Posts by Celina Manville
To Whom Do I Belong?
As humans, we love to categorize – both others and ourselves – into specific groups, whether it be our political affiliations, our sports team loyalties, our personality types, and even our worship preferences. Somehow, by defining these aspects of ourselves, we think we can communicate our identity more effectively. Yet, these labels actually cloud the…
Read MoreQualities of the Heart
“In the evening of life, we will be judged by love alone.” – St. John of the Cross This quote distills the ultimate mission given to us by Christ. Because of His great love for us,He sacrificed His life on the cross to save us. What wondrous love is this! Jesus offered every minute of…
Read MoreUnless Your Faith is Firm
Today’s Gospel is not one often quoted as a favorite. It contains the reproaches of Jesus to the faithless. We hear: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” Honestly, our first thought when hearing this may be: “Glad I am not one of those two towns!” However, to do so would be missing the…
Read MoreMysterious Seeds
A seed is not something we typically associate with mystery or magnificence, but it is the analogy Jesus uses, not once but twice, in today’s Gospel. Let’s take a closer look at his first analogy: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed…
Read MoreNo Greater Love
Doing God’s will is the path of oneness in God. And Oneness in God is the only path to oneness in the world. Most would agree that unity is a noble goal, but at times, in the pursuit of unity, times of division are inevitable. Take for example the first reading today. Paul is brought…
Read MoreFilled & Satisfied
When we have eaten an amazing meal, we feel content as we linger over good conversation and a glass of wine. To be full means that nothing is lacking. It evokes a sense of satisfaction. No longing or desire for more is left. In a sense, it is completeness. If we have over-eaten at a…
Read MoreAreas of Refuge
At the Catholic school where I work, we recently had to do a severe weather drill with the students led by our Campus Director of Safety and Security. There were defined spaces within the building which were determined to be ARs – Areas of Refuge. Part of the protocol for this drill was to ensure…
Read MoreSelf-Giving Living
Lent is indeed a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, yet how easy it is to get caught up in these practices externally without thought to the internal preparation. In today’s first reading, Isaiah calls out the people for this: Lo, on your fast day, you carry out your own pursuits and drive all your…
Read MoreSabbath Living
The beginning of a year has always been a great time to reflect on how we are living and making resolutions to help us attain goals – perhaps to be healthier, have a greater work-life balance, and to grow deeper in our relationship with Christ. Let us take time today to reflect on what Jesus…
Read MoreAdvent Prophets
A prophet has a special role in Salvation History. His main role is to be a mouthpiece for God. In order to be effective, he must enter into the grittiness of everyday life with God’s people to wake them up and call them back. The word Advent means “coming” so it is a fitting word…
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