Last week, we heard in the gospel that Jesus fed the thousands after they followed him to a deserted place; you will recall that he had gone to this deserted place to pray. Today, we hear that, after he had fed the people, he dismissed them and even made his disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the lake so he could finally get some time to pray. He knew that he had to spend some time by himself to commune with his heavenly […]
This coming Saturday, 15 August, we will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, into heaven. It is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year since it is celebrated on a Saturday. It will be celebrated at our regular 8:00am Mass on Saturday but, since it is the principal feast day of the Blessed Mother, I would like to offer you some reflections on it.
We in the Western Church celebrate the Solemnity of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary […]
“When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” As we hear, once again, the well-known account of Jesus feeding the hungry crowds, I’d like to call your attention to this first line of today’s gospel account. Remember how it came about that John the Baptist died. He was beheaded at the whim of King Herod during a banquet that he was holding in his opulent palace to celebrate his birthday. Notice, Herod’s feast is marked by brutal […]
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA COLLECTION
Last May, Pope Leo XIV promulgated his first encyclical letter. Entitled Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, it addresses familiar concerns about AI. The title, Latin for “magnificent humanity,” points to the document’s teaching that no machine can replace the God-given magnificence of the human person. Pope Leo writes: “We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace” (§15).
This […]
Imagine that you have just won the lottery – a multi-million dollar jackpot. Imagine unearthing a large metal box while digging in your garden, and finding it filled with cash – all big bills. Imagine you fall asleep and God comes in a dream and offers you anything you want.
Stories of buried treasure, sudden wealth and dreams that come true are among the oldest and most universal fables in every human culture. Even the thought of sudden wealth quickens the pulse and stirs the imagination. What if? Would all our […]
Over the past two weeks, we have heard several parables in the Sunday gospels. As I explained last week, Jesus used these parables to teach his followers about the kingdom of heaven. Over the next few weeks, we will hear several accounts of Jesus performing miracles. We will hear him cure the sick, feed vast crowds and even calm the sea. These miracles are also opportunities for Jesus to teach his followers – then and now. Not only do they demonstrated God’s mercy and compassion but they all point to […]