NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B Introduction Jews and Christians are called “People of the Book” 54 times in the Qur’an. The word “book,” in the sense of a book containing the revelation of Allah, is repeated 230 times. However, it is an ambiguous term because sometimes it indicates the book of Moses, […]
EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME August 3, Tuesday It is regrettable that the Lectionary has omitted that part of the remark of Jesus that gives the foundation of this episode: “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” Jesus redefines the true understanding of purity. One is pure not […]
Reflection: Mt 14:22-36 Matthew is describing, with the biblical language, the situation of the Christian communities of his time. They were “tormented” by many trials. He literally used the term “tortured”, or “tormented”. He had used the same word previously, where the men possessed by the evil spirits asked Jesus: Have you come here before […]
EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME August 2, Monday The first reading in the 18th and the 19th weeks is taken from the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. It describes the journey of God’s people through the desert, with the trials of the difficult journey, the temptations of discouragement, lack of faith and trust, material and […]
Reflection: Matthew 14: 13-21 To run away from disturbing and frustrating life situations is a natural human tendency. When faced with a burdensome relationship, setbacks in professional life, our natural reaction would be to run away from them. This is what we find in the response of the disciples in today’s gospel: That the crowd […]
August 1, Sunday Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus confronts us today with the question: “Why are you looking for me?” Why are we looking for God, for Jesus? Is it merely for the things he gives us? We receive much from God, that is true, but do we look for Jesus for himself, for […]
Reflection: John 6: 24-35 We often misunderstand our God as a miracle worker; as someone who solves all our problems with miracles. Pause for a moment and think of the content of our prayers to God … are they all for some miraculous intervention of God in our lives or in the lives of our […]
July 31, Saturday SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME When the Jews celebrated the jubilee year every fiftieth year, slaves were supposed to be set free, land alienated through debts to be returned to its original owner. The idea was to allow for a radically new beginning, with respect for human rights and dignity. It […]
Reflection: Mt 14: 1-12 The Gospel presents us with the account of the beheading of John the Baptist. Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee from 4 BC to 39 AD, that is, all during the life of Jesus and beyond. He is the one to whom Pilate sent Jesus during his trial. Who would dare to […]
“Many of the Jews who had come to Mary seeing what Jesus had done believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Sanhedrin and decided to put him to death.” What Jesus had done in favor […]