The Vineyard Laborer

Pondering Your Words in My Heart Feast of the Holy Family Lk 2: 41 – 52 Introduction In today’s reading we are told of the boy Jesus who was lost and then was found in the temple. Today is also the feast of the Holy Family. The Gospel             In today’s reading, Luke narrates to us how Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem to celebrate the yearly Passover, this time with the boy Jesus who was then twelve years old. The Passover is the greatest Jewish feast in the year. However, when the feast was over and as they were returning back home, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing about it. Joseph and Mary thought that Jesus was with the rest of the caravan heading for home. They realized that Jesus was not with them only after a day’s journey. So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. Finally, after three days of searching, they find him in the temple...

Joy That Comes From Believing Lk 1: 39 – 45 Fourth Sunday of Advent Introduction Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and the last Sunday before Christmas day. The gospel today tells us of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth who was with child. The Gospel The gospel today begins with Mary setting out and travelling to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Mary has been told by the angel that her cousin who was now advanced in age was with child. When Mary arrived at her cousin’s home, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. And as Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, she greeted Mary with these words: “ Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the ...

The Joy That Comes From a Humble Heart Lk 3: 10 – 18 Third Sunday of Advent Introduction Today is the third Sunday of Advent. In today’s reading, we hear again John the Baptist preaching and preparing people for the coming of the Lord. The Gospel John’s preaching about the coming of the Lord has created such an impact on people who heard him that it moved many of them to turn away from their old ways.   And so in the gospel today, we hear people asking John: “What should we do?”   In reply, John tells them: “ Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” The gospel then says that even tax collectors came up to be baptized. They too asked John: “ Teacher, what should we do?” John answers: “ Stop collecting more than what is prescribed. Soldiers too came and asked what they should do. John advises them: “ Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with you...

Help Me Make Your Paths Straight Lk 3: 1 – 6 Second Sunday of Advent Introduction Today is the second Sunday of Advent. In today’s reading, we hear John the Baptist preaching in the desert, exhorting people to prepare the way of the Lord. The Gospel The Gospel reading taken from Luke begins with a historical background. Luke writes : “ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lusanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” Luke narrates the historical background of the events that took place, writing details like who the emperor was, who the governors in Judea were and who the religious leaders were at that time.   Some of these prominent figures like Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas and Caiaphas would later figure prominently in the life of Jesus, ...