~~~SisterSea~~~

First Reading: Leviticus 13-:1-2, 45-46 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 Gospel: Mark 1:40-45 Today's first reading from Leviticus sets the stage for today's gospel. It introduces us to what would be better translated as a “scale disease.” Scale disease includes a variety of conditions where the skin becomes scaly, for example, psor iasis . It is not the disease we know as leprosy today. Unlike leprosy, full recovery from scale diseases was possible. Still, Leviticus says one suffering from scale disease must live alone, separated from the community— and is unclean. Today's Gospel tells us that Jesus ignores the cleanliness laws, takes pity on the man with scale disease, and touches him—and cures him. Jesus shows his respect for the Law by sending the healed man to the priest but he is also stepping on the priests' toes. According to the Law, by touching...

February 1, 2015   First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Gospel: Mark 1:21-28 There have been many misunderstandings of today's second reading. These have had detrimental ecclesial and cultural effects. These were felt most profoundly in Roman Catholic cultures and circles. Things are changing now mainly because of the abuse scandals but traditionally in these cultures, people who took a vow of celibacy were seen to be closer to God or more holy than those who chose marriage or the un-vowed single life. Not all adverse effect are as well known as the abuse scandals. For example, when I lived in Ottawa, I knew three nuns who where in the psychiatric ward at the Ottawa General Hospital. Only one of them actually had a mental illness. The other two were hospitalized for the crippling anxiety each experienced when she realized that ...

18 January 2015 2 nd Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading: 1 Samuel 3.3b-10, 19 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6.13c-15a, 17-10 Gospel: John 1:35-42 Today is the 101 st World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Today's readings are about “Call and Conduct.” The first reading is about hearing, recognizing and listening to God's voice. In the part of today's passage from 1 Samuel, Chapter 3, that the lectionary left out. God tells Samuel that he is going to punish his mentor Eli and his family because Eli failed to stop his sons from their blasphemous behaviour. In the morning, Eli asks Samuel to be truthful and tell him what God said. Samuel has to decide whether or not to speak God's truth to Eli, the priest who is mentoring him. What the lectionary left out is about the integrity and courage to speak truth to power. In the second reading, once again, the lectionary...

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 Second Reading: Ephesians 3.2-3a.5-6 Gospel: Matthew 2.1-12 Today is the feast of the Epiphany, which is one of the feasts where the readings are the same each year. So, I revisited the meaning of the word “ epiphany. ” It comes from the ancient Greek word, epiphaneia , which means “manifestation or striking appearance." An epiphany is an experience of sudden and striking realization. The term is generally used to describe scientific breakthroughs and religious or philosophical discoveries. However, epiphany can also refer to any situation in which an enlightening realization allows a problem or situation to be understood from a new and deeper perspective. After reviewing the meaning of the word epiphany , I looked at the homily starter I gave last year. The same Lectionary omission in the second reading caught my attention again this year. I realized that although epiphanies are oft...