The Dialog

By Kathleen Ebner

Readings for September 16

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 50:5-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

The readings this week open with a most important statement, “The Lord God opens my ear that I may hear.”

It’s important that we stop and reflect on this first. We all know how easy it is to listen to what someone is saying but not really hear. Isaiah reminds us that God will open our ears to enable us to hear and understand his word. So now that we have the Lord’s assurance that he will open our ears we can hear today’s Gospel from the very center of Mark’s writings. Read more »

By Deacon Joseph A. Cilia Jr.

Readings for September 2

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

A child went to the doctor for an annual checkup. As the doctor looked into the child’s ears he asked, “Do you think I will find Big Bird in here?” The child was silent. Looking down the child’s throat the doctor asked, “Do you think I will find the Cookie Monster down there?” Once again, silence.

Next, the doctor placed a stethoscope on the child’s chest and said, “Do you think I will hear Barney in your heart?”

The child answered, “Oh, no. Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear.”

Read more »

By Father James Lentini

Country singer Eddie Rabbit had a hit song some 30 years ago called “Step by Step.” It was a syrupy country-pop number that informed the listener that if you really wanted to properly woo the lady you love, there are three steps that must be undertaken. First step: take her out and treat her like a lady; second step: tell her she’s the one you’re dreaming of; and the third step: take her in your arms and never let her go. As I dig out from under the schmaltz, I am reminded that full initiation into the Catholic Church likewise has three steps (or better stated, three sacraments of initiation); namely, the first step: baptism, second step: confirmation and third step: the Eucharist.

Mis-step?

Now I know some younger-generation minds might be saying that I have gotten the second and third steps mixed-up. After all, don’t young’uns make their holy Communion (the Eucharist) first and then later receive confirmation? This is true in the United States and some western nations; however, this practice is anomalous to proper sacramental order; that is, the church recognizes that proper order of the sacraments of initiation is baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. It is a long and arduous explanation, which could take an entire separate article – one that I will tackle at a later time.

Read more »

By Kathleen Ebner

By Father John S. Grimm

Readings for Sunday, August 12, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel we hear a portion of the famous “Bread of Life” discourse, in which Jesus refers to himself as “the true bread come down from heaven.”  Just a few verses later, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” soon followed by the statement: “I am the living bread come down from heaven.”

By repeating this saying in slightly different ways, Jesus stresses its importance. This importance is manifest in the final verse of today’s Gospel: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Read more »

By Deacon John L. Davis

Readings for Sunday Aug. 5

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15; Ephesians 4:17, 20-24; John 56:24-35

The first thing that resonates in this Gospel reading from John is the fact that the crowd is now pursuing Jesus; they are seeking him out now. Throughout the readings of the previous weeks, Jesus has been moving from place to place to minister and to preach. He took his ministry to them. Now it seems clear that things have changed, people are now searching actively for truth – for Jesus.

Read more »

By Sister Jeanne Hamilton

Readings for July 29

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:106; John 6:1-15

We have herd or read the stories of Jesus feeding thousands of people so often that we are probably not surprised to hear about this miracle again. (The story in each of the Gospels with slightly different details.) We may even be bored by this great miracle.

Read more »

By Kathleen Ebner

Readings for July 22, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

One cannot read this week’s Scripture verses from Jeremiah and not think about the situation present in our country today. “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.” Read more »

By Father John S. Grimm

Readings for July 15, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 7:12-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13

Todays’ first reading is from one of the earliest of the prophetic books, the Book of Amos. Dating from the 8^th century B.C., the book of Amos concerns the era when the Jewish kingdom of King David is divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom called Israel, and the southern kingdom called Judah.

Amos is from Judah, the southern kingdom, but is sent by God to preach in the northern kingdom, Israel. This explains why Amaziah, priest of the north’s holiest place in Bethel, demands that Amos go back where he came from.  Amaziah detests the content of Amos’ prophesies; Amos condemns in no uncertain terms Israel’s religious infidelity and social injustice.  Specifically, Amos accuses the Israelites of abandoning authentic worship of the Lord because they have set up their own temple in Bethel, which is in Israel, and no longer worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. And even worse, the Israelites have enthroned an idol in the form of a golden calf in their temple in Bethel, thus violating the First Commandment, “Thou shall have no foreign gods among you.”  Read more »

By Deacon Joseph A. Cilia Jr.

Readings for July 8, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Ezekiel 2: 2-5; 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10; mark 6: 1-6

As a young child was playing with a very valuable vase she put her fist inside it and could not get it out. Asking her father for help they decided the only way for her to remove her fist was to break the vase.

Trying one final time her father asked her to open her fist and pull her hand straight out. The child replied, “I can’t open my fist. If I do I will drop my penny.”

While this story does not end with a funny punch line, I believe it offers us a very simple lesson and message about our faith, our attitude, and how our first impressions can influence our perceptions and thinking. Read more »