Daily Reflections
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity are two of the saints honored to be named in the RomanCanon. This prayer, now commonly called Eucharistic Prayer I, used to be prayed atevery Mass and formed the heart of the entire liturgical act. It is so revered by theChurch that it has hardly changed…
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The precepts of the Lord are rooted in God’s undying love for His people. His intention with these precepts is to ensure the happiness of the people who He created in His own image and likeness. He created them and endowed them with freedom, which underscores the dignity of their…
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When I was in the parish, serving as parochial vicar, I used to go an hour before Mass to the Church, to be available for confessions. Once, a man I did not know came in and asked me if he could talk to me. He opened his heart to me,…
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Priest, Prophet and King: By our baptism we Christians are called to be priests, prophets, and kings. Whether we were baptized as unaware infants or as fully consenting adults, the priest’s words “Just as Jesus was anointed priest, prophet, and king, so may you live always as a member of…
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A number of years ago, when the Communists invaded China, they imprisoned a certain priest inside his rectory. After locking him up, the soldiers proceeded to desecrate his church which included throwing the thirty-two consecrated hosts contained in the ciborium onto the ground. Over the course of the next thirty-two…
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I noticed a word used in the parable of the prodigal son that I should have paid more attention to. Many Bible translations say the prodigal son’s Father divided his “property” among his sons. The word translated as property is “βίον” from the word “βίος” (life, living). This word, “living”…
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Envy, that insidious serpent of spite, sneaks through humanity’s footsteps from time immemorial, leaving venomous trails of destruction and deceit. Biblical stories—pillars of moral teachings—exemplify the perils of envy. We see the perils in the accounts of Joseph’s ordeal and the parable of the tenants who murdered the vineyard owner’s…
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Last month, as we had just come out of the Christmas Season into Ordinary Time, I reflected on the “epiphany” of Ordinary Time (Part One). In the last two months we have celebrated three different liturgical seasons almost without transition. Part Two of these brief reflections needed a change of…
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It is impossible to comprehend how incredible the Passion of our Lord is. God, Who is goodness itself, Who is completely and fully happy without creation, chose freely to create us. He did this not for His own benefit, but wholly for ours! He is so good that He desires…
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Renewing Love: The Lenten period is a favorable time of renewal. Renewal is not merely with regard to the small sacrifices we make; it encompasses our entire life and being. We are called during lent to reconsider our relationship with God and neighbor. Needed Renewal This renewal of life goes…
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