It is so good to see all of you here this evening, on this the most holy of all nights.  And, so many of you are here as families, parents, grandparents and children.  So, you all remember the moment when it was time to name your child.  It was an exciting time, to be sure.  We just had this in our family as one of my nephews and his wife were preparing to give birth.  They kept the name secret; we didn’t learn his name until he was born.   And, […]

I hope you like our nativity display here in front of the altar.  It really is splendid and I thank all of you who contributed to our Christmas flowers special collection and those who helped to put it up on Friday.  You will notice, however, that the central figure – the infant Jesus – is missing from the manger; he won’t arrive until Christmas and we’re still in Advent for a few more hours.  And so, like in the Wizard of Oz, I say, “Pay no attention to the man […]

Once again, Happy New Year and welcome to another liturgical year … another Advent … a new opportunity to prepare our minds and hearts for the coming of Jesus into the world on Christmas Day and at the end of time.  How blessed we are to believe that the infinite, almighty, eternal God came among us in time.  We are even more blessed to believe that his coming offers us the hope for eternal live in God’s loving embrace.   Advent Season speaks of both of these comings and it’s important […]

Whether we like it or not, judgment is a fact of life.  That is true whether we are talking about the histories of nations or the events of our own personal life.  If we break the law – exceed the speed limit on the road, for example, – the law enforcement officer will judge us and give us a ticket.  If we eat or drink too much or live a lifestyle of constant stress then our bodies will judge us and we get sick.  We simply cannot escape judgment in […]

Jesus once told a story of a wealthy man who was preparing for a long journey. He called his three servants and divided his possessions among them, each according to their ability.

Why is life like that?  We are all equal in the eyes of God.  But when it comes to our abilities, we are as different as different can be.  God simply did not make us all the same.  Each of us is a unique, partial reflection of God.  And, depending on our talents – that is, the abilities he […]

As with any good book, the books of the Bible can only be fully understood if you read the whole book.  This past year, we have been privileged to hear much of one of these books, the Gospel of Matthew, and it’s important to recap some of the points made earlier in this Gospel to fully understand today’s passage.  Otherwise, it might seem as if the five wise virgins we heard about were being rather unchristian in not sharing their oil.  After all, doesn’t Jesus teach us to share?  So, […]

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 […]