Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Sept. 28, 2008

The two great attributes of God in the Bible are justice and mercy Today rsquo s responsorial psalm reminds us that ldquo the Lord is just in all his ways rdquo But we also hear that ldquo the Lord is gracious and merciful rdquo and the reading from Isaiah 55 urges us to ldquo turn to the Lo

Today we step aside from the usual sequence of readings for the Sundays in Ordinary Time to celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Since many Catholic institutions schools churches religious communities etc bear the name of ldquo Holy Cross rdquo the expression may be so f

Today rsquo s Scripture readings revolve around the themes of sin repentance forgiveness and reconciliation They remind us that there is always hope even at our most sinful moments and even for the most sinful persons we may encounter especially those whom we may know and love Today rsquo s

The cross is the central image or symbol of Christianity It is common in churches and in other Christian institutions Many Christians wear a cross around their neck or on their lapel as a badge that identifies them publicly as Christians Some crosses are elaborate and expensive works of art whil

For many years the Prudential Insurance Company of America has used as its logo a sketch of the Rock of Gibraltar The image conveys stability strength and permanence It suggests that the company will be around for a long time and that its clients can rely on its promises Today rsquo s reading fr