On the first Easter night we are told that the disciples locked the doors of the place where they were out of fear. Remember the story that led up to this point (or as they would put it on TV “in a previous episode”): they had heard Jesus predict several times during his public ministry… Read More »
APRIL272019
The founder of my religious congregation, Fr. Thomas Judge, gathered people together because of his spiritual insight that “every Catholic is called to be an apostle.” Pope Francis expresses a similar theme when he says that there is a universal call to be “missionary disciples.” The bottom line: sharing the faith is not something for… Read More »
APRIL262019
You can sympathize with Peter and the rest of the apostles. After the dramatic events of the past days — the Last Supper, the betrayal in the Garden, the denial, the crucifixion, the empty tomb, then the astonishing experience of the Risen Jesus — they just wanted to get back to normal. “I am going… Read More »
APRIL252019
In the Acts of the Apostles there are several long speeches by St. Peter and by St. Paul. We don’t know if they are actual transcripts but they do reflect faithfully the early preaching of the Church. The second of the sermons given by Peter begins with him fussing with the people about the need… Read More »
APRIL242019
The well-loved story of Jesus meeting the disciples on the road to Emmaus captures in one vignette the heart of Christian worship. One comes to encounter Jesus in hearing the stories of God and in the breaking of the bread. What is missing from contemporary worship are the “burning hearts” of Cleopas and companion (Mrs.… Read More »
APRIL232019
Mary Magdalene is known as the “apostle to the apostles.” She is the one who announced to the apostles the good news of the Resurrection. She was, in all likelihood, a woman of independent means who supported the ministry of Jesus. Her reputation as a “fallen woman” is not Biblical at all. There is a… Read More »
APRIL222019
The Church treats the week after Easter (the Octave) as one continuous celebration of the Feast. The Gospel for each day tells a Resurrection story. The daily First Reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles. (Actually the entire 50 days of Easter features the Acts.) The initial sermon given by St. Peter on… Read More »
APRIL212019
We began the vigil of Easter with fire. As the prayers reminded us fire provides light and warmth. As a pillar of fire it banished the darkness of sin. Fire illumines the candle of hope and serves as the appropriate introduction to Easter. But as the recent devastation of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris demonstrated… Read More »
APRIL202019
In Genesis we read: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.” From this Biblical account comes the practice of Sabbath rest, of resting from our… Read More »
APRIL192019
Each of the gospel writers tells the story of the passion, the suffering and death of Jesus. On Good Friday every year we proclaim the passion according to St. John. Each evangelist describes Pilate interviewing Jesus. The Fourth Gospel has a particular emphasis in that exchange. Pilate is trying to find out if Jesus is… Read More »
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