We all know that sacrifice is an important element of our faith.  After all, we are gathered here to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass.  When we think about sacrificing, we usually think immediately about giving up something. At Mass, we gratefully acknowledge that Jesus gave up his life for us.  During Lent, we give up candy or chocolate or coffee in imitation of Jesus who gave up his life for us.  So, it makes sense for us to think of giving up something when we think of sacrifice.  But, […]

“You’ve been on my heart.”  “I have my heart set on it.”
“It breaks my heart.”  “I’ve put my heart into it.”  We’re all familiar with these sayings and others like it and we’ve probably used them ourselves at one time or other in our lives.  Using the heart as a symbol, we speak of our involvement in someone or something at the deepest levels, where our most honest thoughts and feelings are to be found.  We’re not talking about an impulsive response but one where there has been serious thought […]

We all know how important our eyes are to us.  They help us to navigate our everyday world, avoid the obstacles that we find ahead of us and enjoy all the delights that surround us.  Especially at this time of the year, when the fall foliage is on full display, our eyes help us to see the beauty of God’s creation.  Those with impaired vision and those who are blind are limited in their ability to move about safely and to enjoy the fullness of God’s wondrous world.  Of course, […]

We all have ambitions.  Most of us are not satisfied with just being good enough.  We want to excel and maybe even be the best, at least at something.  Whether it’s having the best recipe for our family’s favorite dish or being the smartest student in the classroom or the fastest basketball player on the court or the most successful one on the team at work, it’s a natural desire to be the best.  And, these ambitions are often very good.  They lead us to strive to use our talents […]