General
Reflection on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
When I think of Mary, the first image to pop into my head is still that of a lovely white young woman in white and blue clothing with hands together…
Read MoreReflection on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family who fled for their lives into a foreign land, much like the journey of so many others who are displaced in…
Read MoreReflection on the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 7:10-14 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24 Put on your reading glasses and take another look at the Scriptures for today. You will see how early in content they are in…
Read MoreReflection on the Third Sunday of Advent
The theme this third Sunday of Advent, like all of Advent itself, is about expectations. Those of you who have heard me talk before will expect a short explanation of…
Read MoreReflection on the Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 The days are getting darker, still, and will for another two weeks. It gives me hope in these…
Read MoreReflection on the First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 2, Romans 13, Matthew 24 When I read this Sunday’s Gospel earlier in the week, I thought that, in some metaphorical way, it speaks to the current situation in…
Read MoreReflection on Thanksgiving Day
It’s pretty easy to feel good with today’s Old Testament readings. Gone are the wars and bloody battles where God has a favored side. There’s no strife or conflict. No…
Read MoreReflection on the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Sometimes, when I stand in Lebanon, Ky., holding a sign on Wednesday mornings, I have said the rosary. One day recently, I said, I believe in – long pause. What…
Read MoreReflection on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading the first reading and the Gospel I was reminded of our human tendency, over thousands of years, to attribute to God or gods (depending on the particular beliefs) everything…
Read MoreReflection on the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Today’s readings are a wonderful collection of literary styles from Ezekiel’s visionary magical realism to the poetry of Psalm 46, the metaphor from Paul, and finally, a dramatic narrative about…
Read MoreReflection on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day)
When I was in the seminary taking homiletics, our professor told us that our listeners would likely not remember everything we said in a homily and so he advised that…
Read MoreReflection on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sirach 35: 12 Paul to Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18 Luke 18: 9-14 Luke was a master storyteller. When reading today’s Gospel, remember that the setting for the dialogue was the…
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