A Crisis of Identity
The world needs the Good News of the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Pope Francis tells us, “The Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is now in the Lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us.”
Living In Love
The Early Church wrestled with questions of inclusivity and what should be expected of the growing number of non-Jewish believers. So, they came together, prayed, and listened to one another to discern how the Holy Spirit was at work in the Church.
A Love That Is Unconditional, Sacrificial, and Permanent
In today’s gospel, Jesus encourages us to love one another as he has loved us. He showed this love by his willingness to be humiliated, scourged, and crucified for our sins. It is precisely this type of love that Christ is calling us to express in our everyday lives.
Learn to Hear with Your Heart
There are many voices that call for our attention. We are pulled in hundreds of directions trying to give our full attention to those voices and addressing their needs. Jesus’ voice is that tiny, still voice that speaks in the silence of the heart.
What We Bring to the Fire
God doesn’t just allow us to drag our dead fish to his already blazing fire — he tells us to. He accepts our offering — our good works, our suffering, our praise, our love. He accepts everything we have to give, and then He sits with us, and He gives us a job to do.
The Divine Mercy of Jesus
On Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate God’s abundant mercy. It may be hard to remember that we live in Jesus’ victory over sin and death; however, if we fail to embrace heaven here, we may miss the opportunity altogether.
The Mission Did Not Fail!
Ponder the most significant stone or boulder in your life. Do you believe you have a future despite what is before your eyes? When Life Eternal touched the disciples, they were transformed. No longer were their eyes cast down or gazing in the past. God always brings life.
In the Shadow of the Cross
It would be easy to see the triumphal tone of the entrance into Jerusalem as a grand conclusion of Jesus’ mission. But, as we know, his mission, his journey did not end there. And it is here, that Jesus shows us the way we are to go: the way of humility.
The Love that Casts Out Fear
A woman who had been caught in adultery is dragged before Jesus. The penalty for her sin is that she be stoned to death. As Jesus sees the woman dragged to him, he probably cannot help but think that soon this same crowd would be dragging him.
Mercy, Compassion, Generosity, and Patience
The story of the Prodigal Son is familiar to all of us. It’s interesting to note the verbs used to describe the action of the two groups Jesus is speaking to: the first group “were drawing near,” while the second “began to complain.”
Confession and the Fig Tree
In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus speaks of repentance and gives the parable of the fig tree. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we find the gardener who will not give up on us, as we kneel before the mercy of God — again and again and again.
It Is Good We Are Here
The mystical works of our unfathomable God are often unexplainable and even inconceivable, yet that does not make them any less magnificently true! As the apostles saw Jesus transfigured upon the mountain, but we glimpse his glory in the Eucharist.