We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. I find this word of St. Paul incredibly consoling. Try as I will, I never seem to be praying right. Despite courses and workshops and years of practice I still am not sure that my efforts are,… Read More »

There was an award winning novel a few years ago — if twenty-five is “a few” — entitled The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. That might have been a good title for the parables of Jesus. He noticed the presence of God in small things. “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of… Read More »

 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs. If you think about you don’t have to do anything to be a child. You just are someone’s child without any input on your part. St. Paul is telling us that is our story as well.… Read More »

Google “If-a-genie-grants-you-three-wishes-what-do-you-intend-to-wish-for” and you get varied responses. There are the ones you’d expect: Good health, Lots of Money. Someone to love me. There are some altruistic ones: World peace. Equal opportunity for everyone. Eliminate global warming. There are some personal ones: My girl friend will marry me. I’ll be six feet tall. I’ll get a… Read More »

What is the fertilizer? Jesus tells a parable describing God’s patience. The unproductive tree will be given another change to thrive. Leave it for this year also,  and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it. Jesus expects the Church to produce the spiritual fruit of a more just and peaceful world. Even though… Read More »

St. Paul reminds us that will power is not enough. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. That certainly resonates with my experience. Most mornings when I wake up I think “today would be a good day to lose a few pounds.” When the… Read More »

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” These words of Jesus inspired Fr. Thomas Judge, the founder of my religious congregation. He was concerned at the beginning of the twentieth century about what he called “leakage from the church.” It created a sense of missionary… Read More »

It is so easy to notice what we don’t have, the losses and griefs, the troubles and difficulties, the looming problems. The gospel wants us to shift that narrative and notice how blessed we are. All the problems in the world pale to insignificance compared with the surpassing grace of God’s presence. And, since we… Read More »

Looking around at our situation gives the impression that we as a nation are experiencing wide-spread trauma. The intractable political divisions, the persistence of racism, the abuse of immigrants, the scandal of income inequality, the irrational resistance to heeding the advice of health professionals, the ongoing plague of violence — to say nothing of pandemic-produced… Read More »

In St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy we read: Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you … I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus. This passage is not unique. In almost all his… Read More »