Language can create images in our minds that remain with us longer than the words themselves. Reading over today’s Scripture passages reinforced that thought for me. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we read about “clay in the hand of the potter.” The potter takes his clay and creates; from…
Christ in the House of Martha, Mary and Lazarus Jacopo and Francesco dal Ponte known as Il Bassano (Bassano del Grappa 1515 – 1592) / (Bassano c. 1549 – Venice 1592) and workshop1 John 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their…
In today’s Gospel, our Lord explains the parable of the weeds in the field to His disciples. There are many important points in this parable to reflect on. First, Christ speaks of how He and the devil are both sowers of seed. He sows the good seed, while the devil…
We live in a culture that celebrates instant success and dramatic results. We are tempted to believe that if our efforts do not produce immediate change, they have little value. However, God’s ways are often different. He delights in taking small acts of faith and using them to accomplish His…
This Sunday’s second reading from Chapter 8 of Romans is about what it means for God to be all-knowing, yet allow us as his creatures to exercise our free will. It is all a bit over my head, so I consulted the Church Fathers to see what has been said…
The Christian life is a call to identify with the suffering Jesus. This makes the Christian a sign of contradiction in a world that seeks only personal comfort. Consciousness of this vocation makes the individual Christian to overcome obstacles that ordinarily seem insurmountable. Neither personal weakness nor external discouragements deters…
It is a fact that we face multiple challenges in life, and as long as we are alive, we cannot live without them. They can come from family, friends, or even personal issues arising from physical, psychological and mental health problems. Sometimes, these challenges put us in a crisis, making…
“If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.” (1 Peter 4:14). For today’s reflection, I am opting for Option 2 Readings that Holy Mother Church offers on the feast of Saints John…
We had been listening to our Rabbi speaking us for some time, until it seemed there was no time anymore, just the sound of birdsong outside and the voice of the Teacher. Gradually those who had come to argue and criticize fell silent as men drew closer to him to…
Nineveh was the capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire, the Gentile political power of its day. So large was Nineveh that “it took three days to walk through it” (Jon. 3:3). Despite its exalted status in the ancient world, the Ninevites heeded God’s call to repent through his prophet Jonah.…