Primer Domingo de Adviento: En Adviento celebramos la esperanza que tenemos de que el Señor entre más plenamente en nuestras vidas. La primera lectura de Isaías expresa la esperanza que los pecadores tienen para un redentor. A diferencia de Isaías, nosotros sí sabemos que Dios vino a volvernos a Él cuando el Padre envió a su Hijo Jesús para salvarnos. Nuestra fe en Jesús nos lleva a una nueva forma de mirar al mundo. Podemos ver lo que Dios está haciendo y también recordar lo que Dios ha hecho.
1st Sunday of Advent: In Advent, we celebrate our hope that the Lord might come more fully into our lives. The first reading from Isaiah voices the hope of sinners for a redeemer. Unlike Isaiah, we know that God has come to bring us back, when the Father sent his Son, Jesus, to save us. Our faith in Jesus leads us to a new way of looking at the world. We can see what God is doing as well as remembering what God has done.
Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, Rey del Universo: El Evangelio de hoy podría verse como un ejemplo de lo que San Pablo está explicando en la segunda lectura. Dado que la muerte entró al mundo con el pecado de Adán, la muerte de Cristo nos salvó del pecado y su resurrección nos salva de la muerte. Y como Cristo tuvo que morir antes de poder resucitar, el último enemigo a ser sujeto es la muerte; también nosotros tenemos que morir antes de poder resucitar.
Feast of Christ the King: Today’s Gospel could be seen as an example of what St. Paul is explaining in the second reading. Since death came into the world with the sin of Adam, Christ’s death saved us from sin and his resurrection saves us from death. And since Christ had to die before he could rise, the last enemy to be subjected is death; so too do we have to die before we can rise.
Our Christmas Giving Trees are up! Please take a tag, purchase the gift listed, and return it to either worship site under the tree or to the Parish Office no later than December 20th.
Jesus is the Reason for the Season! Please check out these Advent and Christmas Volunteer Opportunities for you and your family at Most Blessed Sacrament. Sign up to help for one of these great ways to “give back” over the holidays. All ages welcome!
Trigésimo Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario: Me pregunto qué estuvo haciendo ese tercer siervo del Evangelio todo ese tiempo, después de enterrar el talento que le fue dado. Lo más probable es que no estaba haciendo nada. Lo que me llama la atención es que la palabra para “dinero” en esta lectura es “talento”, que en nuestro idioma significa una habilidad o destreza. Tal vez esta parábola pueda recordarnos que debemos utilizar nuestras habilidades y no dejar que se desperdicien. Una persona puede ser fuerte y rápida, pero si hace ejercicio y practica el deporte, podría llegar a ser una gran atleta. Es lo mismo con un don espiritual. Solo tenerlo no te convierte en un santo. Entonces, ¿cómo sabes cuáles dones tienes?
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: When I hear the Gospel reading for this Sunday, I wonder what that third servant was doing all that time, after he buried the talent he was given. Probably nothing. What strikes me is that the word for money in this reading is “talent,” which in our language is an ability or skill. So maybe this parable can remind us to use our abilities and not let them go to waste.
Trigésimo Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario: Al final del Evangelio de hoy, el novio responde a las súplicas de las vírgenes insensatas no con una pregunta: "¿Por qué no estaban listas?" pero con la afirmación: “No las conozco” (Mt 25,12). Eso suena un poco raro, si el novio representa al Señor, porque Dios sabe todo y conoce a todos. Pero en el evangelio de Mateo, esta frase parece implicar que “como no se han esforzado en conocerme, yo no los conozco”.
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: At the end of today’s Gospel, when the foolish virgins return from the quick shop with the oil, they are locked out of the wedding. The groom answers their pleas, not with a question, “Why weren’t you ready?” but with the statement, “I don’t know you” (Mt 25:12). Now that sounds kind of odd, if the bridegroom represents the Lord, because God knows everything, and everybody. In Matthew’s Gospel, this phrase seems to imply that “because you made no effort to know me, I don’t know you.” In other words, the oil in the parable stands for knowing the Lord. Or at least making an effort to know him.
Reflection for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Paul was not bragging when he talked about the toil and drudgery he endured while proclaiming the gospel. He makes a point of his working so as not to burden anyone. He worked to support himself, rather than asking the new Christians to support him—just the opposite of what the scribes and Pharisees were doing, according to the gospel. Jesus accused them of laying heavy burdens on people, without helping them to bear those burdens. So what kind of burdens did the Pharisees impose?
Reflexiôn para el XXXI Domingo ordinario. Pablo no estaba presumiendo cuando hablaba del trabajo duro y arduo que soportó mientras proclamaba el evangelio. Deja claro que trabajaba para no ser una carga para nadie. Trabajaba para mantenerse a sí mismo, en lugar de pedirles a los nuevos cristianos que lo mantuvieran. Según el evangelio es todo lo contrario de lo que estaban haciendo los escribas y fariseos. Jesús los acusó de imponer cargas pesadas a la gente, sin ayudarles a soportar esas cargas. ¿Qué tipo de cargas impusieron los fariseos?
As we enter into the Universal Phase of the Synod on Synodality, we invite you to: Check out new materials that cover the five key themes from the previous phases and our diocesan response/efforts to them • Learn more about the synod as it moves into its final phase • Access resources and recommended links • Read the entire insert that was featured in The Compass • And more!
Reflection for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. What the first reading calls aliens are immigrants or newcomers. They lived among the Hebrews, but were not Jews themselves. The Lord reminds the people that they were once aliens themselves.
Reflexiôn para el XXX Domingo ordinario. Lo que la primera lectura llama extranjeros son inmigrantes o recién llegados. Vivían entre los hebreos, pero ellos mismos no eran judíos. El Señor le recuerda a la gente que una vez ellos mismos fueron extranjeros.
Refection for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the scriptures, being anointed usually meant you were a prophet or king of Israel. So why is Cyrus given that title? Cyrus was king of Persia when the Babylonians held the people of Israel captive. God used him to defeat the Babylonians and eventually bring the Israelites back to their homes.
Reflexiôn para el XXIX Domingo ordinario. En las Escrituras, ser ungido generalmente significaba que eras un profeta o rey de Israel. Entonces, ¿por qué se le da a Ciro ese título? Ciro era rey de Persia cuando los babilonios tenían cautivo al pueblo de Israel. Dios lo usó para derrotar a los babilonios y finalmente traer a los israelitas de regreso a sus hogares.
Reflection for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Why would invited guests refuse to come to a wedding? Free food and drink, music and dancing—what’s not to like? By this time, Jesus knew that many of the Jewish leaders would not accept the invitation to follow him. As we know, after the Resurrection the disciples began to spread the good news not only to other Jews, but to anyone who would listen.