Reflections for Ordinary Time

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

We hopefully don’t have much in common with the rich man in Gospel this weekend (Luke 16:19-31), nor with the complacent on their ivory couches humming along to the latest tunes (Amos 6:1a, 4-7). So there not a lot here for us today then, except perhaps for sorting out our feelings towards those that Jesus

Usually when reflecting on the readings for a week we start with the Gospel, then see what the first reading from the Hebrew Scripture may add, and finally take a look at the second reading. Very often we end up leaving the second reading to one side because the other two give us more than

I don’t hate any members of my family. I don’t hate my life. Unlike Saint Francis, I haven’t renounced all my possessions. So where does that leave me? According to today’s gospel, not in a good place. I can’t be a disciple of Jesus. (Luke 14:25-33) But I’m sorry, that just doesn’t make any sense! Can

Humility (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29). Yup – got that one. I don’t think most of us feel a need to push for that place in the best seats (Luke 14:1, 7-14). If anything we may suffer from the opposite issue – always wanting to sit at the back… Not pushing yourself forward isn’t always the