September 18, 2024
Today’s reflection is centered on today’s Responsorial Psalm: Blessed are the people that God has chosen to be his own. We notice that God is the one who chooses; it is God’s invitation. Who are those invited persons God has chosen? It is important to remember that in the creation story, God made human persons […]
September 17, 2024
Today’s reading from 1st Corinthians reminds us that we are part of the Body of Christ. We all have our specific part to play as part of the Body of Christ. How do we know what our part is? I saw a possible answer to this question in Father Paul Bernier SSS’s book “Eucharist, Celebrating […]
September 16, 2024
Lord, I am not worthy. I would like to have a time machine to make some changes in how we pray at the Eucharist. I simply want to instantly create a few pauses to absorb the magnificence of what is before us. There are special moments during Mass when I want to say, “Stop! Listen […]
September 15, 2024
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Today, Jesus asks his apostles: “Who do people say that I am?” The answers that came back attested to the fact that Jesus was well-respected. People felt God sent him but weren’t convinced he was the Messiah. During the interchange, Peter chimed in with a clear and robust proclamation: “You […]
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 […]