Reflections on the Sunday readings from the Catholic Lectionary for Mass. Includes homilies, sermons, and other thoughts.
We often think of the Holy Spirit being made known by powerful deeds and miracles, like at Pentecost. However, there is another important experience of the Spirit that I consider …
It seems like today would have been such a sad day in the life of the Apostles. After 3 years of being with Jesus every day and 40 days with …
As we read about the spread of the gospel in the Acts of the Apostles, it’s easy to forget that the impetus that first caused this going forth was a …
In today’s Gospel, St. Philip the Apostle gets his moment to shine. When he gets the chance to ask Jesus for the thing he most wants, he says that he …
Jesus is the good shepherd. When he left this earth, he desired that we his sheep would still be able to hear his voice. Actually, to be compared to sheep …
Jesus is back! What great news. We all naturally accept the resurrection as the best news the world has ever known, but would it have automatically been this way for …
“You know what has happened!” So Peter tells us in the first reading. Jesus has been raised from the dead. We’ve heard the reports. Peter and John both saw the empty …
Tonight we read the stories of how God has orchestrated this elaborate plan of salvation. Beginning with the creation of the world and the great covenants of the Old Testament, …
The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus was crucified on the “Preparation Day” for the Passover. Since no work could be done on the Sabbath, Friday was always a …
In the Jewish ritual of Passover, a boy asks the father leading the meal a famous question, “Why is this night different from every other night?” The father is to reply …
Today’s liturgy seems to move so quickly. We move from our joyful entrance with shouts of Hosanna to Jesus been crucified and dead in the tomb all in just about …
“For as true man he wept for Lazarus his friend, and as eternal God raised him from the tomb.” – from the Mass of the 5th Sunday of Lent One …
In today’s gospel Jesus works a great miracle. He gives sight to a man born blind. Yet when we read this story, it seems that the actual miracle only makes …
This week, I visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City to view a special exhibit of photography. The pictures displayed were all of people, but not your typical …
I love the view from the top of a mountain. You can see everything so much more clearly. In today’s gospel, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to the top …
Today’s readings show the history of sin and redemption. We see how sin entered the world, how Jesus wins the victory… and we can too.
In today’s Gospel Jesus asks his disciples to pay attention to what they see in creation. “Look at the birds in the sky,” he says. “Learn from the way the …
People often wonder what a celibate priest could know about marriage. On the surface, it seems like a fair question. But when you really think about it, a priest has …
As a Boy Scout of 30 years now, I readily admit that I love camping. One of the things I most enjoy is seeing all the stars at night. When …
Have you ever had the experience of standing up for some true but difficult teaching of Jesus, only to have someone call you a hypocrite because of your own failures? …
Why all the fighting and factions? It’s good to be passionate, but make sure that you’re fighting for something worthy.
You can tell a lot about a person by how they spend their time. Want to know what’s most important in your life? Just look at your calendar.
There’s a lot to celebrate today. The homily looks at several of the key themes to keep in mind, including Jesus getting his name.
It was said of Scrooge that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge. But he didn’t start out this way…
In the face of problems, God does not promise a quick fix, but to be Emmanuel, God with us. He may not fix it, but he’s always with us.
Even Catholics who go to Mass regularly sometimes have a problem with confession. Today’s homily offers some helpful tips.
When we think of Christmas, we normally think of the Christmas Tree. Today’s readings give us two other trees to think about this Advent.
As Advent begins, this homily considers how the ancient gesture of the priest and people facing “East” for Mass reminds us where we’re going.
We’ve spent a lot of time lately focusing on political power and who should be allowed to exercise power. In some ways, the same questions that have existed from the …
The readings this weekend remind us of the reality of heaven. There really is life after death. The brothers in our first reading are willing to lay down their lives …
Today we give thanks for the priesthood, instituted by Jesus Christ, and continuing to bring his power to the world 2000 years later. When we think of priests, we probably think …
For the past six weeks, we have been reading from the letters of St. Paul to Timothy. Today we come to the end of these letters, wherein Paul gives us …