Blessed and given
At the dawn of salvation history, God revealed our future in figures. That's what's going on in today's First Reading: a priest-king comes from Jerusalem (see Psalm 76:3), offering bread and ...
Glorious processions
In today's liturgy, we're swept through time in glorious procession -- from before earth and sky were set in place to the coming of the Spirit upon the new creation, the Church. We begin in ...
A mighty wind
The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth ...
Council of Jerusalem
The first Church council, the Council of Jerusalem we hear about in today's First Reading, decided the shape of the Church as we know it. Some Jewish Christians had wanted Gentile converts to be ...
New for all ages
By God's goodness and compassion, the doors of His kingdom have been opened to all who have faith, Jew or Gentile. That's the good news Paul and Barnabas proclaim in today's First Reading. ...
Shepherd and the lamb
Israel's mission -- to be God's instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth (see Isaiah 49:6) -- is fulfilled in the Church. By the "Word of God" that Paul and Barnabas preach in today's ...
Fire of love
There are two places in Scripture where the curious detail of a "charcoal fire" is mentioned. One is in today's Gospel, where the Apostles return from fishing to find bread and fish warming on ...
Breath of new life
The prophet Daniel in a vision saw "One like the Son of Man" receive everlasting kingship (see Daniel 7:9-14). John is taken to heaven in today's Second Reading where he sees Daniel's prophecy ...
