Title: Have You Heard the Good News? Reflections on the Sunday Gospels, Cycle B  Author: Edward T. Dowling, S.J.  ISBN: 0-8189-0926-9  Paperback: x+ 192 pp.  Price: $12.95 + shipping  ISBN:0-8189-0928-5  3-Volume Set  Price: $38.95 + shipping  To Order call: 1 800-343-ALBA (2522) Please have your Master, Visa or American Express card ready To order online click here.

The Gospel of Mark and the Old Testament prophets play a predominant role in these reflections on the readings from Cycle B of the Sunday liturgy. A key question addressed throughout the year is: "Just who is Jesus of Nazareth?" Though Mark answers this question in the first line of his Gospel when he tells us that Jesus is the Son of God, that fact becomes ever more evident as we discover, over the weeks, how thoroughly he fulfilled, and even far exceeded, the Old Testament prophecies regarding him. In his inimitable style, Father Dowling once again brings to this collection a number of profound and original insights into the Scripture passages culled from his years of study and long experience in presenting them in such a way that they are accessible to all. As in the first of this three-volume series, it is the author's hope that these homilies will help people to understand the Scripture readings better, appreciate them more, and read the Word of God more frequently on their own.

 

Edward T. Dowling, S.J. received his Masterof Divinity degree from Woodstock College and was ordained in 1969. He has spent the past thirty years preaching each week in various parishes in the New York and Rockville Center dioceses. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University and is currently Professor of Economics at Fordham University. In his twenty-seven years at Fordham he has served three terms as Chairman of the Economics Department and one term as Dean of Fordham College. His previous publications have all been in Mathematical Economics and Statistics. Reviews "Father Ed Dowling has even improved on his masterful book of reflections on the Sunday readings (Cycle A). It's entitled Have You Heard the Good News? - Cycle "B". There are three books in all, and each one corresponds with the cycle of readings being used. Thus we have a new book now for the "B" cycle of readings. So many of you have remarked to me that whenever Father Dowling preaches you learn something about Scripture or the Church that you never knew. That's really not surprising since he is by profession and teacher and he brings that to his writing. Each Sunday has material that is less than four pages of an interesting and inspiring meditation on the texts for the Mass. Almost always there is something new that causes you to think and appreciate your faith more. I have watched Father preach and witnessed people looking at him with wonder as he unfolds the meaning of a particular passage. Quite candidly, I must admit that one Sunday evening I marveled at one of his explanations -- it was something I never heard before. All sorts of use may be made of Have You Heard the Good News?. Renew and prayer groups will find it perfect for preparing for Sunday Mass. Those who are interested in doing some spiritual reading can certainly manage 3 and ½ pages a week. Maybe best of all everything in the book is presented crisply and clearly and Father Dowling manages to have an engaging and intelligent approach. There is no doubt that you come away from his book with a renewed understanding of your faith. I recommend that parents and/or grandparents give the book to the college kids on their list. Who knows? With a little encouragement, they might bring it to campus ministry and use it in discussion groups." --Monsignor James McDonald, Pastor - St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church, Dix Hills, NY "Sunday Reflections: For preachers, ministers, and listeners alike, Have You Heard the Good News? Reflections on the Sunday Gospels, Cycle B dives into the Gospels of the next liturgical cycle and mines them for meaning and explanation. Drawing on 30 years of experience, author Edward T. Dowling, SJ, shares his opinions and reflections on the Sunday Gospels. Averaging three pages, the reflections help focus homilists and lay readers on the main themes and stories." --Crux of the News, October 7, 2002 Top of Page