In the course of my academic formation, I took a Diploma course in Academic Teacher Education in Religion. Part of the requirements for the program was a structured and directed teaching practice in an academic institution. In my own case, I had lesson observation and teaching in a British international…
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There are lots of topics to reflect upon in today’s readings. “Sermon on the Mount” reminds me of all the cool things that happen on mountains in the Bible. “Counting our Blessings” was another idea, as “blessed” gets mentioned often today. However, I’m going to focus on “encouragement”. Encouragement Some…
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The 3-word expression “I am sorry” can be magical in its accomplishments. It has the power of music and can calm frayed nerves and sooth wounded heart. Like balm, it can console a troubled spirit and heal a bruised ego. “I am sorry” can neutralize heated tempers and blunt the…
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One interesting feature of today’s reading is the phrase: “Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness.” The New American Bible is the only version which translates the phrase this way. I have two other English translations and four different foreign language versions that…
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Thousands of years before Lasik surgery, cataract replacements, and other eye procedures, poor eyesight was difficult or impossible to overcome. Even in recent history, it’s not always easy to see. Then and now, a lack of eyesight causes many challenges. So what to do? In the Bible, we learn of…
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The antagonist in Tobit, one of my favorite go-to books of the Old Testament, is the demon Asmodeus, the personification of lust. Tobit’s son, Tobiah, marries Sarah, knowing that Asmodeus had killed her seven previous husbands, on their wedding night. Assisted by Archangel Raphael, Tobiah drives Asmodeus away, outlives the…
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Knowing the God of Resurrection We know that lack of knowledge leads to error. For anything to be done right, a doer has to possess the requisite understanding. Today’s gospel offers us a deeper revelation about the cause of error (sin). Jesus says we err, get deceived, wander away from…
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Francis Bacon is a 16th century English philosopher, father of empiricism and the scientific method. In his argument against heresies, he defends divine intelligence, omniscience, and omnipotence by providing a famous line many people quote out of context. “For knowledge itself is a power whereby he [God] knoweth” (Meditationes Sacrae,1597.…
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During the months of quarantine because of the COVID-19, millions of us were connected to the world wide web of social media. We were physically apart from our workstations, church ministries, relatives and friends. Yet, after a while, we realized that virtual connection cannot suffice or replace the physical connectivity.…
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Blessed Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! I recall more than one priest sharing his feelings that preparing a homily on the Trinity is daunting. How to share in fifteen minutes or less the foundation of our beliefs? Our reflection faces the same task; but we will try our best to…
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