A Blessing for Friends
Friendship is such a precious gift. When one finds a good friend, we find a pathway to God. I had written this blessing as a birthday gift for a good friend a while back. May it be a gift for … Read More
The desire for greatness
Readings for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time James and John get put in a bad light because of their request in today’s Gospel. How dare they seek glory by asking for places at Jesus’s side! However, Saint John Chrysostom, … Read More
The law of the community
Readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Rules can be hard to follow. On the other hand, they sometimes are too easy to break. We’ve all encountered a coordinator who goes absolutely “by the book” with no leeway for … Read More
What are you hoarding?
Readings for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time I hate to admit it, but I am a bit of a hoarder. I’m nowhere near the level of hoarding you see on reality shows where the health department and dump trucks … Read More
Be open to radical change
Readings for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Before they are baptized, an adult celebrates the ephphatha rite. In it, the presider touches the person’s ears and lips and says, “Be opened that you may profess the faith you hear, … Read More
What’s in a name?
Readings for the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Each of us probably has a story behind our name. On this solemnity, we hear the wondrous backstory of the naming of John the Baptist. I know it’s … Read More
Sign of life and of sacrifice
Readings for Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year B Blood is such a visceral thing. Seeing it out in the open usually means something is wrong. Blood simply is not meant to be outside of … Read More
The Trinity is a mystery even a child could understand
Readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year B About Liturgy Homilists often dread preparing the homily for this Sunday’s solemnity because it is so easy to get caught up in trying to explain either a mathematical conundrum … Read More
Blessing for a pastor or other staff person leaving the parish
When a pastor or other staff person leaves a parish, it is often a time of sadness, but also an opportunity to send them with our prayers and God’s blessings into whatever new community or ministry God is calling them. … Read More
Pentecost will not be tamed by our balloons
Readings for Pentecost Sunday, Mass during the day, Year B I would like to suggest that today’s popular image of Pentecost as the “birthday of the church” is not helpful. The problem comes when we start to associate the symbols … Read More