REFLECTION SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME FEBRUARY 23-24, 2019 “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Jesus tells us over and over again throughout the gospels that we need to forgive those who offend us, who hurt us and those we love. But forgiveness can be difficult. Holding on […]
Dear Friends: Today we hear a rather lengthy gospel from Luke 6:27 – 38. Luke spends most of this writing telling us how we are to love each other. There is encouragement to forgive even those who harm us or steal from us. This is very difficult for us to […]
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time February 16 and 17, 2019 The one enduring thread that holds all of Jesus’ teachings together is the Kingdom of God. If you are a regular reader of my reflections you may have picked up that I believe that this teaching of Jesus […]
Dear Friends: Today in Luke’s Gospel chapter 6:17, 20-26, we hear Luke’s rendition of the Beatitudes. It’s a very beautiful reading. It is also very eye-opening. We see Jesus siding with all those who are poor, those who are hated, hungry, weeping, or accused of being evil. This is one […]
Dear Friends: Today we hear from Luke’s Gospel 5: 1 – 11. This is Luke’s rendition of how the first Apostles were called to their ministry. Jesus is standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He sees two fishing boats and notices that the men are washing their nets. They have […]
REFLECTION FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME FEBRUARY 9-10 2019 “The nearer we draw to God, the more we see ourselves as sinners” said Abbot Martos, an early desert father. When we see ourselves as we really are and let God see us as we are, we are led to […]
REFLECTION Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time February 2-3, 2019 Do you remember when your parents would try to tell you something but you wouldn’t listen? Then someone else, sometimes a stranger, would tell you the same thing and you would follow their advice? Some of us have had […]
Dear Friends: Our Gospel story today comes from Luke 4:21 – 30. The church gave us just a snippet of what was said at the end of last week’s Gospel. “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” The quote Jesus was referring to came from Isaiah 61:1 – […]
REFLECTION THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME January 26-27, 2019 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me…” Jesus is fully human and fully divine. Have you ever wondered at what point in his life Jesus began to understand his divine nature, his identity as […]
Dear Friends: Today our Gospel reading is taken from the first chapters of Luke where he quotes from Isaiah. It’s the passage that talks about bringing good to the poor, liberty to captives and sight to the blind. In our story today, Jesus has returned to Nazareth where he grew […]