Why is it that news of wrongdoing by a priest is more hurtful/damaging/shocking than news of a “regular” person breaking the law? It is because we expect more from our priests. We know they are human and flawed, yet we expect them to be stronger in the fight against sin than the “average Joe” down […]

Most of us have experienced a wake-up call at one time or another in our lives when we are brought face to face with the consequences of our choices. This encounter with the truth can be a catalyst for change, but it is not always so. Sometimes we let fear enter in and scare us […]

If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me… (Luke 9:23). We look around for this cross we are called to take up, but how do we know what it looks like? We often carry around burdens that are meant to be let go. […]

When Solomon was old, his wives had turned his heart to strange gods… The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, …the LORD said to Solomon: “Since this is what you want, … I will deprive you of the kingdom…” “Since this is what you want…” How […]

Have you ever spent the night at a place teeming with roaches? You can’t tell they are there, but the moment the light goes out, they come out to play. (Which is why after the first bathroom trip the light stayed on the rest of the night!) In today’s first reading and gospel we see […]

When I sometimes expressed my feelings (more like vented) to my husband, he looked at me and said, “You do know what love means, right?” I pouted and sighed because I knew he was right. I do know what it means to love… I just didn’t feel like doing it at that moment. I’m grateful […]

The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. … Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. On this 2nd day within the octave of Christmas our […]

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who in 1531 appeared to Saint Juan Diego. The story of Our Lady and Juan Diego is […]

In today’s first reading, we see a contrast between King Darius and Daniel. King Darius is burdened, refuses to eat, and cannot sleep; the voices of Daniel’s accusers take away his peace. Daniel, on the other hand, is at peace, even in the lion’s den; he seems to only be paying attention to the voice […]

Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not […]