The Extra Meisl: Sunday Gospel Reflections

The readings from Palm Sunday show us two responses to Jesus. On the one hand, many who acclaim Jesus as Messiah when he enters Jerusalem later call for His death. They are fairweather fans. On the other hand, others show incredible fidelity to Jesus throughout His Passion. During Holy Week, we pray to follow the example of this group.

When tragedies strike we are reminded of the shortness of life and the need to live well. In the Gospel today , Jesus references two contemporary tragedies from His time. These tragedies teach us that we will not live forever and so we should be sure to live a good life that has eternal significance.

First Sunday of Advent Advent teaches us to be ready for the arrival of Jesus, not just at the end of time, but in the various ways that Jesus enters our life each and every day.  

The Solemnity of Christ the King reminds us that central to Jesus' mission was establishing the kingdom of God. Just as Jesus is a king unlike any other, so the kingdom of God is unlike any kingdom the world has ever seen.

Apocalyptic literature in the Bible, like we read about during today's Mass  , is meant to inspire hope in a community that is suffering. 33 Sunday Ordinary Time year B

In the Gospel today ( Mark 12:38-44 ), Jesus challenges us to consider who is truly great. It is not the rich, powerful or wealthy who are great. Rather, those who are generous and self-sacrificial are the ones who are truly great in God's eyes.

Jesus shows us that leaders must serve (Mark 10:35-45). This has major implications for the way that the Church exists. The Synodal process, recently inaugurated by Pope Francis, is meant to shape the Church so that it is marked by service and collaboration between all the baptized.

A paradox at the heart of Christianity is this: we find fulfillment for ourselves when we make ourselves a gift to others. This truth, which St. John Paul II called "the law of the gift", is at the heart of today's Gospel ( Mark 9:30-37 ).

The Gospel reading for today, Mark 8:27-35 (24 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year B), discusses the identity of Jesus. The image we have of Jesus matters because it determines how we live our life as Christians. We hear in the Gospel that Peter gets some aspects of Jesus' identity correct but is very wrong when it comes to some fundamentals of who Jesus is.

In the Gospel today ( Mark 7:31-37 , 23 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year B), we find Jesus speaking Aramaic. This teaches us something important about Jesus' identity and the way that God works in the world.

Doubt is a normal part of our spiritual journey. Although it seems counterintuitive, when we respond to doubt in the right way, it can be an opportunity to strengthen our faith (Jn 6:60-69).

God always wants to help us when we need help. Sometimes, however, like the people in today’s Gospel (John 6), we reject God’s assistance because because it comes in a form we do not expect. Asking for help is an act of faith.

Just as the people in the Gospel (John 6:24-35) are corrected by Jesus for focusing on the good, but external aspects of a sign (bread) rather than the better, divine truth it represented (Jesus is the bread of life), the Gospel today challenges us to ensure we come to Mass for the right reasons.

We have all experienced the painful experience of not getting what we ask for in prayer. The Gospel of today (Mk 5) gives us the hopeful message that God is always doing something when we pray, therefore we can have the courage to persevere.

When Jesus ascends into heaven, we are confronted with a paradox: Jesus loved us so much that He needed to leave us behind. If Jesus had not ascended, we would never have matured as disciples.

The Mandalorian and the Nativity both tell the story of a child entering a dark world who, though rejected by some, has the potential to bring hope and a new direction to life. Don't worry, there are no spoilers in this reflection for the 4th Sunday of Advent!

Living in a pandemic, it can be very hard to appreciate how we are supposed to rejoice on this Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday. The Gospel today (John 1) gives us hope. It tells us that Jesus is light in the darkness. When we are in a dark place, a little light makes a big difference. We can rejoice by recognizing the small ways Jesus is a light to us and by being a light to those around us.

The COVID pandemic has been like the wilderness or desert experiences we read about in the Bible. At different times, God's people found themselves in a literal or figurative desert. These were times of suffering, confusion and disruption. We can have hope because in the midst of these desert experiences God always proclaims a message of comfort to his people: God's saving help is on the way! Dese...

Every Advent season - especially an Advent during a pandemic - is a special time to pay attention to how God is working in our life and world. As the Gospel (Mk 13:33-37) tells us, we need to "Be watchful! Be alert!". God is trying to teach us something. Let us pay attention.

God has given each one of us incredibly valuable gifts. In the Gospel (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus teaches us that we will be judged based on how well we have used these gifts. This challenges us to change our perspective regarding what it means to follow Jesus well. Instead of focusing solely on the bad actions that we commit, we also need to pay close attention to those good actions that we neglect...

Waiting is difficult! Today's Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13) shows us that the tension of waiting is an opportunity for growth. We prepare ourselves to meet Jesus by growing in faith and the practice of charity. This challenge is particularly important during the pandemic, during which we can accept regulations and other sacrifices out of love and concern for others. In addition, reaching out to the lon...

The Feast of All Saints reminds us we are all called to be saints. Jesus' beatitudes are a roadmap for how we can be holy. Saints are people who let God's light shine through them.

When asked, "what is the greatest commandment?" it is significant that Jesus answers with more than one commandment (Mt 22:34-40). We need to love God... but... we can't really love God unless we love our neighbour... but... we can't really love our neighbour unless we love ourselves. To love God, then, we need to love others (especially the difficult ones) in a way that shows we actually like the...

Have you voted yet? In today's Gospe l (Matthew 22:15-21) Jesus does not tell us who to vote for, but He does indicate important principles that should guide our participation in the political process. In escaping a trap set by Pharisees and Herodians, Jesus wants His hearers to recall they are made in God's image. In doing this He restores dignity to people who were oppressed by Rome and reminds...