Posts by John and Kathy Schultz
Fools of This World
Chapter 4 of Luke’s gospel starts with a dramatic account of the start of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. It is one of my favorite scenes. Luke builds up the dramatic tension as Jesus is handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He reads Isaiah’s well-known prophecy – written some seven hundred year earlier. The synagogue…
Read MoreThree Prophets
Who would envy the life of a prophet? We know from many bible stories that the lot of a prophet is often one of ridicule and rejection, if not outright danger of physical abuse and death. In addition to these overt tribulations, prophets also face the potential for a quieter but more devastating rejection –…
Read MoreCure from Paralysis
Of all the types of illness we may dread, the fear of paralysis likely ranks high on the list for us. The total inability to act for oneself creates profound needs. Unable to relieve the smallest and most basic of physical needs, the paralytic is dependent upon others. At a first quick read of today’s…
Read MoreWalking In His Footsteps
Christian Joys We returned this morning from an 8-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We are still processing all of our experiences from Nazareth to Jerusalem, from the Annunciation to the Resurrection but in reflecting on today’s readings a few thoughts came to mind. As I visited sites of Christ’s earthly life, I could relate…
Read MoreNot Just a Moral Teacher
God, the Father Today’s readings are an exhortation to believe in God. St. Paul lays out the evidence of why all must believe: because of Christ’s rising from the dead, by studying Scripture, and that the risen Christ was in the physical presence of many. John’s Gospel continues this message as Christ tells Philip and…
Read MoreBoat in a Stormy Sea
The sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel is a profound teaching on the meaning of the bread of life. The chapter starts off with Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 on a mountain near Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. The chapter ends with a lengthy discourse on the great mystery of the real presence of Jesus’…
Read MoreGod Is with Us
Our Lord Will Never Abandon Us We fall on our knees. We place ourselves there not just because we are in the Lenten season; we place ourselves there because the world right now is in great turmoil. But when hasn’t our fallen world been in turmoil? The Evil One has always been among us although…
Read MoreUncomfortable Homecoming
Jesus’ Homecoming We can imagine Jesus’ eagerness to return to his hometown shortly after the start of his public ministry. As a righteous man, Jesus was certain to have made many friends in Nazareth. He probably had relatives there as well – cousins, aunts, and uncles. However, Jesus also had a profound understanding of human…
Read MoreJesus’ Presentation in the Temple
After the waiting, what? I remember the childhood anticipation I felt leading up to Christmas Day. Back then, the excitement was mostly rooted in receiving presents. One problem with such intense anticipation – after the event there was a tendency to feel deflated. It is 360 days until next Christmas! Continuation of the Gifts In…
Read MoreWho Will We Follow?
Growing up in suburban New Jersey I rarely encountered any sheep. The few times I saw sheep up close was when we visited my uncle and grandmother in rural Pennsylvania—and I was not impressed with these animals. Despite the best efforts of my siblings and me the sheep paid us little attention. They only responded…
Read More