Author: Paul Grimes

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the Ordinary Time. It is a great epiphany which is a manifestation of Jesus to the world as the Beloved Son of God totally committed to serve the saving plan of the Father. Jesus is manifested as the Savior of all …

Epiphany comes from the Greek word, epiphainein, which means showing, appearance, manifestation. The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord reveals the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles and that is, to the whole world. It points to the universality of salvation because God wants all to be saved. It points also to the mission of the Church which …

During this Christmas season, the Incarnation of Jesus reveals that God became man so that man might become God. It is because man is created in the image and likeness of God. But that image is destroyed when man disobeyed God. Yet God did not give up on His people. He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, to restore our …

The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday which means rejoice. It is also called Joyful Sunday because the Lord is near. The third candle in the Advent Wreath is lighted which symbolizes the joy of salvation. Salvation comes from the Latin word salus which means health. We rejoice because the Lord comes to bring us healing, wholeness, fullness …

During this sacred season of Advent, we are given two great figures from the Sacred Scriptures. They are Isaiah and John the Baptist. They are prophets of Advent. Isaiah announces  the arrival of the Messianic King who brings transformation. His work is to restore order within the whole of creation. He presents a vision of peaceful cosmos: animals no longer …

The Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe marks the end of the liturgical year of the Church. It is to celebrate the hidden and steady kingship of Christ. In the Gospel of Luke (23:35-43), Jesus is presented as Shepherd King but crucified on the Cross. No earthly king would ever choose to be on the cross. The King …

Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year of the Church. It comes from the Latin word,  Adventus, which means coming, arrival. It is a time to prepare for the coming of the Lord. There are three comings of the Lord: past, present and future. The present points to His birth in  Bethlehem. This is the historical event when …

In the Gospel of Luke (21:5-19), Jesus enumerates the signs of the shaking of the old world. God is creating a new world but preceded by the shaking of the old world. It points to the radicality of the Resurrection of Jesus. In His resurrection, a new world has emerged beyond our imagination. He is the new world in person. …

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. He said, “All that you see here, the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” (Lk 21:5) This is the consequence of the faithlessness of the people of Israel. The …

The Cleansing of the Temple performed by Jesus (John 2:13-22) is narrated by all four evangelists. The Gospel of John highlights Jesus as the New Temple because He is the font of salvation. From Him flows the healing and life giving water for the renewal of the world. He is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Ezekiel (47:1-12) when he …