Background Music: Life, Love and Prayer “I live and you will live,” Jesus tells his disciples. You and I are both alive right now, so this seems easy to wrap our heads around. This is life, right? I’m living it right now. Is there more to life? The fullest life that Jesus reveals is so much more profound than we [...]
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” These are the words Jesus gives to his disciples and to us before his return to the Father. We cannot truly call ourselves his disciples if we do not listen to his words and strive to live by them. When we fail to do so, our lives become poorer, and we miss the [...]
Spiritual and Religious The question is often asked why you need religion at all. Can't you just be a spiritual person and go directly to God? Especially in the wake of scandal, doesn't it seem like all human institutions have failed in one way or another to transmit the Gospel to all people at all times? Years ago a very [...]
The Acts of the Apostles presents to us the growth of the first Christian community and how they addressed, in a peaceful and just manner, the problems that inevitably arose among them. As the community increased in number and diversity, tensions and misunderstandings also appeared. Yet, guided by the Holy Spirit, the apostles and the early believers chose dialogue, prayer, [...]
The Easter appearances reveal the Resurrection as a transforming joy that can be shared through the power of Jesus’ sacramental presence as Word, as broken Body, and as loving Friend. We now explore other aspects of his risen life. The news that Jesus, who was crucified, is now both Lord and Christ is so powerful that those who listened to [...]
Diligent Faith Around this time five years ago, our first granddaughter was baptized. Public gatherings were troublesome in pandemic days. Events that should have brought great rejoicing were muted by the fear of disease. Our pastor offered a private ceremony in which ten masked family members could attend. We stressed over who the ten should be. Our immediate family was [...]
The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is a story about the human heart. As the two disciples walked away from Jerusalem, they were talking about Jesus. They could not stop speaking about him, because he had filled their lives with hope, meaning, and joy. But now he was dead, and his absence left them sad and [...]
A Well of Mercy How I wish I could be Thomas at the moment when Jesus says, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side” (John 20:27). Thomas touched Divine Mercy when he touched Christ’s side. Jesus invited him to put his hand into the very wound from which blood [...]
The Gospel presents to us Jesus’ appearance in the Upper Room after the Resurrection. In this sacred moment, wonderful things unfold through his liberating presence. His first words are simple yet powerful: “Peace be with you.” This greeting brings deep joy and true peace: joy that dispels the fear and isolation of the Apostles, and peace that opens the door [...]
Beginning with the Easter Vigil, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the day when Jesus broke the chains of death and rose in triumph from the grave. He did this not for himself alone, but for all of us. He invites us to share in his great victory over sin and death, as Saint Paul [...]