Today’s Gospel directly follows last week’s account of Jesus feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. For the sake of the crowds, Jesus had postponed his time of solitude. Now, at last, Jesus finds some time for quiet and prayer. He sends his disciples ahead of him by boat, dismisses the crowds, and then withdraws to the mountain to pray.
Today’s liturgy invites us to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This feast calls to our attention the importance of this event in Jesus’ life, further affirmed by its report in each of the Synoptic Gospels. This year even the Gospel of John alludes to it. (John 1:14). the reading for this feast is taken from the Gospel of Matthew. The Transfiguration occurs after Peter confesses his belief that Jesus is the Messiah and after Jesus predicts his Passion for the second time (Mt.16:13-23).
Throughout these three weeks we have heard from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus teaching crowds about the kingdom of heaven, further we have heard Jesus interpret some of his teachings for the disciples. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus offers three more short parables.
In today’s Gospel, Matthew 13:24-43, Jesus offers three parables to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. He also explains why he speaks to the crowds in parables and interprets the parable of the sower for the disciples. This reading is a continuation of Jesus’ discourse that we began reading last Sunday.
Today’s Gospel marks the beginning of the third long discourse given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Throughout this discourse, Jesus will offer several parables to illustrate for his listeners what he means by the kingdom of heaven. He begins with the parable of the sower, which appears rather straightforward. Of course, seeds grow best in good soil. Seeds that miss the soil, are sown on rocky ground, or are sown among other plants will not grow. The surprise in the parable is the enormous yield of the seed that is sown on good soil.
Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel comes after a discourse in, which Jesus reproaches people who have witnessed his mighty deeds yet still lack belief. In this context, today’s Gospel explains the reason for this unbelief and reveals what is necessary for faith. Today’s Gospel also continues to enhance our understanding of discipleship.
Today’s Gospel is the conclusion of the instructions and consolations that we have heard Jesus offering to his disciples during the past few weeks. In this passage, Jesus summarizes both the costs of discipleship and its rewards. Once again, our understanding of the Gospel is strengthened by considering the context. It is part of what is called the “mission discourse.” in which it was written and the perspective of Matthew’s audience.
Today’s Gospel is the last part of Jesus’ instruction to his disciples before he sends them out. He offers them consolation against the reality of what they will face. Jesus has told them not to worry about they are to speak, for the Holy Spirit will give them the words. Jesus predicts the sort of difficulties which the disciples will face in their mission. This is in the part of Matthew’s Gospel between last week’s reading and this week’s reading.
In today's Gospel, Jesus shares his mission to proclaim the kingdom of heaven with his disciples. The signs of the kingdom's presence consist of the work that Jesus has already been doing: the sick are cured, lepers are cleansed, demons are driven out, and the dead are raised to life. The disciples are sent to continue doing the work that Jesus has begun. This is a moment of transition in Matthew's Gospel. The focus has shifted from the ministry of Jesus to the work of the community that he has inaugurated. More than any other Gospel, Matthew's Gospel elaborates on the work of the Church, which is to continue after Jesus' death and resurrection.
This Sunday we celebrate a second solemnity during this period of Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This day was once called Corpus Christi, which is Latin for “Body of Christ.” In the revised Lectionary the name for this day is expanded to reflect more completely our Eucharistic theology.
This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This Sunday and next, however, are designated as solemnities, that is special days that call our attention to central mysteries of our faith. Today on Trinity Sunday we celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons.
The Season of Easter concludes with today’s celebration, the Feast of Pentecost. On Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem; this event marks the beginning of the Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the Acts of the Apostles, today’s first reading. The passage for today’s Gospel, John 20:19-23, also recounts how Jesus gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Yet the event in John’s Gospel takes place on Easter Sunday. There is no need to try to reconcile these two accounts. The Evangelists and the authors of letters were writing for different audiences or faith communities. Time, dates, witness sources and the situations varied. The core truth of the narrative remains. It enough that we know that after his death, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send to his disciples a helper, an advocate, who would enable them to be his witnesses throughout the world.
Although year A is devoted mostly to the Gospel of Matthew, for the entire Easter season, nearly all the Gospel readings have been from the Gospel of John. Today for the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord, we return to the Gospel of Matthew with the passage taken from the conclusion of that Gospel. It quickly moves from the disciples’ discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb to the commission that Jesus gives his disciples in today’s Gospel.
In today’s reading (John 14:15-21) Jesus offers encouragement to his disciples, who will soon see him crucified. He reassures them that even though he will leave them, he will not abandon them. Instead, he will send them the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, through whom the disciples will continue to live in union with Jesus.
Today’s Gospel takes us back in time to an event in Jesus’ life before his Passion. This reading is part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. Jesus’ promise that he will prepare a place for them “there are many dwelling places” is a comforting thought. For this reason, persons today choose this Gospel passage to be read at the funeral Mass for a loved one. Jesus assures his disciples that where he is going, they will be able to follow. Thomas, who after the Resurrection will later the disciples’ reports that they have seen the Risen Lord, contradicts Jesus by claiming that the disciples don’t know where Jesus is going or how to get there. Jesus explains that he himself is the way, the truth, and the life. In knowing and loving Jesus, the disciples will know and love God the Father.
This Fourth Sunday of the Easter season is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday because in each of the three lectionary cycles, the Gospel reading invites us to reflect on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In each cycle the reading is from the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel. This chapter sets the framework for Jesus’ teaching about himself as the Good Shepherd.
Unlike recent Gospels is taken from the Gospel of Luke. Today’s Gospel shows us how the first community of disciples came to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. In these stories we gain insight into how the community of the Church came to be formed.
The Gospels tell us that Jesus appeared to the disciples on several occasions after they discovered that his tomb was empty. Part of the mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is that he appeared to his disciples not as a spirit but in bodily form. The bodily form was not one that the disciples recognized though. In John’s Gospel, Mary of Magdala does not recognize that the figure standing before her is Jesus until he speaks to her.
Today we begin the Easter Season, our 50-day meditation on the mystery of Christ's Resurrection. Our Gospel today tells us about the disciples' discovery of the empty tomb. It concludes by telling us that they did not yet understand that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thus, the details provided are not necessarily meant to offer proof of the Resurrection. The details invite us to reflect upon a most amazing gift, that is faith in Jesus and his Resurrection.
Today we begin Holy Week, the days during which we journey with Jesus on his way of the cross and anticipate his Resurrection on Easter. Today’s liturgy begins with the procession with palms to remind us of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.