What do you want to be when you grow up? A police officer, an astronaut, a millionaire, a ballerina, a basketball player, a doctor, a singer? We have all been asked that question at some point along the journey of life. How did that work out for you? And we are reminded in the scene… Read More »

To understand Jesus the first Christians looked at the prophetic tradition of Israel. For example, St. Matthew quotes from Isaiah: “he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.”  Micah is part of that tradition when he rails against injustice. “Woe to those who plan iniquity… They cheat an owner of his house.” For us to be genuine… Read More »

After King Hezekiah prayed about his terminal illness the word of the LORD came to the Prophet Isaiah: “Go, tell Hezekiah: Thus says the LORD, I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you: I will add fifteen years to your life.” Hezekiah was doubtless overjoyed at the news. Fifteen years! Great!… Read More »

A naive understanding of the ways of God suggests that the good are rewarded and the evil punished. The Prophet Isaiah hints at this when he says, “The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level.” The sayings of Jesus can also promote this idea:  “Come to me, all… Read More »

My old Bible teacher called it a “Johannine thunderbolt in a Matthean sky.” In Matthew 11 we read: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son.” This is the kind of language we usually find in the fourth gospel and here it is in the first.… Read More »

Jesus was “meek and humble of heart.” He was full of love and compassion. With all of that he was not reluctant to pronounce a “woe” on those who needed to hear it. He warned his contemporaries when he thought they merited warning. All of which serves as a reminder that sometime the loving thing… Read More »

This summer the readings are taken from the prophets. This week we turn to Isaiah. He was so important in helping the early Christians appreciate who Jesus was that he became The Prophet, capital letters. His ministry was in the southern kingdom of Judah but his message was consonant with the northern prophets Amos and… Read More »

For those of us who were alive when dinosaurs roamed the earth one of the iconic images of the American experience is of the gunfighter riding off all alone into the sunset with amber waves of grain spread before him and purple mountains majesty in the distance and young Brandon deWilde calling out, “Shane, come… Read More »

The call of Isaiah to become a prophet serves as a model for each one of us in our vocation to be apostles, those who bring the good news of Jesus into our world. The call is situated in a particular time and circumstance: “in the year king Uzziah died.” And the call happens during… Read More »

Pope Francis challenges us to be missionary disciples. In the Archdiocese we are asked to become evangelizers. Father Judge, the founder of my congregation, the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, said that “every Catholic is called to be an apostle.” Different words are being used but the same idea lies behind them —… Read More »