The story of the “Merciful Father” in Luke 15 is the climax of a series of parables on Losing and Finding. Here, in addition to the theme of finding what was lost, Jesus includes a challenge to those who are offended at the way he deals with sinners. In the fourth Sunday of [...]
Repentance is also characteristic of the Christian lifestyle. After all, Christian life is a response to the command: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Lately, the Church has been referring to this idea as “ongoing conversion”. Paul, in the second reading, gives expression to this in his admotion: [...]
Peter, James and John witness the Transfiguration of Jesus and hear the voice that tells them to obey Jesus. The Law and the Prophets, represented in the event by Moses and Elijah, are illumined by the light of Christ. In other words, the meaning of the Law and the Prophets become clearer [...]
The Lenten Sundays that precede Passion Sunday are thematically arranged in the following way:
Sundays I and II: The Victory in which the Christian is called to participate
Sundays III – V: Sin No More: To Victory through Conversion and Repentance
Below is a schedule of the Gospel readings for Year C
Date
Sundays in Lent
Gospel [...]
Continue reading about (Lent I — C) The Victory in the Desert
The liturgy for the 6th Sunday of OT (C) highlights the Beatitudes as one finds it in Luke 6:20-26. Seeing the large number of disciples gathered before him, Jesus proclaims, using the language of blessings and woes, who are his real disciples. They are those who listen to his words and perform them, [...]
Luke rewrites the story of Simon’s vocation within the context of a miraculous catch of fish. Simon the fisherman is commanded by a carpenter from Nazareth to put out the nets. Simon obeys even when he knows that the sea has refused to yield its fruits to him. The catch of fish [...]
Continue reading about (V Sunday — C) Called to be Fisher of Men
The fourth Sunday offers us two second parts: Paul’s hymn to Love which continues the theme of the Church’s unity and diversity, and the second part of Luke’s narration of Jesus’ inauguration of the Year of the Lord’s Favor of Luke 4:14-30. The Pauline selection from 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that in [...]
Continue reading about (4th Sunday — C) A Preview of Things To Come
The third Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C coincides this year with the conclusion of National Bible Week, a yearly celebration that reminds the Filipino Catholic of the importance of reading the Scriptures as a preparation for or a prolungation of the Liturgy of the Word. Luke’s coverletter for Theophilus underscores the supplementary nature [...]
Continue reading about (3rd Sunday — C) The Fulfillment of Prophecy
The Solemnity of the Holy Child is a feast specially dear to Filipinos. Here we commemorate in a special way, not only the childhood of the Lord, but also the beginnings of evangelization in the Philippines. It should be remembered that when the Augustinian friars began their work in the islands, the image [...]
The Visit of the Magi, the Baptism of the Lord and the wedding at Cana are events that the liturgy has associated to Epiphany, the manifestation of the Lord to the world. At the beginning of Ordinary Time (Year C), we make present again the Baptism of the Lord where He accepted [...]
The fourth Sunday of Advent is the Sunday that immediately precedes Christmas. The liturgy is already heavy with motifs of the Incarnation. We read the prophecy about Bethlehem where the Messiah will be born and the mystery of the Incarnation presented through a psalm. In the Gospel reading, Mary brings Jesus, "Yeshua" (= Salvation) to [...]
Continue reading about (Advent IV C) Blessed Are You Among Women!
The first Sunday of Advent drew our attention to the reality of our expectation. The Lord comes, but it is not for us something that should cause anxiety but hope. The second Sunday of Advent gave us the figure of John the Baptist who as a type of the Church proclaims the coming [...]
Continue reading about (Advent III C) Let Your Kindness Be Known
