What is love? Each of us probably has our own understanding of love, as well as varying experiences of loving or being loved. We need love as much as we need the air we breathe.  So, it’s important to ask ourselves: what is love?  Is it just an emotion, or a virtue?  Is it chemistry or a psychological commitment, or is it a rational decision?  As Catholics we will find the answer by looking to Jesus and his teachings.  And, as you know, Jesus came to fulfill the law and […]

Wow – those scribes and Pharisees were slow to learn, weren’t they!?!  Over the past three weeks, we’ve heard Jesus try to open their eyes to their disobedience, avarice and indifference toward God and today, instead of repenting and turning back to God, we hear them double down and plot against him.  Let’s quickly review.  Three weeks ago, we heard Jesus speak to them through the parable of the man who asked his two sons to go work in his vineyard.  You’ll recall that the first son said “yes” but […]

Everyone loves a feast, and that was as true in ancient times as it is now.  It is not surprising, then, to hear imagery about feasting to give us a sense of God’s overabundant generosity.  “A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines,” we hear in today’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  Just listening to these readings makes my mouth water.  And, you’ll notice that the prophet Isaiah sets God’s feast of rich food and pure, choice wines on […]

When I think of a vineyard, I think of visiting a winery and tasting their selections or of enjoying a nice glass of wine with friends over a leisurely dinner.  It’s a luxury that many of us enjoy.  For the people in ancient Israel, however, wine was not a luxury but a necessity and vineyards were as important as wheat fields or sheep folds.  Since their water was often impure, they had learned that adding a little wine to the drinking water made it safer to drink.  They didn’t know […]

We are all familiar with the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Jesus teaches this very lesson in our Gospel today. The religious leaders of the Jewish community in his day spoke many pious words and gave the impression of great holiness. They were considered the greatest servants of God in their communities. Once Jesus began to challenge them, however, they were revealed as righteous in their speech but not in their treatment of others.

Jesus demonstrates this contradiction in his parable of the two sons. The son who speaks […]

At first glance, the message of today’s Gospel parable seems so blatantly unfair.  The workers who put in a whole day’s work and sweat receive the same wage as those who were there for only one hour?  It may make us ask, “Jesus, what’s going on here?”

And then we remember that envy and discontentment say everything about us, and nothing about what God is doing here.  So what is the lesson of this parable?  First, it’s helpful to pay attention to Jesus’ use of the phrase, “usual daily wage.”  This […]

We’ve all heard the dictum: “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”  It’s straight from the Bible.  In fact, you’ll find it in three books of the Old Testament:  Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.   This instruction follows shortly after the Ten Commandments and is offered as a practical application of the 5^th Commandment: Thou shalt not kill.  After decreeing that “whoever strikes someone a mortal blow must be put to death,” the text goes on to decree the appropriate punishment for lesser injury.  It ends with, “if injury […]

As all of the fall activities swing into full gear, I’m sure many of you are finding yourselves on playing fields or in a gym as you or your child or grandchild get involved in various sports.  As I’m sure you all know, when beginning to play a new sport, it is vital to learn the rules.  And, they’re different in different sports.  For example, basketball players may not kick the ball, but they may pass it with their hands.  On the other hand, soccer players may not touch the […]

Every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we experience God’s presence in two amazing ways: in his living Word and in our Lord’s life-giving Body and Blood.  As we continue to join with all of the parishes throughout our country in the national Eucharistic Revival, we are called to focus on the great gift of the Eucharist, the true Body and Blood of our Lord that offers us spiritual nourishment on our journey to heaven.  One way we are doing that here is by offering Bishop Robert Barron’s excellent […]

“Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi.”  Today’s Gospel begins in a somewhat unusual way.  Rather than starting with the typical “Jesus began to teach them,” or “Jesus told his disciples another parable,” it starts with a statement about geography, about a particular city called Caesarea Philippi.  I’ve been there and can tell you that it’s well worth visiting; it’s a popular tourist attraction.  That’s because, well before the time of Jesus, this area was an important spot along one of the major trade routes from the east to […]