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. […]
February 27, 2024
Come now, let’s talk this over. Dear friends, as we journey into this second week of Lent, the Lord calls us to dialogue. Dialogue (διας λογος) means two parties laying matters on the table and coming up with a consensus. These parties are called to be equal in this dialogue. This makes the ambiance of […]
February 26, 2024
The early weeks of Lent constitute in their readings a kind of short course in the Christian life, a review of how Jesus calls on us to love one another. Today’s liturgy of the Word is a good example: after listening to a beautiful passage in the Book of Daniel, where Daniel recognizes in some […]
February 25, 2024
2nd Sunday of Lent When our youngest daughter was seventeen, she decided to run away from home. Her dad and I came home to find her gone. Our hearts were broken, yet we both wanted to sacrifice her! Today, we hear the account of God’s call to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. A faithful […]
February 24, 2024
Jesus speaks directly to us when he says: “Do not the pagans do the same?” There are several definitions for the word pagan. Using it in context here, pagans are those who did not and do not worship the one triune God. Our Lord is telling his disciples, including us, that we are to be […]