Reflections for October 2020

This week the Pharisees continue their attempts to trip up Jesus. We’ve skipped his debate with the Sadducees about life after death, and now we hear a different line of attack from the political trap over paying taxes to the Romans. Or perhaps it really isn’t an attack – in Mark’s version of this story […]

This week we have references in two of our readings to major historical figures outside of the bible. The first is Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, and ruler of the largest empire in the world up to that time (600-530 BC). The other is Caesar – specifically Tiberius Caesar Augustus, the second Roman emperor. Such

For the last few weeks we have had a clear link between our First Reading (from the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel) and Jesus’s teaching – with a focus on the difference between our view of justice and God’s. This week there is also a link since both concerns feasts – representing God’s favor to His

Sour grapes, or sweet fruit? Today’s readings make it clear that God has expectations of His people – and throughout history those have not always been met. Sometimes they have been missed by a mile. That’s true of the People of Israel up to and including Jesus’ time, and of his Church through to modern