Jesus empties himself and humbly obeys, to the shameful death on the cross. So, God lifts him up, fills him with glory. Through him, with him and in him, defeat is triumph.
A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings
Hope in God, Rely on Him for All Things
Jesus became poor, a curse and sin for our sake. That is how needy his disciples are to become. And they should hope in God alone.
Greatest Love for the Neighbor
Jesus, who brings in the kingdom of God, loves us to the end, to the point of giving up his body and shedding his...
Open the Eyes of the Blind Who Want to See
Jesus brings light on those who live in the dark and guides our feet into the way of peace. Hence, he seeks to open the eyes of the blind. Jesus does not fail to open the eyes of a blind man, Bartimaeus, who keeps crying out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”...
Mysteries of Joy, Light, Sorrow, Glory
Jesus is the greatest mystery of all the mysteries God makes known to those who are like children and hides from the wise and the learned. Jesus’ predictions of his passion, death and resurrection are “mysteries,” so to speak, to them. That is to say, they do not...
Warn the Wealthy and Self-Satisfied
Jesus, God’s wise and sharp word, is worth more than gold and silver. He judges what the heart thinks of and what it wants to do. He also serves to warn the wealthy and self-satisfied of the risks they run. A man who seems to be in dire need of an answer kneels down...
Hinder the Plans That God Has For Us
Jesus calls all the little folks, weary and burdened, to give them rest. Their load comes from the wise who seek to hinder them.
Haughty That Are on the Way to Gehenna
Jesus is meek and lowly of heart. Hence, he wants us to be meek and lowly of heart also, and not at all haughty. John and the other disciples way well be as jealous for Jesus’ sake as Joshua was for Moses’. Or they may be so haughty. Haughty enough to think that...
Eyes and a Heart Directed toward the Poor
Jesus makes clear what it means to have eyes and a heart for those who are poor. Those who follow him are to have eyes and a heart for them also.
Ambitions that Are Selfish and Unfettered
Christ on the cross is the last of all and the servant of all. He puts to shame all those with ambitions to be the first and the greatest. Like most of us, the disciples of Jesus, for sure, have their ambitions. After all, they, too, have the right to be better....
Proclaim that Jesus Is the Christ
Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed. And we proclaim this, of course, one with Peter and all the Church. Peter gets to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ. And the latter tells his disciples right away to speak about it to no one. He then teaches them that...
Groan while Yearning to Be Free
Jesus is the one who makes us truly free. He cannot but groan as he sees that we do not yet enjoy the freedom he wants us to have. Jesus heaves a groan as he heals a man who is deaf and cannot talk. Such a groan may be a sign of his compassion. It may also mean it...
