January 31, 2025
Reflecting on today’s Gospel brings rich meanings from Jesus’ parables and thoughts from Saint Peter Julian Eymard. Saint Peter Julian Eymard once said: “Jesus is the living bread sown in the stable; his tears are the moisture that makes him germinate, and the ear of corn will bow towards Calvary where it will be ground […]
January 30, 2025
In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus asks his disciples (and he asks us as well): “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?” The question, of course, is rhetorical in nature, and all those of us who claim to […]
January 29, 2025
Story Telling 101 Storytelling is not confined just to the library for children. Small towns and close-knit communities have a treasure chest of stories that get better in the retelling. We live on stories. Our spiritual roots are grounded in the rich soil of story. From the Ten Commandments to Noah’s Ark to feeding five […]
January 28, 2025
Memorial of Saint Thomas of Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. (Saint Thomas Aquinas). These words open our reflection on sacred scripture today. We celebrate Saint Thomas, whose research marks most of church doctrine today. We celebrate […]
January 27, 2025
Optional Memorial of Saint Angela Merici Fifteen or so years ago, on my first four-day retreat as a deacon, the retreat director began our first conference with advice I have followed ever since. First thing every morning, I pray, “Good morning, Lord. I know that there is nothing I encounter today that you and I […]
January 26, 2025
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Two men are presented to us today reading to the gathered assembly. Ezra stands before the assembly and reads the whole of the law following their return after the Babylonian captivity. And they weep. Perhaps because it was too long, perhaps it was because of their shame for their infidelity […]
January 25, 2025
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle I absolutely love how the Catholic Church beautifully combines the readings from the Old Testament with the New Testament. If you are new to these Eucharistic Reflections, I recommend you pray about God opening your heart and mind to understand the readings of the day; read all […]
January 24, 2025
Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales The author of Hebrews writes to an early Jewish-Christian Community—and to us—that the Lord will place his covenant in our minds and hearts: I will be their God, and they shall be my people. For the Jewish members of this community, this would have harkened back to the covenant […]
January 23, 2025
We know who you are, the Son of God.! So did the evil spirits proclaim- darkness was blinded by the Light! Jesus told them to be still… yet three chapters later, in this same Gospel, we read about Jesus asking his disciples: Who do the people say that I am? Who do you say that […]
January 22, 2025
‘Prince of Peace’. ‘King of peace’. The first is a name Isaiah gave to the Messiah who was to come; the other is the title Abraham gave to Melchizedek. Mark’s Gospel shows Jesus as a real bringer of peace, but not the peace we often think of where armies lay down their weapons and nations […]