The word of God is presented in both the Old and New Testaments as a source of light. The psalmist puts it aptly: “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path “(Psalm 119:105). In the New Testament, Jesus is identified as both word and…
Today’s Gospel finds Jesus in the midst of his public ministry. After word spreads about him healing and casting out demons, there is nowhere he can go without a crowd. When he goes home, the crowd follows. His relatives have had enough! It is hard for them to see greatness…
The first thing we find in today’s Gospel is that Jesus goes up the mountain, and after praying, he calls those he wants; he makes use of his freedom and calls. Those called also respond freely: “they went to him.” Vocation is the meeting of two freedoms. Today, Jesus also…
Proverbs 14: 29 says, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Anger has destroyed many. In today’s first reading, taken from 1 Samuel, we see the start to the end of King Saul’s destruction. Saul would be a perfect candidate…
The pharisees waiting in the synagogue were the same men who had lingered at the edge of the field. I do not know why they had waited as we came through the field on that Sabbath day but I do know that one man was delighted to call out the…
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us take encouragement from today’s First Reading, both for ourselves and those to whom we minister. The prophet and priest Samuel was a holy man, yet, the Lord told him he concluded too much from Eliab’s “outward appearance” in thinking he was God’s choice…
The Alleluia verse before today’s Gospel reads thus: The word of God is living and effective, able to discern the thoughts and reflections of the heart. Why do we do the things we do? It’s good to pause and re-examine our motivations. Saul’s rejection and the question of fasting are…
I should preface this with this: exercise is extremely important to me, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The other day, I found myself pulled in several different directions. My husband looked at me and said, “Go out for a walk/run. You will feel better after that and a shower.” So,…
“You can’t reason your way around the Cross.” A long time ago, I met with a very wise priest for spiritual direction on a matter concerning a book a group of women were studying through at church. He gave very wise council. I think I wrote about it on GVM…
We often see reports of heroism in the news and elsewhere: individuals risking their safety, well-being, or future to help others. While countless acts of heroism occur daily, only the most extraordinary—those that shock and generate headlines—are typically reported. Consider a pilot safely landing a plane with engine failure to…