Words of Encouragement
Dear Brothers and Sisters, In this section Jesus carries on the image of forgiveness and humility by giving the disciples a framework for seeking and giving forgiveness to one another. Here the...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, If we step back for a few paragraphs Jesus now begins to introduce the notion that he will suffer and die and in today’s text he speaks to his disciples about their...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This text brings us to the center point of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus and his disciples have walked twenty miles from the northern point of the Sea of Galilee to the...
Brothers and Sisters, Tyre and Sidon were twin cities that sat on the Mediterranean coast. They were Phoenician cities and mainly gentile in population. They had their roots in ancient Canaan, hence...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Jesus has fed the multitudes and they are going to once again across the sea. He sends his disciples ahead in a boat so that he can dismiss the crowds and spend time in...
Dear Brothers and Sisters: This week we hear the Gospel of the Loaves and the Fishes. It is one of my favorite Gospel miracles. Jesus feeds a multitude of people with a few barley loaves and some...
Brothers and Sisters, What a marvelous and amazing find a lost or hidden treasure is. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Who wouldn’t sell everything they have in order to obtain that field? Jesus’...
Brothers and Sisters, You would not think that it would be an issue, but the sabotaging of crops happened quite frequently in ancient times. In fact, there are severe penalties enshrined in Roman...
Brothers and Sisters, Parables are stories that make a point and teach a lesson. The illustrations can be humorous and even farfetched, but their purpose is to prove a point and make us think. Jesus...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Only in three places in Matthew’s Gospel do we have a glimpse of Jesus’ intimate prayer with the Father; today’s text, the agony in the garden and as he hangs upon the...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, If we go back to last week’s gospel, you will recall Jesus admonishing his disciples to not fold due to fear or pressure but remain resolute in proclaiming the gospel they...
Dear Brothers and Sisters: We have been focusing on the section of Matthew’s gospel where Jesus put’s forward the mission of the Twelve. He now comes to the portion where he shares some very heavy...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Our gospel text today has Jesus traveling throughout the towns and cities healing the sick and casting out demons. The Gospel also tells us about his emotional distress....
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we celebrate the Churches greatest gift, the Eucharist. Last week we celebrated the feast of who God is in himself, a Trinity of Persons, a knowable mystery. Today...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity – a feast that celebrates the mystery of God in who God is. Our Gospel selection today comes from early in Jesus’ ministry. He has...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Feast of Pentecost to each of you! This weekend I have the great honor to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on several adults from our community. What a joy to be...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, We have been focusing on the gospels of Easter over these last few weeks, but today as we prepare to close the Easter season our first reading takes us back to the...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, At this point in his Farewell Discourse which has been the source of our Gospel texts for the last few weeks, Jesus introduces a new and important element: Love leads to...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Have you ever heard the saying, “Home is where the heart is”? I think of that saying every time I read this scripture. The word Jesus used here for house, (oikia), often...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Good Shepherd Sunday! The image of God as a shepherd has deep roots in the scriptures, particularly in the words of the prophets as found in the Old Testament. Our...
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Our Gospel this weekend continues the Easter narrative. It is later in the day on Easter Sunday. Jesus has arisen and the word has spread, but for some it has added to...
