David Takes Saul’s Spear and Water Bottle,
James Jacques Tissot, c. 1896-1902, The Jewish Museum (NYC)

But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him,
for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?”
So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head,
and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening.
(1 Samuel 26:9,12)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 15:45–49
February 20, 2022

This week we continue our examination of Chapter 15 of Paul’s 1^st letter to the Corinthians. It is very rare that the Lectionary allots five weeks to one chapter of one letter for our second reading at Mass but this, as we have seen, is a unique chapter in a special letter. Even with this unusual attention we are not reading all of it and we are skipping about 20 verses from the last week to this. We must begin with an overview of these verses and examine a question which will shed light not only on today’s passage but on a very modern problem.

Continue reading “Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time – Being the Best Jesus We Can Be” →

Sermon on the Mountain, Károly Ferenczy,
1896, Magyar Nemzeti Galéria (Budapest)
(About this Image)

And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
(Luke 6:20–21)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
February 13, 2022

The 15^th chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is so important that we will read it for five Sundays. Even then, we will examine only about half. Last week’s selection gave us a concise but clear statement of the creed:

that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the scriptures
that he was buried
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures;
that he appeared to Kephas,
then to the Twelve

(1 Co 15:3–5)

This week, he will begin to examine what happens when this basic belief of Christianity is ignored or denied. The Corinthians were a flesh and blood community. They had concrete and specific concerns which affected how they interpreted doctrine and indeed how doctrine formed them.

Continue reading “Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time – Truly Accepting the Resurrection” →