Author name: Essjay Peatoo

Our First Reading today (Acts 6:1‑7) likely describes the Christian community sometime after our readings of this past week.  The Church was experiencing significant growth and as the community grew, so did the problems that had to be addressed.  And a new language was developed to describe the roles of the Church membership.  For the […]

An old man goes to a local diner every day for lunch. He always orders the soup du jour. One day the old man asks for a little more bread. So the next day the manager tells the waitress to give him four slices of bread instead of just two. But that day the old

I would like to picture myself as one who exudes a loving peace and calm, leading a constant interior prayer life and always connected in some mystical way with the Holy Spirit.  But I am not like that. Instead, I am a more “high energy” kind of guy, tapping my feet and drumming my fingers

Ever since Easter, the first readings at Mass have been taken from the Acts of the Apostles.  The Acts of the Apostles is the second volume of Luke’s comprehensive presentation of the Gospel. For Luke, the account of God’s saving work in Jesus Christ cannot be separated from the life and ministry of the Christian

This week we hear the story of Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus (John 3:1-15).   Nicodemus is one of the few Pharisees who is sympathetic to Jesus and His teachings. In fact, Nicodemus so admires Jesus that he becomes Christ’s secret follower.  Nicodemus finds compelling the truth taught by Jesus and is deeply moved by what

This week, the readings at Mass remind us of God’s presence in our midst and within our lives.  We are called to put our trust and faith in Him, especially during difficult and challenging moments. We are reminded that we have truly become God’s children whom He has gathered from all nations and received from

In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter has always been a celebration of the great love that God has for His creation. This great love was shown when the Divine Son became incarnate and dwelt among us, sharing in our lot, showing us the way to the Father, and making the perfect offering of Himself in

Easter has come! Jesus is risen! In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 16:9‑15), Mary Magdalene excitedly brings the news that she has seen Jesus, but no one will share in her excitement. No one believes her. How disappointing that must have been to have such good news and not be believed. Then Cleopas and the other disciple

Today we hear the continuation of the accounts of the Lord’s Resurrection and the early activities of the Apostles in spreading the faith in Jerusalem. We also hear the first steps towards taking the Gospel and spreading the Good News, not just to the Jews, but to all the peoples of the world. Our first

The Gospel readings this week have a common theme: After his resurrection, Jesus appears to his followers, but they do not recognize him.  When Mary Magdalene, arguably the one who loved Jesus the most, encountered Jesus while outside the tomb, full of grief and despair that Jesus’ body was not there, she thought He was