This week, John the Baptist preaches repentance in the wilderness saying that one mightier than he is coming, meaning Jesus, the Messiah. Isaiah tells us that the Messiah will come from the stump of Jesse, meaning the house of King David, and that the Messianic era will establish a new era of peace. Paul reminds the Romans that all should live in harmony, including the Gentiles. The peace, righteousness, and harmony that are hallmarks of the Messianic age are yet to be fully realized in our broken and divided world. But Advent reminds us anew, each year, that there is still work to be done and there is time to repent!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 3: 1-12
1st Reading – Isaiah 11: 1-10
Psalm 72
2nd Reading – Romans 15: 4-9

Welcome to Advent, the beginning of a new Liturgical Year! Every year, the readings for the First Sunday of Advent focus our attention on the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time, when the living and the dead will be judged. Jesus, himself, tells us that he will come at an hour we do not expect. That can be a frightening prospect. So, let’s prepare ourselves… not to be frightened, but to be ready!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 24: 37-44
1st Reading – Isaiah 2: 1-5
Psalm 122
2nd Reading – Romans 13: 11-14

As we bring this Liturgical Year to a close, please join me for this bonus episode explaining the various liturgical observances celebrated by the Church with special emphasis on the Solemnity of Christ the King.

Special Liturgical Observances Explained
Christ the King Explained

Jesus is the king whose reign was not of this world, the Savior who did not save himself. Those who follow Jesus, who call themselves Christian, still struggle to live according to the radical message he preached. But why is it so hard? All too often we allow all the wrong things to have power over us… the internet, or influencers, or politicians, or social media. But what we really need to do is surrender ourselves fully to Jesus and declare him to be the ultimate king of our lives, our minds, and our hearts. So, how do we do that?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Luke 23: 35b-43
1st Reading – 2 Samuel 5: 1-3
Psalm 122
2nd Reading – Colossians 1: 12-20

Listening to this week’s Gospel and looking at our world, it may seem that the end times are near… but Jesus tells us not to be led astray by the negative messages of our world, that many frightening things will happen before the end. He also assures us that this will be the time for us to give our testimony – to witness to our faith through the wisdom he gives us in Sacred Scripture. So, how can we prepare ourselves to give authentic testimony?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Luke 21: 5-19
1st Reading – Malachi 4: 1-2a (3: 19-20a)
Psalm 98
2nd Reading – 2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12

The Lateran Basilica in Rome is the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. So, by extension, is it the home of every Catholic. Our readings this week remind us of how important it is to properly revere and respect all places of worship because they are where we encounter God here on earth. God’s goodness flows outward from those structures – through the waters of Baptism, through the words and actions of those who live the Gospel, through the good work done in the world by the Church. Each of us must be true to Jesus, our foundation, so that our words and actions reflect the Spirit of God dwelling within us.

This week's readings:
Gospel – John 2: 13-22
1st Reading – Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12
Psalm 46
2nd Reading – 1 Corinthians 3: 9c-11, 16-17

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed is the one day each year that the Church sets aside to pray for all the faithful who have died. This feast reminds us that we will all face death someday, but that we should not be fearful of that reality. Instead, we must face it with hope and trust in God. So, how do we do that? How do we prepare ourselves to dwell in the house of the Lord forever?

This week's readings:
Gospel – John 6: 37-40
1st Reading – Wisdom 3: 1-9
Psalm 23
2nd Reading – Romans 3: 3-9

This week, Jesus warns us not to assume we are righteous! Such an attitude emboldens us to trust in ourselves while judging and despising others. That runs counter to what Jesus teaches, and we must be careful to avoid such thinking. Instead, Jesus tells us to acknowledge our sinfulness, to be humble, and to seek God’s mercy. Scripture tells us cares for the poor, the outcast, and the stranger, so we must care for the poor, the outcast, and the stranger. That is the opposite of what society tells us, so how do we learn to listen to the Gospel rather than the world?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Luke 18: 9-14
1st Reading – Sirach 35: 12b-14, 16-18a
Psalm 34
2nd Reading – 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18

In this week’s parable, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray and not lose heart. That message is especially important for us as well. Prayer is still the greatest weapon we have to counter the uncertainty, division, and darkness that is so prevalent in our world today. Scripture is still the most reliable source of truth to equip us for the good work we are to do. Our prayers may not be answered as promptly as we might like, but they will be heard and answered. We may never know the good we do in the world, but God will know. The thing that is always within our control is persistence – so we must not lose heart!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Luke 18: 1-8
1st Reading – Exodus 17: 8-13
Psalm 121
2nd Reading – 2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2

Jesus is always ready to bestow his mercy upon us; all we have to do is ask sincerely and we will be made clean. Probably not cleansed of leprosy as we hear in this week’s readings, but cleansed, nonetheless. The proper response for such great mercy is to joyously love and praise God in return. But how do we accomplish that? We must live according to the Gospel, the good news Jesus taught – all of it, not some of it. We must love and forgive others as Jesus did – not just some people, but all people… friends, enemies, neighbors, strangers, immigrants… everyone!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Luke 17: 11-19
1st Reading – 2 Kings 4: 14-17
Psalm 98
2nd Reading – 2 Timothy 2: 8-13