The Word today, Corpus ChristiC
- Admin
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
June 23 - June 28, 2025
Genesis 12:1-9 The story of Abraham, our father in faith, begins today and our reading is the foundational scene. In the preceding chapter 11, Abraham is mentioned almost casually and then, all of a sudden, he is called in an extraordinary way by God. The promise given to Abraham— that he will be a blessing to all the tribes of the earth—was seen by Paul to be fulfilled in Jesus.
Matthew 7:1-5 It seems to be human nature that we see more easily in others the faults we have ourselves. We should reflect on our judgements because they hold a mirror to ourselves. The tone is humorous and deadly serious at the same time.
Birth of John the Baptist
Isaiah 49:1-6 The mention of “forming in the womb”, a prophetic idiom, makes this a suitable reading for the feast, anticipating the Gospel. Ultimately, the reading points beyond John the Baptist to Jesus as the light of the nations.
Acts 13:22-26 It is not possible to tell the story of salvation, or indeed that of Jesus, without mentioning John the Baptist, as we see in this reading.
Luke 1:57-66, 80 Our Gospel is devoted mainly to the naming of John the Baptist and the reaction to his birth. We too are invited to “treasure these things in our heart.”
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18 Our reading is both deep and mysterious. In effect, it is a renewal of God’s promise to Abraham and the renewal takes the form of a covenant ceremony. By walking through the halved animals, Abraham says “may this happen to me” if I break the agreement.
Matthew 7:15-20 The early church had an abundance of prophets, some genuine, others false. How to tell the difference? According to their fruits, of course.
Genesis 16:1-12,15-16 In the ancient world, polygamy led to wifely rivalry over fertility. The story is slanted against Hagar and Ishmael, but they too receive a (slightly unsettling) blessing!
Matthew 7:21-29 A bit of geography may help us. Dry river beds in Israel—known as wadis— are subject to unpredictable and potentially fatal flash floods. Building your house on sand, i.e. on the sandy floor of a wadi is very, very dumb!
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Ezekiel 34:11-6 This wonderful reading is in many ways both a deep reflection on Psalm 23 and a outspoken response to the failure of the “shepherds” at the time of great Exile in Babylon. It cannot fail to inspire today.
Romans 5:5-11 Beginning with the last verse of the previous paragraph (vv.1-5), we hear about the extraordinary love of God in Christ. You can feel Paul’s continued astonishment, years and years after his first encounter with the Risen Lord.
Luke 15:3-17 The reading takes up the image of the shepherd again, this time underling the note of rejoicing, typical of the Gospel of Luke.
St Irenaeus, bishop and doctor
Genesis 18:1-15 Known in the Orthodox tradition as The Hospitality of Abraham, this wonderful scene has reverberated both in Scripture and in art. It is alluded to in Hebrews: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) It also inspired the much-loved Old Testament Trinity of Rublev.
Matthew 8:5-17 To whom was Jesus sent? According to himself, to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In this Gospel, we overhear the realisation of the early church that Gentiles too could come to faith in Jesus. Cf. Then Peter started speaking: “I now truly understand that God does not show favouritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.” (Acts 10:34–35).
References
-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2025bb, June 22). The solemnity of the most holy body and blood of Christ. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062225.cfm
-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings
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