UNDERSTANDING TRUE FREEDOM BEFORE GOD
“Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty works have been wrought by his hands?” (Mk. 6:2b)
As we celebrate Independence Day this weekend, we rejoice in the freedom God has provided all of us in this country as the result of a hard battle against an oppressive and unjust regime. We hear throughout the gospels that God’s love is to be shared equally with all people, especially the abandoned, the forgotten, the neglected and the oppressed. After Jesus removes an unclean […]
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
God, our creator, is at work every moment of our lives. Today’s Scriptures offer us the opportunity to reflect on the many ways in which God has worked in the lives of people as his plan for our salvation unfolds throughout history even until today, right here, with each of us. In the second reading and the Gospel in particular, we see how the healing ministry of Jesus affected the lives of the people of his time and affects our lives as well, if only we have faith.
Our first […]
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME DEACON JAMES WHITE IV
“O God, who have taught the ministers of your Church to seek not to be served but to serve their brothers and sisters, grant, we pray, that these your servants, whom you graciously choose today for the office of Deacon, may be effective in action, gentle in ministry and constant in prayer.” (Collect for the Ordination of Deacons)
Just three weeks ago, I had the sad obligation to announce that our beloved resident, Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Carroll, was leaving our parish to finally truly retire to Villa St. Joseph, the […]
ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
As I work in my rectory office which has a large window facing Aberdeen Avenue, I’m sometimes distracted by bright red, yellow and blue flashes as cardinals, finches and blue jays fly from the tops of nearby trees and swoop down to feed on the grass and shrubs in front of the rectory. It reminds me of today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, where we hear God foretell the growth of a great nation using the image of a shoot that he will take from the top of a […]
SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
Although they are separated by more than a thousand years, the incidents in today’s first reading and the Gospel have many striking similarities: they both recount a gathering of the faithful during a time of struggle hearing the assurance of God’s continuing presence and care for his people, a sacrifice, and the expression of a covenant. And, although these two incidents are separated from us by thousands of years, what we are doing here at this sacred moment shares these same characteristics: a gathering of the faithful during a time […]
TRINITY SUNDAY
I’m so glad to see more and more of you returning to our Eucharistic celebration in person! I’ve missed seeing you and I’m sure you’ve missed joining in person as we come together to worship our God. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity – our belief that the one God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And, I think this feast takes on new meaning for us this year, after more than a year of isolation when we have become more aware than ever of the […]