Category: Reflections

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday - January 19, 2020 The third Sunday of the Month of January, the Sunday often closest to January 22, the day in 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade (and with its companion piece, Doe v. Bolton) legalized abortion on demand in the entire United States. It… Continue reading Sanctity of Human Life Sunday – January 19, 2020

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (2020) Readings:   Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalms 29:1-4, 9-10 Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38 Matthew 3:13-17 The iconic announcement by his sidekick, Ed McMahon, always started the opening of late-night television and the beginning of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show: “Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny!” In many ways, the readings for… Continue reading The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (2020)

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019) Readings:   Malachi 3:19-20 Psalms 98:5-9 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Luke 21:5-19 Apocalyptic literature has a certain appeal in every age as evidenced by blockbuster movies and video games which speak about the end of the world by natural disaster or some kind of menacing invader. The Wester’s definition of… Continue reading THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Readings:   2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 Psalms 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5 Luke 20:27-38 The abbreviated story from the Second Book of Maccabees in our first reading is one of the more interesting stories in the entire Old Testament. In its complete form, with its rather vivid description… Continue reading THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)   Readings:   Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Psalms 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2 Luke 19:1-10 Jesus’ preferential option for the poor, the sinful, and the disenfranchised is nowhere stronger than in the gospel of Luke, often referred to as the Gospel of the Poor. In stories that are peculiarly Lukan,… Continue reading Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019) Readings: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 Psalms 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Luke 18:9-14 Like last week’s parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge, today’s parable of the self-righteous Pharisee and tax collector, is uniquely from the evangelist Luke. At this latter point in Luke’s gospel, as… Continue reading THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019) Readings: Exodus 17:8-13 Psalms 121:1-8 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8 We are accustomed to hearing Jesus’ parables and assigning the appropriate roles to individuals with whom we are familiar. Thus, if we appear in our lives to be like the widow, praying ceaselessly for “things to happen,” then it… Continue reading TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019) Readings: 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalms 98:1-4 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 There are those, many with a peculiarly conservative bent, who believe that you cannot come to God without an overwhelming sense of guilt. For them it is guilt that drives you to God, usually through the confessional door.… Continue reading TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019) Readings: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14 Luke 17:5-10 The boldness of the Old Testament prophets is striking, so striking that some might be inclined to accuse them of being less than respectful of the God they so often address. But the prophets managed to… Continue reading TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2019)

For and Against In the span of one week, at my job as a Church communications director, I had two people separately accuse me of completely opposite-and equally untrue-realities. One person sent me an online message implying I was ignorant at best and a heretic at worst for running a column in the diocesan newspaper… Continue reading For and Against