The Better Part

John 4.5-15 (full reading: John 4.5-42 ) Listen to the Gospel and Reflection   We have had two Sundays of Lent; now we come to the third one. On this Sunday, we hear about Jesus taking a break after walking from one town to another on a very hot day. We know what happens when we walk or work or play in the hot sun. We get tired and thirsty. We need rest and water. Does this happen to Jesus, too? So Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar... Jacob’s well was there, and Je

John 4.5-15 (full reading: John 4.5-42 ) Listen to the Gospel and Reflection   On the third Sunday of Lent, we hear a conversation Jesus has as he takes a break from walking from town to town. His disciples have gone into a city to buy food. Meanwhile, Jesus waits by a well in the hot sun. He does not have a way to get the water that lies in the well. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” This is a strange thing for Jesus to do. It is

Matthew 5:1-12   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n We know that in the Bible, Jesus walks from town to town teaching about the Kingdom of God . People follow him because they love to hear his voice. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus takes a break from walking. He sits down. But Jesus does not stop teaching about the Kingdom of God . Oh no. The people still get to listen to his voice. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his dis

John 1:29-34   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n Once again, this Sunday, we hear about John the Baptist. We might remember that John the Baptist is a cousin to Jesus. Jesus' mother, Mary, and John the Baptist's mother, Elizabeth, are cousins (Luke 1:36). That means their children are cousins, too. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus and John the Baptist are both grown-up men. Jesus comes to John to get baptized. The next day, when John the Baptist sees Jesus again,

John 1:29-34   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n After weeks of preparing and celebrating the feast of the Light coming in the world, we now return to Ordinary Time. The church changes the colour to green. In many parts of the world, snow covers the ground; there is no green. When we finally see green poking though the snow and green beginning to cover the bare branches of trees, we know spring comes. Things grow. Ordinary Time is a good time for growing—growing in Go

Luke 21.5-19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus seems to take a perfectly ordinary conversation and turn it upside down. When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” Jesus' disciples seem to praise the beautiful Temple built for Go

John 2.13-25   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday, we celebrate the oldest Catholic basilica found in Rome. A basilica is an impressive palace-like church that stands as a reminder of the glory of God. In the Gospel reading, Jesus arrives at the Temple in Jerusalem to pray. Like our basilicas, the Temple stands as a visible dwelling place   for the invisible God whose great mercy brought the people out of slavery to freedom. The Passover of the Jews was nea

Luke 12:49-53 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, this reflection considers simply the first verse of the Gospel reading,...

Luke 12:49-53 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, this reflection considers simply the first two verses of the Gospel...

Matthew 16.13- 19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n The Gospel for this Sunday occurs after the disciples travel with Jesus for...

Matthew 16.13- 19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n At the beginning of the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus asks the disciples two...

John 16.12-15   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Deep in our hearts, we all want to know God. How can we know? Jesus helps. He tells...

John 16.12-15   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Deep in our hearts, we all want to know God. We want to know God and we want God to...

John 16.12-15   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that all God desires is to gather us all together into God—for the Kingdom of...

Acts 2.1-11 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday is a new feast. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit . We call this...

Acts 2.1-11 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Last week, we heard about Jesus ascending into heaven to oversee the building of the...

Acts 2.1-11 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday is Pentecost, when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit   to the...

John 14.23-29   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Here we are, still celebrating the great feast of Easter! Because it is our greatest...

John 14.23-29   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday we celebrate the sixth Sunday of Easter. We take so much time to...

John 14.23-29   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday we celebrate the sixth Sunday of Easter. The season of Easter continues...