Third Sunday of Advent Mass Readings: Pages 87 – 89 Order of Mass: Pages 7 – 47 The first word of the Entrance Antiphon gives this Sunday its popular name: Gaudete (‘rejoice’). First Reading: Christians have always taken the ‘me’ here as referring to Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself did (see Luke 4: 16 –…
Second Sunday of Advent Mass Readings: Pages 85 – 87 Order of Mass: Pages 7 – 47 Advent is the Church saying that you have four weeks to prepare yourself, your family, friends and neighbours to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary. We are preparing to welcome the…
First Sunday of Advent Mass Readings: Pages 82 – 84 Order of Mass: Pages 7 – 47 Advent is a season of expectation. We are waiting and preparing for the coming of Our Lord, as if he had not already come to us nearly two thousand years ago. John the Baptist is our guide, and he says…
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Mass Readings: Pages 158 – 160 Order of Mass: Pages 6 – 60 Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. When we think of a king we think of someone who is very remote from his people and lords it over them. But Christ is not like…
Thirty-third Sunday Mass Readings: Pages 155 – 157 Order of Mass: Pages 6 – 60 First Reading: at first sight, this passage describes the perfect wife (such as a future bridegroom will be looking for), and it does. But it also describes the ideals of wisdom. So feminists need not fear that it belittles women; on the contrary,…
Thirty-second Sunday Mass Readings: Pages 152 – 154 Order of Mass: Pages 6 – 60 Parable of the Lamps Every Christian is meant to be a lamp carrier—a bearer of the light of Christ to a darkened world. But just like the foolish bridesmaids we read about in today’s Gospel, we sometimes allow the precious light of…
Thirty-first Sunday Mass Readings: Pages 149 – 152 Order of Mass: Pages 6 – 60 Jesus had some harsh criticism to make of the Scribes and Pharisees. He called them hypocrites, because they didn’t practise what they preached. Which of us can truthfully say that our deeds match our words? Each and every…
Thirtieth Sunday Mass Readings: Pages 146 – 149 Order of Mass: Pages 6 – 60 First Reading: this is part of the Sinai covenant God established with Moses, one of the covenants referred to in the phrase “time and again you offered them covenants” in Eucharistic Prayer IV. Old Testament religion was not just about ritual; there was a strong…
