“I say to you, love your enemies.” This word of Jesus has challenged Christians throughout the ages. Won’t we become Casper Milquetoast if we love our enemies? The example of Jesus shows us otherwise. He was not afraid to confront his enemies: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.” What Jesus knew is that… Read More »

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, Jesus proposes that his followers ratchet up a notch the traditional Jewish observances. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors… But I say to you…” Lent provides us the opportunity to assess if we are making progress in following the way of Christ. We… Read More »

“Your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.” Your experience is probably similar to mine in asking and seeking and knocking in prayer and not having our prayer answered. To understand this I remembered by mother not responding to my request for a chocolate cupcake. Eat your carrots first, she demanded.… Read More »

Billy Graham, observing a world where marriage is not honored, abortion is accepted and child abuse is a national plague, famously said, “If God doesn’t intervene soon, He’s going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” God’s intervention nowadays is not the dramatic raining down of fire and brimstone but rather the call to… Read More »

St. Teresa of Avila describes stages in the spiritual life. We are aiming for the point where the grace and peace of God waters the garden of our soul without any effort on our part. “Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down so shall my word be … doing my will,… Read More »

The readings for the first Monday of Lent pair the Holiness Code from Leviticus (“be holy for I the Lord, your God, am holy”) with the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (“Whatsoever you do to the least, that you do unto me.”) The Old Testament lesson reminds us of the importance of acting… Read More »

Two of the young Brothers I live with are preparing for ordination. As part of that preparation they are learning how to celebrate the sacraments: how to preside at Mass, how to officiate at a wedding. They are also learning how to be good confessors. The professor is having them practice hearing confessions with their… Read More »

Do you remember a TV advertisement from a few years ago? “They make money the old-fashioned way: They earn it.” The idea of “earning it” is a big part of American culture. There’s no such thing as a free lunch goes a popular saying. While that might be true with society it is not true with… Read More »

“This is the fasting that I wish: Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” These words from the prophet Isaiah remind us that our Lenten practices do not have as their primary aim self-improvement, like… Read More »

In “ordinary time” the scriptures for the day are done as a continuous reading — pick one book of the bible and one gospel and go through them chapter by chapter. During Lent the first reading and the gospel are chosen for that day and meant to complement each other. For example, the Book of… Read More »