Reflections for Ordinary Time

We have a very complicated and possibly confused relationship to the law, or laws in general. Some we regard as essential and believe in strict punishment for lawbreakers. Some, maybe to do with our driving behavior or tax liabilities, we regard as rather more optional or flexible. Some cause great debate or conflict as to […]

There have been times in the history of Christianity when faith and holiness have been considered as mainly private or personal affairs. Our relationship with God is something that lives inside us.  That’s true. But what Jesus makes clear in today’s gospel is that it can’t stay inside us (Matthew 5:13-16). Being a secret Christian

Usually on a Sunday our first reading (Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13) and the Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12a) have a close link, the second reading follows its own path (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Today all three readings point very clearly at the same truth. Who is God looking out for, where is his special attention focused? Yes, he loves

Last week we heard how John positioned the baptism of Jesus in the context of the prophetic role of John the Baptist. And in that account the first disciples of Jesus were previously disciples of John the Baptist – no mention of them being fishermen picked up along the beach.  Matthew goes with the fisherman

Today we hear a very different account of the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, from John’s gospel (John 1:29-34). John still references Jesus baptism but he structures his account very differently (as is the case with pretty much everything in his gospel).  Here there is no interaction between Jesus and the Father, the story is presented

Malachi says “Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire” (Malachi 3:19-20a). Right on! We can get behind that – maybe particularly in situations where we feel things are not as they should

A parable addressed to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else (Luke 18:9-14). Seems like that could be quite relevant for us. Perhaps one of the few common, shared attitudes at this time, between people who agree on nothing else, is being convinced of our own righteousness and despising everyone

Today’s readings are not obscure – it’s all about persistence. We have to persist in our prayer – we shouldn’t get discouraged and think God doesn’t care. But neither should we take this as a encouragement to nag God into submission! We are still responsible to direct our prayer to aims that align with God’s

Our two main readings this week, telling the stories of Naaman (2 Kings 5:14-17) and of the Samaritan leper (Luke 17:11-19), are very clearly parallel. They once again show that God has no favorite people, no favored groups or nations. This despite the desperate need that humans have felt throughout history to feel they are

We can probably easily identify with Habakkuk when he says (Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4):  How long, O LORD?  I cry for help but you do not listen!I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene.Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?Destruction and violence are before me; there is