November 12 / I Corinthians 15:35-58

I Corinthians 15:35-58 Dear RTB’ers, What is sown is … What is raised is … Perishable Imperishable Dishonor Glory Weakness Power A natural body A spiritual body I Corinthians 15:42b-44a In comparing the earthly and the heavenly, Paul compares Adam with Jesus and identifies us directly both to Adam and to Jesus: The first man …

November 11 / I Corinthians 15:1-34

I Corinthians 15:1-34 Dear RTB’ers, Today’s reading is about Jesus’ Resurrection and what it means for us. First Paul provides “evidence” for the Resurrection in the form of a list of people to whom Jesus appeared in bodily form, the strongest of which is that …He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one …

November 10 / I Corinthians 14

I Corinthians 14 Dear RTB’ers, … edification, exhortation, and consolation … (v. 3b) Paul speaks of uplifting activities – just the opposite of divisiveness or quarreling or judgmentalism. He also mentions edification twice more in the next few verses (vv. 4, 5). It’s a lesson we could all take when discussing church matters, whether in …

November 9 / I Corinthians 13

I Corinthians 13 Dear RTB’ers, I think that I am not very loving. I am cheerful and friendly and helpful and responsible and a lot of other good things, but I’m not sure that I am very loving. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. …

November 7 / I Corinthians 11:2-34

I Corinthians 11:2-34 Dear RTB’ers, When pondering about our readings and praying about what I might say, I often go back to what I have written in the past, both to get ideas and to not repeat myself. Today, however, I need to repeat myself – verses 23-26 strike me every time I read them, …

November 6 / I Corinthians 10:1-11:1

I Corinthians 10:1-11:1 Dear RTB’ers, Today, distracted again with the results from yesterday’s election – the Presidency, the Senate, the House – and my own students’ results from their exam yesterday. Distracted. One item pops out for me in today’ readings – imitation. Paul summarizes it in today’s last verse, Be imitators of me, as …

November 5 / I Corinthians 8-9

I Corinthians 8-9 Dear RTB’ers, During my years as Treasurer at St. Andrew’s I was able to see first-hand where our parishioners’ contributions went. And a very large chunk of our parish income went as Paul directed: In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by …

November 4 / I Corinthians 7

I Corinthians 7 Dear RTB’ers, Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. (v. 17) Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. (v. 20) So brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with …

November 3 / I Corinthians 5-6

I Corinthians 5-6 Dear RTB’ers, Two thoughts today. First, one from my Catholic childhood, a sentence offering advice on moral behavior, containing a few phrases and ending with “and to avoid the near occasions of sin”. Yeah, the “near occasions of sin”. I think Paul is talking about those “near occasions of sin” in both …