Scripture Reflections

Delve into the Jewish origins of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus, unveiling the deeper meanings of the Christmas story.

It appears that John the Baptist had doubts about Jesus when faced with great suffering. He wondered “Should we look for another?”

John the Baptist is an unexpected person, in an unexpected place, with an unexpected message. The same can be true for us.

Is the kingdom of God here? There are many ways we can say “Not Yet!” But, because of Christmas, the answer is also “Now!”

Peter failed. We all fail. But when we meet the risen Lord, there’s really only one thing he is going to ask us.

The resurrection is big news. But St. Paul reminds us that this big news spreads in small ways, like yeast in dough.

The chants sung during the veneration of the cross today remind us how bad things really are and why we can call this day good.

Watching a loved one suffer can leave you feeling helpless. The Passion of Jesus reminds us of the power in standing by a suffering friend.

St. Paul says that, more than anything, he desires to know Christ, to grasp Jesus. But he also rejoices that Jesus first grasped him.

We tend to keep going in our current direction. It takes an outside force to reverse course. In the spiritual life we call this grace.

Mary’s heart was open and docile to the will of God. We should pray that our hearts and those of the whole world would be like hers.

As I was climbing the Appalachian Trail through the Smoky Mountains, one chant kept me going. Not Aquinas or Palestrina… Dory.

Like Jesus, I’m headed to the wilderness for Lent. 70 miles backpacking the Appalachian Trail. There are lessons to learn in the wilderness.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and today’s liturgy reminds us that it is also the start of a great spiritual military campaign.

Many of our sins are similar to the fruit of a tree. If you want to change the fruit, you’ve got to heal the root.

If you’ve been hurt, the natural instinct is to want to get even. Mercy is the supernatural practice that breaks the cycle of hurt.

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain. But he has been raised! We are now destined for eternal life, and that should make a difference in how we live each day.

When it seems like we’re at the end of what we can endure, Jesus asks us to lower the nets one more time. Trying just once more with God’s help results in a miracle.

Love is patient and bears all things. At least it should. Love is a choice to remain committed to the good of another. We might fail to live up to this but, with God, love never fails.

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Our country was founded on these ideals. Are we living up to them?

When faced with difficulty, we need to do three things: pray, do whatever we can for ourselves, and then trust that God has got things under control.

Christians are to be a light of revelation to the world. Yet our lives can sometimes reveal that the world is more important than God.

Recent years have left many feeling vulnerable and powerless. This is exactly how Jesus came. Like Jesus, we are also protected.

When most animals are born, they quickly get up and walk. Humans take a lot longer. And that’s part of God’s plan.

When St. Francis created the original Christmas nativity scene in the year 1223, he insisted that there be an ox and a donkey. Here’s why.

Mary believed the message of the angel Gabriel. She believed the prophets and scriptures. She trusted God, and so should we.

Gaudete is a command to rejoice. But to understand why we should rejoice, we need to understand another Latin word.

The coming of Jesus was prepared for since Adam and Eve left the Eden. Part of that preparation was preparing Mary to be the Mother of God.

It’s dangerous to be sick and not know it. If we’re spiritually sick, God will find a way to let us know. We may be exiled, but we can return.

If things seem like winter in your life, don’t panic. Lift up your soul. Get ready to run. God will definitely come. He is to be expected.