Posts by D'Souza Family
Holding Fast To The Mass
June is quite the month. On consecutive Sundays, we’ve celebrated the Feasts of Pentecost, Most Holy Trinity and today, the Most Holy Body and Blood. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! At the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus enjoins us: “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.…
Read MoreRemaining In the Father’s Love
Today’s gospel may be brief in terms of word count, but one cannot plumb its depths, not if one had a million lifetimes. Because the subject of the day is the love of the Father and the love of the Son, and where the Two are, the Third is also, for the Trinity is quite…
Read MoreMagdalene’s Quest
Today, during the octave of Easter, we get a close look at St. Mary Magdalene and her deep abiding love for Jesus. May our grief turn into joy as it did for this apostle to the apostles, and like her, may we run with glad feet to spread the good news to all we meet,…
Read MorePromises, Promises, Promises
Today’s readings present three patriarchs of the faith to us: Abraham, David, and Joseph. And to each, God makes and fulfills His promises in ways that are marvelous, mysterious, and almighty. In fact, God makes more than promises, he forges covenants. It requires swearing an oath that each side would uphold their end of the…
Read MoreTemple of the King
Today’s scripture readings warn about the need for taming our tongues, of praying to God to preserve us from an evil generation and ends with the Transfiguration of the Lord. You and I, we are on a pilgrimage up the steep mountain that leads to our final destination. Let us then pray to the Lord…
Read MoreLight from Light
In his light, we see light. We’ve been hearing that in church of late. And in our Gospel reading, Jesus asks the rhetorical question: Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed? The obvious answer is No. But on closer reflection, is that not what we tend…
Read MoreDeliver Us From Evil
Our lives follow a steady rhythm of good times and bad times – when was the last time you recall an unbroken, continuing, unending stretch of peace and unmitigated happiness? Reality quickly shows us that such utopian bliss will never be our lot on this side of the vale. God comes to “afflict” us in…
Read MoreHearts That Ponder, Go Yonder Beyonder
In today’s gospel, we see the enactment of the second joyful mystery. Our Lady visits her cousin Elizabeth, whose response is beautifully captured in the Ave Maria: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Angelic Messengers Consider the angelic messengers, those supernatural creatures tasked by God with a…
Read MoreRediscovering Hanukkah
Salvation History records many instances of Jewish persecution. Around 150 years before Christ, it was the turn of the Greeks to wreak havoc and it fell to a brave remnant to uphold the traditions of the elders and revolt against tyranny. Judas Maccabeus and his band of faithful followers relied on God rather than brawn…
Read MoreAmazing Grace
In the end, it all hinges on free will. In St. Paul’s marvelous letter, he reminds the Romans and us of that “happy fault” that caused sin to enter the world yet won for us so great a redeemer. And through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ, we are acquitted of the repeating sins…
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