St. Paul concludes his preaching in the synagogue with the resurrection of Christ. This crucial component of the faith inspires us to follow the Risen Lord with hope and joy, leading others to Jesus.
Following the Scripture readings in the synagogue in Antioch, Paul connects salvation history to Jesus, showing how Christ fulfills the Old Testament. May this passage inspire us to learn more about our faith, so that we can share it with the people in our lives.
Following the healing of a crippled man, Peter speaks to the crowd and redirects their attention to Jesus and his redeeming work in salvation history. By shining the light on the Lord, we recognize that we are part of God’s great love story, inspired each day to draw closer to Christ.
As we hear the great proclamation of salvation history through the readings of this Easter Vigil, we wait upon the Lord with renewed hope and strength: Christ is alive!
Come, Holy Spirit! is a six week series of presentations on the Holy Spirit. This first presentation explores who is the Holy Spirit and how we understand the Spirit at work through salvation history. This 1st talk was given by Fr. Andrew at Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI on February 23, 2023.
There are FOUR different options for Mass Readings on the Feast of Christmas! As it depends on the Mass you attend (and the preference of the presider) I will limit my reflection to the Gospel readings.
Vigil Mass – Matthew 1:1-25
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, with fourteen generations between Abraham to David, fourteen generations between David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen generations between the Babylonian exile to Christ.
The passage concludes with the angel’s message in Joseph’s dream to welcome Mary into his home.
Mass at Midnight – Luke 2:1-14
Joseph brings Mary to Bethlehem for the census, and there Mary gives birth to Jesus and lays him in swaddling clothes in a manger.
The angels proclaim a message of hope to the shepherds nearby, singing “Glory to God in the highest!”
Mass at Dawn – Luke 2:15-20
The shepherds go to Bethlehem and find the baby Jesus in the manger.
The message of the angels is made known to Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds return home praising God.
Mass during the Day – John 1:1-18
The Prologue of John’s Gospel reveals that Jesus is the Word of God who became flesh and came into our world, shining with a light that the darkness can neither understand nor overcome.
John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the Son of God.
In the fullness of time, God sent his Son, born of the Virgin Mary, to save and set us free from the original sin of Adam and Eve. May Mary’s “fiat” inspire us to cooperate with divine grace as we offer our lives for the Lord today.
Paul preaches in a synagogue, offering a short recap of salvation history. His example inspires us to know the key elements of our faith so we can share the Good News with others.
On this holy night Christians around the world celebrate the great events of salvation history as we acknowledge our part in God’s great love story. May we embrace what we have been given and share it with one another!
On this feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary we hear in the Gospel of Matthew the genealogy of Jesus as the context for the birth of the Lord. The reading demonstrates how we are part of the larger story of salvation history; God works in and through countless lives to weave together our journey from this life to the next.