"In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven meets his children with great love and speaks with them; and the force in the Word of God is so great that it remains the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her children, the food of the soul, the pure and perennial source of spiritual life." These words from Vatican II's Divine Revelation can serve as a vital foundation for these volumes of commentaries on the Lectionary readings for the cycle of the Church's liturgy, worship, prayer and preaching. The readings serve to help us realize our connection to the universal Church praying as the Body of Christ together with one heart, mind, soul and body. The liturgy of Word and Eucharist is like a huge web strung across the world, holding it together and gathering all peoples into one before God.

These commentaries are offered as jumping off places, and there cannot be enough of them for no matter how many years we listen and celebrate the liturgies of the Church's year and participate in the great mysteries of our God, there is always so much more to say, more food for thought, more hope and courage distilled, more essence of the scent of God among us; more to hear of wonder, delight and the love that God bears for us in Jesus and the Spirit.