The prophet Jeremiah worked to bring “the word of the Lord” to Jerusalem. The people were suffering and were complaining about it. Why didn’t God take away their difficult? Jeremiah explained God’s complaint against them: “They walked turned their backs, not their faces, to me.” The remedy God had been applying up until then —… Read More »
MARCH272019
In the US law is looked upon as a necessary evil. We want the freedom to do whatever we want … but compelling everyone to drive 55 miles per hour is necessary for safety and good order. Henry David Thoreau described this philosophy as the government which governs best is the one that governs least.… Read More »
MARCH262019
The Bible teaches us to become like God. “Be Holy for I, the Lord, am holy,” in the book of Leviticus. “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” in St. Matthew. “Be compassionate as your Father in heaven in compassionate,” in St. Luke. We can’t be like God as Creator, nor as Savior, nor… Read More »
MARCH252019
The Feast of the Annunciation has been celebrated in the Church at least since the fourth century. You can understand why. On this day we celebrate that the “word became flesh.” Christmas happens only after the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy. The scene of the angel greeting Mary has been painted by dozens, even hundreds… Read More »
MARCH242019
I owe you an apology. Let me explain why. Last week at a meeting I was asked to step forward if I thought the people of St. James had a personal relationship with Christ. I stayed back. I was thinking, perhaps, that those who had a personal relationship with Christ were the ones who knew… Read More »
MARCH232019
Why did the father and the brother have such different reactions to the return of the Prodigal Son? When the father talked to the elder child he said, “Your brother was dead and has come to life again.” The father had mourned the loss of the younger son. He felt his absence on a deeply… Read More »
MARCH222019
“Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons.” When you read that you know that trouble is coming. When someone is the favorite, the “teacher’s pet,” resentment is sure to follow. Nor is this limited to teen-age boys. When someone is on a pedestal, someone is being honored, there is a human tendency to want… Read More »
MARCH212019
The parable of the Rich Man (Dives in Latin) and Lazarus can be intimidating. Dives is not portrayed as evil. He obviously loves his brothers. He is a man of faith knowing Abraham. But he ends us in torment not so much because of something sinful that he did but on what he neglected to… Read More »
MARCH202019
The people of Jerusalem were telling the prophet Jeremiah “stay in your lane.” All they wanted was instruction, counsel, a message. They did not want to be challenged, to be called to conversion, to be asked to change. The same tendency exists today. We want our preachers to offer us consolation, to comfort us. But… Read More »
MARCH192019
St. Joseph was not given a speaking part in the Bible. To understand who he was and what he stood for the Church has looked for Old Testament referents. St. Joseph is a descendant of King David, heir to the divine promise. Jesus needed Joseph’s acknowledgement as his child in order to be the “son… Read More »
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