Once again, Happy Easter! How different today is from Easter last year! It is so good to see so many of you here in person! And, I greet, as well, those of you who, for a variety of reasons, are still joining us virtually. As we come out of the 40-day liturgical Lenten Season, I think we can all agree that it has felt like a yearlong Lent, ever since everything shut down in the face of the coronavirus last March. We have all had our crosses to bear, struggling […]
“Alleluia!” We’ve already sung it several times and now I can say it: Alleluia! We haven’t heard this word for the entire season of Lent but this evening we can shout out “alleluia!” which – as I’m sure you all know – means “Praise God!” We can, indeed, praise God because he has saved us through his son. He has saved us from darkness and fear, from sin and death. And, we can all really embrace this saving work as we continue to struggle in the face of the ongoing […]
As we all slowly and carefully emerge from this yearlong coronavirus pandemic, I’m really looking forward to getting together with my family for Easter. Due to our age or jobs, all of the adults have been vaccinated so we’re finally feeling safe to gather around the dinner table, once again. I imagine that more and more of you are able to safely do this, as well. This year of social distancing has driven home the importance of real flesh and blood contact, and reminded us how much we cherish sharing […]
Alleluia! Our Lord is risen and offers us new life! We certainly need to hear this message this year as we find ourselves still surrounded by suffering and death after a year of assault by a powerful virus. The Paschal mystery proclaims that Jesus, truly man – the son of Mary – really died on the cross and then overcame the power of death as he rose on Easter. The resurrection of the body, the central mystery of Easter, is an essential Christian doctrine. As the apostle Paul declares so clearly: […]
You know this is a special Sunday when we have two gospels. And, you can’t help but notice how different our two Gospel passages are in tone and sentiment. We began with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowd, and followed it with Mark’s account of his passion, at the hands of that same crowd.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he is at first the focus of Israel’s deepest hopes and dreams. Frenzied crowds shout with pleading and joy – Hosanna – which means both, “save us, we […]
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mk 11:9b-10). On Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we are called to join with our Lord, Jesus Christ, as he makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and then suffers derision and mockery, scourging and finally crucifixion because he comes to offer a new way of life and claims to be who he truly is – the Son of God. This week […]
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you.” Do you remember that declaration we heard from God on the first Sunday of Lent? I don’t know about you, but this Lent has gone very quickly for me. It’s hard to believe that next Sunday will already be Palm Sunday! And, the readings have presented us with a consistent theme throughout these five weeks of Lent; it’s the theme of “covenant” – I hope you’ve noticed it. It’s very important to our understanding of God […]
A number of you have asked me about the morality of receiving the COVID-19 vaccinations and, in particular, the most recent vaccination made available through Johnson & Johnson. Your concern is due to the reported use of aborted fetuses in the development and production of these vaccines. It is a very valid concern and I applaud you for asking this question. I’m sure you recognize that I am a staunch pro-life advocate and would not want to encourage abortion for any reason.
On the other hand, it is important to fully […]