If you would like to catch up on some recent posts, here is a place where you can easily access some posts you might have missed. I hope it helps… enjoy.
- Such a Simple Verse24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. 25 He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus. All Christian denominations adhere to the Virgin Birth of Jesus; it is essential orthodoxy. The controversy about … Continue reading
- ContrastsToday’s first reading is taken from Judges 13:2–7, 24–25 and talks about Samson. The paired gospel is from Luke 1:5-25 in which an angel of the Lord comes to Zachariah to tell him that he and his wife Elizabeth, long considered barren, would have a child. At first blush it is an odd pairing – at … Continue reading
- God’s PlanJoseph’s plans are interrupted in vv.20–23 by the appearance of a messenger from God in a dream — a device familiar from the Old Testament account of the birth of Samson (Judges 13). The first words uttered are “do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.” The angel gives an explanation for … Continue reading
- On their own landThe first reading today is from Jeremiah, the prophet to the nation during times of crisis in the final days of the kingdom of Judah. The prophet was given the daunting task of prophecy to Jerusalem who was at the end of a “death spiral” of horrible leadership under the kings of Judah, the descendants of … Continue reading
- The Virgin BirthThat Jesus was conceived by a virgin mother without the agency of Joseph is clearly stated throughout this section, and is the basis for the introduction of the quotation in vv. 22–23. 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and … Continue reading
- A call to rememberToday you might ask a new neighbor or a new parishioner, “Where are you from?” It is a normal question. Growing up in the South it was equally likely for someone to ask, “Who are your people?” Today’s gospel is the answer to that question, which at first hearing, sounds like just a long list of … Continue reading
- A New Testament ContexThe two previous posts did a “deep dive” into the first reading for the 4th Sunday of Advent (Isaiah 7:10-14) – “the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” – as a means to provide the Old Testament background for Matthew’s use of … Continue reading
- King Ahaz and the Prophet IsaiahIn the previous post we spent a good deal of time introducing King Ahaz – he was not the best of kings. That was being nice. He was awful. He was judged to be comparable in wickedness to all the wretched kings of Judah and Israel. In this context it is easy to see why the … Continue reading
- The First Readings in the 3rd Week of AdventThe Catholic first readings for daily Mass for Dec 15 – 19, 2025 (in the third week of Advent) are taken from Numbers 24, Zephaniah 3, Genesis 49, Jeremiah 23, and Judges 13. At first glance it seems kinda random and taken plucked from here and there, but there is a logic and wonderful story when … Continue reading
- O Come, O Come, EmmanuelOur gospel is the traditional reading for the 4th Sunday of Advent (year A) and thus, in addition to its biblical context, this reading also carries a seasonal meaning. A Seasonal Context: The Fourth Sunday of Advent always tells part of the story that just precedes the birth of Christ. These familiar episodes set the stage … Continue reading
- Why we rejoiceI have always been interested in the art, the craft of titling books. When scanning for my next book to read I am often drawn in by the title. I can remember coming across Norman McLean’s novel, A River Runs Through It. There was something about the title that intrigued me. So, I picked it up … Continue reading
- “Whose birth are we preparing for, anyway?”The gospel for the 3rd Sunday in Advent is a transition point of Salvation History and easily is lost in our modern movement to Christmas. But here in this reading, John the Baptist stands at the threshold as the last and greatest herald of the Old Covenant, but not a participant in the new era of … Continue reading
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friarmusings 
Excellent way to catch-up without missing a post. Sometimes I miss 1-2 readings and I find them later when clearing my email.
I enjoy the reading and I like the idea of reading all on one email.
Thank you for sharing and posting for our reading and learning pleasure.
If it isn’t a burden to do so, I say yes please.
Sometimes my day gets busy and the only answer is to just delete all but essential emails. But then later in the week a post catches my eye and I want to look back to the beginning of the thread and see where it started. This week’s article on the Magnificat is an excellent example.