tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148944292007-02-07T12:14:36.088+01:00Toni SantBlogger251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1136444836899384972006-01-05T08:05:00.000+01:002006-01-05T08:07:16.916+01:00

The Feast of the Epiphany Isa 60:1-6; Ps 71; Eph 3:2-6; Mt 2:1-12 On this first Sunday after New Year’s day, the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany i.e. the manifestation of Christ to the Magi at Betlehem. These Magi – which the Christian tradition later identified as three, since three gifts are mentioned in the Matthean text – came from the East to “adore” “the child born to be the

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1135813680676122292005-12-29T00:46:00.000+01:002005-12-29T00:48:00.690+01:00

Feast of Mary Mother of God Num 6:22-27; Ps 62; Gal 4:4-7. 28; Lk 2: 16-21 “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2: 19). Perhaps this key phrase contained in the Lucan text which the Church proclaims on this Frist Sunday after Christmas, deserves noteworthy attention and presents a shining model of a woman who excells in being a contemplative in action. I belief

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1135357469584126062005-12-23T18:02:00.000+01:002005-12-23T18:04:29.586+01:00

The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ Isa 52:7-10; Ps 97; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 Saint Francis of Assis was very much attracted by the humility of Jesus. So he could not help but cherish the solemnity of Christmas as the dearest feast to his heart. Together with this feast he profoundly contemplated the humility of Jesus on the Cross and in the Holy Eucharist. Indeed, Christmas and the Eucharist are

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1135357364935781662005-12-23T18:02:00.000+01:002005-12-23T18:02:44.963+01:00

The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ Isa 52:7-10; Ps 97; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 Saint Francis of Assis was very much attracted by the humility of Jesus. So he could not help but cherish the solemnity of Christmas as the dearest feast to his heart. Together with this feast he profoundly contemplated the humility of Jesus on the Cross and in the Holy Eucharist. Indeed, Christmas and the Eucharist

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1134629309279805022005-12-15T07:47:00.000+01:002005-12-15T07:48:29.290+01:00

Fourth Sunday of Advent Isa 7:10-14; Ps 23; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24 While Advent time is drawing to a close so that the celebration of the solemn feast of Jesus’ birth is just round the corner, the Church, on this fourth Advent Sunday, invites us to reflect seriously on the urgency that we be a faith-filled people. Faith is the key which opens before us the treasures of Christmas. We may have

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1133997440133072302005-12-08T00:16:00.000+01:002005-12-08T00:17:20.146+01:00

Third Advent Sunday Is 61, 1-2a, 10-11; Lq 1, 46-50, 53-54; 1 Tess 5, 16-24; Jn 1, 6-8, 19-28 We’re midway in our preparation for Christmas. Traditionally, the Third Sunday of Advent is called ‘The Sunday of Joy’. The reason is that in the liturgical readings which the Church proclaims on this Sunday, the dominating theme stresses the joy that Jesus’ coming is just round the corner! Indeed,

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1133367448654867772005-11-30T17:16:00.000+01:002005-11-30T17:17:28.666+01:00

Second Sunday of Advent Isa 11:1-10; Ps 71; Rom 15:4-9; Mt 3:1-12 On the First Sunday of Advent, we embarked on a new journey which will eventually lead us to another feast of Christ the King in the year 2005 – a journey in which we shall face new adventures and experiences in our life. Along the way, we shall discover new things which we may have never seen or which we may have always ignored

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1132872676146701142005-11-24T23:50:00.000+01:002005-11-24T23:51:16.163+01:00

First Sunday of Advent Is 2:1-5; Ps 121; Rum 13:11-14; Mt 24:37-44 The Gospel of Matthew is based on five main discourses of Jesus. The last of these speeches deals with the ‘last days’ and the ‘parousia’ of the Son of Man – i.e. the second coming of Christ at the end of time. In the Matthean text which the Church proclaims on the First Advent Sunday, the term ‘parousia’ is mentioned twice (v

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1132179733180715562005-11-16T23:21:00.000+01:002005-11-16T23:22:13.200+01:00

Solemnity of Christ the King Ez 34:11-12. 15-17; Ps 22; 1 Kor 15:20-26. 28; Mt 25:31-46 On the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, the Church celebrates the solemn feast of Christ the King, thereby presenting us with a brilliant occasion to reflect on some inspiring questions such as the following: In what sense is Christ a King? What kind of kingdom is his? Does he still exercise his kingship

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1131575505632063292005-11-09T23:31:00.000+01:002005-11-09T23:31:45.646+01:00

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Prov 31: 10-13. 19-20. 30-31; Psalm 127; 1 Tess 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30 “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground” (Mt 25:24-25). This statement uttered by the third servant in the parable of the Talents, which the Church proclaims

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1131061010812548832005-11-04T00:36:00.000+01:002005-11-04T00:36:50.813+01:00

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisd 6:12-16; Psalm 62; 1 Tess 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13 An Italian idiom says: “I paragoni sono odiosi”, driving home the message that making comparisons between people is not healthy. But the 4 Gospels shows us that Jesus made frequent use of comparisons as one of his pedagogical strategies for spreading the Good News. In his parables and discourses he delights in

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1131060701460087862005-11-04T00:31:00.000+01:002005-11-04T00:31:41.473+01:00

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisd 6:12-16; Psalm 62; 1 Tess 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13 An Italian idiom says: “I paragoni sono odiosi”, driving home the message that making comparisons between people is not healthy. But the 4 Gospels shows us that Jesus made frequent use of comparisons as one of his pedagogical strategies for spreading the Good News. In his parables and discourses he delights in

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1130484590595291572005-10-28T09:29:00.000+02:002005-10-28T09:29:50.633+02:00

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Mal 1:14b-2: 2b.8-10; Psalm 131; 1 Tess 2: 7b-9.13; Mt 23:1-12 The Gospel text which the Church proclaims on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time appears to be the climax of a series of conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus takes the behaviour of the latter as his main target of attack, discerning that, although the Scribes and the Pharisees presented

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1129759759533969472005-10-20T00:08:00.000+02:002005-10-20T00:09:19.543+02:00

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ex 22: 20-26; Salm 17; 1 Tess 1:5c-10; Mt 22:34-40 “Love alone matters. Love alone is everything.” These striking words constitute the spiritual testimony which Saint Therese of Lisieux (whose feast was celebrated on the first day of this month) left us. They reveal the very essence of Therese’s vocation: “In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love ...

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1129153119678317572005-10-12T23:37:00.000+02:002005-10-12T23:38:39.686+02:00

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 45: 1, 4-6; Salm 95; 1 Tess 1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21 The theme of hypocrisy comes to centre stage in the Matthean Gospel text which the Church proclaims on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Matthew informs us that, “the Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions”. The verb “to trap” is not very common in the Gospels; indeed Matthew makes use of

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1126366393656323412005-09-10T17:30:00.000+02:002005-09-10T17:33:13.660+02:00

Matthew (18:21-35) But how much should one forgive? To forgive is something serious, humanly difficult, if not impossible. One must not speak about it lightly, without realizing what one asks of the offended person when one requests him to forgive. Along with the command to forgive, man must also be given a reason to do so. I t is what Jesus did with the parable of the king and his two servants

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1126366230473597582005-09-10T17:27:00.000+02:002005-09-10T17:30:30.480+02:00

Matthew (18:15-20) Human coexistence is intertwined with differences of opinion, conflicts and reciprocal injustices, due to the fact that we have different temperaments, points of view and tastes. The Gospel also has something to say to us about this most common and daily aspect of life. Jesus presents the case of someone who has done something that is really wrong in itself: "If your brother

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1125153467290310192005-08-27T16:37:00.000+02:002005-08-27T16:37:47.300+02:00

Jer 20:7-9; Rom 12:1-2; Mt 16:21-27 Today’s Gospel is a continuation of last Sunday’s. Peter had confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This confession is followed by another important statement about Jesus. This Messiah was to suffer a lot, be killed and raise from the dead on the third day. The disciples of Jesus never taught of such an ending for a person whom

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1124482811994918652005-08-19T22:19:00.000+02:002005-08-19T22:20:12.003+02:00

Readings: Isa 22:19-23; Ps 138; Rom 1:33-36; Mt 16:13-20 As Jesus journeys towards Caesarea Philippi he poses the his disciples the perennial question: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Mt 16:13). They give their answers accordingly. This shows us a very important thing: Jesus expected his disciples to be in contact with what was happening around them and how people were reacting to

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1123922074201821812005-08-13T10:33:00.000+02:002005-08-13T10:34:34.206+02:00

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 56:1. 6-7; Ps 67; Rom 11:13-15. 29-32; Mt 15:21-28 The liturgical readings which the Church proclaims on the 20th Sunday of the liturgical year take as their central theme the fact that Christ came for everybody. Nobody is excluded from his loving embrace. As Saint Paul explicitly makes clear, for him there is no Jew or Greek, Chrisitan or non-Chrisitan, but

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1123190873007788292005-08-04T23:25:00.000+02:002005-08-04T23:27:53.013+02:00

19th Sunday in Ordinary time 1 Kgs 19:9a. 11-13a; Ps 84; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33 Among the initial verses of the Gospel text which the Church proclaims on the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time is a striking phrase which speaks of Jesus as going “up the mountain by himself to pray” (Mt 14:22-23). The next verse informs us that “when evening came, he was there alone”, showing us that Jesus’ prayer

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1122559193480595722005-07-07T15:58:00.000+02:002005-07-28T16:04:25.743+02:00

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 55:10-11; Ps 64:10-14; Rom 8:18-23; Mt 13:1-23 Those who followed some studies in philosophy cannot help but recall Aristotelian philosophy when they read the Gospel text which the Church proclaims on this 15th Sunday in ordinary time. Aristotle remains a gigantic figure in the history of philosophy and also proved to be very influential in theological studies,

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCaptag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1122559370915365162005-07-12T16:01:00.000+02:002005-07-28T16:02:50.916+02:00

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisd 12:13. 16-19, Ps 85; Rom 8:26-27; Mt 13:24-43 On the 16th Sunday of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to reflect on three important things: the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the Kingdom of God and the final judgment. The past Sunday readings centred on the theme of discipleship and on how we should welcome the Word of God in our lives. Now,

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1122557051319692812005-07-28T15:22:00.000+02:002005-07-28T15:24:11.323+02:00

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ex 55:1-3; Ps 14; Rom 8:35. 37-39; Mt 14:13-21 The text from Matthew’s Gospel which the Church proclaims on the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time narrates a very important episode in the life of Jesus, namely, the miracle of the feeding of the multitudes which surfaces in all four of the Gospels. This episode inheres a powerful significance because it not only makes us

Br. Andre'tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894429.post-1122556634868552032005-07-20T15:14:00.000+02:002005-07-28T15:17:14.876+02:00

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kgs 3:5. 7-12; Ps 118; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52 The “kingdom of heaven” emerges as the major theme in the 13th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel of which the last nine verses will be proclaimed on this 17th Sunday in ordinary time. These nine verses contain the last three parables in a series of seven which contine to throw light on what the “kingdom of heaven”

Br. Ivan Scicluna OFMCap