The parable of the Sower and the Seed has a different emphasis than the explanation of the parable. The parable is all about the sowing.  “A sower went out to sow.” The explanation of the parable talks about the success or failure of the sowing. This probably reflects the situation of the Church remembering the parable… Read More »

Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Biology is not destiny. The blood relations which made one a Jew would not have the same force in the kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus. It was doing the will of God that forged bonds of unity. Think about… Read More »

“Christ is mediator of a new covenant.” Covenant is used in the Bible to refer to the reciprocal relationship that God has with us. The people of Israel are the “chosen people” because God entered into a particular relationship with them. The people promised fidelity to God and God promised to be there for them.… Read More »

A friend of mine worked for one of the bishops in California. The bishop was away so he called back to the diocese. “John,” he asked, “how are things going.” John answered, “Bishop, you wouldn’t believe it. The blind are seeing, the captives are released and the poor have good news preached to them.” “Cut… Read More »

Families can be the source of our greatest joys. St. Paul wrote to Timothy: “I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice.” It was from his family that Timothy got the values, the virtues that guided his life. On the other hand, families can be the… Read More »

The conversion of St. Paul was one of the crucial moments in the history of the Church — so important that the Acts of the Apostles tells the story three times and Paul himself reports on the incident in the Epistle to the Galatians. The conversion moment was not in the drama of getting thrown… Read More »

“Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.” This passage from the Letter to the Hebrews is very consoling. Jesus is always able to save — no matter what we’ve done, no matter what has been done to us, no matter how things… Read More »

A Jew by birth must be born to a Jewish mother. To be a Jewish priest your father had to have been one before you. Is biology destiny? The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews thought not. He recognized Jesus as the great, high priest even though he was not from a priestly family. He uses… Read More »

You have to sympathize with the Pharisees. The Sabbath is at the heart of Jewish belief and practice — “a cathedral of time” in Abraham Heschel’s lapidary description. When they saw Jesus treating the Sabbath with less than the reverence they believed it deserved they were, of course, aghast. What Jesus wanted them (and us)… Read More »

The Epistle to the Hebrews talks about what we usually refer to as Jesus’ Agony in the Garden. “In the days when he was in the Flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his… Read More »