A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings

Meal of Salvation, Meal of Judgment

Jesus is the meal to which we are all invited, so that we may not perish but have eternal life.  Do we come to it wearing the proper attire? To enter God’s kingdom, it is not enough to be in a meal with Jesus, once, twice or more.  He says so as he answers one who...

Burn with Zeal for the Kingdom of God

Jesus cannot but burn with zeal for God’s kingdom.  For he has come to proclaim it, to bring it in, and to bring it about to the full. In many places, trees, houses and other things burn in fires.  We are sorry, of course, for the deaths, losses and harm that fires...

Alert to the Dangers the World Poses

Jesus is the cry that seek to alert us of the risks that we run.  For we live in a world that fosters individualism and hoarding. Not a few of Jesus’ teachings, the paradoxes in particular, raise eyebrows and puzzle.  Through them, he holds those who hear him...

Vanity of Vanities, All Is Vanity

Jesus is clear-headedness in person.  He brings to light the vanity, the emptiness, of the life of those who love and serve money. Jesus grants and does not grant what a man who feels disinherited asks him to do.  For, in the first place, the Teacher says  “no.”  He...
Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Jesus is the last revelation of divine salvation to Israel and the nations. It is right, then, that all show themselves thankful to him always and everywhere. Nine of the ten lepers that Jesus has healed do not show that they are thankful. For only a Samaritan, who...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Increase Faith and Stir It into Flame

Jesus Christ is the leader and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12, 2). It is right, then, that we ask him to increase always our faith. Faith is a divine gift (Rom 12, 3; Phil 1, 29; 2 Pt 1, 1). That is, God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit gives it to us. We ask it, then, from...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Care and Concern for Those in Need

Jesus fulfills the law and the prophets. He teaches us by words and deeds to care for the poor, their misery making us ill. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus teaches us to care for those who are poor. Though we can safely say that the helpless beggar is resigned...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Serve God Alone and Not Money

Jesus shows us the way to serve God absolutely and not money ever. Do we Christians, and Vincentians besides, really learn from him? Jesus does not love money. He is not all like those who sneer at him on hearing him say, “You cannot serve both God and wealth.”...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Mercy That We Find Hard to Understand

Jesus Christ is the incarnation and personification of divine mercy (DM 2). Dwelling among us, he hopes that God’s mercy will rub on us human beings. Sinners draw near to listen to Jesus. He welcomes them, and he even eats with them, which bothers the Pharisees and...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Lowly Followers of Jesus Christ

Jesus is the definitive proof that God lifts up the lowly and repays those who reaches out to them. Our Teacher calls us to the same lowliness and outreach. Jesus is a guest of one of the leading Pharisees. In other words, he is not among the lowly folks. Rather,...

Thankful for Healing and Salvation

Narrowness to Go Through and Overcome

Jesus himself goes in through the narrow gate.   His example gives us strength to go through and overcome all narrowness. Someone asks Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” The question, in other words, is whether there is wideness in God’s mercy or...

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