In the so called “last discourse” in St. John’s gospel (chapters 14-17) Jesus tells the disciples some variation of “Peace I leave with you … Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” How can we live in peace, have untroubled hearts in such an unpeaceful and troubled world? That made me think of… Read More »

“What happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” This question addressed to the Jesus by the apostles resonates. There is a line from the play Jesus Christ, Superstar. “Why’d you choose such a backward time. And such a strange land? If you’d come today. You could have reached the… Read More »

The single most important word for Catholics is not a theological word like Trinity or a historical word like Pope or a philosophical word like transubstantiation. The single most important word for Catholics: A-N-D, and. Faith and reason, human and divine, three and one, justice and mercy, Bible and tradition, body and soul, spirit and… Read More »

After a lack of success preaching to the Jewish people in Pisidia, St. Paul declared:”we now turn to the Gentiles.” A fisherman friend of mine understood this passage completely. “If the fish are biting in one area, you go where the fish are biting.” And yet, we know from Paul’s letter to the Romans that… Read More »

Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way…” This passage from St. John 14 has a special resonance at St. James. After all, the tomb of the apostle is reported to be in Santiago de Compostela.… Read More »

The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of St. Paul’s missionary journeys. During the first journey Paul concentrated his energies in the Jewish Diaspora. In presenting the message of Jesus he situated the gospel in salvation history. Paul’s instinct is that you can’t understand who Jesus is outside of the whole sweep of God’s… Read More »

I was struck by this line in the Acts of the Apostles: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said…” The Holy Spirit never said anything to me despite my worship and fasting! It seems that we have to discover God’s will without the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. We… Read More »

Chapter 11 of the Book of Acts describes a shift that happened to the early Jesus movement. As the first believers spread out they began to attract non-Jews into their fellowship. It was a decisive moment in the Church. Were they going to remain primarily a group of Jews or was the gospel vision broader… Read More »

“If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” These are the words of St. Peter explaining how he came to welcome Gentiles into the Christian fellowship. The people were amazed that God… Read More »

“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” Who wouldn’t want a more abundant life! These words of Jesus are extremely attractive. The Christian message resonates with the deepest desires of the human heart. If that is what the Church is “selling” we should have “buyers” lined up out the… Read More »