August 26, 2024
What a wonderful week of spiritual reading for those who make the daily Gospel a central focus of their spirituality. This 21st week in Ordinary Time offers readings from Chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel, where the focus is on the Scribes and Pharisees and what Jesus sees as the hypocrisy of their religious practices, which impose […]
August 25, 2024
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time We experience moments of truth throughout our lives. Is it a boy or a girl? Will I get the job or promotion I have worked so hard for? Am I or my loved one in remission? Will I stay or will I go? Some moments are joy-filled, and others are […]
August 24, 2024
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle Today’s Gospel is not a parable but a true story of the encounter with Jesus for Philip and Nathaniel (thought to be the Apostle Bartholomew by many scholars). It is also true for us and everyone who is ever born. Verse 48 caught my attention when Nathaniel said to Jesus, […]
August 23, 2024
Commandments have been in the news a lot lately. The governor of Louisiana wants to display the Ten Commandments in his state’s public school classrooms. The state legislature in Oklahoma wants them in the 5th through 12th grade classrooms. This is not a new movement in recent history. And it’s always controversial. I understand the […]
August 22, 2024
Memorial of the Queenship of Mary The Gospels often present us with parables about banquets. We always like a good story and wonder where it leads. Spontaneously, we want to connect this parable with the Eucharist, the most extraordinary banquet of all. What is particularly interesting is that all are invited, but surprisingly, not All […]
August 21, 2024
Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope Our Gospel reading today dramatically expresses God’s absolute grace and mercy. It is not what we do for God but what God does for us. No matter how far from God we stray or “how late we are in the game,” God offers us the merciful wage, not what […]
August 20, 2024
Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church I live in Houston, Texas, and have just gone through Hurricane Beryl. We lost power for four days. During this time, I thought about the world and considered how blest and wealthy I was compared to the rest of the world. I am well into […]
August 19, 2024
An inquisitive man asks what he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus’ response included several answers. First, one must obey the commandments listing things that should not be done and others that are the right ways to live. The man said that he had observed all these rules but still didn’t feel he was […]
August 18, 2024
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus said to the crowds, “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” What an absurd teaching! “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” The religious leaders ridiculed him. They would never understand this teaching because they refused to connect […]
August 17, 2024
Decisions have consequences, and some can be long-lasting. Some societies believe that decisions can affect people seven generations down the line. The people Ezekiel is addressing are feeling the effects of decisions made by their ancestors. The ancestors had turned away from God and followed the gods and idols of others. As a result, Judah […]