Jesus’ words addressed to the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel are very harsh: “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” This woman is a non-Jew, a Gentile. She came to Jesus asking him to...
Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel would have shocked many of his fellow Jews. When he teaches that “everything that goes into a person from the outside cannot defile” they would have been shocked since Leviticus 11 gives a whole list of animals that are not to be...
Today’s first reading begins with the beginning: “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.” While this is the beginning of God’s...
The author of Hebrews brings his work to a conclusion with an exhortation to love: “Let mutual love continue.” Throughout this work the author moves between exhortations, “love one another,” and doctrinal issues, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and...
In today’s Gospel Jesus sends out the Twelve to expand his mission of healing and repentance. Jesus calls the Twelve and sends (apostello) them out on mission. The vocation or “calling” of these Twelve is to be apostles (apostolos). An apostle is one who is sent...
