“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Jesus urges his disciples and us to stop, to rest, to recoup, to renew ourselves. God gave us the Sabbath Day to be a day of rest, for without it we become less human. I don’t mean just...
In his new encyclical, Laudato Si, Pope Francis calls us to an “Integral Ecology” (10), a worldview that harmonizes all the dimensions of our existence: physical, biological, social, and spiritual. This harmony is essential if we are to attain the Joy of the Gospel to which the Pope urged us...
Root, branch and fruit Consider the miracle of a single seed, a seed so small you can barely see it, and yet containing within it the power to release life in the form of a great harvest or magnificent garden. After this long winter, the planting season is now underway....
Years ago, the Chad Mitchell Trio sang, “Oh, there’s rioting in Africa, starving in Spain; there are hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain. … the Arabs hate the Jews and the Jews hate the Arabs, and I don’t like anybody very much.” Unfortunately, our world is no better with...
Today Jesus tells us, “Keep my commandments, … that your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:10-11). Jesus’ entire concern is our joy! THIS is the reason for his taking on human nature, devoting his life to teaching and healing, and ultimately laying down his life. He had nothing to gain—except...
The second reading of today’s (the 5th Sunday of Easter) Liturgy of the Word narrates the arrival of Saul (Paul) in Jerusalem and is met with fear by the disciples but with the help of Barnabas, he is able to speak of his experience of the Lord. We first met...
Negotiating the rocky terrain In his long career as a rabbi, Harold S. Kushner, the author of the iconic When Bad Things Happen to Good People, has prepared many couples for marriage. Rabbi Kushner writes: “Think of two married couples. One couple insists that they have never had a serious...
“What return shall I make to the Lord…?” Psalm 116:12 “Give, and it shall be given to you. …For the measure you measure with will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38). In considering stewardship, we often think of giving to God and our neighbor, our time, our talents and...
We have now entered the “Easter Season,” and will be reading over the next six weeks from the book of Acts. The Easter readings describe the remarkable response made by the first disciples to the graces of the Resurrection, and of the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Today,...
Saints Mary and Joseph Parish This year’s Easter Gospel Every year we hear the Easter story a little differently. Where we are on our own journeys to Jerusalem and Calvary affects what we hear and how we hear it. If you are celebrating the safe return of a lost son...