4th Sunday of Advent (B); December 24, 2023 2 Sam 7:1-5,8-12,14,16. Ps 89. Rom 16:25-27. Lk 1:26-38 Deacon Jim McFadden As Christmas is nearly upon us–indeed, we’ll be celebrating our Lord’s birth tomorrow!—the 4th Sunday of Advent focuses our attention on the notion of a dwelling place for God. In our first reading…
Tercera Semana de Adviento 2023 (Ciclo B); Is 61:1-2a,10-11. Lc 1:46-50,53-54. 1 Tes 5:16-24. Juan 1:6-8,19-28 Diácono Jim McFadden El corazón humano desea alegría. Todos queremos ser felices. Nadie se despierta por la mañana y dice: “¡Hoy será un buen día para ser miserable!”. Entonces, ¿cuál es la fuente de nuestro gozo? En pocas palabras, el…
3rd Sunday of Advent (B); December 17, 2023 Is 61:1-2a,10-11. Lk 1:46-50,53-54. 1 Thes 5:16-24. Jn 1:6-8,19-28 Deacon Jim McFadden The human heart desires joy. We all want to be happy. Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, “Today is going to be a good day to be miserable!” So, what is the source…
2nd Sunday of Advent (B); December 10, 2023 Is 40:1-5,9-11. Ps 85. 2 Pt 3:8-14. Mk 1:1-8 Deacon Jim McFadden Last Sunday we began Advent with the anticipation of Christ within our hearts and community at a deeper level. In this Sunday of preparation for Christmas, we focus on the itinerary of faith, which…
1st Sunday of Advent (B); December 3, 2023 Is 63:16b-17,19b; 64:2b-7. Ps 80. 1 Cor 1:3-9. Mk 13:33-37 Deacon Jim McFadden Carly Simon in the ‘70s sang, “Anticipation, anticipation is makin’ me late, is keepin’ me waitin’.” As we enter the new liturgical year and season of Advent, which prepares us for Christmas, the…
Christ the King (A); November 26, 2023 Ez 34:11-12 Ps 23. 1Cor 15:20-26,28 Mt 25:31-46 Deacon Jim McFadden As we conclude our liturgical year, the Church invites us to fix our gaze on our Lord Jesus, the King of the Universe, who is the beginning and end of Salvation History. As King, Jesus preached and…
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); November 19, 2023 Prv 31 Ps 128. 1 Thes 5:1-6. Mt 25:14-20 Deacon Jim McFadden There are a myriad number of laws of nature that obtain anywhere in the cosmos. For example, it’s simply a law that objects fall according to a gravitational pull. There’s the law of energy…
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); November 12, 2023 Wis 2:12-16. Ps 63. 1 Thes 4:13-18. Mt 25:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden It’s hard to be expectant, which requires patience, often in short-supply in our hyper-stimulated society in which we want it NOW! Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame opined in her autobiography that “Instant gratification…
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); November 5, 2023 Mal 1:14b-2:2,8-10. Ps 131. 1 Thes 2:7b-9,13. Mt 23:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden Before we look at today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus denounces the Scribes and the Pharisees–the religious establishment of his time— it’s good to pay attention to what Paul said in his First Letter…
We are Family—in Jesus! All Saints Day (A); November 1, 2023 Rv 7:2-4,9-14. Ps 24. 1 Jn 3:1-3. Mt 5:1:12a Deacon Jim McFadden Forty years ago Sister Sledge released a song, We Are Family, that stressed that we are meant to be very close together because we are born into the same family. As Catholics,…
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); October 11, 2026 Is 25:6-10a. Ps 23. Phil 4:12-20. Mt 22:1-14 Deacon Jim McFadden The parable we hear in today’s Gospel tells us a lot about the Kingdom of God, which is likened…
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); October 4, 2026 Is 5:1-7. Ps 80. Phil 4:6-9. Mt 21:33-43 Deacon Jim McFadden The parable about the mismanagement of the vineyard tells us a lot about the Kingdom of God, the choices we…
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); September 27, 2026 Ez 18:25-28. Ps 25. Phil 2:1-11. Mt 21:28-3 Deacon Jim McFadden In a past issue of the Catholic Herald (September/October 2020), the newsmagazine for the Diocese of Sacramento, there is a…
