Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, showing how God works to unite people, while we try to create lines to divide people from one another.

Readings: Genesis 2:18–24; Hebrews 2:9–11; Mark 10:2–16

Job's friends "know" he must have sinned if God's hand is against him. Job "knows" that he will see his vindication with his own eyes, and so he and his friends talk across each other. The deeper truth of the Book of Job is beyond either of these positions. The point of the Synod on Synodality is to get to the deeper truth beyond what either "side" thinks, because that deeper truth can transform us, our Church, and our world.

In Luke's telling, the greatest among us, the one who most closely represents God, is the least among us. If you want to find God, look there.

You can find out more information about the Oct. 24 Provincial's Dinner at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/knch6p/event/provincialsdinner2024/

We have two sayings of Jesus today, one of inclusion and one of exclusion. The deeper truth lies somewhere in between.

You can find out more information about the Oct. 24 Provincial's Dinner at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/knch6p/event/provincialsdinner2024/

Based on Mark 9:38–43, 45, 47–48;

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, where Peter goes from his great confession of faith in Jesus, "You are the Messiah!" to being called "satan" by Jesus just four sentences later. Faith is a fickle thing, and we learn from the Letter of James that it must be lived out to be real. In living it out, there will be ups and downs, but if we stick to the task of living out our faith we will eventually find its fullness.

Readings: Isaiah 50:4c–9a; James 2:14–18; Mark 8:27–35

The readings today are all about what proper religious observance looks like: following God's law in caring for the vulnerable people in their afflictions. This is a simple message, but one that often gets overlooked in religious discussions.