Praying is Preparing Have you ever known anyone who just seems to ooze hospitality? This person just happens to have a charger if you need one, or an extra sweatshirt or jacket when you are chilled. Maybe $20 for gas or food gets slipped in your pocket or added to your Venmo. A smile might greet you on an especially [...]
After the beautiful celebrations of All Saints and All Souls, we continue to raise our hearts toward heaven as we approach the end of the liturgical year. During these final weeks, the Church invites us to meditate deeply on the last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell. Today’s readings remind us that Jesus is coming again in glory. But how [...]
Got Attitude for the Beatitudes? When the children lived at home and we had a house guest, we invited visitors to participate in our family prayer time. As one way to record their visit, we pulled out our gratitude journal, and everyone, including the guest, named events or things for which we were grateful. But when one particular guest stayed [...]
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, One of the most beautiful celebrations in the Catholic Church during the month of November is the Feast of All Saints, followed by the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, commonly known as All Souls’ Day. These two celebrations are like the two sides of the same coin: distinct, yet inseparable. They remind us [...]
Heart, Soul and Mind The trouble with us humans is we are far too human. By that I mean we fail, we make mistakes, we freely choose to do the wrong thing, we ignore the big picture, we don’t dig deeper, we miss the point — in other words, our very nature is fallen, it’s broken, it’s a mess. But [...]
When a Pharisee asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest, Jesus responds by giving two commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Although these commandments are found in the Old Testament, Jesus brings them together and shows us that they are inseparable. Our love for God must be expressed [...]
What is God’s There is a Bible verse on my calendar for the current month that states, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be" (Matthew 6:21). The "treasures" of Earth eventually fade and pass away. In today's Gospel, we encounter the Herodians and Pharisees joining together against Christ. The treasure in this case, a coin, had the [...]
Today, we celebrate a special occasion in the life of the Church: the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday, established by Pope Pius XI in 1926. This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Leo XIV, is “One in Christ, United in Mission.” For a century, Catholics throughout the world have united in prayer, sacrifice, and generosity to support the Church’s missionary [...]
Are You Ready for the Feast? How married are you to the idea that Jesus is your Savior? How open are you to the invitation extended to everyone as Jesus died upon the Cross and then rose again, conquering sin and death? How prepared are you to RSVP and, more importantly, arrive prepared to enjoy the feast? Jesus teaches with [...]
Brothers and sisters, today the Word of God presents us with a beautiful image: a banquet prepared by God. Isaiah tells us that the Lord prepares on His holy mountain a feast of rich food and choice wines for all peoples. It is a feast of joy, salvation, and communion with God. God does not prepare this banquet for a [...]