Today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew is the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. It begins by stating: “Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and afterward he was famished.” Sounds like an understatement to me! After forty days without food! So what is the point and why did Matthew have Jesus begin …
So again, why Lent? Doesn’t it seem phony trying to pray more, give more to the poor and abstain from excesses of food or drink or entertainment? Doesn’t it sound like those long-forgotten New Year’s resolutions? Lent is not about feigning concern either for God, the poor or our prayer life but a season which …
For those of you, who like me, maybe experiencing some of the aches and pains of getting a bit older, we know we have the resources to address most of the little bumps in the road we experience. Spending time working in a garden, or on hands and knees with children and grandchildren can reveal …
I have the pleasure of reaching out to donors from time to time, and no matter the size of a gift I often hear “I wish I could do more!” As this New Year begins, there is one way to ‘do more’, that will have no impact on your current financials. Some people think that …
Over the years, on visits to Mission sites I have picked up nativities. And when people think of you as collecting something, they add to the collection as gifts. As a result, I have beautiful Nativities from Thailand, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and more. Each unique, in size and in the number of pieces. …
READINGS: ISA. 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24. Only three days before Christmas and the tension, excitement is everywhere, at least among Christians. But what is it all about? Sometimes in the frantic rush to purchase gifts, prepare holiday meals and dash off Christmas letters it is easy to get overwhelmed and forget what we are …
READINGS: Isa. 35: 1-6a.10; James 5: 7-10; Matthew 1:2-11 Patience and joy are two themes stressed in today’s readings and, for many, this may seem like a very unlikely combination. What does patience have to do with joy? And, perhaps more to the point, why should we be patient as there are just so many …
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Luke 1:28) These words of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary help us know the unique gift Mary was given. As we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception we celebrate Mary, the daughter of St. Joachim and St. Anne, and the mother of our savior Jesus. We celebrate God’s …
Readings: Isa.11. 1-10; Romans15: 4-9; Matthew 3:1-12 Congratulations we are on the Second Sunday of Advent. I know that in the hubbub of Christmas preparation our minds can sometimes be distracted, even at Sunday liturgy. So, for this reason, it would be good to focus on a few phrases from today’s readings that are beautiful …
“In Thee Oh Lord I have put my hope. Never let me be confounded.” These are the last words of Saint Francis Xavier who, in 1927, was named along with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, co-patron of all foreign missions. St. Therese Lisieux prayed for missionaries, yet never left her cloister convent. St. Francis Xavier was known …