St. Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippi is full of affection. He obviously loved that community. Ironically the most popular part of that letter, the “hymn to Christ,” was probably not written by the Apostle. It seems to have been part of the prayer of the community that Paul adapted. He wanted to stress… Read More »

I try to imagine what the world would look like if we took the advice of St. Paul:  “Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.” The capitalist enterprise of self-interest has permeated into our cultural ethos. On the hierarchy of values… Read More »

St. Mark describes a scene where Jesus and a scribe have a dialogue. The scribe echoed Jesus’ explanation of the first of all the commandments.  “Teacher you are right in saying, God is One and there is no other… and to love him with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength … and to love… Read More »

St. Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi: “I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.” This thought of the Apostle reminds us to focus on the “why” of life instead of merely surviving. There was… Read More »

Mummification as practiced in the era of the pyramids of Egypt is an attempt to hold onto life as we know it. Surrounding the mummies are those things which accompanied them in this life. On All Souls’ Day we are attempting the opposite of mummification. We are recognizing the dead have passed from this world… Read More »

On the Feast of All Saints the teaching for Vatican II, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), deserves notice: “It has pleased God to make men and women holy and to save them, not as individuals without any bond between them, but rather as a people who might acknowledge him in truth and serve… Read More »

Have you noticed how Jesus seldom answered a question directly? Who is my neighbor? Well, a man was walking down to Jericho….  How often must I forgive? There was a man who owed a huge amount…. “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”  “The master of the house has arisen and locked the door…” This style… Read More »

In his Gospel, St. Luke typically paired a story about a man with one about a woman. When Jesus told the story of the man who sowed a mustard seed he immediately added a story of a woman who mixed yeast with flour. You can imagine Mrs. Luke saying to him while he was writing,… Read More »

Does St. Paul ask the impossible when he instructs us: “Be imitators of God?” How can the likes of me be an imitator of God! I am acutely aware of my limitations. Happily the Apostle gives us three concrete actions to take in order to imitate God: “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one… Read More »

Were you watching the news leading up to the drawing for the billion dollar plus lottery? The reporters would stick a microphone in front of someone who just bought a ticket and ask what they would do if they won. “I’d take a cruise around the world.” “I’d buy a sixty-two room mansion with a… Read More »