REFLECTIONS TODAY Luke, who addresses his Gospel mostly to Gentile believers, pictures a Hellenistic house with an entrance from which the light would shine on those entering. In Matthew, the lamp gives light rather to all who are in the house (5:15). In either case, the application is clear: a...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Luke 16:1-13 Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The sowing has many loses, but at the end it affords an abundant harvest, contrary to all expectations. This is a picture of Jesus’ work of ushering in the Kingdom. He meets many obstacles, but ultimately, he achieves success which far outweighs any failure. In the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus differs radically from the usual Jewish understanding of women’s role. The rabbis exclude women from their disciples. To them, the women seem incapable of studying the Law. On the contrary, Jesus cures women, associates with them, and includes them among his followers....
REFLECTIONS TODAY Mary, as Our Lady of Sorrows, is presented in John’s account as standing by the cross of Jesus on Calvary. Pope Francis presents her thus: “Without yielding to evasions or illusions, she accompanied the suffering of her Son; she supported him by her gaze and protected him with...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The message of the cross is shocking both to the Jews and Greeks. A crucified Messiah as God’s agent of reconciling a lost world is a bizarre message, not “good news.” The cross can only be “good news” if its meaning is completely overturned. This was shown in the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The story, unique to Luke, complements the preceding miracle. After healing the slave of the pagan centurion, Jesus brings back to life the only son of a Jewish widow. Jesus is the Savior of all. No one is excluded from the salvation he offers — neither sinners considered as...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The centurion’s nationality is not clear, but he is certainly not Jewish. Since Galilee at this time was not a part of the Roman prov-ince, the centurion is probably a veteran who assists Herod Antipas in his police force modeled along Roman lines. As an officer representing...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Luke 15:1-10 Many public buildings have a corner called “Lost and Found.” It is a place where things that people have lost are stored and from which the owners may retrieve them. On occasions when people are packed together — i.e., during a visit to the cemetery on All...
REFLECTIONS TODAY People in Palestine and elsewhere distinguish “good” trees or plants from “rotten” ones. Brambles, thorns, and thistles bear no fruits and a reminder of the cursed ground because of man’s sin in the beginning (Gn 3:17). Fig trees and grapevines produce fruits for...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus teaches his disciples to stop judging and condemning (Lk 6:37). This should not be taken to mean that Jesus is doing away with courts of the Law or even with judging in the sense of evaluating people. What Jesus points to is condemnatory judgment, especially in interpersonal...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In order of importance, the Marian solemnities come first – the Immaculate Conception (December 8), Divine Motherhood (January 1), and the Assumption (August 15). Next to the solemnities are the feasts – celebrations that commemorate salvific events in which the Blessed Virgin...
