In our Gospel today, Jesus cites the Old Testament law of retaliation, “an eye for an eye….” (Ex. 21:24, Dt. 19:21 and Lev. 24:20) which was meant to deter violence and put an end to the spiral of vengeance. According to the Old Testament justice was served by meting out punishment or physical harm on the perpetrator that was commensurate to the gravity of the offense.
Friday, 01 February 2013 13:56
Our Gospel today picks-up from last week’s, during which Jesus read from a scroll of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . . to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . to let the oppressed go free” (Lk. 4:18). This Sunday, Jesus concludes, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk. 4:21). The people express incredulity, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” meaning, how can a son of a carpenter become Israel’s liberator or Messiah.
Saturday, 01 December 2012 13:27
Since advent means coming or arrival, it involves waiting. To wait connotes absence seeking presence; beginnings yearning for consummation; inadequacy wanting satisfaction, incompletion searching for wholeness.
We wait for the other. We wait for another who can drink with us from our cup of joy and cup of sorrow; another for whom we might each be a balm to our loneliness; another who will allow us to love and be loved. If to be human is to be relational, we become more fully human to the extent that we are able to mutually give and receive the gift of ourselves. However, throughout our lives, we are constantly waiting for the other or others with whom we might enter into a deeper and deeper exchange of selves.
Monday, 02 April 2012 10:26
Today we commence Holy Week, the holiest days of our liturgical season, which recounts Jesus’ passion and death and celebrates his glorious resurrection from the dead. Holy Week begins with the celebration of Palm Sunday, during which we will gather outside our churches and wave palm fronds in commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Sunday, 04 March 2012 00:00
On this Second Sunday of Lent, let us reflect on three interrelated themes: faith in God, as exemplified by Abraham; suffering, the precondition for discipleship, as explained by Jesus; and transfiguration, the sign of God’s fidelity to His Son and prefiguration of what God promises all who are faithful to Him.