Today’s first reading is the well known account of St. Paul at the Areopagus, the academic meeting place in Athens. While Athens was no longer a center for political power, it remained the center of the very wide-spread Hellenistic culture. Paul’s speech sounds quite different from speeches he gave in synagogues which argued from Hebrew Scripture. In this different setting Paul’s remarks are addressed to Greek philosophers, nevertheless, it too is steeped in Scripture, but sticks to the parts that sound like philosophy and natural theology, that is, evidence from nature pointing to the God who ..read more

This coming Sunday in the Solemnity of the Ascension taken from the Gospel of Mark. The shorter ending – This ending is found after Mk 16:8 before the Longer Ending (vv. 9-20) in four seventh-to-ninth-century Greek manuscripts as well as in one Old Latin version, where it appears alone without the Longer Ending: 8 Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. [They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid…And they reported all the instructions briefly to the companions of Peter. Afterwards Jesus himself, through them, sent forth from east to west the s ..read more

“But now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.” (John 16:5-11 ..read more

The readings for today continue the account of the early Church as told in the Acts of the Apostles and continues the Farewell Discourse from the Gospel of John in which Jesus, on Holy Thursday, after the Last Supper, is still working to encourage and prepare his Apostles and disciples for what will come in the mission to the end of the earth. Jesus tells them that their mission will be powered by the Holy Spirit. He also notes that the Holy Spirit will fuel their commitment and perseverance to the mission – despite all the trials, persecutions, tribulations, and challenges they will face. So ..read more

This coming Sunday in the Solemnity of the Ascension taken from the Gospel of Mark (Lectionary Cycle B). The Ascension of Jesus celebrates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Based on the account of Acts 1:3 that the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples for 40 days after the Resurrection: “He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” After these days, we read that Jesus was taken up to heaven. “‘But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you,g ..read more

Remember last Sunday’s gospel – “I am the vine, you are the branches… remain in me…bear good fruit.” Today’s gospel is part of the same conversation Jesus was having with his apostles – and if it wasn’t clear last week, today’s readings leaves no doubt: it’s about learning to love as we have never loved before. It that way we will remain in Christ, who will remain in us, and we will bear the desired good fruit. Here is a sampling of verses from today’s readings. As the Father loves me, so I also love you. (John 15:9) Beloved, let us love one another (1 John 4:7) This is my commandment: love o ..read more

This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter. The language of friendship is immediately contextualized by language of election in v.16: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.” As Fr. Raymond Brown points out [683], this language of election does not speak of the election of the Twelve because there is no indication anywhere in the Farewell Discourse of the number and composition of the circle that is present with Jesus on this last evening. Rather, Jesus reminds ..read more

This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter. Here in John 15:15 we hear “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” He has not actually used this term of them previously, though it is certainly implied. As pointed out last week in the outline of this section of this gospel, Jesus is speaking to the disciples in the shadow of the Last Supper. Recall a key moment from the account of John 13: 12 So when he had washed their feet (and) put his garments back on an ..read more

This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends – in v.13 we come to the greatest love. This verse is perhaps the most explicit statement in the Gospels of what it means to love as Jesus loves. While some might argue this is simply a restatement of the ideal of Plato and Aristotle, that classical idea is given new gravitas of Jesus’ conventional mission by which the world is redeemed. Morris [598-9] comments succinctly and beautifully: “There is no love greater than that of one who lays down his life for others. Anythi ..read more

The gospel today is talking about vineyards. Vineyards are like a garden – sort of. Unlike a garden where you can grow all kinds of flowers and vegetables, vineyards grow one thing: grapes – and usually for making wine. I don’t have a “green thumb” but I can successfully plant and harvest a vegetable garden. But vineyards are a whole other thing. There is a complex dance between the vine, the branches and the vine grower. For example, did you know that a single grape vine can produce as much as 13 feet of new branch growth in one growing season. What happens if all that new growth remains un-p ..read more