Ezra and Nehemiah, the governor of Judea, proclaimed, "Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not be saddened on this day."
In our Epistle reading (1 Corinthians 12:12-30), we hear a continuation of last Sunday's Epistle (we have many gifts but “the same Spirit produces all of these”). In today’s passage, the theme continues - we are all one body though we are many parts. It speaks to the wide diversity of callings from our God, each to serve a different aspect of the Church and its people.
In our Gospel reading (Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21), we hear Jesus’ first public speech / sermon in Luke’s Gospel. In this time after Epiphany, we heard a number of manifestations of the glory and power of our God in Christ. The angels’ proclamation to the shepherds, then the Baptism of the Lord and the Father’s proclamation, then the Maji’s visit, then the miracle at Cana, and in today’s reading, Jesus manifested Himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy that the Messiah would “proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free ...” After reading this passage from the scroll in His hometown synagogue, Jesus said, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
There are a number of themes in today's readings, but the foremost is Jesus' self-manifestation that He is indeed the Messiah, the Anointed One of God.
May our heartfelt and passionate response to the word of God be, like those who heard Ezra proclaiming from the Book of the Law of God, to reestablish Jesus as the central focus of our lives and our world.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012625.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - December 25
“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US”
Our readings for Christmas Mass at night draw a direct connection between what Isaiah prophesied more than 500
years before Christ was born and what took place that Christmas night when the prophesy was fulfilled in all its humble glory.
In our first reading (Isaiah 9:1-6), we hear the prophesy of Isaiah that is proclaimed every Christmas Eve night - God's own Son will come to deliver us. "For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.”
In our Epistle (Titus 2:11-14), St. Paul leads us to remember that Christ promised to come again and will deliver us from all lawlessness. Paul teaches us how to live while we await the return of Jesus our Savior. “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.”
Our Gospel reading (Luke 2:1-14) is the account of Jesus' humble birth as Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census of the house of David. The first to bear witness were the lowly shepherds from the surrounding hillsides.
The birth of the Jesus the Messiah was not just something that happened a long time ago. It was an event foretold for centuries and awaited fervently by the people of Israel. From the moment of Jesus' birth to his tragic death and triumphant resurrection, he was the embodiment of humility, patience, and love. It is how he calls us to live "temperately, justly and devoutly in this age as we await the blessed hope."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-night.cfm
Click 'Read more' for the reflection on the Christmas Day readings.