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Praised Be Jesus Christ, Our Risen King!
In the second volume of his Jesus of Nazareth writings, Pope Benedict XVI speaks about the Resurrection as “an evolutionary leap.” It is the opening up of a new life that Jesus has accomplished through His...
Today is the only day in the liturgical calendar that we have no celebration of the Eucharist. So, how shall we worship God today? It will take great courage to remain in the restlessness of today. It will be tempting to jump ahead to tomorrow....
Today is the quietest day in seminary, not only because it is a scheduled silent retreat, but also because we are caught up in our own sinfulness. On this day more than any other, I am confronted with the fact of my sinfulness, with all the times that...
When children want to express the extravagance of their love for their parents, or someone dear to them, they often extend their arms as wide as possible and cry out: “I love you this much!” That simple gesture suggests a child’s love for her...
“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Judas asks Jesus in today’s Gospel reading. Isn’t this question, almost declaration, what we ask each time we refuse to recognize the wrong we do? “It’s not that bad,” we assert, “I’m not really messing up.”...
La pasión y muerte de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, nos dirige a considerar dos cosas: la maldad de los hombres que estaban empeñados en acabar con el Justo, y el amor infinito de Jesús. El pecado es la entrada del hombre hacia la muerte, sin embargo,...
Come, let us join Mary at the feet of Christ. Let us not count the cost of our love. Let us run to our Lord for the days are coming when we re-enter the horrors of the Passion. For now, let us take the ointment from our fasting and prayer this season...
This is the week spring begins; the moon is full, and it is time again to celebrate our passing over with the Lord. On Palm Sunday, we bless palm branches and hear the account of Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem amid cries of “Hosanna.”...
Guardian of the Holy Family
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Scripture reveals that the Saint was a righteous man. Learning of his wife’s conceived child before they had lived together, he...
“But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” Jeremiah 20:11
It’s uniquely human to struggle and to doubt.
To go through life without occasions of doubt, to go through life without struggling...
Today the Church celebrates the life of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. St. Patrick was a missionary and bishop who was kidnapped at young age by Irish riders. The Saint later escaped slavery and returned to his homeland. Eventually, St....
In today’s first reading we hear the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing to worship or serve the King’s god. The King becomes furious, and had them bound and cast into the white-hot furnace. When the King looks into the fire, he is...
The Pharisees in today’s Gospel are confronted with their lacking of gratitude and caring. This can remind us to reflect on how we have lacked during this Sacred Season of Lent, which is almost over! Don't be disheartened by what you haven't done this...
“Me hieren más las pequeñas imperfecciones de las almas elegidas que los pecados de las almas que viven en el mundo.” (Diario de Santa Faustina, 580)
La Escritura nos dice que en el juicio de Jesús los soldados le pusieron una corona de espinas,...
Encounters with Jesus normally left the person who went to Jesus somewhat confounded, and I often wonder what the adulteress felt and thought of when she was standing in front of Jesus waiting for those stones to hit her. I am sure there were a lot of...
Responsorial Psalm: O Lord, My God, in you I take refuge
Many of us don’t relate to the concept of a refuge. We think of refugees – those in need of a refuge – as people fleeing from terrorists or dictators. But we can be more dangerous to...
We are in the fourth week of Lent. That is a little more than half way to Easter. At this point, temptation for giving up our Lenten resolutions grows, and the desire for a dessert grows even more. If you know that your friend gave up dessert for Lent,...
Do you remember when you were a little boy or girl, and you really wanted a hot, freshly baked cookie? You pleaded with mom to let you have a cookie even though she kept on insisting that the cookies were not for you. And then you got upset with mom because...
“You can give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” It’s a timeless saying that many have heard before, and it’s a saying that Jesus is telling us today; the son cannot do anything without...
Each year at seminary, there’s a season in which the sound of footsteps entering the oratory or classrooms is punctuated by the ‘click-click—thunk’ of persons using crutches. Sadly, ‘crutch season’ has arrived in force this semester. While...
Jer 7, 23-28 Así dice el Señor: “Ésta es la orden que di a mi pueblo: ‘Escuchen mi voz, y yo seré su Dios y ustedes serán mi pueblo; caminen siempre por el camino que yo les mostraré, para que les vaya bien.” ¿Qué tan difícil puede ser...
Toward the conclusion of the fourth chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict, after outlining The Tools for Good Works, St. Benedict reminded his monks, “Never lose hope in God’s mercy.” This small yet incredibly powerful phrase comes to mind as the...
In St Faustina’s Diary we are reminded of the beautiful hidden reality underneath every single moment of our lives. She exclaims:
“O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain! When I look at you with the eyes of faith…the dullness...
“I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them.” (Hos 14:5) God WANTS to heal us. God WANTS us to be close to him. It is our choices that take us away from God. It is our decisions that...
Special Note: Fr. Timothy Schoen, OSB, passed away the evening before the publication of the Lenten Reflection he authored. Fr. Timothy had recently reached out to the seminarians, applauding them on their efforts to reach the faithful through their blog...
Very often, we see Lent as a burden. We treat it as if it is another Ten Commandments. We tend to view it negatively because of the requirements such as fasting from meat on Friday, giving alms to the poor, and sacrificing something that we love to do...
Matthew 18:21-35
We’ve all heard today's gospel passage many times. The message is clear: forgive others as we have been forgiven by God. The servant who was forgiven much seems to be ungrateful and petty. You might think that being forgiven an enormous...
Leap Day, February 29th, is an artifact that dates back to 46 BC, when Julius Caesar was informed that the solar year was 365.25 days long. To account for the residual quarter of a day, an extra day was added to the calendar every four years. At that...
What is your worth? What dignity do you have?
Very often in our lives, we forget our great dignity and place God in a box constructed out of our sin. A box that does not welcome filth.
Yet, in today’s Gospel, we find the father welcoming his son,...
“He who ponders the law of the Lord day and night, will yield his fruit in due season.” Ps1:2-3
God has given all of us a vineyard to tend. This vineyard of course is our soul. It is comprised of our talents, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, successes...
Luke 16:19-31
In the Gospel of Luke we hear of Lazarus and the rich man. This parable can seem like a condemnation of material wealth. Yet, God’s word is not simply a Word of condemnation, but a Word of invitation. We are invited to receive joy through...
“Lift up your heads, O gates! / and be lifted up, O ancient doors! / that the King of glory may come in.” (Psalm 24:7)
Lent is a time of inward reflection.
When it comes to our deepest desires, our most intimate thoughts, and especially our gravest...
2nd Week of Lent: Thursday, February 23
Is 1:10, 16-20 / Mt 23:1-12
Moss takes claim of my heart when it comes to picking a favorite feature of nature. Moss is not showy; it doesn’t boast nor does it scream, “Look at me, look at me!” Moss is...
La Cuaresma es un tiempo donde muchos ofrecen ciertas cosas a Dios con el fin de crecer en un área determinada. ¿Qué has ofrecido? ¿Cuántas veces nos quejamos de la escuela, el trabajo, la familia y/o de la vida en general? ¿Por qué nos quejamos?...
One of the many examples of St. John Paul II’s legacy is the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The Fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration of our Lord. This mystery itself has been a source of great joy, peace and consolation when I focus...
“It isn’t fair!” You have surely heard a whining child blurt out this exclamation at some time or other. You may even have found yourself somewhat amused by the child’s narrow view of a distressing situation. But if we are all honest with...
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who...
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man...
In the epic film “Braveheart,” we follow William Wallace in his struggle against the British. We watch as he ultimately sacrifices his life, bellowing his fierce battle cry: FREEEEDOOMMM!
My friends, Christ calls us to pray the Our Father from our...
Children often become empowered in their mischief by “don't” statements. A boy who was perfectly content will be roused to disobedience if his mother shouts, “Don't touch the cookies that I just made.” Timmy seemed so good, but now he is left...
