At the very beginning of our conversion, we try to emulate Christ at a superficial level. We are play-acting. This is not a bad thing, not really, because the job of living the life of Jesus in His humility is difficult. We will probably mature in faith past this normal stage of development. However, at […]
“Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land. I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for […]
I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. Do you ever feel like everyone is against you? Do you sometimes feel like you can do no right in the eyes of some people? […]
The Scribes and Pharisees are presented with a conundrum when they argue with Jesus in the temple. They are the religious experts of their day. They know the scriptures inside out and upside down and keep every letter of the law. Yet in their arrogance, with only their human wits to guide them, they are […]
The King in the book of Daniel does not like the true God. Perhaps even before the “Magnificat” was uttered by the Mother of Jesus, the King already knew that the true God would scatter the mighty such as he from his throne. So the King decides to builds his own God. Standing at 9 feet […]
“You belong to what is below; I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.” I have a lot of crazy things to belong. Most were embarrassing or even downright stupid: such as smoking, swearing and pretending you had an active sex life, skipping school, […]
Have faith. But when you are at the lowest of your moods, how do you have faith? Where does that ability to have faith come from? Presently I am reading a book about being happy despite your circumstances. Being happy doesn’t fix the problems and concerns of daily life, happiness doesn’t even pay the bills […]
Scribes and pharisees are obsessed with Christ. They have the single-mindedness of saints and the hypocrisy of sinners. They feature prominently in the story of the woman caught in adultery, saying and doing more than she does. What do they say, then, to Christ or to this woman? What do they do? And how does […]
When people manipulate words, even scripture, with the sole purpose of supporting their own point of view, instead of the truth, they are using a form of sophistry. Sophistry could also describe the logic used by a lawyer intent upon persuading a jury to find a criminal not guilty. The word sophistry describes the language and logic […]
One of the points I try to stress with those joining me on the many trips I host to Rome and other Christian holy places is the difference between a tour and a pilgrimage. A tour is more of a fun seeking trek to an exotic location, one filled with great photo opportunities that contain […]
A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit He saves” (Psalm 34:19). There are a lot of hurting people in the world, but tonight I am not one of them. At this moment, alone here near the tabernacle, I glory in the Real […]
They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt” Why Do We So Easily Forget? Today our readings remind us that the Israelite’s very easily forgot the love of God and the wonders he performed to bring them out of Egypt. In my own life I can look back […]
The readings for today give hope to the humble. They proclaim the mercy of God for those who emerge from their darkness by revealing Jesus as the man who dares to call God His Father . In the first reading from Isiah, God promises a covenant to the peoplethat will restore the land. In issuing this covenant, The […]
There are so many ways we can be sick — physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, we even use the word to refer to being fed up with something. Most people do not wish to or like to be sick. As a mother, I am often heard saying, “I don’t have time to be sick.” As a […]
The Gospel accounts are full of good examples. Today’s Gospel features a counterexample, a cautionary tale, albeit one which ends happily. It is one which demonstrates the answer to the old question: Why do bad things happen? The answer, as always, is this: They leads towards salvation. Many Galileans had been at the wedding feast […]
A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture: Psalm 51 was recently given to me as my penance after a confession heard by a young visiting priest to our church. “What is Psalm 51?” I asked. He said, simply, “It is beautiful.” He shared with me that he always adds this Psalm to whatever penance he is […]
Today’s Gospel comes from Mark 12:28-34. In the Gospel a Scribe asks Jesus, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” And Jesus replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this; love your neighbor […]
“Most theologians talk too much. They should pick up a broom and sweep the room. That says enough.” – Mother Teresa After reading today’s Gospel Readings, I could not help but think of Mother Teresa and this quote. To understand why, one would have to imagine that he is in the presence of Jesus […]
A single story that brings your child’s heart nearer to God is worth an infinite number of likes and shares on Facebook. Your Internet audience might include any number of people — friends who are already convinced, strangers who will never be convinced, and people who will forget what you said a minute later. Rarely […]
Some people try to get rich quick by aiming for a $400 million jackpot, and others try to lose weight quick through fad diets. These methods very rarely work even among worldly goals; why would we expect them to work any better in our spiritual lives, where perseverance bears the reward? There is no get […]
Today’s Gospel from Luke is one many know and love; the parable of the prodigal son. This is a great reading to meditate and reflect on during Lent. I’m not going to ask you if you’ve ever been the prodigal son or daughter. I’m going to ask you this: How many times have you been […]
If you’ve ever been betrayed by a best friend or by someone you loved deeply, remember that Jesus was, too. Judas was a part of Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus called him, chose him, spent every day in his company as they traveled together preaching the good news. At the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the […]
Thursday MARCH 20, 2014 Gospel LK 16:19-31 As an Eastern Catholic, we are taught early on to fight death at all costs. Contrary to popular belief, death is not natural and is actually a result of sin. As a result of sin every man and woman, whether a pious believer or an atheist, will one day taste death. In this […]
A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture: “Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Matthew 1:24). When I discovered that today’s Gospel Reading was about Joseph and his “yes” to becoming the foster father of Jesus, I began to hunt for my grade school St. Joseph Missal. What a treasure! Happy memories […]
