July 10, 2023
The passage about Jacob’s ladder is in the Old Testament reading. Jacob has a dream of angels communicating for him with God. God speaks to us in sleep too. We may feel different when we wake up. Do we listen? Jacob acted on his dream, do we? In Matthew’s Gospel, we meet the woman with […]
July 9, 2023
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. What welcome words these are today to our weary world. We look around and see the burdens being carried by us, our families, and our communities: difficulties in relationships, poor health, economic concerns, and […]
July 8, 2023
In Genesis, we read of the importance that Isaac planned what may be one of his last meals. It was important to him to have his son Jacob provide this meal; however, Esau served him the meal Rebekah prepared. It appears Isaac was most pleased with his meal, and though Esau attempted to deceive his […]
July 7, 2023
The Pharisees… said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” This accusation—for that’s what it was—was often made of Jesus during his lifetime. Luke (Chapter 15) follows it with three parables (the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost sons). Each time the lesson is the same: there […]
July 6, 2023
Life can be paralyzing for those who suffer from poor mental health and emotional distress, and it is worse when we are lonely. But I am always amazed by what happens to a lonely soul when it finds companionship along the way. I’m reminded of a flashlight that helps illuminate our path at night. It […]
July 5, 2023
In today’s Gospel selection, we read that Jesus walks through a path many locals avoided because there were two rather dangerous men possessed by a devil who might harm them. The devil in them recognizes Jesus and fears him. They ask Jesus if he was to cast them out of this man, would he send […]
July 4, 2023
Independence Day (USA) As we hear in our first reading with the angel urging Lot onward, we cannot help but think of the early settlers of this great country who trusted in God, and the angels led them through the many journeys to this sacred land. We have a complicated history of “discovery,” but we […]
July 3, 2023
Our first reading today tells us that we are no longer strangers or foreigners walking through a wilderness, searching for our permanent home. We are a community and members of the household of God! Our home is built on Jesus as the cornerstone and the capstone. In other words, the entire weight of our home […]
July 2, 2023
13th Sunday of Ordinary Time In the first reading, a woman in the village of Schunem shows great hospitality to the prophet Elisha, even to the point of building and furnishing a little room for him on the roof of her house whenever he visits. She is childless, so Elisha promises she will soon fondle […]
July 1, 2023
When I think of my grandma, I often picture her sitting on the front porch. Her house did not have central air conditioning; even with open windows, it would sometimes be uncomfortably hot inside. Looking for a breeze, we often found her sitting at the entrance of her house… like Abraham in today’s first reading. […]