Life, at least for one who is striving to follow the way of the Lord, can be quite difficult at times. Our readings today remind us that part of the problem is not just human. We are in a spiritual struggle, even an all-out spiritual war. St. Paul (Ephesians 6:10‑20) describes the equipment we have […]
God’s Weapons – Battling The Spiritual Forces Of Evil Read More »
Today’s readings focus on faithfulness. Paul calls to us in our First reading (Ephesians 6:1-9) to be faithful in our calling: Children, obey your parents; parents do not provoke your children, but teach them the ways of God. The directives given to slaves and their masters hopefully sound strange to us. They might make
The Narrow Gate – God Is Present To Each Of Us Read More »
Think about the time and planning that goes into a building a home. Once you obtain a location, you must secure the necessary permits. You do the necessary excavation. You pour the footings and the foundation. A lot of time and effort goes into something that most people will never see. When, if ever, was
Submission – “What’s In It For My Spouse,” Read More »
Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude. These two saints are often confused for more prominent characters in the Gospel narratives, so, unfortunately, we know comparatively little about them. Despite knowing little biographical information, we do know their most distinctive identity: they were faithful followers of Jesus. St. Simon is known as the
Saints Simon And Jude – Faithful Followers Of Jesus Read More »
Today’s gospel passage (Mark 10:46-52) comes at the end of a long section where Jesus is forming his disciples. This section begins way back in Chapter 7 with the healing of a man who is deaf and dumb. In that miracle, the man is taught how to hear and to speak. These are necessary
The Last Blind Man – “What Can I Do For You?” Read More »
Today, Jesus mentions two apparently recent incidents in which lives were lost (Luke 13:1-9). In one case, Pilate the Roman governor, had some Galileans executed in the Temple precincts. It is not clear as to why. In the other, eighteen people were killed when a tower in Siloam, inside the south-east section of Jerusalem’s wall,
The Fig Tree – No Time To Waste; We Must Start Today Read More »
At the outset of today’s gospel (Luke 12:54-59), Jesus seems to suggest the ease with which we can predict the weather. While professional meteorologists would protest that there is much more involved in weather casting than observing clouds and wind direction, Jesus’ words express common wisdom and experience. While we all tend to keep up
The Present Time – Open Our Hearts To The Divine Love Read More »
In today’s first reading (Ephesians 3:14-21), Paul prays that the Church in Ephesus, and by extension, the entire Church, may deepen their understanding of God’s plan for salvation in Christ. It is a plan that affects the whole universe with the “breadth and length and height and depth” of God’s love. The apostle prays that
Paul’s Prayer For The Church – God To Be Glorified Through Christ Read More »
Jesus will come for us like a thief in the night. We don’t know exactly when. We don’t know exactly how. We must be ready. We can’t let our guard down. If the homeowner knew exactly when the thief was coming, he would make sure the door was locked. He would be ready for the
The Thief And The Steward – We Do Not Know The Day Nor The Hour Read More »
(1920-2005) Introduction “Everyone knows John Paul II: his face, his characteristic way of moving and speaking; his immersion in prayer and his spontaneous cheerfulness. Many of his words have become indelibly engraved in our memories, starting with the passionate cry with which he introduced himself to the people at the beginning of his pontificate: ‘Open
St. John Paul II – A Brief Biography Of Our Patron Read More »