The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel are among the most powerful descriptions of the Christian identity: “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world.” The full impact of these expressions is drawn from the hermeneutics (interpretation) of salt and light, especially in…
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The Mass readings for today and the Psalm (Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth) offer us yet another insight into God’s ways and how Jesus continues to direct our lives in grace, through the Scriptures. Today, we are reading one of the great passages of…
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Recently, I was doing some yard work with my four-year-old son. During our work, my shovel accidentally hit a worm and cut it in half. My son, who loves to find worms in our yard, examined the worm, and when he found that the worm wasn’t moving, he exclaimed, “The…
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It’s been said that “the cynic is the one who knows the cost of everything, and the value of nothing.” There is a big difference between the cost of something and its value, and today’s Gospel brings this difference to the forefront. We hear the story of the poor widow…
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Today’s readings remind me of an experience I had when I was young. I was in my Junior year of High School. For the mid-year vacations, my friends organized a trip to the beach. We were going to spend a whole weekend in the house of one of my friends,…
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As we begin our meditation, let us place ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask Him what He desires us to hear in today’s readings. I invite you to pray the Psalm from today with me: “Teach me your ways, O Lord.” The first reading starts…
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To those who questioned the Lord about the census tax, Jesus replied, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mark 12:17). His audience was stunned because they expected Him either to condemn the emperor’s taxation or make a comment that could be misconstrued,…
Read MoreAs the Church begins the month of June, traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we remember Saint Justin, Martyr, a man who stood at the crossroads of philosophy and faith. Justin died around the year 165 AD, beheaded in Rome under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Justin witnessed to Christ…
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By What Authority? “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Mk 11:28) ask the chief priests, scribes and elders in the temple. What are “these things” that Jesus is being questioned about? Well, it is actually quite a bit! In Mark’s gospel we read that on the proceeding day…
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I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. (Jo 15: 16) Pentecost by Titian1 Last Sunday we celebrated the culmen of the Catholic Easter liturgy, that is, the Solemnity of Pentecost. Christ breathed the Holy Spirit into the nascent Church. Pentecost…
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