It is perhaps a little unfortunate that the English word “talent” means a particular ability or aptitude. We would say, for example, Michael Jordan had a talent for basketball. The choir has a talent for music. Politicians have a talent for… what do politicians have a talent for? In the story as Jesus tells it,… Read More »
NOVEMBER182017
The Book of Wisdom was written in the decades before the birth of Jesus. While lamenting the lack of wisdom in his/her own time, the author cast a nostalgic eye back to the “good old days.” We read, for example, that when the Hebrew children entered the land of Canaan after passing through the Red… Read More »
NOVEMBER172017
My first spiritual director used to impress on me the importance of “purity of intention.” I wasn’t exactly sure what he was driving at. But the inkling of an answer dawns when I hear Jesus describe that at the coming of the Son of Man “one will be taken, the other left.” It seems that… Read More »
NOVEMBER162017
It is surprising that the curiosity of the pharisees about “when the Kingdom of God would come” continues unabated today despite Jesus’ teaching that such speculation was not helpful. Well, maybe not that surprising since everyone would like to know what’s going to happen in the future. I would like to know the lottery numbers… Read More »
NOVEMBER152017
Frequently after Jesus performs a miracle he says, “your faith has saved you.” He seeks to deflect the thought that he is somehow or other “miracle Max” who goes around with a magic wand working wonders. Instead, he is cultivating the understanding that the action and presence of God bespeaks a partnership, a partnership of… Read More »
NOVEMBER142017
Whenever there is a major event when I was the leader I would thank those who made it all possible. A simple task — but one that filled me with anxiety. I was sure that I would forget someone in the list of gratitude and that they would be hurt as a result. However, Jesus… Read More »
NOVEMBER132017
At a recent event hosted by St. James, Immaculee Ilibagiza spoke of her experience during the Rwandan genocide. She described hiding in a bathroom with seven other women for 91 days while death squads slaughtered her people, the Tutsi. She realized that her family were in all likelihood among those killed. As she tried to… Read More »
NOVEMBER122017
Once upon a time the egg of an eagle fell out of its nest and landed in a turkey barnyard. The turkey hen thinking it was one of her eggs placed it in her nest and sat on the eagle egg and soon enough it hatched. The turkeys raised the eaglet as one of… Read More »
NOVEMBER112017
In Romans 16, St. Paul greets twenty people. Six of those who are named are women who are considered as “fellow workers” by the Apostle and who “worked hard for the Lord.” Included on that list is Phoebe, the deaconess. All of which shows how mistaken the notion that St. Paul was somehow or other… Read More »
NOVEMBER102017
As St. Paul concludes his letter to the Romans he adds this thought: “I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness.” He is addressing this to a community where there are tensions between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. He implies that if we have as our… Read More »
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