In today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has been speaking to the crowds in parables from a boat at the seaside. Then He discusses with the disciples the reason for using parables. He gives them another parable to help them understand the implications of choices we make, but…
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The call to follow Jesus is a call to a life that is full of reversals. What makes such reversals joyful is that they all lead to new and durable life in and with God. From this perspective, one can look at the life of St. James, the apostle, whose…
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Privilege: What was the difference between Moses and all the other Israelites, between the disciples and all the crowds? Their privileged positions were not based on merit or on personal accomplishment. Moses and the disciples were the ones God chose, and there was no other distinguishing factor between them and…
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The famous book by Robert Cardinal Sarah titled: God or Nothing, a conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat is in fact the summary of the gospel today. It is an eloquent testimony of the exhaustible power of God over all creatures and that we can do nothing without him. He…
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Today’s first reading and the Gospel are filled with Hope. What glorious readings we have today, as Holy Mother Church pilgrims moving through this Jubilee year of Hope. St Paul reminds us in Romans 5:5 ‘and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts…
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Prelude – the Sign of Jonah: But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. The story of Jonah thrilled us when we were boys. It was so frightening we would…
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Today’s Gospel reading may seem counterintuitive. Martha is being a good hostess to Jesus, while Mary is not helping her out. Except that Mary has made the best choice in making sure to spend time with our Lord Jesus Christ. Martha has forgotten that if we are to serve God…
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Today’s readings have God’s mercy woven throughout, from the night of Passover from slavery into freedom to the Servant Song of Isaiah where God’s beloved is revealed as a servant leader who will cast such a glance into the slavery and bondage of our human lot that all obstacles are…
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Years ago, the director of religious education at my former parish asked if I could help out as a sponsor for the RCIA program. I had no idea how much I would learn and relearn! It was great. One evening the director posed this question, “Is it wrong for a…
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Today’s reading is one of my absolute favorite passages from the Old Testament. Particularly in my days as a borderline-atheist philosophy student, God’s response to Moses really knocked me over like a brick. Kind of like the soldiers who fell to the ground in the Garden of Gethsemane at Jesus’,…
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