I sought wisdom openly in my prayer … and I will seek her until the end. Wisdom is a big deal in the Bible. One third of the Old Testament is devoted to wisdom, pursuing it, acquiring it, retaining it. Yet in contemporary American culture wisdom does not seem to be highly valued. Knowledge is.… Read More »
MAY282021
Now will I praise those godly men, our ancestors. Remembering those who have gone before us is an important component of many cultures: the Day of the Dead in Mexico, ancestor “worship” in China, the traditional practices of many African societies. In the United States the people of New Orleans go to the cemetery on… Read More »
May 30 2021
May 30 2021 (The Most Holy Trinity) LPI
MAY272021
I had a spiritual director once who suggested that I make a part of my prayer to ask for “the grace of the day.” Jesus gave Bartimaeus an opportunity to do exactly that: Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not a surprise that the… Read More »
MAY262021
My younger brother would introduce his request to our mother by saying, “Now don’t say me ‘no.’” James and John utilized s similar preemptive strategy: ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” My mother would, at times, say “no” to my brother since he really didn’t need that eighteenth… Read More »
MAY252021
After the seasons of Lent and Easter we return to Ordinary Time! The readings for this season are called the lectio continuo where we pick a particular book of the Bible and read it chapter by chapter. This week the first lesson is from the Old Testament book of Sirach, known in the Latin edition… Read More »
MAY242021
Pope Francis has designated the Monday after Pentecost as the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. The Acts of the Apostles describes how those first followers of Jesus gathered around Mary as the Church was coming to birth. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women,… Read More »
MAY232021
What makes a Church? St. James continued to be a Church when the parochial school was closed. St. James discovered a few years ago that you don’t need pews and stained glass and a bell tower and a wonderful pipe organ to be a church. We’ve managed without the Holy Name Society, the Altar and… Read More »
MAY222021
When Paul arrived in Rome he wanted his people, the Jews, to understand who he was and how he ended up there. He told them, ‘It is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains.” For Paul the hope of Israel was to be found in Jesus, sent from God as… Read More »
MAY212021
In the South people will sometime ask “Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior.” While knowing Jesus is a necessary part of faith, it is not sufficient. Judas knew Jesus but betrayed him. Peter knew Jesus but denied him. The rest of the apostles knew Jesus but abandoned him. That serves as background for the… Read More »
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