Lent

Processional Gospel – Mark 11: 1-10 or John 12: 12-16 First Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-7 Second Reading: Philippians 2: 6-11 Gospel: Mark 14:1- 15:47 This Sunday is different in several ways. Today\’s liturgy has three parts: the remembrance of Jesus\’ entrance into Jerusalem, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In […]

WE WANT TO SEE JESUS LIFTED HIGH Gospel Reading: Jn 12:20-33 When I read the gospel text of the 5th Sunday in Lent (Year B), I was reminded of a popular song, written by the children’s song-writer Doug Horley, that goes: We want to see Jesus lifted high, A banner that flies across the land,

“God loved the world so much….” (Jn 1:12-15). The Gospel of John is often considered the most difficult of the Gospels – highly symbolic in its expression and deeply theological in its content. John likes to use terms with more than one meaning and thus invite us to a deeper level of reflection. For instance,

“In three days I will raise it up.” (Gospel Reading – Jn 2:13-25) As we may well be aware, the Liturgy of the Word for Sundays in the Catholic liturgy is laid out in a three-year cycle. During Lent, the Year A cycle uses the Gospel of John, with passages particularly relevant for those who

Going up the mountain: Learning to pray Gospel Reading – Mk 9: 2-10 The liturgy of the word of God for Sundays in Lent is very well thought-out and appropriately laid out. On the first Sunday of Lent, in all the three cycles, the central theme is temptations of Jesus. On the second Sunday of

“God does not provide us with a roadmap, but only a compass.” (Gospel Reading – Mark 1:12-15) We say the Season of Lent lasts forty days, as the Latin word, ‘Quadragesima” suggests. When I was a young seminarian – skeptical as I was – I took the calendar and wanted to make sure for myself