August 18, 2024
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B Proverbs 9:1-6 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 A childhood memory: I come home from school and find some Utz potato chips that I happily start munching on. My mother sees this and says, put those chips away. You’ll spoil your supper. I try to reason with her that I’m… Read More »
August 11, 2024
NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B 1 Kings 19:4-8 Ephesians 4:30-5:2 John 6:41-51 If you’re going to talk the talk, you’d better walk the walk. What you do shouts so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying. Show me, don’t tell me. Actions speak louder than words. The world is changed by your… Read More »
July 21, 2024
SAINT JAMES DAY – 2023 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 Acts 11:19-21, 12:1-3, 24 Matthew 20:20-28 Do you remember the ad campaign a few years ago (is thirty years a few?) “Be Like Mike.” Don’t you want to be a winner like Michael Jordan? Drink some Gatorade. (Gatorade never did improve my jump shot, however.) Something somewhat… Read More »
June 23, 2024
TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — B Job 38:1,8-11 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Mark 4:35-41 In the study of philosophy one of the first things we studied was the Socratic Method – named after Socrates, of course. He would ask questions not so much seeking information or to get an answer but to challenge his dialogue… Read More »
June 16, 2024
From Elie Weisel: When tragedy would threaten Israel the Baal Shem Tov would go into the holy forest, light the sacred fire, say the special prayer and Israel would be saved. His successor was not the man he was and when tragedy next threatened Israel Rabbi Ezekiel had forgotten the location of the holy forest… Read More »
June 9, 2024
TENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B Genesis 3:9-15 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35 History buffs will remember that, when Abraham Lincoln was running for the Senate, he gave a speech using the image of a “house divided against itself cannot stand” which he had, no doubt, learned from the Gospel of St. Mark. When… Read More »
May 26, 2024
THE MOST HOLY TRINITY – B Deuteronomy 4:32-34,39-40 Romans 8:14-17 Matthew 28:16-20 There is a section in the book store or on the movie guide called “mystery.” In this genre of story, a crime has been committed and it is up to the detective (who is usually a little quirky) to determine whodunnit. The mystery… Read More »
May 19, 2024
PENTECOST SUNDAY Acts 2:1-11 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 John 20:19-23 Art and literature are filled with stories of a quest: Odysseus trying to get home, Dante on the way to paradise, Frodo and the ring, Luke Skywalker looking for his father. The theme of a quest is not limited to the realm of fiction but… Read More »
May 12, 2024
ASCENSION OF THE LORD – B Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 4:1-13 Mark 16:15-20 On a beautiful Spring Day, maybe in 1970, the seminary decided to have the Ascension Thursday mass outdoors. They set up the altar, brought out the guitars (very 70s) and prepared the bread and wine. There was one surprising element: helium balloons. When… Read More »
