Today’s readings “For freedom Christ set us free.” So writes Saint Paul in our second reading today. And it’s a beautiful reflection for this weekend, when we are getting ready for our Independence Day celebrations. When our nation’s founders set up this fledgling republic 243 years ago, freedom was certainly one of their primary concerns.… Continue reading The Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time: Freedom!
Month: June 2019
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Today’s readings 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. They had both messed up their estimation of who Jesus was: Peter… Continue reading Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Thursday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings So today we learn that just because we call on the Lord, that doesn’t mean that the Lord is at our whim, someone we can summon in the same way as we press a button on the remote and the television comes to life. That’s what the whole nasty business with Abram and… Continue reading Thursday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Listen to those words of Jesus again: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” Those… Continue reading Tuesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Bilingual Procession Mass)
This is the homily I preached for our bilingual Mass including the Procession with the Blessed Sacrament. I fear my Spanish was lacking, but I did the best I could… Quizás el aspecto más distintivo de nuestra devoción católica es nuestra celebración de la Eucaristía. Afirmamos firmemente que no es solo un símbolo. Es el… Continue reading The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Bilingual Procession Mass)
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today’s readings I once read a very interesting story about some of the aftermath of World War II. During the war, the officers of the Third Reich’s secret service forcefully recruited many 12- and 13-year-old boys into the Junior Gestapo. The harshly treated boys were given only inhumane jobs that they were to perform without rest… Continue reading The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings This morning we have to wrestle with the question: is there something in my life that distracts me from living my life as God intended that I need to cut out? It’s a ruthless image that we find in our Gospel reading: gouge out an eye, cut off a hand – all of… Continue reading Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Saint Anthony, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Today’s readings Saint Anthony is probably one of the best-known Catholic saints. As the patron for finding lost objects, I’m sure so many of us have prayed, “Tony, Tony, look around, something’s lost and can’t be found.” We all lose track of things from time to time, and it’s nice to have someone to help… Continue reading Saint Anthony, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Saint Barnabas, Apostle
Today’s readings Saint Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, was not one of the original Twelve, but is honored as an apostle because of his work of evangelization in the early Church. He was closely associated with Saint Paul, in fact he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles. He also served as a kind… Continue reading Saint Barnabas, Apostle
The Solemnity of Pentecost
Today’s readings I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We say these words every Sunday, we will say them in just a few minutes. They are… Continue reading The Solemnity of Pentecost