“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way.” I want a burning heart. Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas had burning hearts on the road to Emmaus so why can’t I! It seems that they obtained a burning heart by giving up their expectations and instead trusting the plan of… Read More »

Mary Magdalene is called the “apostle to the apostles” because she was the first to proclaim the resurrection. Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,”  The reason that Mary was chosen as the first to receive the Easter revelation was exactly because she was a woman. Women did not have… Read More »

The resurrection stories recorded in the Gospel are all over the place because each Gospel writer tells us about the Risen Jesus to bring their particular communities to faith. One tradition shifts the focus off of the events in Jerusalem and onto Galilee. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary he said, … Read More »

Don’t you love coming to Church on Easter Sunday morning! The colorful flowers are scattered everywhere. The sweet smell of the lilies fills the air. The bright banners are displayed. The congregation is wearing its finest clothing – and how about those Easter bonnets! How great it is to burst out in song after being… Read More »

Are you the kind of person that likes scary movies? I’m not – I never saw Jaws because that shark scared me. When I ask what is attractive about scary movies people explain that there is some kind of release in a fright that you know will end. Fear is, of course, a natural biological… Read More »

God can use anything, even the worst of things, for some good end. God used the slavery of the Hebrews in Egypt as the occasion to lead the people into freedom by crossing sea and desert. God used the defeat of Israel at the hand of the Philistines as the opportunity to raise up King… Read More »

How bizarre. On this day of all days, the day when we remember that Jesus gathered his disciples and for the first time broke the bread and shared the cup of his Body and Blood, on this day we cannot share as a community in receiving the Holy Eucharist. It feels unjust. Our situation reminded… Read More »

St. Paul in his first letter to the church in Corinth provides one of the accounts of the institution of the Eucharist at the last supper. He was, of course, not there. He learned about it from the tradition of the Church. I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you. St. John… Read More »

In certain quarters this is known as Spy Wednesday since a spy entered the midst of the disciples on Wednesday of Holy Week, when Judas resolved to betray our Lord for 30 pieces of silver. At the Last Supper when Jesus announced that someone would betray him the disciples all questioned who it could be. Even Judas… Read More »

In the days of Holy Week we read from what are known as the Servant Songs from the second part of the book of Isaiah. The prophet speaks of God’s servant who went through suffering in order to reach glory.  You are my servant, he said to me through whom I show my glory. The first… Read More »