Elizabeth and Mary and Us (4th Sunday of Advent: Micah 5:1-4; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45) The opening lines of Micah’s prophecy about Bethlehem, in today’s first reading, are best remembered as the text used by the scholars of Jerusalem to tell the Magi where to look for the Christ child. Bethlehem…

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Mission of Joy (3rd Sunday of Advent: Zephaniah 3:14-18; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18) Today is Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday, so we are not surprised to hear Zephaniah telling Jerusalem, and Paul the Philippians, to rejoice. Both are beyond enthusiastic! But someone else is rejoicing, too. Look at the end of the first…

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From Misery to Glory (2nd Sunday of Advent: Baruch 5:1-9; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6) The opening of today’s text from Baruch is wonderful: “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” In fact, the entire reading brims over with hope…

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Teach me your Paths (1st Sunday of Advent: Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thess. 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-36) Today we begin Year C in the Church’s three-year liturgical cycle. We have been this way before, and much will be familiar. Still, it is a new year, a new spiritual journey, for we have changed,…

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Gathered in Hope (33rd Ordinary Sunday: Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 13:24-32) Today, Daniel prophesies “a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began.” Jesus describes alarming signs preceding the end-time. We may be tempted to draw a correlation between these readings and our own time. If so, we wouldn’t be the…

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