FRESHImage Sunday Gospel Reflections with Tony Crescio

On this glorious Easter Sunday, in response to Mary Magdalene's news that the tomb of Christ is empty, we run alongside Peter to find things just as she said. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, if we attend to what we know about Peter, in this scene we find an example of how the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity enable us to participate in Christ's Paschal Myst...

Today, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, we follow the women to the tomb to discover it is empty. As Tony Crescio ( ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩ ) explains, by following these women's journey to the tomb and back to tell the Apostles the Good News, we discover that love is stronger than death and that we find our true identities as human creatures created in God's image precisel...

On this Palm Sunday, Tony Crescio (  ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩  ) discusses the Gospel reading proclaimed in commemoration of Our Lord's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week. As Tony explains, this most august event in Christ's life teaches us the recognizing Jesus as Our Savior and King is the only way we can enter into Holy Week properly. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us o...

On this 5th Sunday of Lent, we witness the famous scene of the woman caught in adultery. In his reflection, Tony Crescio (  ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩  ) discusses how this scene simultaneously reminds us of the seriousness of our situation, of our need for a Savior, and the longsuffering mercy of our God. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive upda...

On this 4th Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday, Jesus tells us the wonderful parable of the Prodigal Son. In this reflection, Tony Crescio (  ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩  ) discusses how this beautiful parable speaks directly to what the Season of Lent is all about, as well as how we are to navigate it. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive updates dire...

On this 3rd Sunday of Lent, together with Moses we encounter the extraordinary sight of the burning bush. As Tony Crescio (  ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩  ) explains, the burning bush holds a threefold significance for us, all of which ultimately point to the fact that as human creatures we become who we have been created to be when set ablaze with the fire of God's Love. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check...

On this 2nd Sunday of Lent, we witness the Transfiguration of Jesus. As Tony Crescio (  ⁨@anthonycrescio⁩  ) explains, Luke's account of this great episode Jesus' life emphasizes the importance of prayer, and the transformative power it can have when we unite our prayer to Christ's. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive updates directly to...

On this First Sunday of Ordinary Time, we witness the threefold temptation of Jesus in the desert by Satan. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, through this dramatic episode in His life, Jesus reveals to us three basic temptations experienced by every single member of the human family, and simultaneously reveals how these temptations are all overcome by turning more fully tow...

On this 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus invites us to reflect upon the path we are traveling in life. As Tony Crescio (@anthonycrescio) explains, through the image of the tree and its fruit, Jesus makes clear that there is only one path to full flourishing for the human creature, the one that follows Him. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive upd...

Having opened His interior life to us last weekend through the Beatitudes, on this 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus now exhorts us to imitate His Heavenly Father and ours. As Tony Crescio (@anthonycrescio) explains, Jesus' exhortation to be merciful like the Father is a call to extend the radically generous love we receive from God to others. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org an...

On this 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are invited to listen as Jesus preaches the great Sermon on the Plain. As Tony Crescio ( ‪@anthonycrescio‬ ) explains, Jesus reveals His interior life to us in the Beatitudes so that by His grace we might live as He lives, and thereby pursue authentic and lasting human happiness. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to...

On this 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are invited to contemplate the concept of vocation through two calling stories portrayed in our readings. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, our vocations are directly connected to the completely unique image of God we have each been created to be by our loving Creator. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a s...

This Sunday's celebration of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord presents us with a dynamic portrait of sacrifice to contemplate. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, in presenting Jesus in the Temple on this day, Mary exemplifies what it means to enter into the life-giving sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God and thereby experience the fullness of life for a human...

Our Gospel reading for this 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, highlights one of the central elements for living in relationship with God, freedom. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, without freedom, no relationship can be authentic much less intimate, and it is precisely freedom for relationship with God that Christ sets us free. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.or...

On this Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, we witness the Miracle of the Wedding at Cana. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, in this scene God manifests the type of relationship we have been created for with Him, as creatures created in his likeness. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive updates directly to your inbox. Follow us...

This Sunday our celebration of the Christmas Season ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. As Tony Crescio (@anthonycrescio) explains, the Baptism of Jesus simultaneously manifests the mission of the Incarnate Son, and provides a glimpse of the interior life of the Triune God. Both reveal to us a God of solidarity, Whose life we are called to imitate as creatures created in imago Dei. Mus...

On this Sunday in the Octave of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, placing the account of the child Jesus lost and found in the temple before us for contemplation. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, this episode teaches us that the pursuit of holiness is an adventure in every sense of the word. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check...

On this Fourth and final Sunday of Advent, we find ourselves amid the company of Mary, her cousin Elizabeth, and the in utero John the Baptist. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, though yet unborn, the Baptist helps teach us one of the most important and basic lessons about what it means to be a human creature. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a...

On this Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, the Church summons us to rejoice! However, as Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, this call to rejoice is not unqualified. Instead, we only have reason to rejoice if we have first recognize our need for repentance. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscriber to receive updates directly to your inbox....

On this Second Sunday of Advent, St. Luke emphasizes the historical reality of the drama of salvation to us, and we meet the the forerunner of the Messiah, St. John the Baptist. As Tony Crescio (@anthonycrescio) explains, in the life of St. John the Baptist we find the exemplar par excellence of preparing for an encounter with God. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a s...

On this First Sunday of Advent, we are reminded that a just society requires that the people of that society live in a just relationship with God. However, as Tony Crescio ( @anthonycrescio ) explains, this is far easier said that done, as sin inhibits us from living in a just relationship with God. Thus, living in just relationship with God requires a Savior, whose arrival we prepare for this Adv...

This weekend's celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, closes the Season of Ordinary Time. As Tony Crescio (  @anthonycrescio  ) explains, Jesus' exchange with Pilate teaches us that the Kingdom of God is not spread by the worldly means of coercion and violence, but by Christian disciples living as Jesus does. Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at fres...

This Sunday we encounter Bartimaeus, the Son of Timaeus. As Tony Crescio ( @anthonycrescio ) explains, by naming this man twice, St. Mark is flagging for us the importance of this episode, and what he flags is the totalizing claim made by Christianity. Namely, as human creatures, we can only see reality and navigate it rightly one way, by trusting and following the Son of God Incarnate, Jesus Chri...

On this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus reminds us that the Christian Way of Life is truly magnificent. For, as Tony Crescio (@anthonycrescio) explains, the Christian Way of Life calls every single one of the baptized to cooperate in the greatest work the world has ever witnessed, the salvation of the human family.  Music by Bjorn Lynne Check us out at freshimage.org and become a subscrib...

Friends, on this 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are reminded of the totalizing nature of the Christian Way of Life. As Tony Crescio explains, in His exchange with the rich man, Jesus reminds us that living the Christian life requires the wisdom to make every decision so as to place God above all else in our lives, period. And True Wisdom is a grace, a gift of God, prompting us to pray for this v...