Today’s readings At the heart of our practice of prayer has to be trust in God. We don’t – or shouldn’t – need signs to convince us of God’s love and care for us. But don’t we do that all the time? Aren’t we just like those Galileans looking for a sign? We might be… Continue reading Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Month: March 2014
Anointing of the Sick During Mass
Today’s readings: Isaiah 61:1-3a, Psalm 147; Romans 8:18-27, Matthew 8:5-17 I had the opportunity yesterday, as I often do, to visit with two parishioners who are ill and hospitalized. In their illness they, along with their families, did as we should always do: they called on the priests of the Church to come and give them… Continue reading Anointing of the Sick During Mass
The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Today’s readings Fear keeps us from doing all sorts of things the Lord wants for us. If we would truly let go of our fear and cling to our God, just imagine what he could do in us and through us. Ahaz was King of Israel, a mighty commander, but yet was so afraid of… Continue reading The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Today’s readings The great sin of the rich man may not have been the sin of neglecting poor Lazarus, although that was certainly bad. His greatest sin, I think, was that he trusted in himself instead of in God. He had everything he needed in life, because he was able to trust in himself to… Continue reading Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Today’s readings Many people who have been away from the Sacrament of Penance for a long time have said that they were afraid to come back to the Church because they felt like their sins defined them. That they walked around with some kind of scarlet letter on their persons. I think this is the… Continue reading Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Saint Patrick, Bishop
I used to be upset that Saint Patrick’s Day always happened during Lent. I’d have to postpone the celebration of my favorite saint until Sunday, especially if it fell on a Friday, because we just didn’t have corned beef on Friday, you know. But as I’ve grown older, I appreciate that Saint Patrick’s Day is… Continue reading Saint Patrick, Bishop
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s readings So, there’s our mission statement for Lent: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Our righteousness needs to exceed that of everyone else, or we will be missing out on the kingdom of God. So how far do we go with that? Love our enemies? Pray for those who persecute us? I… Continue reading Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s readings The readings for these early days of Lent have been teaching us how to accomplish the various disciplines of Lent – which really are the various disciplines of the spiritual life. Today’s discipline then, I think, would be persistence in prayer. In the first reading, we have Queen Esther, who is really between… Continue reading Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s readings The prophet Isaiah and Jesus speak today about the great power of words. Isaiah speaks specifically of the power of God’s word, a word that will not return empty but will go out and accomplish the purpose for which God sent it. We see the word that the prophet speaks of here, of… Continue reading Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Monday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s readings Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. People often balk at the mere suggestion of being called to personal holiness. Oftentimes, this is wrapped up in a kind of misplaced and false humility; that kind of humility that says that I’m no good; there is no way I can even… Continue reading Monday of the First Week of Lent