July 16, 2023
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time The message Isaiah delivers to us today, and the parable Jesus spins, need to be stamped in our minds and hearts. They remind us that God’s word is always productive, whether it comes to us like gentle rain or like seeds tossed over the soil. We’re reminded that God is […]
July 15, 2023
“Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 10:33) Do we tremble at these words? Do they make us take a moment to examine our conscience in fear of the one who can destroy both soul […]
July 14, 2023
Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin Many of us regularly find God in nature – a walk in the woods or a forest – sitting by a babbling brook – watching a beautiful sunset – looking up at the stars on a clear night. – putting our hands in the dirt, planting flowers and or […]
July 13, 2023
We are required to sing. The spoken word sometimes is not enough for us to express ourselves. We break out a favorite hymn while in the kitchen. We sing joys, laments, sorrows, and anger in country, blues, and spiritual songs. The words and melody speak to us, and we, in turn, sing out an expression […]
July 12, 2023
Anniversary of the Beatification of Peter Julian Eymard “…Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Over the past thirty-plus years, our now semi-retired pastor ended every weekend Mass with, “The service begins when you leave the building.” Just […]
July 11, 2023
Jacob was a man of self-will. He would take any advantage to get ahead and showed great determination while under Laban’s domination. But for twenty years, Jacod wondered when he would ever go home again. But going back home is a crisis, for he needs to face his past, and his crisis is summed up […]
July 10, 2023
The passage about Jacob’s ladder is in the Old Testament reading. Jacob has a dream of angels communicating for him with God. God speaks to us in sleep too. We may feel different when we wake up. Do we listen? Jacob acted on his dream, do we? In Matthew’s Gospel, we meet the woman with […]
July 9, 2023
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. What welcome words these are today to our weary world. We look around and see the burdens being carried by us, our families, and our communities: difficulties in relationships, poor health, economic concerns, and […]
July 8, 2023
In Genesis, we read of the importance that Isaac planned what may be one of his last meals. It was important to him to have his son Jacob provide this meal; however, Esau served him the meal Rebekah prepared. It appears Isaac was most pleased with his meal, and though Esau attempted to deceive his […]
July 7, 2023
The Pharisees… said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” This accusation—for that’s what it was—was often made of Jesus during his lifetime. Luke (Chapter 15) follows it with three parables (the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost sons). Each time the lesson is the same: there […]