The Ascension of our Lord, Cycle B
The Ascension of the Lord texts in Luke-Acts (Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:1-11) accomplish four major objectives. First, they provide an explanation of where the Risen Christ is now. Second, they provide an explanation of why the Risen Christ was seen by many followers of Jesus during the first few weeks after his crucifixion and [...]
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B
John 15:9-17 Few texts within the Fourth Gospel reveal more about the way in which the Johannine community and its leaders perceived themselves than does this pericope. The text is principally about the relationships of the members of the Johannine community to each other and to their Johannine Jesus. According to this text, the members [...]
Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B
John 15:1-8 Within the “Farewell Discourses” of the Fourth Gospel, John 15:1-8 is quite harsh and demanding. According to this text selected for our use next Sunday, every branch that is not bearing fruit is summarily taken away to be thrown into the fire and burned (and anyone who has ever burned a compacted mass [...]
Tuesday of Holy Week
John 12:20-36 All except the final verses 34-36 of this text are used also on the Fifth Sunday in Lent and were commented upon above at that place. There we considered the two symbols that are used in this text to signify the death of the Johannine Jesus. His death is compared to the “death” [...]
Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle B
Having had the most convincing proof of Jesus’ physical resurrection story from the Fourth Gospel traditions as our Gospel reading this past Sunday, we turn now for next Sunday to the most convincing proof of Jesus’ physical resurrection story in the Gospel According to Luke (Luke 24:36b-48). We are grateful for these proof of Jesus’ [...]
