In today’s Gospel, Jesus refers to Himself as the “Lord of the Sabbath” and uses this authority to rebuke the Pharisees for their misplaced zeal in the observance of the Jewish Sabbath. Yet, His dominion over the Sabbath should also call us to reflect on our observance of the Sabbath…
The first statement of St. Paul in today’s first reading reminds me immediately of the autobiography of Blessed Fulton Sheen, Treasure in Clay. This wonderful book and many other books of his, especially, The Priest Is Not His Own, helped immensely to deepen my insight into the Catholic priesthood. St.…
I do not know about you, but growing up I thought that I knew better than anybody. When I had to do something, I worked out a plan or I decided a course of action, and I was convinced that they were the absolute best. Indeed, it was always hard…
As humans, we love to categorize – both others and ourselves – into specific groups, whether it be our political affiliations, our sports team loyalties, our personality types, and even our worship preferences. Somehow, by defining these aspects of ourselves, we think we can communicate our identity more effectively. Yet,…
“Speak, for your servant is listening (NABRE, 1 Sam 3:10). In today’s Gospel, we encounter Jesus’ words. They command the obedience of a demon and the attention of the crowd (Lk 4:32.36). His words leave the people stunned: “What is there about his word?” (Lk 4:36). What If? Now, what…
St. Paul writes in the second chapter of his first letter to the Corinthian church about the centrality of God in his ministry. Before his journey to the church at Corinth, Paul had been to Athens, where he tried to convince the Athenians with several arguments—he engaged them from their…
Imagine a garden where every element is a masterpiece. The flowers burst forth in a harmony of vibrant colors, and the trees are adorned with jewels of sweetness. In this paradise, Adam and Eve dwell in perfect harmony with nature and God. They are not bound by rules, but bask…
There is a children’s group in the United States called the Boy Scouts. I was never a member, but they have a very noble motto. “Be Prepared” they say. Be ready for anything. Mark’s Gospel about the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom to arrive, and the party to start,…
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.(Mt 5:10) Caravaggio, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1608)[1] Dear Brothers and Sisters: In today’s gospel we heard: “I want you to give me at onceon a platter the head of John…
Today’s readings show the importance of both the external work and one’s interior disposition to make an act good. “to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us…. Rather, we wanted…