First, the Goal The goal of a mature person is reflected in their examination of conscience regarding sin. “I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what…
Back in the beginning of January, after praying to the Holy Spirit, each member of my bible study group picked a word of the year and a saint for the year. My word is gift. I have been thinking a lot about it and recognize everything is a gift. Our…
Have you ever wondered what life would be like for you if you had been born deaf? If you had never heard sounds, or been able to speak words? It is a sobering thought. Recently my younger son was reading a biography on Helen Keller, and as we discussed her…
There are days when I do get overwhelmed by the ideological onslaught of worldly “truths” against our families (“love is love”; “a woman is whoever identifies as a woman”, “anyone can be any gender”, etc.). Now, this attack on the family isn’t new. Afterall, it could be said to have…
The first reading of today from the Book of Genesis 2. 4b-9; 15-17 narrates the second account of the creation of humans, the first account being that of Genesis 1, 26-30. I would like to emphasize the significant features of the creation of humans in the first reading of today.…
God created man to watch over all creation. He created us in His image and likeness to care for everything in the world. And man has fulfilled this duty for generations. In response to our mandate to grow and multiply, to fill the earth and conquer it, we have mastered…
The old rugged cross, an absurdity, a paradox, an ancient torturous path of contradiction! In Adam, humanity died but in Christ, humanity was reborn through the old rugged cross. Out of death comes life and life is swallowed by death to be reborn once again. Jesus loved his own who…
It happened to us Catholics again. When St. Teresa of Calcutta died in 1997, her death got little attention in the secular media, which was still fixated on the death of Princess Diana which had occurred a couple of weeks prior. Now, when Pope Benedict XVI has died, there is…
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” This is a famous line from Psalms, often used in speeches, sermons and films, including Saving Private Ryan. This line struck me in today’s readings and will become my reflection. Sheep We’re the sheep, and Jesus is the shepherd.…
Hospitality As I read through the reading from Hebrews, which was chock full of spiritual nuggets, the works of mercy seemed to resonate with me as I pondered the word “hospitality”. A whole industry is built up around that word which encompasses shelter (hotels), food and drink (restaurants), caring for…