STEWARDSHIP WEEKEND
“My God will fully supply whatever you need. …To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians. 4: 19-20). In today’s second reading, we hear a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the first European Christian community, located in Philippi, Greece. He is thanking them for providing him with much-needed financial assistance as he continued his missionary journey through northern Europe. As you know, the Church spread throughout the region as a result of his tireless efforts of proclaiming the gospel to people who needed to hear it. [...]
TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Wisdom 7:7-11 This Sunday, we will again hear from the Book of Wisdom. This book is known as the Wisdom of Solomon in the LXX manuscript and the Book of Wisdom in the Vulgate. It was most probably originally written in Greek, not Hebrew, somewhere between 100 - 50BC, probably in Alexandria, Egypt, one of the largest centers of the Jewish Diaspora, by an anonymous author. He was a devout, Greek-speaking Jew, acquainted with Greek philosophy and culture, probably a native of Alexandria. The purpose of the author was to [...]
ANNUAL EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION/WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
ANNUAL EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION As you know, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) initiated a three-year Eucharistic Revival in June 2022 to provide us all with a renewed encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This, the last year of our revival, is called the Year of Mission and we are all called to engage in the universal mission of the Church by sharing our faith with someone. We are strengthened in our faith every time we receive the Eucharist or spend time before the Blessed Sacrament in adoration. [...]
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Genesis 2:18 - 24 This Sunday, we will hear the story of the creation of woman from the Book of Genesis. It has been quite a while since we have heard from this, the first book of the Bible, so let’s review the who, what, when, where, why and to whom of this most important book. We all remember that it derives its name from the Greek translation γενεσης of the first word of that book in Hebrew בראשית – both words mean “beginning. “In the beginning, God created…” we [...]
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Numbers 11:25 - 29 This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of Numbers. As usual, it is a passage that prepares us for the Gospel. And, as has been the case over the past few weeks, it is taken from a book that we have not heard from in a while, so let’s review the who, what, when, where, why and to whom. It is the fourth book in the Torah and derives its name from the Vulgate title, “Numeri” which is taken from the Greek αριθμοι. This Greek [...]
RESPECT LIFE MONTH
It may be hard to believe, but October begins this week! Every October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month and we are called to consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. With such issues as abortion, in vitro fertilization and immigration among the most important and controversial topics being debated in preparation for the upcoming elections, this is certainly a providential moment for us to reflect on [...]