Daily Reflections
The future “liberator” of the Jewish people from Egypt is a “liberated” himself, one who has experienced the condition of a slave and faced the danger of death even from birth. Moses is first “liberated” by Pharaoh’s daughter from the waters, as we read in the First Reading of today…
Read More
There is a fearful desire to be separated from beauty because we see ourselves more clearly in its light. If we have not the fortitude to stand firm in its purifying fire, based in the truth of God’s mercy, we will turn away, or worse, we will attack the conduits…
Read More
This Sunday’s readings have a deeply affirming message to share about the security and peace that are founded on living the Will of God in our lives. It all begins with the WAIT. The Wait To wait for something is to live with a sense of grand expectancy. Both the…
Read More
Dear brothers and sisters, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). A Sincere Act of Forgiveness The first reading from the book of Genesis presents to us the story of Joseph’s reassurance of the brothers of his forgiveness towards…
Read More
Today’s Gospel has a different tone. Jesus continues his instructions to his disciples. However, he warns his disciples that as they proclaim his message, they need to be careful. They will be vulnerable, like sheep in the midst of wolves. Thus, they need to be alert and shrewd in their…
Read More
Jesus sends his disciples on a mission and gives them instructions. These instructions may seem perplexing and contradictory. At first, Jesus tells them, “The worker deserves his wages,” and then he adds, “You have received freely, give freely.” But what have they received, and what should they give freely? The…
Read More
Today’s gospel records the sending of the twelve Apostles to preach the Gospel to the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus summons his twelve disciples and gives them the authority to cast out unclean spirits and cure every disease and sickness. We cannot read this Gospel without being reminded of the…
Read More
Today’s gospel tells us about Jesus going into towns and villages to heal the sick and cure diseases. He healed a mute man who astonished the people when he could speak. Yet, their astonishment was short-lived, and their hearts were hardened again. How similar is our world today?! We may…
Read More
And he dreamed and behold, there was a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven… Years ago, when we moved into our home, my boys delighted in discovering a hidden stairway. There was a trapdoor in the ceiling upstairs which could be pulled down…
Read More
Mt 5:48 says, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. There is a sense in which this is a literal imperative which seemingly, definitionally, is impossible to achieve. Its import leaves the reader wondering if Jesus was mocking our imperfections, and incapacity for perfection, from a higher…
Read More