Today’s readings Saint John Bosco was a master catechist who knew the meaning of Jesus’ question in today’s Gospel: “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?” He was a priest who was concerned with the whole person of… Continue reading Saint John Bosco, Priest
Month: January 2013
Saint Thomas Aquinas, bishop and doctor of the Church
Today’s readings Today, we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the pre-eminent theologians of our Church. At the age of five years old, Thomas was promised to the famous Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino. His parents were hoping that one day he would become the abbot of that community, which was a… Continue reading Saint Thomas Aquinas, bishop and doctor of the Church
The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings I want to begin my homily by reminding you of the words we heard in our first reading from Nehemiah: He read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the… Continue reading The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Agnes, a virgin and martyr of the Church. She is thought to have lived and died in the third century, but little is really known of her life. She is mentioned in the first Eucharistic Prayer in the list of saints: “Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and all the… Continue reading Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
The Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings So we’ve taken down the Christmas decorations, and we won’t see the lights and poinsettias and manger until next year. Yet we’re not quite done with the Christmas season in the Church. Traditionally, some aspects of Christmas joy remain in our Liturgy through February 2nd, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. … Continue reading The Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Saint Anthony, Abbot
When Saint Anthony – and this is not the Saint Anthony who helps us find lost things – was about eighteen years old, his parents died, and left him to care for his young sister and the family home. They had left him with an inheritance to take care of this. Saint Athanasius writes that… Continue reading Saint Anthony, Abbot
Monday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings It seems like just yesterday that John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River. Oh wait, it was just yesterday! But today’s reading fast forwards a bit and takes us to a time after John has been arrested. John isn’t dead yet, not yet out of the picture, but clearly he… Continue reading Monday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
Saturday after Epiphany
Today’s readings “He must increase; I must decrease.” By these words, St. John the Baptist indicates that the Epiphany, the manifestation of our Lord in the flesh, is complete. John’s disciples have got it wrong; they took offense at Jesus baptizing when he himself had been baptized by John. They assumed that because John had… Continue reading Saturday after Epiphany
Thursday after Epiphany
Today’s readings The feast of Epiphany is a celebration of the fact that Christian life looks like something. Because Jesus has appeared on the earth and taken our own human form, because he has walked among us and lived our life and died our death, we know what the Christian Way looks like. We know… Continue reading Thursday after Epiphany
Monday after Epiphany
Today’s readings “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Perhaps our devotion for this Epiphany week should be to pray the Mysteries of Light of the Rosary. Epiphany is a time of manifestation, of light coming into the dark place that our world can be at times. We long to see, and more… Continue reading Monday after Epiphany