A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings

Preach the Good News to the Poor

Jesus is the one the Lord God has anointed with the Holy Spirit and has sent to preach the Good News to the poor. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  And the sacred writers and wise holy men and women bring them to light for us to see.  We...

Give Witness to the Lamb of God

Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  We are to fix our gaze on him and give witness to him. And we thank God for revealing this to John the Baptist and for sending him to give witness to it.  May God give us now the grace to take a long and...

Disrupt the State of Affairs Today

Jesus shows us his glory and mercy.  Such epiphany makes known that the time has come to disrupt things as they now are.  Magi from the east show up in Jerusalem.  And the question they ask turns out to undermine the powers that be.  For it troubles King Herod greatly...

Hold Dear and Reflect on All These Things

The baby lying in the manger bears the name Jesus and is Mary’s Son.  He calls us to hold dear all that we hear and see about him. The Savior of the world shows he is as though no one and nothing as just a child (SV.EN VI:170).  A baby, yes, like other babies that...
Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Jesus embodies the blessing that God pours out on us through the Holy Spirit.  His face shines on us, so that our faces may mirror his. The faces of Mary and Joseph gleam since on them shines the face of Jesus.  He is the great eternal high priest (Heb 2, 17; 4, 14;...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Amazing and Challenging Good News

In an amazing way, God becomes the son of the human family, so that we may belong to the family of God. The parents find amazing what they hear about their baby boy. It is as though an angel never brought them the amazing Good News about their son. But that is how the...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Spread the Unbelievable Good News

A Savior has been born for us, who is Christ and Lord.  This is the Good News of great joy that the angel brings.  It must spread, for it is for all the people. The decree that there be a census cannot but spread.  And that is why those of the house and family of king...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Abode of Prayer and Hope for All

Jesus makes his abode among us.  He is the house of prayer and hope for all peoples.  And he fulfills God’s promise to David. David plans to build a house that will be the Lord’s abode.  The Lord answers and reminds him of the great things that he has done for him....

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Disappointment Due to Our Biases

Jesus is the Christ.  To know him so makes us acknowledge that we are not worthy of him and spares us, too, of all disappointment. Those who come from Jerusalem do not receive John’s baptism; they are there to grill him and judge him.  The priests and the Levites...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ

Jesus is the beginning and the end, and the source and the summit of the Good News.  That is why we point to him by our words and deeds. Mark presents the beginning of the Good News.  But right away he speaks of Isaiah and John.  The last fulfills the prophecy about a...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Watch, Stay Awake, for Jesus Is Coming

Jesus is coming, but we do not know when.  So, we have to watch. It seems odd that we are to look to the end at the beginning of the liturgical year.  For we are urged to watch and wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  He will come, yes, but we do not know...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Judge the Blessed and the Accursed

Christ the King is not one to judge by the way we look.  And on the last day, his teachings, by words and deeds, will be our judge. The Church has been urging us, for two Sundays now, to watch and be ready for the coming of Jesus in glory.  And today the teaching is...

Faces of God, of Jesus, of Those in Need

Ability to Hasten the Coming of the Lord

Jesus shares with us his anointing and mission to bring the Good News to the poor.  He gives tasks to each one according to one’s ability. By the grace of God, we have the ability to believe in Jesus.  But when he comes after a long time, will he find faith on earth?...