Author name: Essjay Peatoo

Several themes are woven into the readings for today. Why is faith important to experiencing God’s presence in our lives?   Why do the Scribes and Pharisees have problems believing in Jesus.  Can the faith of our friends help us even when our own faith is weak? And what is this “eternal rest” that we […]

In today’s readings, we hear again about Jesus retreating to a “deserted place” in order to be closer to God the Father.  The Letter to Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7-14) addresses Jewish Christians reminding them that they, too, have gone through a desert experience.  They, like their ancestors, are going through changes in their lives.  They have

In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:29-39), Jesus enters Peter’s home and immediately heals his mother-in-law, who was seriously ill to the point of death. Peter already had witnessed some of Christ’s miracles, but THIS healing, under HIS own roof, of a member of HIS own family, moves him deeply. Not only is she completely restored, but

Be warned! The lectionary cycle for daily Masses for Year I has begun! Year I is, of course, the first of two cycles of scripture readings for the Lectionary at weekday Masses. Year I begins with readings centered on Mark’s gospel.  So let’s quickly give an overview of Mark!  If I sound like I’m in

This week, the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church returns us to “Ordinary Time”, a time when we “count” the weeks, one after another.  Today, for instance, is the Monday of Week 1 in Ordinary Time.  But in English, “ordinary” has another meaning.  Using this meaning of “ordinary” might seem a bit peculiar, since the

Today we come to the end of the Christmas Season by celebrating the third great epiphany, the showing to the world God in human person.  The first ‘epiphany’ was at the birth of the child Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem, when he was visited by shepherds representing the poor, the marginalized and the sinful

It might appear that those who offer their services to voluntary organizations, religious life, or Non-Governmental Organizations do so with altruistic motives.  But today’s readings (1 John 5:14‑21 and John 3:22-30) are a warning that the devil is smart and subtle and is always willing to corrupt our good deeds.  He loves to tempt people

Here we are at the beginning of a new year, moving from the Christmas season to Ordinary Time. I admit that I love the Christmas season, perhaps because it seems so overlooked in our culture in which the “Christmas season” begins on Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas night. So I’m a little sad as we

Today’s gospel passage (Luke 4:14-22) portrays Jesus stepping out into his mission, his public life, defining that mission using the words from Isaiah.  All the events that follow, all his preaching, all his miracles and his eventual passion, death and resurrection, represent a living out of what he proclaims in the synagogue this day. However,

“If we love one another, God dwells in us,and His love is brought to perfection in us.”1 John 4:12 In today’s readings, Jesus has just fed the five thousand men with the five loaves and two fish.  He has performed a great miracle before the eyes of His disciples and through their hands.  Yet “their