Be Wise; Follow Jesus and Live His Word (Wis 7:7-11; Psalm 90; Heb 4:12-13; Mk 10:17-30) *************************************************** When the late Paulo Ehle OMI returned from ministering in Brazil for a visit, I apologized for not staying more in touch with him. He replied simply, “The Portugese have a saying: ‘What you spend your time and […]

Hearing and Keeping the Word (Ga 3:22-29; Ps 105; Lk 11:27-28) ********************************************** In a way, all three readings today are about the Word of God. The first reading has a unique way of saying all of Creation is under the bondage of original sin – “scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin.” […]

Holding Nothing Back (Gal 3:6-14; Ps 111; Lk 11:15-26) ******************************************* “After Jesus had cast out a demon…” This Gospel passage seems to refer to Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons. Visionary Ann Catherine Emerich claims after Jesus had converted Mary, she relapsed and her last condition was worse than the first. […]

The Freshness of Our Faith (Ga 2:1-2,7-14; Ps 117; Lk 11:1-4) *********************************** The movie Risen imparts to the viewer a glimpse of the freshness and hopeful newness the resurrection of Jesus brought to the early disciples, and to the whole world eventually. Lines spoken in the movie like “He is everywhere!” “Love is our only weapon,” […]

Our Choice: Dopamine or Jesus? (Gal 1:13-34; Ps 139; Lk 10:38-42) ************************************** “There is nothing we humans crave more, fear more, and fumble more than intimacy.” This statement by David Hassell S.J., author of Dark Intimacy, provides the context for today’s readings. As human beings, we all have a double yearning: for intimacy, and for […]

Grateful for Everything (Col 3:12-17; Ps 113; Mt 7:7-12) ******************************************** Years ago, a comment made by a monk I overheard passing by a television set caught my attention and stayed with me ever since: “A grateful person is a happy person.” That comment aligns closely with another statement that came my way: “If, at the […]

God’s Wildest Dream Gen 2:7-8, 18-24; Psalm 128; Heb 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16) ********************************************************* A little boy opened the big family Bible and leafed through the pages. When he saw an old leaf pressed in between the pages, he called out to his mother, “Mom, look what I found.” When she asked what, he replied with […]

Discipleship: A Test of Faith – Memorial: St Francis of Assisi (Job 19:21-27; Ps 27; Lk 10:1-12) ***************************************************** A priest who was addressing his sermon on Jesus especially to the kids in the congregation, started by describing an imaginary special person who was very kind, good, loved all people and helped everybody, etc. As he […]

Following Jesus into the Kingdom (Job 9:1-16; Ps 88; Lk 9:57-62) ************************************* The kingdom of God, discipleship, priorities, sacrifice, witness, redemptive suffering and prayer are a sequence of themes making up the readings today. The kingdom of God is the underlying reality of the gospel, revealing again the main focus and interest of Jesus in […]

Humble Trust: Memorial of the Guardian Angels (Exodus 23:20-23; Ps 91; Mt 18:1-5, 10) ************************************************** A young boy asked his parents to be alone with his newly born baby sister. The parents listened in and heard him say to his little sister, “Quick, tell me what God is like. I’m starting to forget.” That little […]