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Saint Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr
Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Josaphat, who was born in what is now Poland to Orthodox parents. He later became a Basilian monk, and was chosen bishop of Vitebsk, in what is now Russia. His task was to bridge the divide between the Roman and Orthodox Church, but this was not easy, because…
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The Anniversary of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran
Today’s readings Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Cathedral of St. John Lateran in Rome. Most people think of St. Peter’s Basilica as the pope’s church, but that’s not true. As the Bishop of Rome, his Cathedral Church is the Lateran Cathedral, once dedicated to our Savior, but now named for…
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All Souls Remembrance Mass
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9 | Psalm 23 | Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12 | Matthew 25:31-46 One of my most vivid childhood memories was when I was just about nine years old. My grandfather on my mother’s side, who had retired just a few months earlier, was diagnosed with cancer. There wasn’t so much that could be done…
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The Thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time: Going “All In”
Today’s readings Today’s Gospel has some rather obvious applications, not all of which are entirely accurate. For example, many may hear this Gospel reading as a condemnation of the rich or a warning against having too much money. Indeed, riches can be a distraction and an obstacle to a relationship with the Lord. Saint Paul…
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Thursday of the Thirty-first Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Today’s Gospel calls us to examine our perspective. Jesus asks, “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?” Well, those men he talked to were shepherds, or had shepherds in…
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The Solemnity of All Saints: Yearning for Heaven
Today’s readings One of my favorite hymns is the one we sang at the beginning of Mass today, “For All the Saints.” Ever since I was a little kid, I can remember the rather stirring melody and the beautiful words in praise of the Saints Triumphant. For me, it kindled a little yearning to be…
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All Saints Eve: Would Jesus Trick-or-Treat?
Today’s readings Since we’re gathered here on Halloween, All Hallows Eve, I thought I might get your attention by doing a little homily I like to call “Would Jesus Go Trick-or-Treating?” It’s an important topic, because I think a lot of parents wrestle with the message of Halloween and whether or not they should support…
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Thursday of the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings The question that Saint Paul asks at the beginning of today’s first reading is one that we’ve all heard countless times: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We might even be tempted to pass by that question and move on to something else in today’s Liturgy of the Word,…
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Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
Today, we celebrate two apostles who, as often is the case, are relatively unknown except that they were followers of Jesus. Jude is called Judas in Luke and in the Acts of the Apostles. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. We have in the New Testament the letter of Jude, which scholars say is not…
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