Transfiguration and transubstantiation are two words with the same prefix. Both describe religious mysteries that are difficult for us to understand. The transfiguration of Jesus occurs on a mountain where Moses and Elijah also put in appearances. There are a couple of related words deriving from Latin that are especially …

The readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent look at the alarming statement found in the Gospel According to Luke 1:30 (NABRE): “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.‘” This statement by the angel highlights the reason that Mary …

The Gospel According to Luke 2:35 (NABRE) contains one of the more difficult passages about our Blessed Mother: “(and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There’s an especially interesting image here around the idea of piercing, which is a bit …

The first chapter of the Gospel According to John (NABRE) contains John’s testimony about himself when priests and Levites are sent to question him about the basis for his ministry and baptism. This entire exchange is incredibly interesting, but one line in particular stands out in the Gospel According to …

Early in the liturgical season of Advent, the Church’s readings at Mass turn toward the witness of John the Baptist as “the voice of one crying out.” In the readings we see both the original prophecy from the Book of Isaiah 40:3 (NABRE) and also the restatement in the Gospel …

The liturgical season of Advent takes its name from the Latin word adventus, derived from the verb advenio, which means “I come toward” or “I arrive.” Advent in a general sense refers to any coming or arrival, though in the liturgical sense, of course, it refers to the coming of …

As we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States, it seems fitting to take a look at the topic of giving thanks as it’s treated in the Scriptures. For those of us who are Catholic, this topic is of special importance because it lends its name to the …

In the Gospel According to Matthew 25:14–30 (NABRE), Jesus tells a parable about servants who are given charge of a portion of their master’s wealth during his absence. Two invest prudently while one doesn’t. To the two with whom the master is satisfied, he promises increased responsibility and invites them …

The Book of Wisdom 6:12–16 (NABRE) describes many positive attributes of wisdom. This deuterocanonical book is one of the last written in the Old Testament and clearly shows the influence of Greek thought on the Jewish mindset. For many Greeks, wisdom was one of the deepest held and most highly …

In the Gospel According to Matthew 22:40 (NABRE), Jesus makes a fascinating point that’s easy to misinterpret when he says: “The whole law and prophets depend on these two commandments.” The word “depend” here carries a lot of weight and suggests an interesting dependency. The Greek verb that is translated …