Path To Sunday

Readings for Sunday: Exodus, 1 Corinthians, Luke

Suffering is one of the great and universal mysteries of human life. Immense suffering – such as grueling cancer treatment, a catastrophic car accident, or the unexpected loss of a loved one – touches nearly everyone. We often ask, “Why?” Some believe suffering is God’s punishment, but today’s Gospel provides clarity: God does not cause suffering, though He permits it for our salvation.

Many assume suffering is divine retribution, but Jesus refutes this idea when addressing the tragic deaths of Galileans under Pontius Pilate. If suffering were punishment, then all sinners would suffer equally. Instead, suffering exists because of human free will. From Adam and Eve’s original sin to historical atrocities like the Holocaust, much suffering is caused by human choices. Even natural disasters reflect a world thrown into disorder by sin.

So why does God permit suffering? The Gospel’s parable of the barren fig tree offers insight: like the gardener who nurtures the tree to bear fruit, God allows suffering to transform us, making us holy. Many believe they are already good enough for heaven, yet Jesus calls for true repentance. Without transformation, heaven would not be paradise but a continuation of our earthly failings.

God permitted Jesus’ suffering on the cross, drawing ultimate good—our salvation—from evil. Likewise, suffering purifies and prepares us for eternal life. While we may not understand suffering’s purpose in the moment, faith assures us that God uses it to sanctify us. In the end, His love and the power of Christ’s sacrifice will bring us eternal joy.

Readings for Sunday: Genesis, Philippians, Luke

There is an old expression: “blood is thicker than water.” It means that family bonds are stronger than any other relationship, including with our friends. That expression is most definitely true when it comes to the blood of Christ. We can see this in the readings this weekend. It starts in the first reading from Genesis, where God establishes a covenant with Abram, eventually renaming him Abraham. A covenant was not just a contract. A covenant established a family relationship, a “blood” relationship. And thus, unlike a contract which is time limited, a covenant is for life. In that time in the Middle East, when two groups or tribes wanted to establish a covenant, there would be a ceremony in which animals were cut up, shedding blood, and the two parties would walk between the animal parts invoking the gods as witness to the establishment of a covenant/blood relationship. In the first reading, we hear of how the One true God, with himself as witness, established a covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

Fast forward to Jesus’ day, and we see that God establishes a new covenant in the blood of Christ for both Jews (Abraham’s descendants) and gentiles (everybody else). In the Gospel reading, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem where he will suffer, die and rise from the dead. Along the way, he goes up a mountain to pray and is transfigured in glory. It states, “And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.”

Moses and Elijah represent the whole of the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets. The exodus that he was going to accomplish is freeing humanity from slavery to sin and death under the Devil, much like God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to Pharoah. God freed his people and led them through the waters of the Red Sea to the promised land.

The new covenant that Jesus established in his blood is applied to us in the waters of baptism, when we are adopted as God’s sons and daughters and promised a place in his eternal home. That is why St. Paul states in the second reading: “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” While some people may think the waters of baptism are simple show and empty ritual, we realize that in and through the water, the blood of Christ binds us to the Father as family. In Christ, blood is truly thicker than water.

Readings for Sunday: Deuteronomy, Romans, Luke

It may shock us, but Jesus was tempted, even though he was God. Of course, he never sinned, which shows us that temptation itself is not a sin. We can be tempted and choose not to sin. While Jesus is fully God, he is also fully human. He had a human soul and body. He had a human mind and will, as well as the divine mind and will. Thus, it means that it was possible for Jesus, in his humanity, to be tempted, and his resistance to it teaches us.

Satan’s temptation of Jesus was tri partite. In suggesting that Jesus turn stones into bread after his forty day fast, Satan was tempting him to use his power for self-satisfaction rather than serving others. Jesus rejected being a self-serving, earthly Messiah. In suggesting that Jesus bow before him in exchange for worldly power, Satan was tempting Jesus to abandon his heavenly kingdom for an earthly one.

And finally, in suggesting that Jesus throw himself down from the parapet of the temple – so that God will send angels to save him – Satan is tempting Jesus to pride. Jesus came to give his life to save humanity in humble obedience to the Father.

Like Jesus, we can be tempted to satiate our desires, make our earthly life our highest goal, and live a prideful life – thinking that life revolves around us, rather than our life around God. Yet, we can be like Jesus, rejecting temptation and seeking to live according to the Father’s plan. This Lent, our practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving should help us to grow in holiness, becoming more like Christ as we seek first and foremost the kingdom of God.

Readings for Sunday: Sirach, 1 Corinthians, Luke

If an anthropologist from the future, traveling back in time with an invisibility cloak could observe you every day, all day, for months: what type of report would he write? It is easy for us to declare what our ideals are, but talk is cheap. How do we actually live? In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus says, “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit… A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” We all like to think of ourselves as good people, yet, if we are honest, we not only sin but even have thought patterns that are not always good. We judge people, we lust, and we are often selfish and self-centered.

Holiness is not simply avoiding sin; though to be clear, we should not sin. Holiness, in the end, is about conformity to Jesus Christ. It is to become just like him: to be a son or daughter of God in and through the Son of God.

To think like him, be like him, take on his dispositions and, in the end, act like him. That is why the Catholic Church teaches both about what entertainment we “consume” and the inculcation of virtue, that is, good habits.

Regarding entertainment, as well as books and so on, the Church teaches us to choose carefully. We like to think that we have great mental filters, and that we can filter out bad material. But that is not true. After all, have you ever had a song stuck in your head? How did it get there? Virtue is the day in and day out doing of good things, to the point that they become habit. Habits can be good (virtues) or bad (vices). We want to be so like Jesus Christ that it becomes “natural;” we want to be holy.

Readings for Sunday: 1 Samuel, 1 Corinthians, Luke

Sometimes Jesus’ commands seem crazy; for example, in today’s Gospel, he tells us to “love our enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Yet, if we understand it, it makes perfect sense. In the first place, the actual word in the original Greek text is Ἀγαπᾶτε (agapate); it is the command form of the verb agapaó, “to love.” But this is different than the other Greek words for love such as phileō (brotherly love, the love of friends), stérgō (family feeling), éramai (physical love, romantic love, sexual love). Agapaó means to do good for the other person without expectation of repayment. It has nothing to do with how you feel, rather, it is about what you do. Jesus would ultimately say, “No one has greater love (agape) than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

We, as sinners, were in a sense God’s enemies. St. Paul wrote, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We see God’s love for us in the Cross. We see God’s love in what he did for us, not expeting repayment because it is impossible to buy or earn or compensate God’s for our salvation. As God loves us, we are to love others, even our enemies.

There is a difference between authentically loving someone and liking someone. Liking someone means you enjoy being around that person, and or you agree with that person, and so on. You can truly love (agapaó) someone while not liking him. You can like someone without truly loving her. We have probably all had friends who like us but didn’t truly love us: they were not there when we truly needed them or they were not willing to do good for us without expecting some kind of payment or return. Jesus is not like that: he truly loves us, even when we are not being very likable; he truly loves us even though we are sinners.

Readings for Sunday: Jeremiah, 1 Corinthians, Luke

In today’s Gospel, we hear the Beatitudes. One way to understand them is to see them as: how we are “to be.” Granted, beatitude is blessedness; to be blessed. Yet, we have to be open to receive God’s blessings, and so how “we are” is very much related to being blessed by God.

The Beatitudes show us that what God intends for us is very different than the attitudes conveyed by the world around us. Hence, Jesus says such seemingly crazy things like, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” However, the truth is that we are ultimately poor; all of creation is ultimately God’s and we only have temporary possession of the things of the earth. Furthermore, we are existentially poor: we did not create ourselves and we do not save ourselves. We receive everything as a gift from God. How are we “to be” before God? Humble and receptive to his gifts.

Additionally, when we “are” in relationship with God, then we will live differently than many in a world marked by sin. For that reason, Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.” It may not seem like we are blessed when people hate us, but to be united with Jesus, who himself was rejected by the world, is to have the greatest of all treasures.

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, 1 Corinthians, Luke

This Sunday, we hear in the second reading St. Paul’s summary of the Kerygma. The word kerygma is Greek for proclamation. It is what is translated as “preach” in the last line of the reading: “Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” We now refer to as the Kerygma, the basic message of our faith; it is the Good News or Gospel in summary form.

St. Paul is reminding the members of the Church in the city of Corinth what they heard him preach in person. First, the Good News is that of salvation. But salvation is a journey, which begins at Baptism, but requires our participation and free will choices. We must cooperate with God’s grace.

The Kerygma that St. Paul repeats is the same one explained more fully in the Nicene Creed we recite at mass every Sunday: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve…”

Readings for Sunday: Malachi, Hebrews, Luke

At the Field Museum there was an exhibit filled with shoes—endless varieties from around the world, even boots. A sign read, “Walk a mile in my shoes,” inviting us to understand others’ lives by imagining their journeys. It was inspiring. But something was missing—a pair of sandals, worn by a Jewish carpenter from Nazareth named Jesus.

Those sandals represent something profound: that God Himself understands us. God, as God, knows everything.Yet in Jesus, God takes our humanity, walking among us, experiencing life as we do.

The feast we celebrate today, the Presentation of the Lord, reminds us of this incredible truth. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple—the place where God’s glory, His shekinah, dwelled among His people.

For centuries, that glory had seemed distant—hidden behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies, accessible only to the high priest, and only once a year at that. But Malachi foretold a day when the Lord Himself would come to His temple. And when He did, it wasn’t with fire and lightning, but as a baby in His mother’s arms.

In Jesus, the glory of God walked a mile in our shoes. He shared in our joys and sorrows, even our death, to save us from sin and bring us into a new relationship with God—as His beloved children.

So, when life feels dark or overwhelming, follow Simeon’s example. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Because in Jesus, our God is with us in our experience, even when life is hard.

Readings for Sunday: Nehemiah, 1 Corinthians, Luke

How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Here’s a suggestion for another resolution: incorporating daily Bible reading into our routines as a way to strengthen our connection with God. While it might initially seem like a daunting goal, it’s a simple yet profound way to hear His voice and grow spiritually. Many of us wish we could hear God answer our questions directly, but more often, He speaks to us through prayer and scripture. The Bible is not just a collection of ancient writings—it is God’s living Word, full of wisdom and guidance for our lives.

In this Sunday’s first reading, we hear of how the people of Israel, having returned from exile from Babylonian to the Holy Land, listen to Ezra read God’s law, meaning part of scriptures we now call the Old Testament. The people were deeply moved to point of being sorrowful for their sins. But Ezra reminds them that God’s word is to also guide them on how to live, and that in hearing God’s word, the people are to rejoice in the Lord. In the Gospel reading, we hear of how God’s word is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. After reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus tells those listening in the syngague that the scripture passage is “fulfilled in your hearing.” Psalm 19 reminds us of the power of God’s Word, describing it as perfect, refreshing, and life-giving.

Historically, access to the Bible was limited, as copies were rare, and very expensive. Before the moveable type printing press was invented by Gutenberg in the 15^th century, every Bible was copied by hand. Usually it was copied on to a form of animal skin such as parchment or vellum. Today, we are fortunate to have easy access to the Bible in many formats, yet it often remains untouched in our daily lives. We can even access it on our phones! Imagine the impact of dedicating just 15-20 minutes a day to scripture—perhaps by reading before bed, during a quiet moment in the morning, or even as a family before dinner. These small adjustments can make a significant difference. By engaging with God’s Word consistently, we can deepen our relationship with Him and find renewed direction and purpose in our lives.

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, 1 Corinthians, John

Do we appreciate motherhood as just that: a radically important role? Granted some mothers work outside the home by choice or necessity. Some choose to exclusively work in the home; a stay-at-home mom is working hard. Either which way, mothers are counselors, teachers, nurses, cooks, caregivers, etc. Supporting mothers, especially single mothers, and ensuring just wages for families is essential, especially to enable those mothers who choose to be able to work in the home.