An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - April 6, 2025
“I Am The Resurrection And The Life”
Our readings for this Fifth Sunday of Lent focus our attention on the promise of new life in the resurrection of the body. It is a promise not to be taken
lightly. It is a central point of our faith.
Our first reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14) is an excerpt from the prophet Ezekiel’s “vision of the valley of bones”, prophesied during the time of Judah’s exile in Babylon. It was a time when all hope seemed lost. In Ezekiel’s vision, God commanded that he prophesy of a time when Israel would be restored and the “dry bones” would be raised from their graves, and given flesh and sinew and breath. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!“ We await that same promise in Jesus Christ.
In our Epistle reading (Romans 8:8-11), St. Paul draws a sharp contrast between those who live in Christ and those who are still "in the flesh". For those believers who are living "in the Spirit", they will know the resurrection through the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead.
In our Gospel reading (John 11:1-45), we hear the story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus did this "so that the crowd may believe that you (the Father) sent me". He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth.” This was a foretaste of the bodily resurrection that will come to us all at the final judgement and similar to Paul’s words in our Epistle reading. This is not unlike our first reading from Ezekiel when the Lord will “open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!“
This Sunday’s readings along with the previous two Sundays (The Woman at the Well and the Healing of the Man Born Blind) were traditionally used by the early Church as instruction and insight for catechumens in preparation for Baptism. May their reflection be a source of renewal of our own Baptism as our Catechumens prepare for their Baptism in Christ and we all prepare for the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040625-YearA.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - March 30, 2025
“Do You Believe In The Son Of Man?”
Our readings for this Sunday are united by the themes of light vs. darkness—what God sees contrasted with what man cannot see, at least not without God's grace and
inspiration.
Our first reading (1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13) continues our journey through Salvation history. This Sunday, we hear of the anointing of the young shepherd boy David as King of Israel. God sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse saying that he would anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next King of Israel. Samuel met seven of Jesse’s sons, but God rejected all of them. Then, finally, the youngest son David, the shepherd, was presented and God said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one.” God saw what Samuel could not see. God looked into the heart and chose the ruddy youth David. Samuel anointed him to be the new King of Israel. “Not as man sees does God see”.
In our Epistle reading (Ephesians 5:8-14), Saint Paul reminds us that we have had our spiritual sight restored in Christ Jesus through our Baptism - we are no longer in darkness but are “children of the light in the Lord.” This brings certain responsibilities and expectations. Paul writes, “Live as children of the light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth . . . Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness.”
Our Gospel reading (John 9:1-41) is the story of Jesus healing the man blind from birth. Jesus healed the man with spittle and dust (clay), similar to God at creation, who formed man from His spittle and the dust of the earth. This blind man, in his healing, walks a similar journey as last week’s Gospel story of the Woman at the Well. First, Jesus is just “a man”, then Jesus is “a prophet”. Finally, Jesus asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?’” He said, “I do believe, Lord.” This is a story about spiritual blindness vs. physical blindness. It is representative of our Baptism. The blind man sees completely, but the Pharisees, though they can see physically, are still blind spiritually.
In this Gospel story, physical blindness can be seen as spiritual blindness. Its healing can be seen as the influence of the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Even though we see the world around us with our eyes, without God's grace, we are still in darkness. Grace gives the eyes of our soul the ability to see God, to know God, and to share God with others. As Saint Paul tells us, we must "Live as children of the light."
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033025-YearA.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - March 23, 2025
“Whoever Drinks the Water I Shall Give Will Never Thirst ”
In this Sunday's readings, we hear about water that quenches physical thirst and the "living water" that quenches our thirst for the fullness of life with God. Both are gifts from a loving and merciful God.
In our first reading (Exodus 17:3-7), we hear how the Israelites grumbled in the desert about their thirst for water, “the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?’” God responded to their lack of trust with mercy as God instructed Moses to “Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.”
In our Epistle reading (Romans 5:1-2, 5-8), St. Paul reminds us that this grace that God has given us through the passion and death of His Son is truly unmerited and given purely out of the love God has for us, even while we were still sinners. Paul writes, “But God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
In our Gospel reading (John 4:5-42) we hear the story of the Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at Jacob's Well. In their conversation about water and thirst, the woman is led into a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and the true nature of the "living water" of which He speaks. Her increasing understanding and faith led her to lead others to Jesus - a mission we Christians are called to as well. (The Gospel readings for the next few weeks—the woman at the well, the man born blind and the raising of Lazarus—focus on the theme of conversion, healing and eternal life and in a particular way relate to the instruction of our Catechumens preparing for full communion with our Catholic Church.)
In some ways, we may be like the Samaritan woman and the Israelites in the desert, with our minds fixed on our physical needs while Jesus is leading us to thirst for our spiritual needs, conversion, and the fullness of life in Him. Would it be that we were as quick to recognize Jesus as was the Samaritan woman.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearA.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - March 16, 2025
“This Is My Chosen Son; Listen To Him”
As our Lenten journey continues, we look at the key events in salvation history as well as the key events in Jesus’ life and ministry. In our
readings this Sunday, we look at two manifestations of our awesome God - the sacred covenant God formed with Abraham and the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor.
In our first reading (Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18), we hear of Abram's (later renamed Abraham) encounter with God as God promised him countless descendants and also gave him the Promised Land. God and Abram enter into a sacred covenant using an ancient covenantal ritual to establish an unbreakable bond. Much like the disciples in our Gospel reading, Abram was enveloped in a "deep, terrifying darkness". In his act of believing the word of God, Abram, at that moment, became our father in faith.
In our Epistle reading (Philippians 3:17 - 4:1), Saint Paul encourages us to follow the example he and others have set for us, unlike those who “conduct themselves as enemies of the cross.” Standing firm in the Lord, we are no longer mere earthly beings but citizens of heaven as we “await our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” At that time, Jesus will “change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body".
In our Gospel reading (Luke 9:28-36) we hear the awesome story of the Transfiguration. Jesus led His chosen three disciples up the mountain and was transfigured before their eyes as He revealed His glory. They "became frightened" at the sight but then wanted to build three tents and savor the moment. There is rich symbolism in this experience, as Moses and Elijah are said to have represented the Law (Torah) and the Prophets of Israel. They discussed Jesus’ “exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem”, thus connecting all of Jewish salvation history to the final exodus of freedom from sin and death through the cross and resurrection.
Many of us have had some encounter with God that has left us filled with awe and wonder. While we may want to savor the moment, we know we have to come down from the mountain, as did the Apostles from the transfiguration, and go about living our daily lives, just differently.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031625.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - March 9, 2025
“You Shall Not Put The Lord, Your God, To The Test”
At the beginning of Lent, the Church reminds us of Jesus’ doing spiritual combat with the devil in the wilderness,
reminding us that Lent is a time for warfare. Through our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we do battle with the forces of the devil in our lives, and with God’s grace, defeat him decisively.
In our First Reading (Deuteronomy 25:4-10) Moses spoke to the Israelites at the end of their 40 years of wandering in the desert. He instituted the harvest festival of the first fruits (Sukkot). It was a ritual thanking God for His provision and a retelling of the story of God's delivery from their slavery in Egypt. Once in the promised land, this was to be performed each year as part of the harvest festival. In many ways, we memorialize these same stories in our liturgies today. Our Church wants to make sure that we, as a people of God, never forget God’s mercy and deliverance.
In our Epistle reading (Romans 10:8-13), Saint Paul instructs us that salvation is a two-part process. It is a process of the believing in our heart and of confessing with our mouth. Both are necessary. The confessing is the evidence of the believing. Everyone who calls on the Lord (Jew or Gentile) will be saved.
Our Gospel reading (Luke 4:1-13) is the story of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, just after His baptism and before His public ministry began. After a period of 40 days of prayer and fasting, Jesus was spiritually enriched but physically weak and hungry. And enter then, the devil to tempt Jesus in His time of weakness. Jesus' temptation and struggle were real in His humanity, but His triumph over the evil one was the divine perfection we all strive for and the example we follow.
The three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness represent the same three temptations of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—Lust of the flesh (good food), Lust of the eyes (desire for possessions) and Pride of life (sinful lust for power and wisdom). We confront this same “Threefold Concupiscence” during our Lenten journey. It is our opportunity, with God’s grace, to banish them and their merchant, Satan, from our lives.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030925.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - December 25
“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US”
Our readings for Christmas Mass at night draw a direct connection between what Isaiah prophesied more than 500
years before Christ was born and what took place that Christmas night when the prophesy was fulfilled in all its humble glory.
In our first reading (Isaiah 9:1-6), we hear the prophesy of Isaiah that is proclaimed every Christmas Eve night - God's own Son will come to deliver us. "For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.”
In our Epistle (Titus 2:11-14), St. Paul leads us to remember that Christ promised to come again and will deliver us from all lawlessness. Paul teaches us how to live while we await the return of Jesus our Savior. “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.”
Our Gospel reading (Luke 2:1-14) is the account of Jesus' humble birth as Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census of the house of David. The first to bear witness were the lowly shepherds from the surrounding hillsides.
The birth of the Jesus the Messiah was not just something that happened a long time ago. It was an event foretold for centuries and awaited fervently by the people of Israel. From the moment of Jesus' birth to his tragic death and triumphant resurrection, he was the embodiment of humility, patience, and love. It is how he calls us to live "temperately, justly and devoutly in this age as we await the blessed hope."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-night.cfm
Click 'Read more' for the reflection on the Christmas Day readings.