March 8, 2024
Today’s Gospel: So much to reflect upon! Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti: So much to reflect upon! When I see the word “neighbor” in “love your neighbor as yourself,” I recall how Pope Francis uses that familiar story of the “Good Samaritan” as an image for our meaning-making and reflection – the non-Jew (read […]
March 7, 2024
I used to work in Youth Ministry and accompany our parish teens to summer camp. One year at LifeTeen summer camp, I met one of the hosting teens, originally from Colombia. He was a bright and capable young man with a heart for community. After a few days, I saw the hosting teens struggling to […]
March 6, 2024
Today’s section from Deuteronomy reads like a pep rally or a political rally speech. “We have it made!!” There is no god like our God who listens to our petitions! There is no nation like us with its ceremonies, just judgments and all the law! These people had a right to be exuberant and proud. […]
March 5, 2024
Remember, for 50 years, the true fall classic? I wondered how many times this happened over the years and, of course, found it all on Wikipedia. Peanuts characters Charlie Brown and Lucy would have a unique philosophical reflection and hope that he would kick the football one day. Even though he had been burned repeatedly, […]
March 4, 2024
In truth, I tell you, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. Earlier in Luke’s gospel, the assembly in the synagogue was initially amazed as they listened to Jesus quote scripture prophesying the coming of their savior. Once Jesus proclaims he is the Messiah, amazement turns to doubt as his hometown questions his identity. They knew him […]
March 3, 2024
3rd Sunday of Lent There is a magnificent painting of Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple by El Greco in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Dare I say that there is a certain irony attached to the location of the painting! The cleansing of the Temple occurs early in the […]
March 2, 2024
I recently had a pair of custom leg braces made. They are meant to correct several deficiencies resulting from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The orthotist made a cast of my legs, holding my feet in a corrected position as the casting material cured. The resulting braces hold both my current form (or deform) and the correction my […]
March 1, 2024
When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated [Joseph] so much that they would not even greet him. As we enter the second week of Lent, we are faced with several stories of hatred, betrayal, and even murder. These are not only reminders of what we too […]
February 29, 2024
On this “extra” day of the year, we are offered one persistent message repeated in all the passages: Trust in mortals and be cursed and tormented, or trust in the Lord and be rewarded for one’s good deeds. Our first reading vividly describes the two opposing results of trusting other gods (with a lowercase g) […]
February 28, 2024
Today’s scriptures begin with a powerful message, which we may call a ‘jeremiad.’ Yes, it is a real word: you can see the name of the prophet Jeremiah in it because it means a message or statement like those spoken by the prophet himself. So there is a lot of woe, complaint, warning, and recrimination. […]