Posts by John and Kathy Schultz
God 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 MoreCosts and Benefits: Feast of St. Andrew, the Apostle
What is the Cost? When a decision involving finances arises, the practical approach is to do a CBA or “cost benefit analysis.” In other words, we take the time to review the options which provide the best approach to achieving benefits while preserving savings. (Thank you, Wikipedia!) If you have a home and a family,…
Read MoreReflections On Pride
Taking time to reflect, we can see the damage pride has done in our lives. I imagine excessive pride reared its head when, as young children, we yelled, “Me first!” Phrases like, “I’m right, you’re wrong; Let me do it; What do you know?” easily echo in our memories. Popular culture celebrated that mindset with…
Read MoreWords Can Touch the Heart
I love all things literary. I love hearing great dialogue in a movie. I am impressed when a subject expert takes a complex subject and makes it understandable. Great speeches can move me to tears. And nothing to me is more wonderful than reading a great book. Today’s readings speak to me of the power…
Read MoreWill We Be Able To See Our Redemption?
Jesus’s Hometown Address In the US, there is a tradition among politicians. When running for office, they often return to their “hometown” and make their announcement to run amid great publicity. In Luke’s Gospel today we see Jesus returning to His hometown of Nazareth to make an important announcement about his plan for the future.…
Read MorePeople of Faith
Faith in the Old Testament One of my favorite Biblical verses is found in Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the realization of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” The remainder of the chapter goes on to offer examples of people of faith from the Old Testament such as Abel, Abraham, Jacob and others.…
Read MoreFidelity to God
In the eighth chapter of Matthew, Jesus performs a series of miracles that definitively attest to his ultimate Lordship. Jesus shows his power over illness by curing a leper, the centurion’s slave and a multitude at Peter’s house. Then, when the boat Jesus and the apostles are traveling in is threatened by a windstorm, Jesus…
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