Today we begin reading from the book of Jonah. In today’s first reading God commands Jonah: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.” Instead of heading east toward Nineveh, Jonah flees west to Tarshish. God sends a storm and a large fish to...
“To the Lord our God belongs justice; to us, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, to be shamefaced, as on this day” (Baruch 1:15) These words from the prophet Baruch are not just a historical lament of the first wave of exiles to Babylon. It is not a...
In today’s first reading from Nehemiah, we have a solemn reading of the Word of God. It is the first day of the seventh month which is perhaps the day of the solemn renewal of the covenant. Ezra, the scribe, solemnly processes in front of the assembly. He opens the...
In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches the cost of discipleship, the cost of following him. Three people come forward wanting to follow Jesus. The first one makes the bold claim: “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus accepts him but also warns him of the cost of...
