Category: Reflections

Readings:   Acts 6:1-7 Psalms 33:1-5, 18-19 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 What comfort Jesus’ words are, to His disciples and to us: “Do not let your heart be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” In a world of coronavirus, in a world where our pastor and beloved church have… Continue reading Fifth Sunday of Easter 2020

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (2020) Readings: Acts of the Apostles 2:14a, 36-41 Psalms 23:1-6 1 Peter 2:20b-25 John 10:1-10 This Sunday is often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, even though the lectionary curiously stops short (verse 11) of what is perhaps Jesus’ most famous “I am” statement: “I am the Good Shepherd.”  Instead,… Continue reading   FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (2020)

A GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY REFLECTION It would seem that Good Shepherd Sunday would be an appropriate time to reflect on the tenure of our chief shepherd of the Diocese, Bishop Frank Dewane.  When Bishop Dewane came to this Diocese he possessed little to no pastoral experience, having spent a number of years in Rome, where… Continue reading A GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY REFLECTION

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (2020) Readings:   Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22-28 Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 1 Peter 1:17-21 Luke 24:13-35 In addition to his contributions to the infancy narratives, the Evangelist Luke has some of the most memorable stories in Scripture: the story of the Prodigal Son, the story of the Rich Man… Continue reading THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (2020)

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER/DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY (2020) Readings: Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 A reminder at the outset that the liturgical implications for this Sunday, which we call the Second Sunday of Easter, set it apart from other sequential Sundays that are celebrated.  We celebrate the Octave… Continue reading SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER/DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY (2020)

EASTER SUNDAY/MASS DURING THE DAY (2020) Readings:   Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43 Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-9 Easter Vigil Gospel Matthew 28:1-10 In John’s Gospel, unlike Matthew’s version of the resurrection from the Vigil, Mary Magdalen visits the tomb of Jesus alone, in the darkness of early morning. What would… Continue reading EASTER SUNDAY/MASS DURING THE DAY (2020)

HOLY THURSDAY/MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER THE BEGINNING OF THE SACRED TRIDUUM (2020) Readings:   Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 Psalms 116:12-13, 15:16bc, 17-18 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-5 There was one experience of the Sacred Triduum that changed my life forever. It was the invitation of my dormitory’s Residence Director to several of us students to… Continue reading HOLY THURSDAY/MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER THE BEGINNING OF THE SACRED TRIDUUM (2020)

                REFLECTIONS OF A SIMPLE CATHOLIC ON PALM SUNDAY I am just a simple Catholic, ordinarily content to let the priest do the heavy lifting in Church during this holiest week of the church’’s year. The readings are admittedly lengthy, and they were always surrounded with what I… Continue reading                 REFLECTIONS OF A SIMPLE CATHOLIC ON PALM SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY (2020) Readings:   Processional Gospel - Matthew 21:1-11   Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 Philippians 2:6-11 Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Matthew 26:14-27:66 We are poised to cross the threshold into the holiest week of the Church’s year, but this year is going to feel dramatically different given the… Continue reading PALM SUNDAY (2020)

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT (2020) Readings: Exechiel 37:12-14 Psalms 130:1-8 Romans 8:8-11 John 11:1-45   The words that Martha (echoed by Mary a bit later in the gospel) speaks to Jesus in today’s gospel when Jesus finally shows up after Lazarus’ death might very easily come out of our own mouths: “Lord, if you had… Continue reading FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT (2020)