Whether we like it or not, judgment is a fact of life. That is true whether we are talking about the histories of nations or the events of our own personal life. If we break the law – exceed the speed limit on the road, for example, – the law enforcement officer will judge us and give us a ticket. If we eat or drink too much or live a lifestyle of constant stress then our bodies will judge us and we get sick. We simply cannot escape judgment in […]
On this, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, the Church calls us to reflect on the kingship of Jesus Christ. It’s quite different from how we ordinarily think of a king. Rather than a ruler who makes his power known over his subjects, our God is like a shepherd tending his flock. As we hear in this Sunday’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, God will look after his sheep “as a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep” (Ez […]
Jesus once told a story of a wealthy man who was preparing for a long journey. He called his three servants and divided his possessions among them, each according to their ability.
Why is life like that? We are all equal in the eyes of God. But when it comes to our abilities, we are as different as different can be. God simply did not make us all the same. Each of us is a unique, partial reflection of God. And, depending on our talents – that is, the abilities he […]
Did you know that there have been nine National Eucharistic Congresses here in the United States of America? Many of us fondly recall the 41st International Eucharistic Congress that our archdiocese hosted in August of 1976. It was a great boost to our faith and followed a long line of Eucharistic Congresses held around the world since the first one in Lille, France in 1881! But, there have also been National Eucharistic Congresses – nine in all – beginning in 1895; the last one was in 1941. And, you will […]
As with any good book, the books of the Bible can only be fully understood if you read the whole book. This past year, we have been privileged to hear much of one of these books, the Gospel of Matthew, and it’s important to recap some of the points made earlier in this Gospel to fully understand today’s passage. Otherwise, it might seem as if the five wise virgins we heard about were being rather unchristian in not sharing their oil. After all, doesn’t Jesus teach us to share? So, […]
After an extended time with summer-like weather, I hope you are enjoying the cooler days of fall. As you have surely already noticed in the stores, Christmas preparation has begun. We have several parish initiatives that will allow you to give to those in need as you celebrate God’s great gift of his son, Jesus. For those of you not familiar with them or who would benefit from a little refresher, allow me to explain each of these excellent programs: Adopt-a-Family, Christmas Food Basket and the Mercy Hospice Giving Tree.
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“I did not come to be served but to serve,” we hear Jesus declare after two of his disciples, James and John, asked to be seated at his right and his left when he established his kingdom. It sounds as if even his closest followers did not understand the Gospel that Jesus had come to proclaim – or, at least, they were unwilling to accept it. Like the Jewish leaders whom we hear Malachi condemn in today’s first reading and Jesus condemn in our Gospel, they were more interested in […]