June 1, 2024
Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr From the Acts of the Martyrdom of Saint Justin and his companion saints: The saints were seized and brought before the prefect of Rome… (He) said: “…Gather around then and with one accord offer sacrifice to the gods.” Justin said: “No one who is right thinking stoops from true worship […]
May 31, 2024
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Among you is the great and Holy One…the feast of the Visitation gives us a unique opportunity to ponder the Holy One being among us. How privileged we are to see Mary and Elizabeth embracing each other and the Divine presence in their midst. Elizabeth’s child […]
May 30, 2024
We don’t know if Bartimaeus was born blind or suffered an illness or accident that resulted in his blindness. The details are not included in Mark’s Gospel reading for today. We do know that upon hearing Jesus, Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Others in the crowd tried to silence […]
May 29, 2024
“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I drink…?” I wonder if James and John were dragging behind the group and conversing as Jesus had taken the twelve aside to explain what was ahead for him in Jerusalem. He certainly didn’t have their attention as he described being […]
May 28, 2024
THE EUCHARIST OUR HIGHEST RECOMPENSE As we journey towards celebrating the solemnity of Corpus Christi, we are confronted with this beautiful text of Mark about our recompense. After the rich young man goes away sad, Jesus declares that detachment from what we love is the way to the eternal reward. Celebrating the Body and Blood […]
May 27, 2024
Saint Augustine of Canterbury Today’s saint was prior of Saint Andrew’s monastery in Rome in the sixth century when Pope Gregory the Great sent him to England to evangelize the pagan Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent. When Gregory saw fair-haired Anglo-Saxon slaves in Rome, he decided these “angels” should become Christians. When Britain was a province […]
May 26, 2024
Solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity One part celery, two parts onion, and one part carrot is known in French cooking as a mirepoix or holy trinity. Equal parts of onion, celery, and bell pepper are the holy trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking. These ingredients work harmoniously, creating a solid foundation for other cuisines, but for […]
May 25, 2024
Today’s reflection is on the Gospel of Mark 10:13-16. What does it mean to accept the Kingdom of God like a child? Remember when you were a child, you believed your mom and dad when they told you something? For example, don’t touch that plate; it is very hot. Or don’t play in the street; […]
May 24, 2024
Today’s scripture readings are an interesting mix of themes and possible interpretations. We can talk about not judging people, persevering like Job, a person’s word, divorce, marriage, and other examples of religious leaders trying to trick Jesus. Or Jesus’ radical attitude toward women. When one lines up the many examples of Jesus interacting with women, […]
May 23, 2024
Some passages of scripture make for rough reading. The kingdom calls for radical choices. Today, Jesus calls us to be salt for the earth. This reminds us that if we lower our standards, then the salt that we are will lose its strength, and we shall all fall into mediocrity together. If salt loses its […]