In today’s Gospel, Peter and the others are asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Now, both Peter and Paul were committed to the truth about who Christ was. They had too much at stake to let that go. Having both messed up their estimation of who Jesus was earlier in… Continue reading Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles
Month: June 2015
The Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time: Journeying from Fear to Faith
Today’s readings Getting ready for Mass today, I thought about my Dad. Not just because it’s Father’s Day, although that’s certainly part of it. But partly because of today’s Gospel. The story we have here today speaks about a journey, and I’ll say more about that in a minute. My Dad was great for journeys:… Continue reading The Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time: Journeying from Fear to Faith
Friday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings It amazes me when I think about all that the early Church had to go through and put up with. Saint Paul writes that he put up with persecution from all sides: from his own people as well as the Gentiles. He was beaten often, endured hazardous journeys and perilous weather, as well… Continue reading Friday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Today’s Gospel reading is from the very challenging portion of Matthew’s Gospel in which we hear Jesus use the formula: “You have heard it said … but I say to you…” Basically, in all of these instructions, Jesus is taking the old Jewish law and cranking it up a notch. He teaches that… Continue reading Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today’s Gospel story is a fitting one, I think, for this celebration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The evangelist tells us that Mary’s heart was filled with wonder. There are a few stories in the Gospels that end with that wonderful line: “and his mother kept all these things in her heart.” I think… Continue reading The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Today’s readings Yesterday I had a bad flare-up of plantar’s fasciitis, and had to go to the doctor. I was in pain a lot of the day, and it just got exhausting. In the evening, I was to have dinner with one of my priest friends, and when he found out how I was feeling,… Continue reading The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today’s readings Today we celebrate with great joy one of the most wonderful feasts on our Church calendar, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Through this greatest of all gifts, we have been made one with our God who loves his people beyond all imagining. We experience this love in perhaps one of… Continue reading The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Today’s readings Saint Boniface was a Benedictine monk in England. Pope Gregory II sent Boniface to a Germany where paganism was a way of life, and where the clergy were at best uneducated and at worst corrupt and disobedient. Reporting all of this back to Pope Gregory, the Holy Father commissioned him to reform the… Continue reading Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Saint Justin, Martyr
Today’s readings The greatest men and women who have ever lived have followed the example of our Lord Jesus Christ in that they have been willing to give their lives for the truth, for what they believed in, for what is right. In our first reading, Tobit risks his life in order to give a… Continue reading Saint Justin, Martyr