Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 55 Read: John 14:15-21 Gospel Summary At the Last Supper Jesus told his apostles he would be leaving them to return to the Father. In today's Gospel, he reassures them and us that we will not be alone. The Holy Spirit was sent to the disciples and is with each of us as a special helper and friend until Jesus returns to us. In the meantime, we...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Easter, Year A

Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 59 Read: John 17: 1-11a Gospel Summary In John's Gospel, Jesus gives many instructions to his disciples following the Last Supper they share together. Moments before their time in Gethsemane, Jesus lifts his eyes in a prayer sometimes called the Priestly Prayer. Jesus makes clear in the prayer that he knows his time on earth is coming to an...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Easter, Year A

Ascension of the Lord, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 58 Read: Matthew 28:16-20 Gospel Summary The Gospel reading today concludes the Book of Matthew. It was at this point that Jesus, knowing he was about to return to the Father, commissioned the apostles to carry the message of the Good News into the whole world. They would baptize, make more disciples, and teach the message Jesus had taught...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Ascension, Easter, Year A

Pentecost Sunday, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 63 Read: John 20:19-23 Gospel Summary Because we are celebrating the sending down of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, you may want to also consider the second reading for 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13. In this reading Paul helps us understand the Gifts of the Spirit. There are many gifts of the Spirit, Paul explained, although they all come...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Easter, Pentecost, Year A

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 168 Read: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26   Gospel Summary Mark describes for his community the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Scholars believe that the words are more an attempt on Mark's part to help his early Christian community understand the Eucharist than they are the actual words spoken by Jesus. Still they help us understand...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Ordinary Time, Solemnity, Year A

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 167 Read: John: 6:51-58 Gospel Summary As much as Jesus' listeners didn't understand how Jesus could really mean that they were to eat his body and drink his blood, Jesus made it very clear that that was precisely what he did mean. Once again, it was hard for the people of Jesus' day (and still hard for us today, too) to understand what Jesus...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Ordinary Time, Solemnity, Year A

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 591 (Mass During the Day) Read: Matthew 16:13-19 Gospel Summary Peter named Jesus as the Messiah in this Gospel. Later Jesus named Peter as the foundation of the earthly Church and gave him the keys of power. Peter was to be like the steward of a palace making decisions for the Church community. God promised to stand behind Peter's decisions...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A, Gospel Reflections B, Gospel Reflections C     Tagged: Ordinary Time, Solemnity, Year A, Year B, Year C

Easter Sunday, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 42 Read: John 20:1-9 Gospel Summary On Friday afternoon when Jesus died, the women had not been able to finish the customary preparation for burial. The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday, so Mary of Magdala hurried to the tomb Sunday morning to complete her task. She found the tomb empty. Certain that Jesus' body had been stolen, she ran...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Easter, Year A

Sunday of Divine Mercy, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 43 Read: John 20:19-31 Gospel Summary Following Jesus' crucifixion the disciples were still uncertain of his message. They lost hope and in fear locked themselves in a room. Without entering through the door, Jesus appeared before them with a greeting of peace and a mission to spread the Good News. The disciple, Thomas, was not in the room....

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Divine Mercy, Easter, Year A

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

by : RCLB

Lectionary: 79 Read Sunday’s Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48 Gospel Summary In this Sunday proclamation, we continue to hear from Matthew's Gospel account of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus calls us to holiness. Jesus' preaching does not devalue the Mosaic Law, but reveals the heart of God's Law. To observe God's Law, we are to live a life of holiness. We are...

Posted in: Gospel Reflections A     Tagged: Ordinary Time, Year A