REFLECTIONS TODAY Today’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ identity and mission. The Gospel of John tells of the divine identity of Jesus by highlighting his divine origin. In the beginning, Jesus is the Logos of God, eternally with God and moving toward God (1:1-2). Jesus is of divine origin....
REFLECTIONS TODAY In John’s Gospel, John the Baptist bears witness to Jesus (1:6-8). He is a temporal light, a burning lamp that testifies to Jesus who is the true light (1:9). In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus also tells of the Father as his witness. John the Baptist’s testimony is...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In John’s Gospel, narratives develop into discourses. By a discourse, we refer to a monologue or dialogue, which involves Jesus and tells of his identity. Today’s Gospel passage is a discourse that develops from a narrative that recounts the healing of a lame man by...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In John’s Gospel, the signs refer to the miracles performed by Jesus. There are seven signs in John. The third of these, which today’s Gospel passage narrates, is the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. We may reflect on Jesus’ question as he...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus is at Cana when a royal official from Capernaum encounters him. The royal official’s son is on the verge of death. Capernaum is 20-25 miles from Cana. The royal official asks Jesus to come down to heal his son. Jesus tells the man to go home, and the man goes his way...
REFLECTIONS TODAY First Reading • Jos 5:9a, 10-12 [or 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a] The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Gospel parable mirrors two kinds of prayer. The Pharisee prays, not to God, but to himself (he spoke the prayer to himself). The publican, on the other hand, beats his breast and can barely set his eyes on God, a sign of humiliation and sorrow. A proud person has little place...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Mark 12:28-34 Jesus quotes the Shema (Dt 6:4) in responding to the scribe who, like many Jews, is anxious to know which of the 613 prescriptions in the Torah is the most important. The command to love God with one’s whole person and everything in one’s power,...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus has just driven out the demon from a mute person. While the crowds are awed, some people attribute the miracle to the power of Beelzebul. Jesus points to the absurdity of Satan fighting against himself and says that he drives out demons “by the finger of God” (v...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Whenever God conveyed a message to the Israelites, such message began with the word “Hear” or “Listen” (Shema), as is the case in our First Reading. This means that the first responsibility of the Israelites was to listen and understand the Lord’s words or...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Mary is human like all of us. But unlike us, she was completely open to God’s will. God did not impose his will on her. She was asked, and she consented. She was free to say No to God, but she saw herself as a humble maidservant open to obey the Lord’s bidding. She must...
REFLECTIONS TODAY In today’s Gospel, the intention of Jesus’ detractors is made clear—to get rid of him by killing him. Our First Reading seems to fit Jesus’ situation to a tee. He is the righteous one (v 12) that his enemies want to test. They want to see if he will remain steadfast to his...
