The Acts of the Apostles concludes with St. Paul in prison in Rome, an imprisonment that eventually leads to martyrdom. But Paul is a missionary to the end. He summons the “the leaders of the Jews” in order to bring the gospel to them. What is fascinating is how he frames the message: “it is… Read More »

When we say “That was a spirited worship service” we mean that the joint was jumping. When we say, “She got the spirit” that means she was leaping around and dancing and having a good time. When we say, “That preacher had the spirit today” we mean he did some shouting. When we say “that… Read More »

Since the Ascension the Gospel readings have been stressing the presence of the Holy Spirit. This helps us to prepare ourselves for the great feast of Pentecost. However, today instead of a reading about the Holy Spirit the Gospel of St. John reports the post-resurrection scene of the encounter of Jesus and St. Peter. Why?… Read More »

It is obvious that we are different — different looks, different languages, different cultures, different sexes, different status. The last prayer of Jesus for us is that we learn to move beyond those differences and find a more fundamental unity. Jesus prays that we will be “one.” That prayer serves as an invitation into the… Read More »

Every day in the Liturgy of the Hours we recite the prayer of Mary, usually known by its Latin title the Magnificat, which she proclaimed during her visitation with Elizabeth. Notice how much of the prayer is in the past tense. The Almighty “has scattered the proud in their conceit; has cast down the mighty… Read More »

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus prays for us as in St. John’s Gospel: “I pray for them… for the ones you have given me.” We pray as Jesus does — praying for others and asking them to pray for us. But what is really going on with such prayers? We aren’t trying to change God’s… Read More »

There is a certain irony in the words of the disciples at the Last Supper according to St. John: “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything.” Of course, they knew nothing of what Jesus was really about, that his passion and death were… Read More »

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the skies?” Peter, Andrew, James, John and the rest knew how things had been. They knew what it was like to walk the dusty roads with Jesus. They knew what it was like to listen to the instructions of the Master. They knew what… Read More »

In St. John’s gospel we read these words of Jesus: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” Of course we know that we often don’t get what we ask for in prayer. What gives? The key to this saying are the words “in my name.” That does NOT mean we… Read More »

The modern city of Corinth is about three miles from the site of the town in Roman times. (Ancient cities needed to be defensible and there is a large hill behind ancient Carthage where a citadel could guard the inhabitants.) Archaeologists have been able to reconstruct the ancient town as it would have looked in… Read More »