August 6, 2025
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” The disciples had heard the same voice, the same message, at Jesus’ baptism. Why did it sound so different today? Why were they so amazed at what happened? Obviously, the presence […]
August 5, 2025
The dramatic jealousy that leads the couple Miriam and Aaron to work against Moses ultimately results in Miriam’s “leprosy.” The nastiness of jealousy, as the Hebrew scholars demonstrate, turns us into an animal, one that ravages rather than redeems. Moses asks God for help, being a righteous person. The story continues. Jesus makes us get […]
August 4, 2025
Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest Today is the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, a dear friend of Saint Peter Julian Eymard. In his lifetime, he encouraged Peter Julian in his eucharistic work and even acknowledged him as a “great saint.” “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he that has found one has found […]
August 3, 2025
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of Saint Peter Julian Eymard. In the first reading from Ecclesiastes, we read: Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! When I discovered that the Hebrew translation of this word (vanity) is futility in the Jewish Study Bible, Saint Peter […]
August 2, 2025
Solemnity of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest (for the Eymardian Family) “The community of believers was of one heart and mind…” (Acts 4:32) in the “Project of Life” of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament: “Animated by the spirit of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, we form the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament, an Association of […]
August 1, 2025
Anniversary of the Death of Saint Peter Julian Eymard (1868) In my basement, I have a poster titled “The Dash.” The dash is the short line that appears in an obituary notice between the date of a person’s birth and the date of that person’s death. The dash represents the time during which that person […]
July 31, 2025
Memorial of Saint Ignatius Loyola Just as Jesus revealed to his disciples, He discloses to us that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure so incredibly special that a person would sacrifice everything to own the treasure. In celebrating the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, we also celebrate the grace of conversion that […]
July 30, 2025
Worth Repeating A sign of an accomplished teacher is to repeat significant information, as in ‘This will be on the test, so let me repeat it.’ Keeping young people riveted to teacher talk is challenging. For adults, the same holds especially true when it comes to church words: the mystical body, original sin, begotten son, […]
July 29, 2025
Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus There are two gospel options for this day, such as having Martha ask Jesus some direct questions as he comes to her home. In both selections/settings, Martha is blunt. Even though in the history and legends of the church’s life, Mary is credited as the “quiet prayer model” […]
July 28, 2025
The two short parables on the Kingdom of God that form today’s Gospel both illustrate the enormous potential impact of very small actions. A couple of tiny mustard seeds can produce a magnificent tree, just as a little bit of yeast makes a magnificent loaf of bread. Jesus tells us that “the kingdom of God” […]