The celebration of the birth of John the Baptist is an ancient one in the Church. Jesus and Mary’s births are the only others included in the liturgical calendar which testifies to the importance of John the Baptist. The lesson we can take from this day is found in the neighbors of Zachariah and Elizabeth… Read More »
JUNE232019
During some previous crisis in the Church – and crises do seem to come with some regularity — I asked my mother why she remained a Catholic. “Holy Communion,” was her immediate response. That resonated with me. The Holy Eucharist is the center of my spiritual life. Is it yours as well? Receiving Holy Communion… Read More »
JUNE222019
If I ever write a book it will be entitled The Commandments of Jesus (as distinct from the Ten Commandments.) The first of these commandments would be “Thou shalt not worry” (Matthew 6:25). In our culture if you are not worrying people suspect you are irresponsible. Have you bought insurance yet? Have you brought your… Read More »
JUNE212019
When I was in seminary they taught us not to talk about ourselves when we were preaching. Apparently, St. Paul did not get that lesson. “What anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare.” The Apostle goes on to list all that he has gone through. But he calls this… Read More »
June 23 2019
June 23 2019
JUNE201019
Boys (at least this boy) like to imagine scenarios which test God. “Can God make a rock that even God can’t lift it?” The constant message of the Bible is that God is all-powerful, that God is the one who acts, that God is in control. EXCEPT… According to the teaching of Jesus the one… Read More »
JUNE192019
When St. Paul recalled that at the Council of Jerusalem where the early Jesus movement decided to welcome Gentiles as well as Jews he was ordered to remember the poor, “the one thing I was anxious to do.” In several of his letters we find evidence of the efforts he made to take up a… Read More »
JUNE182019
“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The idea of being perfect is daunting. We’ve already blown it and can never be perfect. But the word Jesus uses does not carry the weight the English word does but more like “be complete.” Maybe one way to understand it: be the person you… Read More »
JUNE172019
My ordination class choose as our theme this thought from St. Paul: “In everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God … in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God.” Looking back over the 43 years since then that sentiment has served as a guiding light. If I… Read More »
JUNE162019
Imagine this: there is a monk who gets up in the middle of the night to pray. He lights his lamp and sits alone in the dark with God. The next day he spends in silence thinking about God the whole time. He fasts because he wants to become completely dependent on God. When he… Read More »
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