Episode 77: Year B – Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

In today’s episode, we reflect on several details found in the readings for this upcoming Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year B, that are relevant for doing apologetics. We’ve already had the opportunity to reflect on some of them for the Solemnity of the Ascension, Year A in episode 26 of the Sunday Catholic Word. The others, however, do not overlap with Year A due to the optional second reading from Ephesians 4:1-13 and a different Gospel, taken from Mark 16:15-20

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Episode 76: Year B – 6th Sunday of Easter

There are three details that I want to focus on in the readings for this upcoming 6th Sunday of Easter, Year B. The first two come from the first reading, which recounts the event involving. Cornelius and his Gentile friends, taken from Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48. The apologetical topic that both details relate to is the Sacrament of Baptism. The third detail is found in the Gospel reading, taken from John 15:9-17. The topic that comes to the fore, like in last week’s Gospel, is the relationship that our good works have with our salvation.

The R...

Episode 75: Year B – 5th Sunday of Easter

There are three details that we focus on in the readings for this upcoming 5th Sunday of Easter, Year B. One detail comes from the second reading, taken from 1 John 3:18-24. The relevant topic is the role good works play in our salvation. The other two details are found in the Gospel reading, which taken from John 15:1-8. The apologetical topics that come to the fore are the Catholic interpretation of Jesus’ words “eat my flesh . . . drink my blood” in his Bread of Life Discourse in John 6 and the possibility for a Christian to lose the gift of s...

Episode 74: Year B – 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday

There are three details that we highlight in the readings for this upcoming 4th Sunday of Easter, Year B, also called Good Shepherd Sunday. The first two details come from the first reading, taken from Acts 4:8-12. The relevant apologetical topics are Peter the Rock (and thus the Papacy) and Jesus’ divinity. The third detail is the major theme of the Gospel—Jesus the Good Shepherd. The passage is John 10:11-18. The apologetical topics that come to fore with this theme is Jesus’ divinity and Peter’s role as the first pope.

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Episode 73: Year B – 3rd Sunday of Easter

There are four details that we focus on for this upcoming Sunday Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter. The first two come from the first reading, taken from Acts 3:13-15, 17-19. The relevant topics that come to fore are the early Church’s belief about Christ’s divinity and the Church’s teaching on invincible ignorance when it comes to sin. Details three and four are in the Gospel reading, taken from Luke 24:35-48. There are two apologetical topics that come into play: the bodily nature of Jesus’ resurrection and its significance for counter...

Episode 72: Year B – Divine Mercy Sunday

In this episode of the Sunday Catholic Word, we focus on three details that are relevant for apologetics in this upcoming Divine Mercy Sunday readings. The first comes from the first reading, which is taken from Acts 4:32-35, where we’re told the early Christians didn’t claim any possessions to be his own but had everything in common. Of course, the relevant topic is whether this provides biblical justification for socialism. The remaining two details are taken from the Gospel reading, which is taken from John 20:19-31. The relevant topics that we...

Episode 71: Year B – Easter Sunday

In this episode of the Sunday Catholic Word, we focus on five details found in each of the readings for this upcoming Easter Sunday, Year B. The first detail comes from the first reading, taken from Acts 10:34a, 37-43, which is Peter’s testimony that they have witnessed the ministry of Jesus and his resurrection. The relevant apologetical topic is that Christian faith is not blind faith. The next two details are taken from each of the optional second readings, Colossians 3:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8. The relevant topics are the nature of justification...

Episode 70: Year B – Palm Sunday

In this episode of the Sunday Catholic Word, we focus on nine details found in this upcoming Sunday Mass readings for Palm Sunday, Year B. The first two details come from the Gospel reading for the procession with palms, which is taken from Mark 11:1-10. The relevant apologetical topic is Jesus’ Messiahship. The next set of details come from the second reading, taken from Philippians 2:6-11. The relevant apologetical topics that arise with these details are Christ’s divinity and Christian universalism, the idea that all we will be saved in the end. The la...

Episode 69: Year B – 5th Sunday of Lent

In this episode of the Sunday Catholic Word, we focus on five details from the readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent, Year B that relate to apologetics. The first two come from the second reading, which is taken from Hebrews 5:7-9. Each detail gives rise to questions concerning Christ’s perfection and the extent of his knowledge in his human nature. The remaining three details all come from the Gospel reading, taken from John 12:20-33. Two of the three don’t relate to any specific common apologetical topic. However, they do give rise to possible obje...

Episode 68: Year B – 4th Sunday of Lent

In this episode of the Sunday Catholic Word, there are two details in the readings for this upcoming 4th Sunday of Lent, Year B that we’re going to focus on that are relevant for apologetical discussions. The first comes from the second reading, taken from Ephesians 2:4-10, and it relates to the important topic of the relationship between our good works and salvation. The second detail comes from the Gospel reading, which is taken from John 3:14-21. The relevant topic there is the nature of the “eternal life” promised to those who believe, and whet...