A few days ago, my wife Sheila and I were at our local warehouse store (and no, we were not buying a five-year supply of toilet paper :-). It was quite busy, and many people in the checkout line had their carts filled with cases of bottled water. They would push their carts out to […]

Readings: Exodus 17: 3-7; Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8; John 4: 5-42. This time of year in California it is common to check the newspaper not only for Spring Training baseball scores ( 😊 ) but also for reports on the accumulated snow pack on the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Interest in snow accumulation so far north

“…we are facing a global health emergency that is like nothing we have seen in our lifetimes. But our hope is in the Lord and we know that he will give us his grace and mercy in our time of need.” -Archbishop José H. Gomez Archdiocese of Los Angeles President of US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Second Sunday of Lent and today we hear in the Gospel reading from Matthew about the story of the Transfiguration. Jesus went to a remote mountain with three disciples (James, John, and Peter) to prayer and there was a vision of the exalted Christ alongside Elijah and Moses. On the mountaintop, the three disciples got

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