A Vincentian reading of the Sunday readings

Sap of Life, Strength and Fruitfulness

Jesus is the true vine.  He gives the branches that remain in him the sap that gives them life and strength and makes them bear plenty of fruit. Jesus uses the allegory of the vine and the branches. He does so since he wants to make clear how his disciples should...

Ruler and Savior, Lord and Messiah, Good Shepherd

Jesus is Ruler and Savior, Lord and Messiah.  Yet he lords over no one; he serves and is the Good Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. A ruler among Jesus’ own should not at all be like a ruler among the Gentiles. The latter lords it over others. The former, on...

Catch the Good News of Jesus Christ

The one who has risen is the same Jesus of Nazareth that the disciples have known, loved and followed on the roads of Galilee.  To be his witness means to see to it that other folks catch the Good News.  Those who make up a group can easily catch each other’s fears or...

Read the Signs of Jesus in Our Midst

Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  To believe in him means to know how to read, to grasp, his many signs in our midst.  We read, as we come to the end of today’s gospel, “Jesus did many other signs.”  So then, we can take it that his rising from the dead is one of...

180-degree turn, not 360

Fourth Sunday of Easter (A), May 11, 2014 – Acts 2, 14a. 36-41; 1 Pt 2, 20b-25; Jn 10, 1-10 You have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls (1 Pt 2, 25) There is no salvation outside Jesus. He is the only gate through which we humans enter to abide...

Being well connected

Easter Sunday (A), April 20, 2014 – Acts 10, 34a. 37-43; Col 3, 1-4; Jn 20, 1-9 Think of what is above (Col 3, 2) The least of us has risen from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God.  Now we await his glorious coming and welcoming words, “Come, you who are...

Dying for life

Palm Sunday of Lent (A), April 13, 2014 – Mt 21, 1-11; Is 50, 4-7; Phil 2, 6-11; Mt 26, 14—27, 66 He took the form of a slave (Phil 2, 7) Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  But he is not here to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom...

Life-giving death

Fifth Sunday of Lent (A), April 6, 2014 – Ez 37, 12-14; Rom 8, 8-11; Jn 11, 1-45 The one who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies (Rom 8, 11) Jesus guarantees life to believers.  His love to the end vivifies.  Loving as he does, we live...

Blind to the needy, blind to God

Fourth Sunday of Lent (A), March 30, 2014 – 1 Sam 16, 1b. 6-7. 10-13a; Eph 5, 8-14; Jn 9, 1-41 Light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth (Eph 5, 9) Jesus opens the eyes of the blind.  We are not blind if we believe in Jesus and go about doing...

The first thing he did was ask

Third Sunday of Lent (A), March 23, 2014 – Ex 17, 3-7; Rom 5, 1-2. 5-8; Jn 4, 5-42 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5, 8) Jesus lives the true religion.  Those who follow his example adore the Father in Spirit and truth. The worship the Father...

Healthy and liberating insecurity

Second Sunday of Lent (A), March 16, 2014 – Gen 12, 1-4; 2 Tim 1, 8b-10; Mt 17, 1-9 Bear your share of hardship for the gospel (2 Tim 1, 8) Jesus came from the Father and has come into the world to save us.  We will be saved if we imitate him, leaving the familiar and...

Pin It on Pinterest

FAMVIN

FREE
VIEW