SES Comms

Calling the Fathers: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 31st Sunday Though they were Moses’ successors, the Pharisees and scribes exalted themselves, making their mastery of the law a badge of social privilege. Worse, they had lorded the law over the people (see Matthew 20:25). Like the priests Malachi condemns in…

Love Commanded: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 30th Sunday Jesus came not to abolish the Old Testament law but to fulfill it (see Matthew 5:17). And in today’s Gospel, He reveals that love—of God and of neighbor—is the fulfillment of the whole of the law (see Romans 13:8–10). Devout Israelites were…

Caesar and the King: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 29th Sunday The Lord is king over all the earth, as we sing in today’s Psalm. Governments rise and fall by His permission, with no authority but that given from above (see John 19:11; Romans 13:1). In effect, God says to…

Dressing for the Feast: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 28th Sunday Our Lord’s parable in today’s Gospel is again a fairly straightforward outline of salvation history. God is the king (see Matthew 5:35), Jesus the bridegroom (see Matthew 9:15), the feast is the salvation and eternal life that Isaiah prophesies…

Living on the Vine: Scott Hahn on the 27th Sunday In today’s Gospel Jesus returns to the Old Testament symbol of the vineyard to teach about Israel, the Church, and the kingdom of God. And the symbolism of today’s First Reading and Psalm is readily understood. God is the owner…

The Humble Path: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 26th Sunday Echoing the complaint heard in last week’s readings, today’s First Reading again presents protests that God isn’t fair. Why does He punish with death one who begins in virtue but falls into iniquity, while granting life to the wicked one…

First and Last: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 25th Sunday The house of Israel is the vine of God, who planted and watered it, preparing the Israelites to bear fruits of righteousness (see Isaiah 5:7; 27:2–5). Israel failed to yield good fruits, and the Lord allowed His vineyard, Israel’s kingdom,…

The Debt We Owe: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 24th Sunday Mercy and forgiveness should be at the heart of the Christian life. Yet, as today’s First Reading wisely reminds us, often we cherish our wrath, nourish our anger, and refuse mercy to those who have done us wrong. Jesus,…

To Win Them Back: Scott Hahn on the 23rd Sunday As Ezekiel is appointed watchman over the house of Israel in today’s first Reading, so Jesus in the Gospel today establishes His disciples as guardians of the new Israel of God, the Church (see Galatians 6:16). He also puts in…

For Your Life: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 22nd Sunday Today’s First Reading catches the prophet Jeremiah in a moment of weakness. His intimate lamentation contains some of the strongest language of doubt found in the Bible. Following God’s call, he feels abandoned. Preaching His Word has brought him only…