A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings

Jesus is God's resounding “no” to indifference toward the needy. The parable of the unnamed rich man and poor Lazarus condemns indifference toward the poor and helpless. It is not that the rich man is explicitly unjust. Apparently, it does not bother him that...

Jesus teaches us the creative and wise search first of the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Undoubtedly, the children of this world look for the power and glory of all the kingdoms of the world very shrewdly and in a creative way.  To verify this, one only needs...

Jesus is one with us sinners.  Just like his Father, he takes no pleasure in our death, but rather in our conversion, that we may live. Jesus is concerned about sinners, which shocks the Pharisees and the scribes.  They complain, “This man welcomes sinners and eats...

Jesus guides our feet into the way of the Kingdom of God. Great crowds follow Jesus who is on his way to Jerusalem.  But quality is more important to him than quantity.  Hence, he lays out his demands in a disconcerting way. First, Jesus demands that those who seek...

Jesus is the definitive divine word that teaches us to be humble.  He is also the perfect response of humility to the divine word. Jesus goes to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.  Since the Pharisees love places of honor at banquets, one can suppose...

Through the tender mercy of God, Jesus visits us to guide our feet into the way of salvation. Someone asks Jesus, “Will only a few be saved?”  The question suggests that the one who asks is worried about salvation. It is possible, however, that he is self-righteous. ...

To set the earth on fire is part of Jesus’ mission.  And how he wishes that the fire were already blazing! Undoubtedly, Jesus’ passionate and anguished wish keeps coming to fruition.  In fact, a cloud of witnesses surrounds us.  They are witnesses from all walks of...

Jesus assures us that God trusts in us.  We trust God because he first trusts us. Better than any prophet, Jesus’ embodies the divine invitation to trust.  That is because the Teacher explains in simple terms that God is the heavenly Father who loves all his children...

There is no trace of greed in Jesus, and he is most rich in what matters to God. Jesus refuses to intervene in an inheritance dispute.  Perhaps he does not want to do something that others may misconstrue as softness with those who love money.  What is certain,...