July 2, 2023: A Reflection for the 13th Sunday in OT, Yr A Matthew 10:37-42 Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. (Mt 10:39) Love, rewards, gifts, finding and losing, serving –what a rich Gospel we have today! What is it that is the well-spring from which it all bubbles forth and flows into our lives? To sum it up, we could…
June 25, 2023: A Reflection for the 12th Sunday in OT, Yr A Matthew 10:26-33 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Mt 10:31) Do not be afraid. Jesus tells us many times in the Gospel not to let anyone intimidate us – not to fear. It is a strong counsel that He gives us, but when we look into the reality of our lives,…
June 18, 2023: A Reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Matthew 9:36-10:8 … so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for the harvest. (Mt 9:37) One of the major themes in today’s readings is choice and call. In the first reading, God chooses Israel as his own special possession. Not because they were the largest of nations but by his call and…
June 11, 2023: A Reflection for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Yr A John 6:51-58 …and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. (Jn 6:51c) The body of Christ. Four simple words, but so all-inclusive. Jesus, before you returned to the Father after you completed the mission for which you were sent by him, you made sure that…
May 21, 2023: A Reflection on the Feast of the Ascension, Yr A Matthew 28:16-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Mt 28: 19-20) Mountains hold a special place in the Scriptures – both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels. Moses was given the Law,…
February 26, 2023: A Reflection for the Beginning of Lent Nourishment. Could we say that for St. Benedict providing proper nourishment for his monks was of key importance? Physical nourishment, of course. In how many places does he take care to provide for the young, the elderly, the sick and the community as a whole. Our bodies are to be given simple but wholesome food at regular intervals, with provision…
January 29, 2023: A Reflection for the 4th Sunday in O.T., Yr A The Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-12a Over the centuries and down to the present day, people have drawn their own renditions of what the face of Jesus was like. Not having cameras in Jesus’ time leaves us with the artists' brush and paint to depict how their inner eye sees Jesus’ visage. Today’s gospel gives us Jesus’ own picture…
January 22, 2023: A reflection for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Matthew 4:12-23 The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light. (Mt 4:13) As the days incrementally become longer and the night of winter learns to yield once more to light, we can feel nature, including ourselves, stirring in our depths to bring to life the fruit of light: life. Nature seems to stir…
"The Gift comes..." So we hear in a hymn from St. Ephraim. The Gift, still wrapped in the precious humanity of his mother, will soon be brought forth from her warm and nurturing womb to be among the children of the earth. To be swaddled, and cuddled, and cooed. To give great delight to Mary and Joseph at his first smile, as he lies contentedly on Mary's breast or gazes trustfully…
So far, we have spoken of fire coming down from the Bright Morning star to the earth and of our First Advent Candle holding that fire as light. Last week, our Second Advent Candle was symbolized by a meadow, open and receptive to the descent of life-giving rain, the mercy of God in the person of Jesus. This week, you, O Third Candle of Advent, are a smile, you radiate…
