God’s gaze is on the lowly. He wants to turn slaves into adopted children. But how do those favored with God’s glance prove themselves? Possessing a penetrating gaze, God bypasses someone with an impressive appearance. He takes from the pasture the youngest, the last,...

God wants us, who belong to his family now, to love to the end. Interestingly, bêt’āb in Hebrew, literally “the father’s house,” is translated too as “family,” which indicates the patriarchal character of the Hebrew family. But, of course, there is in God no male...

The Savior comes with a great light to save us in an unexpected way. Now appears the grace of God. Though he may dictate to the whole world, Caesar Augustus does not save, nor does governor Quirinius, an opportunist among many, not even king David, who gives renown to...

Jesus is the only blessing we need. He becomes our blessing, our consecration, by doing God’s will to the end. Elizabeth blesses Mary. For this, she does not depend on either Zechariah’s priesthood or his maleness. He hardly figures in the scene dominated by two women...

Rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4, 4) Jesus is the Good News announced by his forerunner. Do we announce what John does? It is not himself that he preaches. He proclaims what Jesus will proclaim later: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Such proclamation...

Second Sunday of Advent (C), December 6, 2015 – Bar 5, 1-9; Phil 1, 4-6. 8-11; Lk 3, 1-6 Filled with the fruit of righteousness (Phil 1, 11) The Word of God is not chained. No one, nothing, hinders it. It is astoundingly effective. The word of God comes to John while...

First Sunday of Advent (C), November 29, 2015 – Jer 33, 14-16; 1 Thes 3, 12 – 4, 2; Lk 21, 25-28. 34-36 Holy before our God and Father (1 Thes 3, 13) Our Savior is nearer to us than when we were baptized. He expects to find us watching with unbreakable faith. With...

Thirty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (B), November 22, 2015 – Dan 7, 13-14; Rev 1, 5-8; Jn 18, 33b-37 He has made us into a kingdom (Rev 1, 6) Christ is King because he serves and gives his life for all in a perfect and...

Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), November 15, 2015 – Dan 12, 1-3; Heb 10, 11-14. 18; Mk 13, 24-32 He took his seat at the right hand of God (Heb 10, 12) Jesus is our hope. In difficult, painful and failed times, we are tempted to despair even of humanity’s...

Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), November 8, 2015 – 1 Kgs 17, 10-16; Heb 9, 24-28; Mk 12, 38-44 Not a sanctuary made by hands but heaven itself (Heb 9, 24) Jesus urges us to see to it that our surrender be like his. He wishes us divine fullness. Everything...