Mark 11:1-10, Palm Sunday The event we recount–and reenact–on Palm Sunday was a highlight of sorts in our Lord’s Public Ministry. Reported in all four gospels, our Lord’s entry to Jerusalem is often prefixed with the adjective “triumphal” to express the exceptional welcome given to Jesus as he arrived in Jerusalem. The welcome must have been overwhelming,…
Category: Author: Johnny Go, SJ
If You Wish – Johnny Go, SJ
Mark 1:40-45, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Today’s reading may be interpreted as yet another healing miracle of our Lord that showcases his compassion for those who are marginalized in society. The worst part about being a leper during Jesus’ time, after all, was not so much the physical affliction as much as the social…
Where Does It Come From? – Johnny Go, SJ
Today’s Gospel is about the first–and lasting–impression that our Lord makes on people. And the impression that he makes on the people he interacts with–the lasting impression he leaves them with–is summarized by one recurring word: “Authority.” It’s funny because I would have expected a different kind of first or lasting impression. Perhaps holiness or kindness?…
The Endangered Art of Listening – Johnny Go, SJ
John 1:35-42, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time In the First Reading today, we have the somewhat charming story of young Samuel who mistakes God’s voice calling to him as coming from his master Eli. After being roused a third time from his sleep, Eli realizes it must be the Lord and directs Samuel to answer, “Speak,…
Gifts and Givers – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 2:1-12, Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord On this Feast of the Epiphany, we remember the visit of the magi–those astrologers (how many they were, we don’t know) who read the stars and were among the first to lay their eyes on Jesus. They were not exactly kings, but they were certainly wise enough to…
How Can This Be? – Johnny Go, SJ
Luke 1:26-38, Fourth Sunday of Advent When the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her about God’s invitation, Mary asked one question: “How can this be?” When you think about it, it’s a perfectly normal and understandable question. First of all, it was an angel that visited her! We have no idea what form the angel assumed…
Watch – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 13:33-37, 1st Sunday of Advent Yesterday I found myself wandering through a familiar street in a foreign country. The familiarity was comforting, but it was also wrapped in some sort of nostalgia. You see, I was sauntering through one of the alleys of Taipei’s famous Zhongxiao Dunhua shopping area, and the place felt quite familiar because I had spent…
So much for Christ the King – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 25:31-46, Feast of Christ the King Back in 2004, I visited the Jesuit school for the disabled in Cambodia. From the moment I stepped out of the airport in Phnom Penh, I noticed that every major road and every other street corner displayed the picture of one man. My companions informed me that a…
Running on Empty – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 25:1-13, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Do you feel like you’ve been running on empty? “Running on empty” is a phrase we use to refer to people on the brink of exhaustion–be it physical or emotional. It’s a reference to automobiles running so dangerously low on fuel that it might just stop running any moment now. It basically…
Practice what they Preach – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 23:1-12, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time In today’s Gospel our Lord criticizes the excesses and shortcomings of the Pharisees, but virtually tells us to practice what they preach. It’s surprising advice since it’s a subversion of the usual adage that we should “practice what we preach.” It’s also surprising because this is usually our…
Falling Short of the Greatest Commandment – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 22:34-40, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Singer/songwriter Howie Day has a couple of great lines in his 2003 hit, “Collide”: Even the best fall down sometimes. Even the wrong words seem to rhyme. Never mind the rest of the song–which, of course, is a love song–but I think those two lines capture something pretty…
Sunday Christians, Cafeteria Catholics, Etc – Johnny Go, SJ
Matthew 22:15-21, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord utters his famous line: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and repay to God what belongs to God.” At first glance, the Lord seems to be proposing a division between our usual lives and our so-called spiritual lives. Sort of like Sunday Christianity, when people act…
One Lost Sheep 