This week we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints on Thursday, 1 November. It is a non-work day for us and we follow the Sunday schedule, so Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament will follow Vespers (5:30 PM). Friday is the annual Commemoration of All Souls. We […]

Readings: Ephesians 3:14-21; Luke 212:49-53 I have come to set the earth on fire…Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. The divisiveness described in today’s Gospel seems a very apt description of the current state of affairs. I look at the contradictory ways […]

Readings: Galatians 5:18-25; Luke 11:42-46 Dante called St. Luke’s the “Gospel of mercy.” However, were I one of the Pharisees or Scribes in today’s Gospel, I probably wouldn’t register “mercy” as Jesus levelled with me. It can be a relief to see Jesus express his anger, though that’s no justification for my own outbursts. What […]

Readings: Galatians 1:6-12; Luke 10:25-37 I recognize three strong emotions behind today’s parable, known as “the Good Samaritan.” The first is operative before the narrative begins: anger. There must have been anger–resentment against the system or family, frustration of being unable to get ahead–motivating the robbers who stripped and beat up this traveler to Jericho. […]

Today is the First Sunday of October and from today the monthly Eucharistic Adoration will begin an hour earlier at 3:00 PM. As always, it will continue through Vespers (5:30 PM), followed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. All are invited to join us.

Readings: Job 19:21-27; Luke 10:1-12 On one hand, Jesus’ instructions to the seventy-two disciples he is sending out ahead of him are very freeing. On the other hand, he does not pretend that they’ll evade rejection by following his directives. That’s part and parcel of being a disciple of Jesus; the Gospel is hardly a […]

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 1:47-51 Today’s Gospel refers us to Jacob’s encounter with God in his dream at Bethel–a place-name meaning House of God. It’s a worthy reference for the ministry of angels. In our liturgical tradition, we have blessings for persons, objects and places–which is logical enough. But in this tradition, the altar or […]

We have perhaps all had the experience of wanting to open a long-awaited letter and yet hesitated for fear of what it might contain—not the good news we were hoping for but the bad news we dreaded. Similarly, in our interpersonal relationships there can be important questions we wish to ask a parent, spouse or […]

Readings: Isaiah 50:4c-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35 We have so often used today’s Gospel to support the particular role of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church, that we might forget that it addresses every Christian and every Christian church, from the time of the Apostles to the end of time. It could be plausible […]

Scars are visible reminders of past injuries and sometimes a significant event or emotional story is associated with each scar. Jesus was no exception and in that memorable meeting with Thomas, he showed him the scars or wounds left by his passion thereby confirming the reality of his resurrection. The cross serves a similar purpose […]