We’re all familiar with the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. It’s a wonderful image for us, especially these days as we feel lost and uncertain as to where we – or, in fact, the entire world – is headed. As we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls each of his sheep by name – just as he did at our baptism – and leads them out to find green pasture and plentiful water for the day. We are also familiar with the story of Jesus going after the […]
Of all of the stories in the Gospels, the one we just heard is certainly one of the most well-known; we’re all familiar with it. But, this year, I think this story can strike a special cord for us because we can really identify with the two disciples. They were frightened and confused. Their plans had been upended, their hopes and dreams had been shattered and they just wanted to get out of town to escape danger. Sounds like us right now, doesn’t it, as we continue to struggle through […]
Happy Easter! Yes, I realize that Easter Sunday was last week and I hope you had a wonderful Easter, even under these unusual and stressful circumstances. But, since the Resurrection of our Lord is such an important event, the Church calls us to celebrate it for an entire octave and today we come to the end of those eight days. Just as cinematographers slow down the action of a particularly important moment of a movie or television show to give the viewer time to catch every detail of the event, […]
Christ is risen! Halleluiah! These are the victorious words we shout and sing with gusto on this greatest of all feast days. Halleluiah is the “h” word I mentioned in my homily last Sunday, when we were focused on another “h” word – Hosanna. As you will recall from last week, “Hosanna” means “God save us.” It is a cry for help. That’s how we started off Holy Week – praying to God to save us, knowing that he, alone, can save us. But this morning we can shout out […]
“Hallelujah!” We’ve already sung it several times and now I can say it: Hallelujah! It was that “h” word I referred to last Sunday when another “h” word – “Hosanna” – was the word of the day. “Hosanna”, you will recall, is a cry for help; it means “God save us.” That’s how we started off Holy Week – praying to God to save us, knowing that he, alone can save us. But this evening we can shout out “Hallelujah!” which means “Praise God!” We can, indeed, praise God because […]
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to be able to get together around the dinner table with my extended family or friends for a good meal and engaging conversation. Msgr. Carroll and I get along very well but it’s getting a little lonely in the rectory. Unfortunately, those family dinners aren’t going to happen soon due to the stay at home order as we continue to work together to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. But tonight, we gather together virtually around our Lord’s Table to commemorate the first […]
Before this coronavirus took over our lives, how many of you had ever heard of Dr. Anthony Fauci? I hadn’t, even though he has been a medical advisor to every president beginning with Ronald Reagan. But now, he is suddenly forced onto the public stage and, although many of us really appreciate and admire his honest, plain talk, presenting the truth as the data demonstrates, there are those who don’t like him because his grim message is upsetting their comfortable lives, closing their businesses and stopping their cash flow, so […]
Well, have you had enough of this sheltering at home? Whether you live alone or are in a home filled with others, it’s a real challenge, isn’t it? We all admit that the coronavirus is a serious threat to us. Some of us are already affected personally, with a member of our family or a friend who is seriously ill or has even passed away from this powerful virus. We recognize the need to practice social distancing and are looking forward to that time when we are rid of this […]
Good morning, everyone; welcome to those who joined in this live streaming after Mass started. I hope you are keeping well in this very stressful time. Fortunately, modern technology allows us to come together – not in person but over the internet – as a faith community to worship our God. This is a time when we need to come to God and support each other as his faithful people. Modern technology also makes it really easy for us to understand that what we’re experiencing in our time isn’t something […]
It is good for us to be here. As COVID-19 continues to upend our lives, leading to both our federal and state governments to declare a state of emergency, and our archdiocesan leaders to suspend all parish activities with the exception of celebrating the sacraments that are so central to our faith, it is good for us to be here. And, as we all watch with great concern the continuing roller coaster ride of the stock market and kick ourselves for not selling out when it had reached its highest […]