Again, let me congratulate those of you who will soon be receiving the Eucharist for the first time; you’ve waited a long time for this and I’m sure you’re excited.  Receiving our Lord in Holy Communion here on earth is one of the first fruits of the kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish while he was among us in the flesh.  Have you ever seriously pondered the kingdom of God?  Have you ever spent time just reflecting on where and what it is?  We hear Jesus talk about […]

There is one question that we all have to struggle with in life and is certainly on the minds of us all today as we continue to cower before the sickening and deadly power of COVID-19 and our nation continues to struggle with the issue of racism following the death of George Floyd.  The question is: why is there evil in the world?  If God is an all-good God, why would he allow us to struggle so much in our lives against seemingly evil forces?  Today, especially, we ask: why […]

Farming has come a long way since the time of our Lord.  Today, farmers use huge tractors to plow and fertilize their fields, sophisticated GPS systems to increase their crop output and massive harvesters to bring in the ripened produce.  But, no matter how many advances modern technology affords to farmers, they face many of the same challenges and obstacles experienced by their ancient counterparts, not the least of which is the weather, something that even today no one can control or even accurately predict.  This past spring, for example, […]

Let me wish all of you a Happy 4^th of July, a day when we celebrate our independence from the oppressive yoke of British rule.  Unfortunately, this year, there is more fizzle than sizzle, as we continue to struggle under the yoke of the coronavirus pandemic.  The image of a yoke is not common in our urban culture, but I’m sure you’re all familiar with it.  It’s that wooden piece that keeps two oxen together as they plough a field or haul goods.  We actually have an image of a […]

I like straight talkers.  I find it so much easier to address a situation if I know, up front, what the issues are and what we need to do.  Today, we hear our Lord offer us some straight talk and we all will do well to listen carefully.  Today’s gospel passage is another portion of the instructions Jesus gave his disciples before he sent them off as his apostles.  You will recall the difference between a disciple and an apostle.  A disciple is one who follows his teacher, carefully observing […]

Many of us spend a great deal of time and energy being afraid.  Some fear a past they cannot change or a future they cannot predict.  Others fear what people are thinking or saying about them.  There is fear of heights, the dark, spiders, loneliness, etc.  During this ongoing coronavirus pandemic, everyone has some fear.  Fear can cause confusion, distress and even paralysis.

One of the constant messages of Sacred Scripture is, “fear not!”  Whether it’s God speaking to Abraham as he calls him to leave his homeland or to Moses […]

“Remember, how for forty years now the Lord, your God, has directed all your journey in the desert,… He let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna,…in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  These words, taken from today’s first reading, take on particular significance for us today as those of you here in church return to receiving our Lord in Holy Communion after a fast of more than […]

If the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t caused us enough concern and consternation, the tragic death of George Floyd has certainly brought even more pain and anguish to our lives.  On top of that, the recent violent storms have left many of us with damaged homes and still without electrical power.  All of these events have disturbed our peace and we all like to live in peace.  But, true peace comes only when we humbly bow before God and strive to live in his love.  The coronavirus and stormy weather humble us […]

“He breathed on them…” Well, that certainly wouldn’t make Jesus very popular today, especially if he wasn’t wearing a mask!  But, the breath of Jesus wasn’t deadly; in fact, it was just the opposite.  Just as God had breathed life into the man that he had formed out of the clay of the earth – as we hear in the creation account in the Book of Genesis – so Jesus breathes life into the Church; we celebrate that today with great joy on Pentecost Sunday.  In today’s first reading, we […]

I imagine you have all heard the good news!  Governor Wolf has announced that he expects to move the five counties around Philadelphia to the yellow phase in two weeks; this will allow churches to reopen; our long wait may soon be over!  I don’t know about you, but I hate to wait.  I’m a doer; I like to get things done.  Whether it’s waiting in a traffic jam or waiting for a package to arrive, it’s hard to wait.  Sometimes, waiting is particularly difficult, like when you’re stuck in […]