July 26, 2023
Memorial of Saints Joachim and Ann, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary Celebrate! Give thanks! Venerate! The Church gives this feast day to remember Joachim and Ann, parents of the Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus, our Lord, and Savior. We also recognize Saint Ann as patroness of our Province of the Congregation of the […]
July 25, 2023
Feast of Saint James, Apostle Most have been fortunate to have our mothers advocate for us. They teach us how to be of genuine service because of their witness. Then, they do even more for us, ensuring we receive the best day in and day out. Christ reminds us today that we have accepted a […]
July 24, 2023
Optional Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhluf Both the first reading and the Gospel involve a central belief of Christians: only through death can we reach eternal life. Only through a lifelong effort to know, love, and serve God in this world can we find eternal life. Only through many daily “deaths” to self can we […]
July 23, 2023
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus frequently uses nature in his teachings. Today is no exception with the parable of the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast. We all deal with weeds. We go out of our way to get rid of them. We pull one, and we get two in return. They survive […]
July 22, 2023
Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene It still amazes me that the first reading from Saint Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reminds me of how I lived for myself so selfishly before Jesus came into my life. I am impressed at the gentle way Jesus loves us. He loves us where we are but doesn’t […]
July 21, 2023
If you [only] knew what this meant, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice…” Jesus chastises the Pharisees for missing the greater picture regarding the Law: “I desire mercy, compassion, not sacrifice.” Had they appreciated this, they would not have condemned the innocent. God’s law is intended to bless people. If any application of the law does […]
July 20, 2023
Anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Peter Julian Eymard On July 20th, we celebrate the anniversary of the priestly ordination of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Over the years, I have been blessed to attend several priestly ordinations, and I love how the beauty of the rite of […]
July 19, 2023
In today’s reading, Moses stands on holy ground. The Lord God tells Moses that he has heard the cry of his suffering people in Egypt and is sending him to rescue his people from slavery. Fearing that he could not do what God asked, God promised to be with him to ensure the success of […]
July 18, 2023
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. Have you ever heard your mother or father say, “You clean up your room, or you won’t be able to sit down for a week?” Or something similar? Did you think they hated you or wanted to maim you […]
July 17, 2023
Who is this Jesus who pronounced these hard words? It seems to be the exact opposite of what he taught about love and mercy. Instead of peaceful living, the gospel challenges us to accept a new idea, a different concept of being a disciple. At first, the words are confusing, puzzling. What does he mean […]