November 28, 2010
First Sunday of Advent
Jesus' warning, "Stay awake!" has to do with having clear vision. We are to see what in our lives needs to change. We are also to see how our good living now is already preparation for the "coming of the Son of Man" who will arrive "at an hour [we] do not expect." Clear vision is assured when we "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (second reading).

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November 21, 2010
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

How does using the image "king" to refer to Christ shape our relationship to him? By naming him "king" we acknowledge him and his way of living as the wellspring of our goodness and salvation. We acknowledge our status as his "subjects," called to relate to others as he did. We acknowledge our shared inheritance as the "holy ones" (second reading) who receive life through him. By naming Christ our King we identify him as the One who offers us the fullness of life in his kingdom both now and forever.

November 14, 2010
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

The signs of the end times that Jesus names (wars, insurrection, earthquakes, famines, plagues, etc.) describe human history as it has always been. Jesus assures us that the end is not immediate. The challenge for us as faithful followers is to face persecution with courage now, testify to Jesus' name now, open ourselves now to the wisdom given us by Jesus. Embracing this way of living gives us hope and confidence that, no matter when the end times come, our lives are secure.

November 7, 2010
Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Sadducees in this gospel suggest a preposterous example to ridicule belief in the resurrection. With supreme confidence Jesus counters that God "is not God of the dead, but of the living." We do, indeed, live forever. Like the brothers in the first reading, like Jesus himself, we believe in God's promise of resurrection. It is the bedrock of our hope and the inspiration for our fidelity to the living God.

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