News - January 2022 RSS Feed

"Times Change" - For us who trust in the presence and grace of the Lord Jesus, there is always hope that a dark day or period of our life will eventually by brightened by signs of God’s compassion and love, that resurrection will follow our suffering and death.

"The Kingdom of God Is Among You!" - Jesus here describes something that seems so obvious yet is so deeply mysterious and unknown, even to this very day.

Today the Church raises up for our prayer and pondering the life and legacy of St. Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursulines and a visionary in responding to new ways for women to live a Christian life in the world.

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” - Paul's Second Letter to Timothy - Paul’s letter to Timothy expresses what sincere love between friends is when they work together to spread Jesus’ message.

So what do we have in common with Paul? Seemingly not very much. But a closer look shows that God worked with who and what Paul already was. The same is true of us.

"Loneliness" - The family of Jesus had come for him as they saw him being consumed by his mission. They said: “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).

“He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” - David was an honorable and, in the words of the old expression, a God-fearing man. He put his trust in God and only in God and was blessed for it despite his failings.

"We see what to our eyes is a curious reaction – the women of the cities come out to sing about how many more people David has slain than Saul!"

“My refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer” --Psalm 144 - Whenever I read this story of David and Goliath, I picture a King Kong kind of individual clumsily trying to attack a young teenager. 

“The Sabbath Was Made for Man,… Not Man for the Sabbath.” - We all know that the Sabbath was and is meant as a day of rest, reflecting the 7th day in the account of Creation when even God rested.

"Jesus Learned Obedience" - Too easily at times we speak phrases about how suffering teaches us patience, courage, compassion, gentleness and on goes the word list.

“They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!” - This phenomenon is what we call denial and it has always plagued humanity. People easily deny reality that conflicts with their preferred ways of seeing.

"How Can I Keep From Singing?" - Our Gospel story today is another excursion in uncontainable joy.

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”—1 Samuel 3 - All our readings today are replete with the theme of “call.” Samuel responds to God’s call, even though revelations were uncommon at that time.

“Because He Taught with Authority…. and not like the scribes.” - Today’s passage from Mark (1:21-28) addresses the unique authority that the people perceived in Jesus, when He taught them in their synagogues and on their hillsides.

"A Person not a Principle" - Human beings are not moved by principles and theories as they are by a fellow human being who exercises some attraction and who exemplifies great ideals and truths of the heart.

“Of course I want to! Be healed!” - Jesus so desires to give us this great gift of life in its fullness. We need to ask with the same deep faith, trust and humility...

God’s love for us is independent of our love of God. Our love is, therefore, a response to God’s love.

"God is love; therefore, Jesus is love.  As a human like us, Jesus struggles to understand people with their differences, sins, and virtues."