Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 55:6–9; Philippians 1:20b–24, 27; Matthew 20:1–16 I once shared this Gospel with lay leaders in Lolotoe, East Timor. Most of them were subsistence farmers. Life was not easy for them. They had known war, occupation, poverty, and the destruction caused by pro-Indonesian militia in 1999. We read the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Then I asked them: “What do you think about the landowner?” ...
Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 15:35–37, 42–49 Some Corinthians asked: How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back? These questions matter. If resurrection means the return of this same body, with all its sickness, weakness, decay, and pain, then resurrection may seem almost undesirable. But Saint Paul does not say that the body simply returns unchanged. He gives us an image. ...
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 15:12–20 When Saint Paul preached in Athens, he spoke about Jesus raised from the dead. Some people laughed. Others said: We will hear you some other time. The resurrection sounded strange to Greek ears. Many Greeks believed that the soul was trapped inside the body. For them, death was a kind of release. Why would anyone want the body to rise again? ...
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 At the heart of Christianity there is a story. Not an idea. Not a system. Not a moral code. A story. Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised on the third day. This is the Gospel Saint Paul received. This is the Gospel he handed on. He did not invent it. He received it from witnesses. ...
Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13 Since the beginning, Christianity has been known as a religion of love. Not love as a feeling only. Not love as nice words. But love made visible in mercy, service, patience, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Saint Paul calls this the more excellent way. The Corinthians loved spiritual gifts. Prophecy. Tongues. Knowledge. ...
Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows 1 Corinthians 12:12–14, 27–31a There are many images for the Church. The Church is the People of God, journeying through this world toward the heavenly Jerusalem. The Church is also a light for the nations, because Christ Himself is the Light. But today Saint Paul gives us another image. The Church is a body. Not a crowd. ...
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Numbers 21:4–9; Philippians 2:6–11; John 3:13–17 Everybody seems to know something about God. God is like this. God is like that. People speak easily. People argue quickly. But few are silent before the mystery. For Christians, God is not first an idea to be explained. God is revealed in Jesus Christ. And when we look at Jesus, we are surprised. Saint Paul says: ...
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 27:33–28:9; Romans 14:7–9; Matthew 18:21–35 In 1999, a small village in East Timor was burned by pro-Indonesian militia. A few months later, East Timor gained independence, and life slowly began to return to normal. Some of the militia also came back. The government dealt with the most serious offenders, but many who had committed smaller crimes, like burning houses or stealing, simply returned to the villages. ...
Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 10:14–22 For us, the word “idolatry” can sound distant. But for Paul, idolatry was a daily reality. It is about belonging. It is about communion. It is about where we place our heart, our trust, and our life. Paul begins with a strong command: “Avoid idolatry.” Then he speaks about the Eucharist. When Christians bless the cup, they are not simply drinking wine. They are sharing in the Blood of Christ. ...
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22b–27 A river begins as a small stream. The water is clear. The current is strong. Then the river grows. Other streams enter it. It becomes wide. It becomes powerful. But sometimes, as it grows, the water becomes muddy. The current slows down. Christianity can be compared to such a river. It began as a small stream of pure Gospel water. ...