The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Background: Out of the 26 particular churches that make up the Catholic Church (Maronites, Ruthenians, etc.), only the Roman Church abandoned in the course of the Middle Ages the sharing of the Blood of Christ by all believers during Communion. At about the same time the observance […]

You can reflect questions for every Sunday of the year by clicking here. Fifth Sunday of Easter Background: For two Sundays the gospel selections are a continuous reading from John, 15, part of what is called the Last Supper Discourse. It would seem odd that in Easter Season we are reading from a discourse given on

Introduction to Eastertime In the post-Vatican II reform of the Roman liturgy, Easter became not a day but a season. The Sundays are not named as “after” Easter but rather “of” Easter. We must not subdivide this season into chunks but celebrate its overall flow. Because the different New Testament writers approached their proclamation of

Introduction to the Third to Fifth Sundays in Lent: For three Sundays the Gospel selections from John are part of the final, intense preparation of those called to the Easter sacraments of initiation. The scrutiny celebrated each Sunday is meant to help them “achiev(e) an intimate knowledge of Christ” by “progress(ing) in genuine self-knowledge through

Introduction to the Third to Fifth Sundays in Lent: The Johannine Gospels for the three middle Sundays in Lent for Year B pursue the same themes as those of Year A: how Jesus brings us in his person cleansing from sin, true light, and new life. Again, we learn each Sunday of God’s compassionate love,

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Background: There is an ambiguity about Jesus’s mission. As God’s beloved Son upon whom the Spirit has come, both his words and actions have power. And so today we see his compassion towards those suffer in body and spirit. Yet his ministry as healer sometimes seems to get in the

Epiphany Background: Once again we must avoid sentimentalizing this story. As the carol “We Three Kings” says, the astrologers/Magi are travelling over “field and fountain, moor and mountain” as they follow the star. We must also realize how radical this passage was for Matthew’s original, predominantly Jewish audience. It is Gentile sages who recognize the

Introduction to Mark The earliest and shortest of the gospels, Mark’s version of the Jesus story lacks the polish of Matthew with his five sermons/discourses or of Luke with his extended journey to Jerusalem. It also lacks any infancy story or, in its original version, any post-resurrection appearance. (Its brevity explains why on many Sundays

You can reflect questions for every Sunday of the year by clicking here. All Saints’ Day Background: In a culture that is living more and more in a denial of death, this festival reminds us that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” who “have run the race and kept the faith.” Yet

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Background: Jesus the prophet again tells a story to the religious leaders that reminds us all that what matters in the kingdom/reign of God is not just words but actions that embody love. We will be good stewards of the kingdom/reign only by bearing such good fruit. Discussion Questions Describe