ECHOING MARY’S DECISION The angel Gabriel today confronts Mary with a mystery. The mystery of salvation in Christ is not a mystery that is solved, but a reality beyond our comprehension that we must choose to enter into. In the liturgy of the Eastern Church, everyone waits to see if Mary will enter into the…
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MORE THAN DISCIPLES Each of today’s four scriptural roles—disciple, prophet, apostle, herald—forms a facet of our life in Christ as we live it day by day. Isaiah tells us that a prophet is anointed, as we were anointed at our baptism in water and the Spirit, to bring glad tidings and to promote God’s reign…
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EXILE Both Isaiah and Peter had the task of comforting and encouraging their communities during times of exile. The Israelites were in geographic exile from Israel; to them this was, in effect, the same as being in exile from their God. The early Christians, following the Resurrection, expected an immediate return of Christ in glory;…
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WATCH! “Watch!” This word occurs three times in today’s Gospel passage. Moreover, it is placed at significant points: the beginning, the center, and the end. Though this is technically a parable, it is quite short (four verses). The threefold repetition of “watch” leaves no doubt as to what the story is about. We often think…
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THE LORD’S FLOCK Sheep are high-maintenance animals. They are not very intelligent. Without guidance and care, especially in a climate like Israel’s, they would die quickly from predators, starvation, or just their own slowness. The scriptural image of us as the Lord’s flock is not terribly flattering to us, since it is only the never-ending…
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