If you look carefully, today's Gospel reveals that the Mass is a privileged place where we encounter the risen Lord. Jesus joins his disciples as they walk along the road to Emmaus, just as he meets us in the entrance process at Mass. Then Jesus explains the Scriptures to them, just as he does through the priest or the deacon…

Even amid criticism and confusion, the man born blind could see more clearly than the Pharisees. He could see that Jesus was special, a prophet. And when he meets Jesus the second time, he believes and worships! As we meet Jesus in the Mass today, we can pray for this clarity. We can pray for the capacity to see Jesus,…

In today's Gospel, many people come to know Jesus and believe in him because of the woman who meets him at the well. There are many things that might have prevented her from being a messenger who helped people to come to meet Jesus. Nevertheless, all she needed was to meet him herself! You are invited to meet Jesus in…

Have you ever wondered why God would allow Jesus to be tempted after he had fasted for so long? We may imagine Jesus as being at his weakest at this moment, but Jesus was actually strongest after his time of fasting. This was when Jesus was most aware of his need for his Father's help, and so, was also when…

We all know we must avoid serious sins. Jesus reminds us today that it's not just big, horrible actions that can cause harm in our lives and damage our relationship with God. he tells us that the things we might not even notice-- things like being angry with someone or wanting what someone else has -- can lead to big…

Most of us don't want to be poor, or mourn, or be persecuted. We might find it deeply challenging to be merciful, clean of heart, or to be peacemakers. And yet, in today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that these are the ingredients for a blessed life! In a world that tells us we should seek comfort, distraction, ease, and abundance,…

Today's Gospel includes two important details that are worth noting. First, Jesus fulfills prophecy. God had been preparing for his Son and now, all that preparation is coming to fruition. What does it look like when God's preparations start to bear fruit? The second detail we notice is that Jesus reaches out to draw people in; he calls the disciples…

St. John the Baptist's words in today's Gospel might sound very familiar to us: "Behold the Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world." Just as St. John did for the people around him, at every Mass, the priest proclaims the dazzling truth that Jesus Christ, who takes away the sins of the world, is right here…

As we celebrate the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, we also remember something fundamental about his saving mission: through his incarnation, Jesus enters into all that it is to be human, filling it with his divine grace. In today's Gospel, he humbles himself to participate in an an action (baptism) that mean "I'm a sinner." Of course, Jesus did not…