February 11, 2026
Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes There is no record of Saint Peter Julian ever visiting Lourdes, which did not become a pilgrimage site until 1876, 8 years after his death. But his own deep devotion to Our Lady might have drawn him in prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes! In today’s Gospel, Our […]
February 10, 2026
“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built” (1 Kings 8:27). Even at the height of Israel’s glory, Solomon knew that no structure—however large and sacred—could contain the living God. The heavens themselves are too small. And yet, […]
February 9, 2026
We look in mirrors every day—literal mirrors, as well as the mirrors of our neighbors’ eyes and faces. But what do we see: sickness or health, emptiness or fullness, anxiousness or calmness, rejection or acceptance? Oftentimes, we see but fail to recognize what we have seen. In today’s gospel, Mark states that the “people immediately […]
February 8, 2026
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time We’ve heard the phrase a thousand times. “You are the salt of the earth.” The Romans had the saying, “Nil utilius sole et sale.” There’s nothing more useful than sun and salt. They believed that salt was the purest element of the earth because it came from basic components of […]
February 7, 2026
Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. (Mark 6:31) The disciples had just returned from their mission and were depleted. Jesus knew they needed to regain their strength. Mark’s comment […]
February 6, 2026
Memorial of Saints Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs The 26 priests and brothers honored today were arrested for being Christians. Taken to the public square of Meakoto to the city’s principal Shinto temple, they each had a piece of their left ear cut off and then were paraded from city to city for weeks with […]
February 5, 2026
Baptismal Day of Saint Peter Julian Eymard in 1811 On February 5, 1811, the day after his birth, Saint Peter Julian Eymard was baptized in the church of his hometown of La Mure d’Isère, France. The church is now known as the Chapel of Saint Peter Julian Eymard. In 1865, on his second retreat in […]
February 4, 2026
There are a few conflicting lines in today’s Gospel. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue of his own town, and those in attendance, his neighbors, were in admiration for his wisdom and the mighty works done by his hands. But then comes the flipside. He scandalized them as he was “just one of them.” Jesus […]
February 3, 2026
“If you believe, then you shall live!” Saying (and praying) “I believe!” is something Catholic Christians do regularly. A single word says it in Latin: “Credo!”, leading directly to our English word “Creed.” It is the Nicene Creed we pray out loud at Mass. That text was fashioned in Nicaea by about 300 bishops whom […]
February 2, 2026
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord! A feast day seemingly filled with contradictions, good news, and bad. Certainly, Immaculate Mary did not require purification, however she faithfully fulfilled the law of Moses. In this moment, the Holy Family demonstrates the virtues we are […]