The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Our spiritual life is deeply intertwined with how we engage the goods of this world. Amos 8:4-7 Background of the book Chapters 7-9 contain various visions and explanations of those visions. 8:1-3 is a vision of ripe summer fruit. READ MORE
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24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Who is God? What is God like? The readings today invite reflection on these questions at a deeper level. The Exodus reading seems to suggest a God who is capricious; a God who makes promises but then is tempted READ MORE
23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today’s gospel will tell us to deliberate carefully and explore all the options before making a decision. But the Old Testament reading will also remind us that there are some things we can never know. In the face of READ MORE
22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today’s readings focus on humility. In Jesus’ Middle Eastern culture, social transactions were driven by honor and shame. Wise people understood that honor was somehow paradoxically found most in humility. Being humble has a bad rap in modern times. READ MORE
21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections What does salvation look like? All three readings indicate that we might be surprised by the answer. They challenge what we think we know. Isaiah and Luke both paint a picture of universality and inclusion of unexpected people. The READ MORE
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today’s readings warn us that being a faithful follower of Christ can lead to distressing and painful choices. All too often, we associate a smooth path with a “successful” spiritual life. The moment something goes wrong, we wonder where READ MORE
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today’s gospel reading will speak to us of waiting. A quick review of Israel’s history shows that from Abraham to Isaac was about 100 years. From Isaac to Jacob (Israel) was also about 100 years. Israel’s 12 sons were READ MORE
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections All three readings today speak of our relationship with material possessions, a topic that can be contentious in private-ownership societies. They also speak of the transitory nature of life, something we appreciate more deeply with each passing year. The READ MORE
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today’s readings explore conversation with God, with themes of persistence in asking and faith in receiving an answer. Genesis 18:20-32 Background of the book The Genesis narrative begins very broadly but quickly centers on the figure of Abram/Abraham, the READ MORE
Chapter and verse numberings in the Bible
We are so accustomed to quoting chapter and verse, it’s hard to imagine the Bible without these designations. But they are a relatively recent introduction. It’s always important to remember that ancient manuscripts generally did not have spacing or punctuation, let alone chapters and verses. Catholic Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, is generally credited with READ MORE