3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2020

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

The Wilderness ordeal behind him, The Messiah returns to  the land of his upbringing in Galilee. Prompting this move is news that his herald, John the Baptist, has been taken into custody by hostile authorities (4:12). This turning point propels Jesus into a new phase of activity.

Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth in lower Galilee but stays only long enough to say his good-byes. He has decided to resettle in Capernaum, a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. This was a place of some importance in the first century, quite a bit larger than the tiny village of Nazareth. Capernaum thrived on its fishing industry and was close to a Roman Road called the Via Maris, which served as a commercial route connecting Galilee with Syria to the north. Jesus chooses this busy town as the base of operations for his Galilean ... Read More »

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2020

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

The Wilderness ordeal behind him, The Messiah returns to  the land of his upbringing in Galilee. Prompting this move is news that his herald, John the Baptist, has been taken into custody by hostile authorities (4:12). This turning point propels Jesus into a new phase of activity.

Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth in lower Galilee but stays only long enough to say his good-byes. He has decided to resettle in Capernaum, a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. This was a place of some importance in the first century, quite a bit larger than the tiny village of Nazareth. Capernaum thrived on its fishing industry and was close to a Roman Road called the Via Maris, which served as a commercial route connecting Galilee with Syria to the north. Jesus chooses this busy town as the base of operations for his Galilean ... Read More »

Baptism of the Lord 2020

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

This scene marks the beginning of Jesus’ public life. Having traveled from Galilee, Jesus joins the crowd of repentant sinners to be baptized by John at the Jordan.

While Mark and Luke also narrate this event, only Matthew records the interchange between John and Jesus that ... Read More »

The Epiphany 2020

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

The word magi originally described members of the Median and Persian priestly caste who advised the king and interpreted dreams. The term later was used more broadly to denote those who possessed mystical knowledge as priests, astrologers, soothsayers, or sages. Their popular association with kings today ... Read More »

Holy Family 2020

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

Joseph was a righteous man, like the Joseph, son of Jacob, who could interpret dreams and was sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites who were going to Egypt. So Joseph, spouse of Mary. is also able to interpret his dream, and similar to the other Joseph he flees ... Read More »

4th Sunday of Advent

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

Matthew sets up this scene by linking Jesus’ personal name with his royal title: Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ once again draws attention to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah-king, and it connects this story with the conclusion of the genealogy, which in the previous verse ... Read More »

3rd Sunday of Advent

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

At last mention, John the Baptist was taken into custody (4:2). This event prompted Jesus to begin his kingdom ministry (4:17). How much time had elapsed between then and the present episode is uncertain, but it was long enough for uncertainty to take hold of the ... Read More »

2nd Sunday of Advent

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

John the Baptist’s ministry was based at the Jordan River, probably on the southern stretch of the river that flows by the Judean desert, just before emptying into the Dead Sea. To get there, the crowds from Jerusalem would travel about twenty miles through rugged terrain ... Read More »

1st Sunday of Advent

Posted by Christy .. on 1/30/20

My Dear People,

Today we begin (liturgical) year A. This means that for Sundays, we will read from the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus asserts that the day of his arrival is a mystery known only to the Father. To illustrate this point, Jesus turns to the story of Noah. ... Read More »