Reflection for Sunday January 29, 2023
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Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-13
Matthew 5:1-13, also known as the "Sermon on the Mount," contains Jesus' teachings on righteousness and how his followers should live their lives. In these verses, Jesus introduces the concept of the "beatitudes," or blessings, for those who live according to God's will. He teaches that the meek, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the persecuted, and the peacemakers are blessed, and that they will inherit the kingdom of heaven. He also emphasizes the importance of living a pure and righteous life, and encourages his followers to be merciful, to make peace, and to be peacemakers. These teachings, which stress humility, love, and nonviolence, have had a profound impact on Christian theology and morality. Which beatitude is God inviting you to grow in this week? This week's reflection is by Summer, MSJA class of 2025. |
Reflection for Sunday January 1, 2023 By Cate Q. USNASunday Gospel: Lk 2:16-21
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we hear of the shepherds hurrying to Bethlehem to find their Lord, having been directed how to find Him by angels. The holidays can be a busy time of year. Everyone comes back home, much like Mary and Joseph returning home for the census. However, unlike the shepherds, most people are in a haste to do other things, not seek out Jesus. These other things are usually distractions during the holiday season, such as giving gifts, meeting up with old friends, and other things and events that are not inherently bad but cause us to forget the reason for the Advent and Christmas season. Let us be challenged this holiday season to slow down and spend time seeking out and being with the Lord. |
Reflection for Sunday January 8, 2023 by August B. UCLA Class of 2025Sunday Gospel: Mt 2:1-12
This is the story of the three wise men. Jesus is born in Bethlehem and King Herod sends three magi to do him homage by bringing Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After finding Jesus the magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod and so they returned to their country another way. At first glance this passage seems simple, Jesus is born, and we should worship and follow him. However, there is a deeper connection between this passage and our lives. Focusing on the magi, the three of them embarked on a long journey together blindly following nothing but a star. They, however, trusted in the newborn king and followed the light anyway. In our lives, sometimes it can feel like there is no clear path in sight. We are just blindly feeling our way around in the darkness. We must remember however that Jesus is the light in our life that can get us back on the right path. In the darkness, his light will prevail. As long as we keep our faith as a central part of our life's journey, then in the darkest of times, we will be guided back onto the right path. Keeping our faith as a central part of our journey does not even need to be difficult and complex. It can be as simple as asking ourselves, When was the last time I went to church? When was the last time I helped another person? Or even as simple as asking, What am I thankful for? By just stopping to think about the journey we are on, we can begin to understand whether we are just feeling around blindly in the dark, or if we have a bright star, leading the way on our life journey. |
Reflection for Sunday January 15, 2023 By Nora FurlettiSunday Gospel: Jn 1:29-34
This week’s Gospel describes John the Baptist’s encounter with Jesus. God sends John to baptize and proclaim His message, telling him to prepare for the coming of Jesus. John, never having seen Jesus before, encourages others to believe, exhibiting great faith. We are called to be like John in our everyday lives. Although we might not always be able to see Him, God is present in our lives and we need to have the faith to believe in Him. What are some ways we can strengthen our faith in God? How can we, like John the Baptist, help others to see God? This week's reflection is by Nora Furletti, Loyola University of Chicago class of 2026. |
Reflection for Sunday January 22, 2023Gospel Reading: Mt 4:12-23
There are four words spoken by Jesus in this week’s Sunday Gospel that I find to be essential to understanding what it means to be a disciple. The first word is “repent”. Jesus repeatedly calls his disciples, his opponents, and just about everyone he meets to repentance. Repentance is an ongoing process of turning back to God. It requires a change of belief and hopefully a change of behavior too. The other three words are “Come after me”. Jesus wants us to follow him, not in an abstract way but in a concrete way. Together this sums up the daily life of a disciple of Jesus. Each day we are invited to come back to God, to repent, and to follow the words, actions, and teachings of Jesus. These two steps imply holiness and a discipleship are processes that we are always going through. Hopefully each day we become a little better at those two steps. As you think about your relationship with Jesus, what do you need to repent from and how can you follow him more closely? |