September 14, 2024
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” How often have we contemplated John’s words? Jesus, our redeemer – our savior! Jesus viewed laws not as a condemnation but taught us to love so that we […]
September 13, 2024
Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church There is no place in the Christian community for “othering.” Whether it’s calling immigrants thugs, murderers, or worse; calling panhandlers lazy, druggies, or worse; calling people committed to the social Gospel socialists, Communists, or worse; calling someone who disagrees with you the “enemy.” To […]
September 12, 2024
(Father Eymard received approval to establish the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament) The Golden Rule – tarnished. Do NOT Walk on the grass. Do NOT loiter. Do NOT disturb. Do NOT enter. Do NOT touch. Why not? We may ask. We need reasons NOT to do something, but an ounce of clear thinking fills in […]
September 11, 2024
Some commentators suggest that Luke’s community was more affluent and, therefore, needed more encouragement to be generous to those who were physically needy. Luke’s list of beatitudes invokes Christ’s blessings in a way that focuses more on the physical needs of the poor than what is recorded in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount version, which […]
September 10, 2024
Sometimes, we quickly judge and look for justice through lawsuits and courts. In our lives together in families, the Church, and society, we see injustice and cry, “Life is not fair.” Children suffering abuse, corporations acting out of greed, nations at war, and leaders looking for power for themselves rather than service to others have […]
September 9, 2024
Today’s Liturgy of the Word underscores the passion behind Father Eymard’s words, “Tomorrow will be too late.” Today’s Liturgy of the Word sounds like a pep talk: (1) chastisement for a flagrant sinner among the flock; (2) “no evil…stands against you”; (3) “My sheep hear my voice…and they follow me”; (4) “…is it lawful to […]
September 8, 2024
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Ephphatha! Be Opened! The words of today’s Gospel are echoed in the liturgy for Baptism. Touching the ears and the mouth, the celebrant prays: The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word and your mouth to proclaim […]
September 7, 2024
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” (Luke 6:5) “The goodness of God since my Baptism; his divine Providence in drawing me away from dangers, in effecting a change of place, of condition, even of health, in order to preserve me from enslavement to studies, from the vanity […]
September 5, 2024
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18) Saint Thomas Aquinas spent his lifetime extracting wisdom from Scripture. His most outstanding work, The Summa Theologica, is considered a great treasure of the Church, and Thomas’s […]
September 4, 2024
Saint Paul offers us some advice and encouragement in today’s first reading. “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God gives the increase.” This resonates with an old adage, “Do your best and trust God for the rest.” We who are called to ministry, whether ordained, vowed, or lay persons responding […]