June 25, 2024
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you! This is the social message of the Old Testament. That is what I feel gives me joy, and I should do the same for others. It is the explanation of love in the New Testament. I need to provide enough time for my God, […]
June 24, 2024
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Many years ago, I experienced the bonfires of Saint John’s Eve in Ireland – a truly spectacular sight. To me, they represented Christ, the Light of the World. For hundreds of years, these bonfires were a way of giving thanks for the longer days. When John […]
June 23, 2024
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time A squall is identified as a robust and violent gust of wind bringing rain, snow, or sleet. If you live on or near a body of water, you experience them often. I recall going offshore with my husband years ago, and a squall developed. We were frightened, and the adrenaline […]
June 22, 2024
The Bible shows that obedience brings blessings and disobedience brings cursings. Today’s first reading makes that very clear. The responsorial Psalm also makes that clear. However, it is not as apparent in the Gospel if you miss one word. That one word is used so often by Jesus but is frequently overlooked. That word is […]
June 21, 2024
Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. To what kind of treasure should we entrust our heart? Christ alerts us today to the many treasures that tug at our hearts each […]
June 20, 2024
In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew shares the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. It is the summary of how we are to live. We are to acknowledge God’s greatness, petition for nourishment, seek forgiveness, and appeal for protection against evil. We are also reminded to be discrete in our prayer life by not drawing attention to […]
June 19, 2024
I had a difficult time with today’s readings. Then, as often happens, two streams flowed into a river of inspiration. The Responsorial Psalm calls us to hope: “Let your hearts take comfort, all you who hope in the Lord.” That same day, Pope Francis published his design for the Jubilee Year 2025. The theme of […]
June 18, 2024
One of my favorite psalms and songs is Psalm 139. LORD, you have probed me; you know me; you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. But this may have been the psalm that Jesus told the crowd they had misunderstood or been led astray by their rabbis. A few […]
June 17, 2024
The Sermon on the Mount may be the most incredible homily ever given. The purpose of this proclamation by Jesus was to set out a set of principles as a guide to help us live in a manner pleasing to God. It is a list, a catalog, of what to do to merit eternal salvation. […]
June 16, 2024
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time The keywords for today are patience, perseverance, and hope. The passage from Ezekiel is an allegory about a messianic age to come. His prophecy declares an end to the violence and destruction that Israel has been suffering. In this allegory of the cedar tree, he portrays God as a gardener […]