Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This feast is a celebration of Mary who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus and therefore the mother of God. This message is announced to Mary by the angel Gabriel: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you...
In today’s reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision: “The deaf shall hear… the eyes of the blind shall see… the lowly will find joy in the Lord.” These words are full of hope, and we rightly cherish them during Advent. They promise renewal, justice, and a...
In today’s Gospel Jesus is coming to the end of his Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:28). In this Sermon Jesus teaches us God’s Will and the Way to God’s Kingdom (“Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done…”): “When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat...
In difficult times just before the Exile, Isaiah writes about conversion and of new times of consolation. His vision and message are based in profound hope. He is the prophet par excellence for this time of Advent – hope and confidence. In today’s reading, Isaiah...
Our first reading gives us one of the most hope-filled visions in all of Scripture: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom” (Is 11:1). Why hope-filled? Because Isaiah is speaking to a people who have watched their nation...
