A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings

Moments of Trial and Fall, Triumph and Grace

Jesus is the Good News for all the moments of joy, light, sorrow and glory.  Are we his followers such Good News? Matthew’s account of the temptation of Jesus has eleven verses; Luke’s, thirteen.  But there are just two in Mark's.  The two show that Jesus spends...

Hands Outstretched to the Quarantined

Jesus stretches out his hand to the quarantined, marginalized, excluded, unclean.  His followers are to stretch out their hands to them, too. The law asks quarantine for those with leprosy, though this may be no more than a skin eruption.  And others should not touch...

Persevere in the Faith and in Service

Jesus does not lose heart till he brings justice to the earth.  As disciples we are to follow him and to persevere in the faith and in service. Job muses that life is but a drudgery.  Hence, he seems to lose heart; it seems he is not going to persevere.  Never mind...

Speak as Our Teacher Commands Us to Do

Jesus is the Word of the Father.  So, he does not speak on his own; the Father who has sent him commands him what to say (Jn 12, 49).  We, in turn, should only speak what Jesus tells us. God starts to speak, and just like that creation gets underway.  That means, he...
Traditions, Customs, and Habits

Intimate disciples of Jesus

Jesus wants us to be his intimate lovers, proven so through our keeping of his word.  He seeks to share with us, through the Holy Spirit, his Father’s love and genuine peace. In the first place, Jesus affirms that to love him truly means to carry out his word.  He...

Traditions, Customs, and Habits

Glory and new life through love

Jesus reveals to us the way of love that leads to glory and the new life. Judas leaves to carry out fully his betrayal.  It is night, which does not mean that the light no longer shines in the darkness. Divine glory still shines brightly.  Jesus speaks of it to his...

Naked in the presence of Jesus

Jesus alone clothes the naked and fills those who are empty by sharing with them his mission to clothe the naked and fill those who hunger and thirst for justice and mercy. Peter, who is fishing naked—do those who have fishing as their occupation work naked...

Traditions, Customs, and Habits

Faith working through love

Jesus wants us to have a faith that is firm as a rock and immense as the sea. This faith, made alive by love, prompts Mary of Magdala to go to Jesus’ tomb at the first opportunity.  Due to the same faith, this female disciple stays outside the tomb weeping, after...

Traditions, Customs, and Habits

Courage! Jesus leads us

Leading fearful disciples, who are also slow to understand, Jesus heads towards Jerusalem to face with courage his painful fate. Courage does not mean not agonizing at the specter of suffering and death. Jesus is in such agony that his sweat becomes “like drops of...

Traditions, Customs, and Habits

Banquet for the holy and not so holy

Jesus invites even sinners to the banquet of the kingdom. The strict practitioners of religion complain once again that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. They probably deride him, whispering to each other, “You cannot take him to any banquet.” But again, too,...

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