Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lectionary 67) are about the light and joy that Jesus Christ has brought into the world.

For a full doctrinal homily outline based on these readings, click here.

When it comes to our Catholic faith, there are two central truths I often have to remind myself of.

First, our religion is sacramental. The means of salvation and sanctification that Jesus Christ has left us is grace. The normal way to obtain grace is through the seven sacraments. If we want to become what Christ wants us to be, we must frequent the sacraments and act on the graces they give us.

Second, our religion is apostolic. Christ entrusted His teachings and means of sanctification to the twelve apostles he chose, whose head was Peter. They, in turn, entrusted their ministry to men, the men we now call bishops, whose head we call the pope. Those bishops entrusted their ministry to other men, the line of bishops and popes right down to today. We call this reality apostolic succession.

This is why redemption comes to us from Christ, through the Apostles and their successors, and most immediately through the pope and our own diocesan bishop.