THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Jeremiah 31:7 - 9 This Sunday, we will hear from the prophet Jeremiah. As is usually the case, this passage was clearly chosen to prepare us for the Gospel. It contains an oracle of consolation regarding the restoration of Israel, which is fulfilled in Jesus. Since it has been a while since we heard from the prophet Jeremiah, let’s quickly review the “who, what, when, where, why and to whom” of this book. Jeremiah began his prophetic ministry in 627BC during the reform that King Josiah initiated and ended it [...]
TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Isaiah 53:10 - 11 This Sunday, we will again hear from the Book of the prophet Isaiah. It is from chapter 53 so we recognize that it is from deutero-Isaiah, which dates to the time of the Babylonian exile. We will hear two verses from the last of four “Servant-of-the-Lord” also known as “Suffering Servant” oracles. Because he fulfilled the divine will by suffering for the sins of others, the Servant will be rewarded by the Lord. I invite you to read from 52:13 to fully understand the two verses [...]
ANNUAL EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION
“The Second Vatican Council rightly proclaimed that the Eucharistic sacrifice is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life. …For the most holy Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself, our Passover and our living bread. Through his own flesh, now made living and life-giving by the Holy Spirit, he offers life to all.’ Consequently, the gaze of the Church is constantly turned to her Lord, present in the Sacrament of the Altar, in which she discovers the full manifestation of his boundless love.” In this opening paragraph [...]
TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Wisdom 7:7-11 This Sunday, we will again hear from the Book of Wisdom. This book is known as the Wisdom of Solomon in the LXX manuscript and the Book of Wisdom in the Vulgate. It was most probably originally written in Greek, not Hebrew, somewhere between 100 - 50BC, probably in Alexandria, Egypt, one of the largest centers of the Jewish Diaspora, by an anonymous author. He was a devout, Greek-speaking Jew, acquainted with Greek philosophy and culture, probably a native of Alexandria. The purpose of the author was to [...]
INTRODUCTING THE UPCOMING SYNOD OF BISHOPS
You may have heard or read that Pope Francis has called a Synod of Bishops; it opens in the Vatican on 9 October and in all of the (arch)dioceses around the world on 17 October. Archbishop Pérez will celebrate an Opening Mass for the Diocesan Phase of the Synod that evening at 6:30pm at our Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul. The Synod of Bishops is a permanent council that acts as an advisory body for the pope. A pope convokes a synod to assist him in his ministry [...]
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Genesis 2:18 - 24 This Sunday, we hear the story of the creation of woman from the Book of Genesis. It has been quite a while since we have heard from this, the first book of the Bible, so let’s review the who, what, when, where, why and to whom of this most important book. It derives its name from the Greek translation γενεσης of the first word of that book in Hebrew בראשית – both words mean “beginning. The opening words of this book are: “In the beginning, God [...]