The Exaltation of the Holy Cross “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) The Exaltation of the Holy Cross recalls the miraculous discovery of the true cross by the Emperor Constantine’s mother St. Helena […]

“Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’” (Lk 6:5) In this part of his gospel, St. Luke presents various teachings on discipleship. The chapter opens with Jesus and his disciples walking through a field of grain on the sabbath and an ensuing conflict with some Pharisees because his […]

“On the subject of fraternal charity, you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thes 4:9) From our earliest years, we learn more by observing and imitating than by being told what to do. Look at the way children mimic what […]

St. Bartholomew, Apostle “You will see greater things than this.” (Jn. 1:50) The first chapter of St. John’s gospel moves quickly from the sublime language of the Prologue, to John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus and himself, to the call of the first disciples, and the story of Nathaniel (Bartholomew), whose feast is celebrated today. […]

Put away the strange gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel. “Then the people promised Joshua, “We will serve the LORD, our God, and obey his voice.” (Jos 24:23) Following the settlement of the Israelites in Canaan after their Exodus from Egypt, Joshua gathered the people […]

St. Lawrence Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (Jn 12:24) As a boy, I would watch my dad plant seeds in the rich soil […]

This fiftieth year you shall make sacred by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you. (Lv 25:10) The marking of anniversaries of significant events in our lives as individuals and groups is very important. Today’s reading from Leviticus describes the origins of the jubilee year in […]

Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.” (Ex 24:8) Most of us are cautious about coming in contact with blood, and the idea of being sprinkled with it seems […]

The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date. This was a night of vigil for the LORD, as he led them out of […]