Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners,” (Mark 2:17)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus compared himself to a physician who heals the sick. Those who go to him are in need of healing. Where do you need healing in your life?
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
As a parent and former child myself, I recall both speaking and hearing something like, “Well, don’t complain (or come crying!) to me when…” as stubborn persistence won out and warnings fell on closed ears. (You can probably fill in the blank above from your own experience.) Today’s Old Testament reading from the First Book of Samuel (8:4-7, 10-22a) for me has a similar feel.
Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
As the New Year begins, there are few things that are certain, except for the notion that the future will bring about change. Change is often frightening and at times overwhelming, but if we place our trust in God, change can become an opportunity for new beginnings and transformation. The leper in today’s gospel story reminds us that when we encounter Jesus, our life will be changed. The question for us is if we will let go, so God can touch us. And once we surrender to God’s grace, how can we go forth sharing God’s goodness with the world?
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
In our readings today, I notice three elements of our Christian life, three necessary ingredients to following Christ – seeking the Lord’s presence, listening to God’s voice, and giving God a ready and willing heart, offering Him a “generous Yes” in readiness to do His will. Let us approach God’s Word today with sincere hearts and a humble desire to make these holy postures our own.
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews. Scholars debate over whether or not this letter was actually written by Paul or by someone else, mainly because it seems so different from the other letters we are used to reading and hearing. Today’s excerpt is a bit complicated but it is rich and actually quite beautiful in its message. It asks the question about the difference between humans and angels, saying that it was humans to whom God “crowned with glory and honor.” The is an old Jewish story that when God made Adam, he presented his creation to the angels, telling them to bow down in worship of the image of God Adam bore. This letter evokes the same feeling of the absolute dignity and worth of the human being.
The Baptism of the Lord
The event at the Jordan is recorded in all four Gospels. To reach the place where John was baptizing, Jesus traveled 90 miles on foot from the Galilee. As the drama places the Baptist in a mentoring relationship to him, the evangelists wouldn’t have included the baptism of Jesus if it wasn’t historical.
Christmas Weekday
In a sense, today’s readings are about faith. The first reading is about having faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Then, the Gospel is about Jesus’ baptism and brings us to the moment in which we learn that Jesus is the Son of God, “‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,” (Mark 1:11). Through faith, we become daughters and sons of God. When reading this Gospel passage, have you ever imagined that God is telling you that you are God’s beloved child? Perhaps, as you begin to reflect on today’s readings, you can put yourself in the story and imagine God saying to you: “[Your name,] you are my beloved child; with you I am well pleased.” How does that make you feel? For me, I am taken aback especially at the well pleased part. To me, it seems that there’s more to ding me on than to be pleased about. However, I am comforted by the love God has for me and how God is always ready to embrace me and us and take us back when we return to God like in the parable of the prodigal son. What does being a child of God mean to you?
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
Merry Christmas! ? On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, Twelve drummers drumming! ? Most of our stores and some of our neighbors began their Christmas season back in October, wrapping it up as soon as possible at the arrival of December 26th. However, we Catholics were just really getting started at that point and have the blessing of celebrating for 12 days leading us to the feast of the Epiphany this weekend. So if your Christmas decorations are still shining brightly around your home like ours, enjoy!
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
Protestant fundamentalism, which has found its way into the Catholic Church, arose amidst the perceived threat of historical criticism and evolution. Historical criticism, a method of reading the Bible that attends carefully to the historical context of each book of the Bible and how that context shaped the text, seemed to undermine the supernatural origins of the Bible. Evolution, of course, challenged the divine creation process described in Genesis. These new ways of thinking about the Bible made a lot of people nervous. Where would all this lead? Would people stop thinking that the Bible is true?
Christmas Weekday
Our Gospel today begins, “John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.’” The One whom John identified becomes real to us in every Mass. God calls us, invites us, to behold the Son, and not only to take him in visually, but to take him in literally as we consume the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord in the Eucharist. As we begin this new year, let us examine our approach to the Eucharist. It’s my prayer that we would all be inspired to more frequent reception of the Eucharist and to deepen our hunger and thirst for it.
Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church
Today is the feast day for two theologians, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus. The two were friends, along with Basil’s brother Gregory of Nyssa (whose feast day we observe on March 9th). These are saints that are more familiar to our Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters, but they are very important for both Eastern and Western Christianity. Saints Basil and Gregory are particularly remembered for the ways they helped develop Trinitarian doctrine so that we could understand it better.
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
The time of day determined when blessings and prayers were offered in the synagogues of the first century. Today, we hear that same beautiful “priestly” blessing (from Numbers) which began and ended each day:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace.
The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
We are still in the season of Christmas. During this time, I find myself reflecting on shopping, sales, and consumerism that have become a part of this holiday. In many ways, it seems that the spirit of consumerism supersedes the spirit of Christmas, even trying to make them the same. Perhaps unbeknownst to us, consumerism has become a form of spirituality. The rituals and practices are shopping. The holy days (or weeks) are sales. The temple/church is the store whether physical or online. The market is seen as an idol that acts and controls the world in the way that it wants. We attain spiritual highs when we get something new and lows when that feeling wears off. Virtue comes in the forms of finding the best deals, the things we have, and wealth. Since we do need things like food to live, shopping isn’t entirely bad. However, through consumerism during this time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in getting what we don’t need, in trying to find our worth in stuff, and feeding our spiritual lives with material objects. Fortunately, today’s readings can help us redirect our attention and love to God, the one who has loved us the most.
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Today marks the fifth day in the octave of Christmas. While most of the world has now left Christmas behind, we continue to celebrate the birth of our savior: Merry Christmas!!! Our gospel passage from Luke continues our focus on the infant Jesus, and today we hear the beautiful story of Jesus’ presentation at the Temple, with a particular focus on the person of Simeon. This Simeon was an old man, who knew that he would not see death until after he had encountered the Messiah. We have just lived through another season of Advent, of waiting, of joyful anticipation. Much of Simeon’s life was this sort of Advent season, where the whole purpose of his life seemed to be subsumed under the waiting for this very moment of holding the infant Jesus in his arms. We see the theological virtues embodied in Simeon: faith, hope, and love. He had faith in God’s goodness, knowing that there would be a Messiah and that he would meet this person. Simeon lived his life in the hope of encountering the Messiah in a personal way. And Simeon loved God with all his heart, soul, and mind. After great patience and perseverance, Simeon is rewarded by God, and he takes the opportunity to hold the child Jesus and to praise God, saying “My own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel” (Lk. 2:29-32).
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Over the past 10 years, I have been blessed to be able to travel with UD pre-medical and pre-dental students to Central America. We go to provide medical care in rural areas of these resource poor countries. On these medical service trips, we have seen firsthand the poverty and some of the safety issues related to the lack of resources. As I read today’s gospel, I was reminded that Jesus was a refugee. Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled to Egypt to prevent Jesus’ death at the hands of Herod’s army. Many countries today, including the US, face concerns regarding the large influx of refugees traveling from their homelands to find safety and the simple necessities of life. How are we called as Disciples of Christ to share compassion and love with these people in need?
Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
For many in our world, Christmas has come and gone. But for those of us who are Catholic, the celebrating continues. And how appropriate that today we celebrate the feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist. As both one of the Twelve and the author of the Gospel of John as well as 1 and 2 John and the book of Revelation, St. John is for us a model of the great and complete joy that we ought to have as Christmas continues.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
It’s always struck me as very profound that on the second day of the octave of Christmas, the second most important feast in the entire year, the Church has deemed it appropriate to celebrate the feast of St. Stephen, the Church’s first martyr. Lest we get caught meditating too long on the pastoral beauty of the holy family in the stable, surrounded by barn animals, shepherds, and angels, we are immediately thrust into a graphic vision of the radical implications of the birth of Christ.
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
“What can be said about Christmas that hasn’t already been said?” This is the lament of homilists and writers I have known or worked with over the years. There are two solemnities that offer challenges like none other: Christmas & Easter.
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
Today’s Gospel is about the birth and naming of John the Baptist. There is a whole conversation between Elizabeth, Zechariah, and their relatives of what the baby’s name should be. The name John didn’t run in their family, but it was the name that the angel Gabriel told Zechariah to name his son.
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
What do you think happened to the innkeepers? You know, the ones who turned away Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary? They were just doing their job, right? They were taking care of the people who got to their inn first and they were likely already overwhelmed by the task. Joseph and Mary were probably not the only ones turned away that night. But what if the innkeepers had known that they were turning away the Holy Family? Would it have mattered to them? Would they have believed it? Would they have offered to displace other guests in order to care for the Mother of God? Is that what Mary would have wanted?