September 2024

Vincent was born in France on April 24, 1581 during a time marred by war, disease, and poverty. As a young peasant boy, Vincent learned the meaning of hard work by tending the family livestock. His parents recognized that he was clever and creative, and sacrificed to send him to school. Vincent also was ambitious. […]

The readings today seem a bit gloomy.  Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, warns one of his youthful acquaintances about the inevitability of death.  The message one might take from the First Reading (Ecclesiastes 1: 2-11) is one should live it up while young because as old age comes, death is sure to follow. The imagery

Today we have our last selection of readings from Proverbs (Proverbs 30:5-9).  We are urged to take refuge in the unalloyed or flawless word of God, which will be our most effective security in life. When we fully assimilate that word, we are endowed with a vision of life that enables us to see where

Today we have our last selection of readings from Proverbs (Proverbs 30:5-9).  We are urged to take refuge in the unalloyed or flawless word of God, which will be our most effective security in life. When we fully assimilate that word, we are endowed with a vision of life that enables us to see where

We have today a set of two-line moral aphorisms which are quite distinct from each other and with which we are not likely to quarrel (Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13). However, whether they reflect the way that we always behave is another question, so we do need to read or listen to each statement carefully. The writer

“Padre Pio” 1887-1968 St. Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione, on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents were peasant farmers. He had an older brother and three younger sisters, as well as two other siblings who died in infancy. As a child, he was very religious and by the age of five he

Today our first readings return to the Old Testament and we begin reading from some of the so-called “Wisdom” books. This week we will be reading selections from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The wisdom books consist of a series of “wise sayings” emanating from the educated and leading class of the Jewish people in the period

There is a force in our human nature both to reverence and protect innocence, yet at the same time to suspect and exploit it.  It is based in our own longings for innocence and our disappointments in having lost or disturbed our own. We hear in today’s First Reading (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20) just such a

No one likes taxes. But anti-tax animosity was especially intense in ancient Israel during the first century of the Christian era. In the Gospels, tax collectors (also known as publicans) are frequently mentioned in the same breath as harlots and sinners. If tax collectors had a lousy reputation 2000 years ago, they deserved it. Under

Before retiring from Federal Service 23 years ago, I used to travel frequently.  While traveling, and not frantically rushing to the gate to catch my plane, I sometimes would ‘people watch’ other travelers. There were students and business people engaged with their laptops until the very last moment before boarding. There were families, with two