July 17, 2025

Jesus extends to all an invitation: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” What comforting words. What a loving offer. But, if we are not yet ready to respond to such an invitation, the good Master continues: “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” […]

July 16, 2025

God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. God said this to Moses as he approached the burning bush, which he saw at the foot of Mount Sinai. In her poem “Aurora Leigh,” Elizabeth Barrett Browning has an interesting thought for us: “Earth’s […]

July 15, 2025

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Today we celebrate a Franciscan friar, Saint Bonaventure, who was a senior faculty member at the University of Paris and later served as General Minister for their Order for 17 years. A year before he died in 1274, Pope Gregory created him a Cardinal and […]

July 14, 2025

“And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” My husband was diagnosed with lymphoma, and my brother came to visit him in the hospital. He gave him a crucifix, […]

July 13, 2025

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time To test Jesus, a “scholar of the law” asked him what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus threw the question back to him by asking him, “What is written in the law?” The scholar answered. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with […]

July 12, 2025

Commemoration of the Beatification of Peter Julian Eymard (1925) Today, let us ponder the Gospel’s words: “What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light.” When does God speak to us in the darkness? Perhaps it is when we end our day in prayer. However, often we are the ones speaking, but […]

July 11, 2025

Comforting words are expressed when Joseph is reunited with his father, Israel. His life was consumed with the loss of his son, waiting for his return. At this moment of their reunion, Joseph grasps his father, weeping for a long time in an emotional embrace. God is faithful to his promise. In the Gospel, Jesus […]

July 10, 2025

In today’s readings, there is no doubt that God takes care of His own.  In the first reading, we have the story of how God put Joseph in the right place at the right time.  Then the psalmist encourages us to rely on God’s continuing presence.  The Alleluia transition marks the time from “before Jesus” […]

July 9, 2025

Closer Than You Think Some things are just not in our reach: a mini vacation on the moon, racing a car in the Daytona 500, winning a championship at Wimbledon. Yet, we have so many good-life experiences that should not be taken for granted: family, friends, parishioners, clergy; then worked into these relationships we add […]

July 8, 2025

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. (Matthew […]