Posts by Celina Manville
The Mystique of John the Baptist
It is interesting to think about a person like John the Baptist. Jesus points out the obvious. John certainly wasn’t someone fashionably dressed or living the life of the kinds of celebrities we see today, yet he was indeed a celebrity of sorts. Crowds came to follow and hear him. So, what drew so many…
Read MoreThrough Zacchaeus’s Eyes
During this Gospel reflection, let me enter into this beloved Gospel scene. Let me see Christ through Zacchaeus’s eyes, and let me see myself through Christ’s eyes. O Holy Spirit, flood my heart, and make me keenly aware of Your Presence. Pause and reread the account in Luke 19: 1-10. Actively visualize this event. Place…
Read MoreAm I Ashamed of Christ?
Acknowledgment is a common courteous behavior parents teach their children in their earliest years. Parents want their sons and daughters to acknowledge a person’s presence as well as gifts they have received. Acknowledgement is a way of saying that the person matters. In the beginning of today’s Gospel, Jesus is very clear about this basic…
Read MoreGratitude: The Space-Maker
I have been married for 27 ½ years, and throughout, I have marveled at my husband’s ability to be grateful for everything, literally everything! I’ll admit, I even found it rather annoying at times. When I would be all caught up in some temporal concern, he’d remind me that God gave us a beautiful day,…
Read MoreCourageous Questions
We ask all kinds of questions daily. Questions form the basis of conversations and the building of relationships. So, do we ever ask questions in prayer? Asking the Right Questions To get the information we need, we must ask the right questions. Typically, we start with a general question and then go deeper with more…
Read MoreBeyond Rules, Mercy
As someone who tends to be very detail-oriented, I know I often get stuck in the minutiae. I am also a “rule-follower” by nature. Rules can be important. They can ground us and ensure our safety, but today’s Gospel warns us about where I place both my attention and my security. Are they only in…
Read MoreHide and Seek
As a child, I loved playing hide and seek. I remember the excitement of finding the perfect hiding spot, one in which I was convinced no one could ever find me. I remember the delight of quietly waiting in that spot until just the right moment to make a dash to the base. In this…
Read MoreWrapped in Truth, Wrapped in Love
The context of today’s Gospel reading is a powerful one! Nearing the end of what is called the Last Supper Discourses, we hear Jesus’s final words to his beloved followers. Take a minute to immerse yourself in this moment. To do so, we have to acknowledge that for several weeks now, Jesus has appeared more…
Read MoreEyes of Faith and Expectant Hearts
Human logic is too often the mechanism on which we rely when circumstances or situations arise that challenge us. A problem emerges that seems complicated at best or insurmountable at worst—a conflict with a coworker, a health concern of a family member, a financial hardship, or perhaps a loved one who has lost his faith.…
Read MoreDo You Want To Be Well?
It’s a puzzling question: Do you want to be well? In today’s Gospel, a seriously ill man had been lying near the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. His illness caused some kind of paralysis or weakness preventing him from walking. People with all kinds of infirmities were nearby, hoping to be cured in these…
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