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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

The last prayer of Jesus before entering his passion was for unity. I pray… that they may all be one. We should get over the idea that oneness, unity means everyone thinking alike or acting alike or even praying alike. The most casual glance at creation shows that God loves diversity. An analogy to help understand… Read More »

Today President Biden will give the Commencement Address at the Coast Guard Academy. No doubt it will be filled with confident assertions about the future, about fulfilling one’s potential, about making a difference. In the Scripture readings for today Jesus and St. Paul give their valedictory statements which are not filled with happy talk but… Read More »

Chapter 17 of St. John is referred to by scholars as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. In the last moments before entering his passion Jesus prayed for his disciples. I pray for them. The notion of praying for someone is almost a commonplace in Church circles. Someone is in grief, someone is sick, someone is… Read More »