Category Archives: Scripture

Corpus Christi

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InRemembranceThis coming Sunday, the second reading – from 1 First Corinthians – calls us all to consider how and why we participate in the Holy Eucharist.

Introduction.  First Corinthians 11-14 deals with problems in the services of worship at the church of Corinth. Verses 2-16 of chapters 11 addressed the question of women covering their heads while praying and prophesying in the service of worship. Problems with the Lord’s Supper are treated in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. Paul then moves on to the question of spiritual gifts and the exercise of prophecy, tongues, and interpretation. Continue reading →

…that through this belief you may have life in his name

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Pentecost3The Catholic lectionary for Pentecost Sunday (Year C) has different gospels:  one for the Vigil Mass and another for the masses on Sunday. This commentary is offered for the Pentecost Sunday gospel

John 20:19-31

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 (Jesus) said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” 24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

The Ascension of the Lord – Part 2

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Luke 24:46-53

46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And (behold) I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” 50  Then he led them (out) as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and they were continually in the temple praising God.

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The Ascension of the Lord – Part 1

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Acts 1:1-11

1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.” 6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7  He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8  But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

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The Peace of God revealed…

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6th Sunday of Easter, Year C: John 14:23-29

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. 25“I have told you this while I am with you. 26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.

Introduction

Our passage today is taken from the “Farewell Discourse” of Jesus contained in five chapters of John (13:1-17:56). In other words, we have but a few verses which are an integral part of a much larger passage. Accordingly, the Discourse can be outlined in a number of ways, though three main parts are fairly clear: Continue reading →

The Good Shepherd

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Christ the Good ShepherdThis coming Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Easter, is often referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday” as the gospel comes from John 10. I thought I would share some notes I have assembled over the years…. as I note when I post such things, credits, footnotes and other such things are incomplete.  Please know the work of many true scholars makes this post possible.

John 10:27-30

27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

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The Annunciation – how not to roll out your campaign

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I’m just saying… You have a great message – the greatest story every told. You should have started the campaign rolling in imperial Rome among the people of influence and prestige. Among the trend setters and people of influence.

But no.  You have to roll our this campaign in the hinterlands.  Can somebody even tell me where Galilee is? Can somebody tell me why the “face” of the campaign is this unmarried teenager?  She has no clout, no cachet.

Where are the message story boards, the pitches, the brand, the voice – where are the visuals….You’re killing me here.

This campaign is dead in the water.  It has no legs and will go no where.

Good God – do you even know what you are doing?

Just musing about the Solemnity of the Annunciation.  How about you?

The Upper Room

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2nd SunSt-thomas5day of Easter – Year C: John 20:19-31 – Jesus Appears to the Disciples in the Upper Room

Something to consider. We have come to know this passage as the story of “Doubting Thomas.” Yet among all the Greek words for “doubt” [diakrinomai, dialogismos, distazō, dipsychos, aporeō, or aporia] none of these appear in the gospel text. Thomas is described as apistos, that is, without trust, lacking assurance, or questioning. What, if any, difference is there between “doubting” and “questioning?” Continue reading →

The Gospel of Luke – The Road to Emmaus

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In Luke’ narrative there is no account of the Resurrection; there in only the empty tomb – which is not the source of faith for people in Luke’s rendering of the gospel. Rather, in Luke’s gospel it is the empty tomb and the encounter with the person of the Risen Jesus.

The empty tomb is what Jesus had said would happen “on the third day.”  The event of its discovery points back to Jesus’ word.  A word mostly fully realized later in the ‘breaking of the bread.”

Luke 24:13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast.18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him.21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Continue reading →