tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15771253332189857712012-01-13T08:56:45.399-05:00"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20. With Jesus in our midst, I offer you "These Simple Gifts": my reflections on faith, hope and love.Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.comBlogger1981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-81707591188288039912011-12-29T10:19:00.000-05:002011-12-29T10:19:11.107-05:00

I know it has been a while since I last posted, and for that I apologize. As you can imagine, the days leading up to the celebration of Christmas are rather busy for a priest. Now that the craziness has died down some, I want to reflect on the failure of our world to remember that Christmas is a season, not just a day. So often the radio stations stop playing Christmas music at midnight, the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-79427328042282957792011-12-12T00:21:00.001-05:002011-12-12T10:24:06.376-05:00

Cardinal John P. Foley died in his sleep early this morning. Many will remember him as the "Voice of Christmas", serving as English commentator for the pope's Christmas Midnight Mass for 25 years. Since he encouraged me to begin writing this blog in November of 20110, before this day ended I wanted to post my thoughts on this man who was first, last and always a priest. I first met then Father

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-69792682118775869022011-12-05T10:32:00.000-05:002011-12-05T10:32:27.451-05:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 5:17-26) contains the beautiful story of some friends of a paralyzed man who lower him down from the roof in order to allow him to be in the presence of Jesus. Because of such faith, Jesus forgives his sins. When the Pharisees and teachers of the law accuse Him of blaspheming (since "God alone can forgive sins"), He grants a physical healing to the man, who picks up his mat

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-71769257981392217692011-12-01T09:40:00.000-05:002011-12-01T09:40:49.238-05:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 7: 21, 24-27) contains an interesting statement. Jesus says "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." Notice it does not say that no one who says "Lord, Lord", but rather "not everyone". And the example he gives is also an interesting twist on doing the will of the Father. We

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-43340130656022949112011-11-30T10:18:00.000-05:002011-11-30T10:18:52.800-05:00

On this Feast of St. Andrew, we hear a portion of Paul's Letter to the Romans in which he states "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Now, this may sound like a rather simple formula, and some people take it to mean that the words are somehow "magical". Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul is

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-47132897069532768942011-11-29T14:12:00.000-05:002011-11-29T14:12:41.446-05:00

Jesus prays in today's Gospel (Luke 10: 21-24) and praises the Father because "although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike." It made me pause and consider what I see as "childlike". Most children confront things head-on, especially their own needs. They tend to say whatever is on their minds and have not yet developed the "filter"

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-73532467959621919292011-11-27T23:58:00.000-05:002011-11-27T23:58:58.063-05:00

Well, the big day has come and gone. We now have the Third Edition of the Roman Missal as the new translation for Mass, and I must say it was a very good experience today. After all the mailings, inserts, presentations and discussions, people seemed to be open to the "active listening" that we have encouraged. Judging by the comments after Masses, most did pay close attention to the prayers of

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-46027285703703745362011-11-11T09:26:00.000-05:002011-11-11T09:26:36.711-05:00

As we prepare to finish up the liturgical year, the readings during these weeks all revolve around the theme of the "end days", both personal and global. Today is no exception, when He says that "one will be taken, the other left". This reflects what actually happens, since not all are dying at the same time. His primary concern is what we do with the time we have on earth - how we live is more

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-40467460161249675132011-11-03T10:07:00.000-04:002011-11-03T10:07:04.488-04:00

In today's Gospel (Luke 15: 1-10), Jesus speaks about the importance of every single person to God. By using the example of a shepherd who loses one sheep or a woman who loses one coin, He emphasizes that each individual has value. Now we might not think that losing a single sheep is a big deal, especially if there are ninety-nine others. But we need to remember something: most shepherds were not

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-14542410545977730302011-11-01T23:50:00.000-04:002011-11-01T23:50:46.700-04:00

Today's Feast of All Saints gave us the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 1-12). It is presented to us in the context of reflecting on those who have "made it", the saints who are in heaven. For those who are old enough to remember, the Baltimore Catechism had a question that is particularly important in thinking about this feast. "Why did God make you? God made me to know Him, to love Him,

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-64841537022134526872011-10-27T10:27:00.000-04:002011-10-27T10:27:23.012-04:00

DailyWalk Heavenwards: Under the wings: Today the words of Jesus are tough. He speaks openly, with words filled with many feelings: hurt, disappointment and tenderness. Jesus was ...

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-55316469668075607242011-10-26T13:24:00.000-04:002011-10-26T13:24:27.972-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 13: 22-30) is a teaching from Jesus that we should "Strive to enter through the narrow gate". This may seem to be at odds with our image of a loving Jesus who is ready to welcome everyone to the kingdom. When I read this passage, it brings to mind the idea that we all will have to stand before God as individuals. No one else can get me into heaven. Jesus died to save us all,

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-12472993490844224452011-10-25T12:40:00.000-04:002011-10-25T12:40:49.935-04:00

When speaking about the Kingdom, Jesus uses two comparisons in today's gospel (Luke 13: 18-21) - a mustard seed and yeast. Both of these are ways that we can think about the importance of even the smallest action and how the tiniest things can impact the larger reality. Many people often feel that they cannot make any difference in the world. "After all", they reason, "I am only one person. What

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-39731946040723948212011-10-19T15:42:00.000-04:002011-10-19T15:42:53.641-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 12: 39-48) is the parable in which the Lord cautions his followers that they must be careful not to allow themselves to become lax and forget that the Master will return and they will have to answer for their stewardship. Indeed, He assures them that at "an unexpected day and at an unknown hour" the Master will return. This struck me particularly today, as I have just

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-3598035732871964142011-10-05T12:08:00.001-04:002011-10-05T12:10:43.925-04:00

Well, I really got on a "soapbox" this morning. The Gospel for today is Luke's account of the Lord teaching His disciples to pray (Luke 11: 1-4). This "Lord's Prayer" has been handed down from generation to generation of Christians for two thousand years. As I was drinking my coffee, I read an article in the local paper regarding a county council's fight to keep saying "The Lord's Prayer" at the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-87962238795411383242011-10-02T20:09:00.000-04:002011-10-02T20:09:28.634-04:00

Today in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt.21: 33-43) we hear the parable of the tenants. When the owner of the vineyard sent his servants to collect his share of the harvest, the tenants killed two different groups of them and finally his own son. You see, they had forgotten that they were only tenants. They had deluded themselves into thinking that they were the owners.Jesus wanted to make sure that

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-12732497341909542002011-09-29T11:30:00.000-04:002011-09-29T11:30:43.659-04:00

Today our Church celebrates the feast of three Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The interesting thing about them is that they have names and are well-known. Now, names are used today to help distinguish between individuals. In Biblical times, however, names were used to indicate something about the individual. (The use of last names in modern times is reminiscent of this, as in the first

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-18053637032468159752011-09-27T13:21:00.000-04:002011-09-27T13:21:17.858-04:00

So often we tend to lash out when our feelings are hurt. That is exactly what was going on in today's Gospel (Luke 9: 51-56). The disciples were upset because the people of a Samaritan town did not want to welcome the m and the Lord, since they were going to Jerusalem. They wanted to hurt the people, asking if they should call down fire from heaven to consume them" (as if they could!).  The

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-82155247509217747552011-09-21T12:16:00.000-04:002011-09-21T12:16:03.650-04:00

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, and the Gospel (Matthew 9:9-13) tells the story of the Lord calling him to "follow me". Now, Matthew was not exactly a popular fellow. In fact, he (and all tax collectors) would have been considered traitors to their people, since they worked for the Roman occupiers. Their daily work not only helped fuel the Roman economy, but also involved the use of Roman

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-8939094326627756792011-09-17T10:04:00.000-04:002011-09-17T10:04:05.503-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 8: 4-15) is the parable of the sower, whose seed fell in different places. Some of it fell on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil. If, as the Lord explains, the seed is the word of God and the soil represents various responses of people who hear the word, we normally try and find our place as one of the types of soil. But I was reflecting

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-12132716996286569842011-09-15T10:12:00.000-04:002011-09-15T10:12:56.540-04:00

It may sound like a contradiction, but I was reflecting today on what is behind sorrow and mourning. Today is the feast of "Our Lady of Sorrows", which remembers various times during the life of Jesus' mother Mary when she was filled with sorrow. From the time she was warned by Simeon when she presented Him in the Temple to having to witness His death and burial, like all of us Mary had moments

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-47763081021192256852011-09-08T10:50:00.000-04:002011-09-08T10:50:51.153-04:00

In our Gospel today (Matthew: 1-16, 18-23), the Church gives us the list of the ancestors of Joseph, the foster-father of the Lord and the story of the Annunciation to Mary. I love looking at those names, reflecting on the people who passed on the faith that eventually was part and parcel of the home in which Jesus was raised. It is also fascinating to look into the history of some of these

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-16458762861533744002011-08-26T10:27:00.000-04:002011-08-26T10:27:35.231-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 25: 1-13) is a very apt one for those of us living in the path of Hurricane Irene. In this parable, Jesus speaks of ten virgins (bridesmaids) who are waiting for the arrival of the groom. In those days of no means of instant communication there was no way of knowing exactly which day or hour someone would complete a trip. So part of the duties of bridesmaids was to wait

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-24336378684144685262011-08-25T10:46:00.000-04:002011-08-25T10:46:50.413-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 24: 42-51) is a very timely lesson from the Lord. Given the recent earthquake in this part of the country, and the impending hurricane expected this weekend, a caution that "at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come" seems to be very apt. I would like to reflect on the second part of the Gospel, in which the Lord reflects on the servant who is given

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-32200914608031945172011-08-23T19:29:00.000-04:002011-08-23T19:29:17.609-04:00

In today's Gospel (Matthew 23: 23-26) the Lord warns the scribes and Pharisees (and by extension, all of us as well) that they need to be more concerned with what is integral to their lives, those values that should be guiding all actions. Evidently there was a lot of finger pointing being done, but none of it was being focused on their own actions. The Lord indicates that they had been very

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-26352893602984320432011-08-19T12:41:00.001-04:002011-08-19T12:42:14.029-04:00

It seems strange to think of love as something that is the subject of a command. But that is exactly what the Lord affirms in today's Gospel (Matthew 22:34-40), when He was asked to state the greatest commandment. "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind... You shall love your neighbor as yourself" are not given as suggestions, but rather

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-91664897342265452602011-08-18T11:12:00.000-04:002011-08-18T11:12:18.960-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 22: 1-14) is the parable of the king who threw a wedding feast. As the story goes, when the invited guests refuse to come, he ultimately ends up having people invited in from the highways and byways, so that there will still be a grand celebration for his son's wedding. One of the interesting things to remember is that the only thing people had to do was come to the feast.

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-69299435268883268362011-08-17T11:23:00.000-04:002011-08-17T11:23:12.895-04:00

The parable of the laborers who worked for different amounts of time all receiving a full day's pay (Matthew 20: 1-16), is really challenging. It seems to go against our sense of fairness. We all tend to think that the amount of pay should somehow correlate to the work performed. But the Lord seems to indicate that God will reward us in a different way. The ones who have been laboring for many

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-31911080099942773972011-08-11T11:17:00.000-04:002011-08-11T11:17:05.132-04:00

In today's Gospel (Matthew 18:21 - 19:1) the Lord uses an example of two men who are in debt and how their creditor reacts to the situation. The first man owes money and, when the master demands payment, he pleads for more time. This is given to him. Leaving that meeting, this first man encounters someone who owes him money. Naturally he sees this as an opportunity to get some of the money he

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-32175728280394785472011-08-09T11:26:00.000-04:002011-08-09T11:26:14.573-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14) speaks of being humble and uses a child as an example. At first this sounds pretty off-base, since I doubt that many of us would use the word humble to describe many children. Children often seem to be the exact opposite, demanding attention and seeing the world as if it revolves around their needs and wishes. But when you think about it, a child is

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-88155249942220422962011-08-07T18:48:00.000-04:002011-08-07T18:48:48.973-04:00

Sorry for the gap in posting. I was at the Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus this past week. But today's Gospel (Matthew 14: 22-33) helped me realize that I have to stay focused, even when there are other things that try to distract me. You see, that is what happened to Peter. When the Lord called him to come and walk on the water, Peter was able to do it because he was focused on the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-14622122655696305862011-07-30T10:26:00.000-04:002011-07-30T10:26:48.120-04:00

The Gospel for this Sunday tells the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. While we often focus on the fact that Jesus was able to feed thousands, there is another important detail that bears reflections. Matthew's Gospel tells us that the disciples had merely five loaves and two fish. Matthew does not say where they came from, but one thing is clear: they were a crucial part of the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-61707575304843368592011-07-25T14:35:00.000-04:002011-07-25T14:35:01.718-04:00

I always find it fascinating to think of James and John. They were two of the Apostles who were frequently called to accompany Jesus (along with Peter) when He wanted to pray. Whether on the mountain of the Transfiguration or in the Garden of Gethsemane, they were privileged to be present at several key moments. But even though they were usually referred to as the "sons of Zebedee" and "sons of

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-64077491744499854402011-07-21T18:31:00.000-04:002011-07-21T18:31:05.854-04:00

In today's Gospel (Matthew 13: 10-17) Jesus gives the formula or process for coming to a new life. In quoting the prophet Isaiah, he shows that if we see with our eyes, hear with our ears and understand with our hearts, we will be converted and healed. Sounds pretty simple. He also notes that one is blessed if they have eyes that see and ears that hear, because many people do not. If you accept

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-40711035750496360542011-07-20T13:30:00.001-04:002011-07-20T13:30:57.936-04:00

The parable about the sower (Matthew 13: 1-9) in today's Gospel has many different aspects for meditation. Today I decided to reflect on the idea that, even if the "seed" of faith, God's Word, does not take root in good soil when we first sow it, the process does not end there. The sower in the parable does not decide that he will never sow seed again, even though some of the seed did not take

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-39192794469469117392011-07-19T11:23:00.000-04:002011-07-19T11:23:54.332-04:00

This past weekend I was able to gather with members of my family as we attended the wedding of one of my nephews. We met his new wife's family for the first time and had a great time just relaxing and being with one another. Families are usually messy, loud, diverse and great! In today's Gospel (Matthew 12: 46-50), Jesus speaks of His own family. Rather than speaking about Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-90019301278417370452011-07-14T09:31:00.000-04:002011-07-14T09:31:55.566-04:00

In the famous Gospel passage from today's Mass (Matthew 11: 28-30), Jesus speaks of His yoke being easy. The image of a yoke is a very good one for me to use in meditation. There are two uses of yokes, both of which are important to understand. A single yoke is used on an animal so that the weight of a heavy load is spread out over several points, not just where a rope or strap would be wrapped

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-51890581875402191782011-07-10T15:29:00.000-04:002011-07-10T15:29:56.441-04:00

The beautiful parable in today's Gospel (Matthew 13: 1-23) speaks about different types of soil The sower scatters the seed on the path, rocky ground, shallow soil, among thorns and also in rich soil. It seems rather crazy to waste the seed, but farming methods are quite different today. Farmers now realize that it is best to first prepare the soil, then plant the seeds. In the time of Jesus they

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-89894159292845228122011-07-09T10:50:00.000-04:002011-07-09T10:50:10.917-04:00

In the Gospel today, Jesus tries to provide assurances to the apostles (and to us) that God knows everything that happens to us, and that He lovingly cares about what goes on in our lives. There is, however, a difference between knowing, caring and manipulating. just because the all-powerful God knows what happens to us and is concerned does not mean that He interferes or causes things to happen,

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-21361861265190565902011-07-08T12:09:00.000-04:002011-07-08T12:09:48.325-04:00

I'm baaack! Sorry for the lapse in posting, folks. Life has a way of overwhelming you sometimes, and some family issues have kept me a little too busy. My mom completed her radiation treatment and finished her time in the rehab center. She is now back in her own home and doing pretty well, so you and I are able to be together again and take up our task of celebrating God's blessings in our lives.

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-6265182091071884522011-06-17T14:20:00.000-04:002011-06-17T14:20:59.054-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 6: 19-23) is a command to all of us to make sure we have our priorities straight. So many people have investment planners, accountants, "life coaches", and all sorts of others who are employed to help them make sure they are able to enjoy "the good life". But this good life is a fantasy. There are no guarantees that the money you invest today will be there tomorrow. Just

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-34699948582125052632011-06-16T11:07:00.000-04:002011-06-16T11:07:33.534-04:00

It seems a little funny to hear the Lord tell His followers not to babble. It makes me have an image of a group of people who are all talking at once, with none of them able to make sense. Hew was very directive about the way they should pray. The formula He gave (what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer" is pretty succinct and to the point. It gives us not only words but also a model for all

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-38651567279322809112011-06-08T13:58:00.000-04:002011-06-08T13:58:35.293-04:00

When Jesus prayed to the Father "that they may be one just as we are one" (John 17:11), He realized that this unity would come about because He had given his disciples "your word". In reflecting on this passage, I see that the two - unity and the word- are intertwined. When some people think about the inspired word of God found in Sacred Scripture, they see it almost as a personal preserve. We

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-16970890515309092362011-06-06T16:18:00.000-04:002011-06-06T16:18:17.656-04:00

One of the promises made most often by the Lord to His disciples was "I will not leave you alone". At various times He promised that "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in your midst"; "I will not leave you orphans"; "I am with you, even to the end of the world". Today we hear of the importance of the presence of the Lord through his Holy Spirit, as Paul called down the Spirit

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-30946560856011190112011-06-03T10:11:00.000-04:002011-06-03T10:11:29.911-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 16: 20-23) the Lord tells his followers (and us) that sometimes you have to suffer in order to get to the reward. Every pro football player knows this, since no one, no matter how much natural talent they have, you cannot win the Super Bowl without long, hard hours of practice and intense commitment, despite wanting to do other things. I think that the same applies to our

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-25484117557677414882011-06-02T09:45:00.000-04:002011-06-02T09:45:33.681-04:00

In some places, today is the celebration of the Ascension of the Lord. Here in the Diocese of Wilmington, we will celebrate the Ascension this Sunday, so today's readings are from the regular Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter. The Gospel (John 16:16-20) is an amusing interplay between Jesus and His followers. The back and forth of "a little while and you will not see me, and again a little

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-44547117977494444842011-05-27T09:48:00.000-04:002011-05-27T09:48:58.861-04:00

Today's Gospel (John 15: 12-17) contains what is probably the most appropriate passage of Scripture as we begin the Memorial Day Weekend here in the USA. "No one has greater love than this", say the Lord: "to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." Sadly, most people will see this weekend as a time to relax, enjoy family and friends, have a cookout,maybe go to the beach, but will  not stop for

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-13028139433790823882011-05-26T09:27:00.000-04:002011-05-26T09:27:09.398-04:00

Whenever Jesus speaks about love, as in today's Gospel (John 15: 9-11), it is always meant to be put into practice. And that is usually where we find difficulty. The early Church was no different. The beautiful passage from the Acts of the Apostles that is the First Reading for today's Mass shows us not only the difficulty, but also the way to see through it. A dispute had arisen in the community

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-36086229056739360492011-05-25T15:54:00.000-04:002011-05-25T15:54:20.974-04:00

The beautiful image of the vine and the branches found in today's Gospel (John 15: 1-8) has a wonderful phrase that bears reflection. In speaking of those branches that "bear fruit", Jesus speaks of the Father pruning them so that they can bear more fruit. I like this because it help me get through the times when it seems as if things are not going so well. I have to be honest, sometimes I feel

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-16402910584187753672011-05-24T11:59:00.000-04:002011-05-24T11:59:41.568-04:00

These words from John 14 are easier said than done! I don't know about you, but I often have an awful lot that "troubles" my heart. Whether in personal relationships, work, family, or just looking at the news, so many things bring unrest. How can you not be troubled by divorce, unemployment, sickness of a loved one, natural disasters? How is it possible that Jesus could say these words to us? I

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-12676741538240867962011-05-23T10:39:00.000-04:002011-05-23T10:39:37.029-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 14: 21-26), Jesus speaks of revealing Himself to those who love Him. This is seen as a result of the Father's love. It is like a great circle: I love Jesus, the Father loves me, Jesus loves me and reveals Himself to me, I love Jesus even more! And the best part of it is, like with any circle, you can jump in anywhere, since there is no beginning nor end! If you do not feel

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-62924373774054708042011-05-20T09:52:00.000-04:002011-05-20T09:52:31.419-04:00

I love today's Gospel passage! John 14: 1-6 relates the wonderful revelation by Jesus that "In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places" (or rooms, as some translations say). I think that most of us seek some place in which we are able to get away from others and be happy. Perhaps you were able to decorate your own bedroom as a child. This was your space, and you felt happy there. Having

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-37500873887851219002011-05-19T09:31:00.000-04:002011-05-19T09:31:37.140-04:00

The Psalm Response (Psalm 89) to our reading at today's Mass reminds us of something that is very important - we need to acknowledge the goodness of God. After having listened to Paul's account of God's care and concern for the people of Israel (Acts 13: 13-25), it is vital that we declare our eagerness to affirm what God has done. Unfortunately, too often instead of proclaiming "Forever I will

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-9756019420111769032011-05-18T09:38:00.000-04:002011-05-18T09:38:46.876-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 12: 44-50) Jesus tells us that "whoever sees me sees the one who sent me." It made me wonder - when people see me, who do they see? Now, I think I am a pretty good person. Not perfect, but pretty good. But I also know that some of those things that keep me from being perfect are pretty big. In reflecting on this, I have to admit that they can overpower the good that I

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-7083192765184518922011-05-17T11:04:00.000-04:002011-05-17T11:04:14.064-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 10: 22-30), Jesus states that "The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me". That is a powerful statement, and one that bears reflection. Our works give a testimony about what we see as important, what is worth our time and effort. Whether we think about the "work" we do as part of our employment, our hobbies, or the work around the house that occupies our time, what

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-42487745476680586982011-05-16T15:47:00.000-04:002011-05-16T15:47:49.320-04:00

The Lord uses a beautiful image in today's Gospel (John 10: 11-18). He speaks of having sheep in different folds, but that all will hear His voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd.  Now we have to remember that a sheepfold is a temporary holding pen. The sheep only stay there to sleep or to await sheering. Their natural place is out on the hills as part of a large flock. But this can

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-58591618242616934742011-05-15T18:23:00.000-04:002011-05-15T18:23:45.533-04:00

As we hear Jesus speaking about the image of a shepherd, He talks about recognizing the voice. shepherds were present at the birth of every sheep in the flock, so that they could be imprinted with the shepherd's voice. Since it was difficult to distinguish one sheep from the other, the shepherd relied on the sheep to come to him when he began calling them. This was especially useful when sheep

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-66801693314295011432011-05-12T09:43:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:31:08.434-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 6: 44-51), Jesus uses this quote from Isaiah as the foundation for the teaching that He is the Bread of Life. By beginning with the point that "they shall all be taught by God" and then teaching them, He is claiming a legitimacy that is uniquely His. But what about us? What are we to take from this passage? I believe that, if we think about it, our faith was really taught

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-58569884842198299272011-05-11T08:19:00.000-04:002011-05-11T08:19:28.486-04:00

In today's Gospel (John 6: 35-40), Jesus speaks of the will of the Father. And He is very clear in stating precisely what that will is: "that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life". Eternal life, then, is the ultimate goal that God has in mind for each of us. Now as human beings, we are unique in all of earthly creation. No other earthly creature has a free will.

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-56058157405122872912011-05-10T09:28:00.000-04:002011-05-10T09:28:09.439-04:00

Today we hear about the murder of Stephen, one of the first deacons appointed by the apostles in the early Church. Chapters 7 and 8 of the Acts of the Apostles recounts the story of his martyrdom, brought about because he would not cease preaching about Jesus. He was trying to warn people to be ready for the return of the Lord and the judgement they would face, but the chief priests and elders

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-74301339286342913932011-05-09T12:53:00.000-04:002011-05-09T12:53:46.081-04:00

People in today's Gospel (John 6: 22-29) were impressed with the miracles of Jesus. In fact, they wanted to be able to do them as well. "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" The answer must have surprised them. Rather than instruction about how they could perform miracles, Jesus tried to make them realize that the "work of God" for them was different than for Him. God's work for them

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-61981902071687308402011-05-08T12:25:00.000-04:002011-05-08T12:25:53.148-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 24: 13-35) is the well-known story of the encounter between Jesus and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. We often focus on the idea of them coming to know Him "in the breaking of the bread" and speak about the importance of Eucharist. I would like to go on a different track - the importance of the Word, which Jesus Himself emphasized. You see, Jesus spent a good deal

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-32451824821758424432011-05-04T10:36:00.000-04:002011-05-04T10:36:52.074-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks. My mother had brain surgery and we were dealing with things on the home front. She is home and now recovering, so I thank you for your prayers and ask a continued remembrance in them for her. Today's Gospel (John 6:13-21) begins with the famous line "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-26456348418670643322011-04-28T11:22:00.000-04:002011-04-28T11:22:00.462-04:00

Now that Lent is over and we are celebrating Easter, Jesus has a special message that has to do with ... repentance! We normally associate this topic with Lent, but when the Lord appeared to His disciples after the Resurrection, as related in today's Gospel (Luke 24: 35-48 ), He instructed them that they were to preach "repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. It seems that it is not just a topic

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-66245330911342153022011-04-27T08:48:00.000-04:002011-04-27T08:48:37.280-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 24: 13-35) recounts the well-known story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and their encounter with the risen Lord. Right at the beginning of the story we are left with a question: "Why did they leave Jerusalem?" What was so important about getting to Emmaus that they would leave after hearing the astonishing news that the tomb was empty? Perhaps they were justifiably

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-717927054136751502011-04-26T10:38:00.000-04:002011-04-26T10:38:44.631-04:00

These words of Mary Magdalene, found in today's Gospel (John 20: 11-18), are powerful ones. But the words do not belong to Magdalene alone. I can honestly tell you that I, too, have seen the Lord! I have seen Him in the face of a father holding his newborn daughter in his arms. I have seen the Lord in the faces of migrant farm-workers who are striving to make a better life for their families. I

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-26014484012352813452011-04-25T19:09:00.000-04:002011-04-25T19:09:23.009-04:00

No, I am not trying to make up for mot posting yesterday. The Church celebrates for an octave (8 days) this important feats, and so each day is celebrated as Easter Day! The awesome implications of the Resurrection of the Lord could not possibly be given adequate reflection in just one day, and so we break it down into various aspects to celebrate these Easter days. Today we hear the story of the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-15273049913648332272011-04-22T11:26:00.000-04:002011-04-22T11:26:43.833-04:00

One of the most profound meditations on love I ever heard was shared by Chiara Lubich, founder of the Work of Mary (Focolare Movement). As she reflected on the question of when the Lord showed His love for us most intensely, she was given the insight that it was the moment on the cross when He exclaimed "My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?" Even though He no longer felt the presence of the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-43955942140790849732011-04-21T18:01:00.000-04:002011-04-21T18:01:33.274-04:00

Our celebration of the Triduum, the holiest days in our year, begins tonight with the Mass of the Lord's Supper. This helps us remember that the Lord did two very important things when He gathered with His followers for the last time before He died. The synoptis Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) speak of His gift of the Eucharist, His own Body and Blood, which are given to us as food for our

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-52084064159450931132011-04-18T15:53:00.000-04:002011-04-18T15:53:03.018-04:00

My thoughts today turn toward oil. I am not speaking about crude oil, with the outrageous price per barrel that it is now commanding, but rather the oil that will be blessed by bishops throughout the world in these last days before the Triduum begins. In our Diocese of Wilmington, we will celebrate the "Chrism Mass" this evening, and priests will gather to concelebrate with our bishop as he

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-1865094971982284732011-04-16T09:28:00.000-04:002011-04-16T09:28:28.722-04:00

As we enter into this most holy week of the Church's year, I think it is a good idea to use the week to make our spiritual lives better. The first step is to ask ourselves just what it is we want to accomplish in our spiritual lives this week. Just as we need goals in other areas of life (work, school, finances) so too we need to set spiritual goals, and Holy Week is a great place to start. You

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-24418612926896362322011-04-15T12:45:00.000-04:002011-04-15T12:45:09.203-04:00

In today's Gospel John 10: 31-42), the Lord speaks of performing the works of the Father as a sign that He is the Son of the Father. It seems to me that it is also a good way to prove that we also are children of God. But that means that we have to be doing God's work each and every day. I often wonder where the day goes, it passes by so quickly. And then, on reflection, I wonder just what it is

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-4434279397061275562011-04-12T10:35:00.000-04:002011-04-12T10:35:42.219-04:00

Today I would like to reflect briefly on the Old Testament reading from the book of Numbers (21: 4-9). It is part of the story of the Exodus, reflecting on the forty years that the Israelites spent in the desert. In this particular incident, the people were complaining and stating that they were better off in Egypt. This seems to be confirmed when they are plagued by serpents who are biting them.

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-85176005838729012792011-04-11T11:31:00.000-04:002011-04-11T11:31:09.219-04:00

Today's very famous Gospel (John 8: 1-11) tells the story of the woman who was caught in adultery. It is presented not as rumor or supposition, but as fact. She was caught "in the very act". Now there are several problems with her accusers. First of all, the Moses wrote in the law that both the man and woman were to be given a careful trial and, if found guilty, both were to be stoned. None of

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-65302422221801889262011-04-10T13:40:00.000-04:002011-04-10T13:40:05.657-04:00

The story of the raising of Lazarus (John 11: 1-45) has so much to reflect upon today. I want to concentrate on three things. First, the tomb. The tomb is where things that are dead are placed. It is dark, cold, and remote. The living are separated from it, such as with the stone in today's gospel. There are parts of each of our lives that are dead and need to be buried. Those parts that have

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-4745673809584686302011-04-04T15:01:00.000-04:002011-04-04T15:01:42.504-04:00

Sorry for the lapse, folks, I am in Hyde Park, NY, attending the 50th Anniversary of the Focolare Movement in North America, and have not been able to update the pages. I hope to be back on a regular schedule soon. Today's Gospel (John 4:43-54) speaks about the power of believing. We hear of a man, a "royal official", who comes to Jesus because his son is ill to the point of dying. The man begs

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-875004460026745942011-03-31T07:48:00.000-04:002011-03-31T07:48:47.928-04:00

The Lord makes it very clear in today's Gospel (Luke 11: 14-23) that we must decide whether we are with Him or not. There is no in-between, no neutral zone. Because, as the saying goes, not to decide is to decide. And there has never been a more important decision. Using the discussion about demons, Jesus instructs the crowd that there will be no division in His house. All must be on board if

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-39877561326231099152011-03-30T08:29:00.000-04:002011-03-30T08:29:07.352-04:00

With all the times that the Lord called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, people must have been getting the idea that He did not care about the law and that it did not really matter whether or not they followed it. This was something that the Lord felt a need to correct, and He does so in a strong way in today's Gospel (Matthew 5: 17-19). Not only does He state that the law will not pass away

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-45580019684190688562011-03-29T21:53:00.000-04:002011-03-29T21:53:10.048-04:00

The Lord today (Matthew 18:21-35) tells us that we must forgive "from the heart". This is a very powerful expression, because it goes beyond forgiving with our mouth or mind and gets to the most important place were forgiveness must be rooted. The heart is symbolic of the deepest part of our emotional and spiritual self. Forgiving from the heart signifies that we hold no grudge, harbor no doubt,

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-76988347873208448302011-03-28T09:22:00.000-04:002011-03-28T09:22:05.620-04:00

Did you ever watch children who do not want to listen to something cover their ears and begin to make make noise? They might sing, speak loudly or just make sounds in an effort to drown out the words they do not want to hear. Maybe it is a childish attempt at "plausible deniability", since if they do not "hear" it, it does not exist and they cannot be held accountable. Adults may not resort to

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-76406543919946377592011-03-25T10:34:00.000-04:002011-03-25T10:34:52.845-04:00

Today's celebration of the annunciation of the Lord highlights the wonderful event during which the angel proclaimed a special announcement from God to Mary. This announcement, that she was chosen to be the mother of His Son, was not a command. It was really more of a request, a revelation of His will for Mary, and one to which she acceded. In all of human history, this was undoubtedly the most

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-81577653475640644042011-03-24T09:35:00.000-04:002011-03-24T09:35:29.573-04:00

Today's Gospel (Luke 16: 19-31) really demands a response from us. Jesus, through use of a parable about a rich man and a poor man who both die, tries to get us to consider our lives. Since the rich man ignored the poor man on earth, the poor man is enjoying eternal happiness while the rich man eternal torment. When asked if the poor man can go to warn the rich man's brothers, Jesus makes a

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-21306329397961582922011-03-23T12:06:00.000-04:002011-03-23T12:06:09.076-04:00

Today's Gospel (Matthew 20: 17-28) has what seems to be an amusing story regarding  James and John. Their mother goes to Jesus and ask that they be given places of honor in His kingdom. When Jesus asks them if they are ready to accept what that will mean, they willingly affirm that they are prepared to "drink the chalice". Afterward, the other apostles are not happy about the event. The Lord

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-19123284289963319672011-03-22T16:35:00.000-04:002011-03-22T16:35:01.469-04:00

The Lord tells us to humble ourselves in today's Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12). In a world that always tries to tell us that being famous, important, rich, powerful is what we should all be striving for, His message is really going against the grain. But then, that is what Jesus usually did. In contrasting those who exalt themselves and those who humble themselves, the Lord shows in a really clear way

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-79888128014249955442011-03-21T11:00:00.000-04:002011-03-21T11:00:23.883-04:00

In today's Gospel (Luke 6: 36-38), Jesus has some strong and very difficult words for us. Be merciful. Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive. Each of these is a challenge by itself. Put them together and we have a real workout for Lent. But they are not intended to be simply a part of a seasonal "extra" that is practiced for six weeks. No, the Lord means for us to try and always live according

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-55803450188619029002011-03-18T14:40:00.000-04:002011-03-18T14:40:26.649-04:00

On this Friday in Lent, the Lord appropriately calls us to go beyond the minimum and really love others, even those with whom we may have reason to be angry. Certainly we would all be able to understand that we are not permitted to kill anyone, and i hope that it would never seriously enter our minds. But when He tells us that we should not show anger, and that if we do we will be liable to

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-84820364864380449152011-03-17T10:19:00.000-04:002011-03-17T10:19:17.361-04:00

Today's gospel (Matthew 7: 7-12) contains one of the more well known sayings of Jesus: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." But we have to be very careful when we read it, because it does not say that we will be given what we ask for, find what we seek or find what we expect on the other side of the door. The example He uses is

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-25630650036623091942011-03-16T14:27:00.000-04:002011-03-16T14:27:17.130-04:00

If you are anything like me, you probably have said to God at one time or another "Just give me a sign and let me know what to do." And it is not a new phenomenon, either. Jesus talks about it in today's Gospel (Luke 11: 29-32). He tells people that they will not be given any sign "except the sign of Jonah". Now Jonah was a prophet who was sent by God to Nineva, in order to tell the people they

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In today's Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15) we hear the Jesus teaching the disciples what we have come to know as the Lord's Prayer. It is probably the best known prayer in history, repeated millions of times each day. But I wonder if we realize just what we are asking in this prayer. Jesus was careful to point it out, highlighting the fact that prayer does have an effect. After giving them the formula,

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Today's Gospel is a vitally important one to remember. In it (Matthew 25: 31-46), the Lord lets his disciples and us know what is going to happen at the end of the world. The tag line, "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" can sometimes seem like a nice sentiment, but we forget that it is much more. This is the criteria that the Lord Himself says will be

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Today the Lord tells the scribes and Pharisees that "I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners." (see Mark 5: 27-32). A righteous person is one who is leading a morally right life. This was in response to their complaint that he was hanging around with sinners.We sometimes think the same way, forgetting that no one is living a perfect life. We tend to put ourselves into the

Father Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204969631863561855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1577125333218985771.post-15547419124431096882011-03-11T10:44:00.000-05:002011-03-11T10:44:41.684-05:00

We stand powerless before the Lord, asking deliverance for all those who are being affected by the earthquake in Japan. Between the destruction caused by the quake directly, and the devastation wrought by the tsunami that followed and is now surging toward the pacific rim nations, we need to pray - hard. If you needed a special intention for today's Lenten sacrifices, this is it, folks. Nothing

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The readings today make it very clear - we have choices to make! The first reading spells out the decision that people have to make. "Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom..." And it is clear in this passage (Deuteronomy 30: 15-20) that there are consequences to this decision. In the gospel (Luke 9:22-25), Jesus also makes it clear that we have to choose whether or

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Well, Ash Wednesday is here. And today you will see a lot of people marked with the ashes. It is puzzling to some why the Church gives us a gospel today (Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18) that seems to indicate that we should not make any changes to our appearance or mark ourselves to show that we are fasting, sacrificing, praying. a careful reading shows that Jesus did not say we should not "perform

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Today's Gospel contains the famous phrase "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto God what belongs to God" (Mark 12:17). It leaves us with an interesting question: "To whom do things really belong?" Property and possessions are important to us. We value our ability to have things. And we are very upset if someone take something that belongs to us. But I believe that the Lord was

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Sorry for the delay in posting, everyone. After the trip home it has taken me a while to get back into the swing of things. Today's gospel has Jesus talking about rejection. This is probably something most people have felt at one time or another. And sadly it is also probably something that most of us have done at one time or another. The funny thing about rejection is, even if it is for a

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Today I had the opportunity to visit three priests who are now very old, but were each a vital part of a worldwide movement. Pasquale, Oreste and Fons were three of the most important priests in the history of the Focolare Movement. They helped not only get it organized but also worked throughout their lives to spread the word about trying to live in unity with one another and with Jesus. They

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Today's reflections is on harmony. We are probably most familiar with this term in referring to music. It is when various notes are sounded that fit together so that the sum is more than the individual parts.But is applies to more than just music. People, too, are called to live harmonious lives. When many people live in unity, you have harmony. And living in harmony with God is our highest

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I was always under the impression that once I was a "grownup", my need to study would end. Nothing could be further from the truth. I find myself having to study things all the time, because there are always new things to learn. Now I have to admit, most of the time I study things because I need to learn about them for a practical reason. Studying the use of technology, for example, was motivated

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I was really challenged today to consider the reason for my labor. Certainly as a priest I try to bring people closer to God. But so often my daily work, the everyday things I do, can seem unconnected to that goal. When you think about the gospel today (Mark 10: 28-31), it is clear that Jesus spoke about doing things for His sake "and for the sake of the Gospel". This should be part of the

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