“Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” (Mt 24:44).

With these words, our Lord helps to prepare us for his coming.  As we begin a new liturgical year today, the First Sunday of Advent, allow me to reflect on the season of Advent and the Gospel of Matthew (from which we will hear extensively during this liturgical year).

We human beings cannot live without hope.  Unlike the rest of the animals in this world, we are blessed with the ability to recognize the […]

On this, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, the Church calls us to reflect on the kingship of Jesus Christ.  His kingship is anticipated in the anointing of David as the king of Israel.  In today’s first reading at Mass from 2 Samuel, we hear the Lord God say to David, “You shall shepherd my people Israel.”  And, in the Gospel passage from Luke, we hear the Jewish rulers, who have just succeeded in having Jesus crucified, taunt him with “If you are the King of the Jews, […]

“Our seminary is not closing!”  This was the opening statement that Bishop Timothy Senior, the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, made as he addressed the priests of our archdiocese at a recent clergy conference.  I want you to hear this statement because I’m afraid that there are those who think the seminary is, indeed, closing.  There are currently 165 seminarians from 15 (arch)dioceses and five religious communities at our seminary preparing for the priesthood; 75 of them are preparing to become priests for our archdiocese.  So, it’s clear that […]

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mt. 22: 21).  When some of the religious leaders try to trap Jesus with a question about whether or not to pay the Roman taxes, Jesus reminds his listeners that everything belongs to God; after all, he is the creator of the universe and gives us all that we have.  We read in the Bible that, after God had created the heavens and the earth, he planted a garden and placed man there to […]

“Go, make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19).  After Jesus overcame death by his Resurrection, he did not just return to heaven to sit at the right of the Father.  Before ascending to the Father, he commissioned those who had come to believe in him to make disciples, that is, others who would come to believe in the one, true God and his son, Jesus, who came to save us.  That is the ongoing mission of the Church; we are the […]

“The mission of Christ the redeemer, which is entrusted to the Church, is still very far from completion.  As the second millennium after Christ’s coming draws to an end, an overall view of the human race shows that this mission is still only beginning and that we must commit ourselves wholeheartedly to its service.  It is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God: ‘For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting.  For necessity is laid upon me.  Woe to me […]

It’s hard to believe that October is almost upon us!  And, we join with parishes throughout the country in observing Respect Life Month throughout October.  This year, we even anticipate it this weekend with our annual Run for Life at the Wilson Farm Park in support of A Baby’s Breath; you will find details about this run on flyers on the church doors.  And, Archbishop Charles Chaput will mark the beginning of Respect Life Month with a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul this Sunday at […]