Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe The proclamation today of Jesus’s crucifixion reminds us that this solemnity of Christ as King of the Universe is not what one imagines is appropriate for royalty. Here, we have no trumpet … Read More
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time In our line of work, it can be easy to fall into a spirit of pessimism, crankiness, stress, or general worry. Especially this time of year, when the pressures of the secular calendar, our home … Read More
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Much can distract us from the main point tying today’s readings together. The gruesome torture and killing of seven brothers and their mother might lead us down the path of talking about religious persecution, or … Read More
Solemnity of All Saints / The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed One of our most underused treasures is the Litany of Saints. Most of us pray it only at the Easter Vigil, unless there are no baptisms and the … Read More
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time My friends think my house is always neat and tidy. That’s because I only invite them over after I’ve spent hours cleaning up the mess and hiding everything else in closets, the oven, and behind … Read More
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time I used to believe that I was nothing like the Pharisee in today’s parable—righteously smug as he measured his piety against the “rest of humanity”—until I realized I loved the liturgy more than I loved … Read More
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time I spent three months in Panama City, Panama, trying to learn Spanish. There are parts of the city that cater to tourists, where streets and sidewalks are clean and trash is swept up daily by … Read More
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Being grateful to God is the core of our faith. We see this embodied in the great prayer of thanksgiving, the Eucharistic Prayer, which is described as the “center and highpoint of the entire celebration” … Read More
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time When I was eight, I joined the choir at my parish in Los Angeles because I was certain a talent scout would discover me and make me a star! I’m sure none of you had … Read More
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time There is a painting by 20th-century American artist Osvaldo Louis Guglielmi at the Milwaukee Art Museum titled “The Christening.” When I first saw it, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It’s not particularly … Read More