On sending forth his disciples, Jesus instructed them to proclaim, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Proclaiming the Kingdom was the central focus of Jesus’ life and ministry. He was the new Adam, and the Kingdom he announced was the restoration of the unity of the Father with all of his creation. This was […]

Today’s Gospel reading is what we read each Ash Wednesday as we begin our Lenten journey. The three actions that Jesus mentions are the traditional Lenten practices: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Obviously, we are not meant to drop these on Easter Sunday as they are foundational to living a full Christian life. Jesus asks us […]

Saint Justin, Martyr Today, we hear of Paul leaving Ephesus after three years during which he had instructed and encouraged those he had won over to faith in Jesus. He feared that with him gone, there would be others who would come and propagate doctrines and beliefs contrary to what he had so painstakingly passed […]

In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims that he is the vine and we are the branches. What does the image of Jesus as a vine connote? All nourishment comes to us through Jesus. Without our attachment to him, we are lost. And what is this nourishment that we draw from Jesus? It is grace, a share […]

When I read of the persecution of the early Christians, a line from Leonard Bernstein’s musical piece, The Mass, always comes back to me, “You cannot imprison the word of the Lord.” In today’s first reading, we learn of the persecution of the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem. “Saul made havoc of the church going […]

In today’s Gospel Reading, variations on the word “truth” appear four times, and variations of the word “free” are used five times. There is a clear connection in the text between truth and freedom. “You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” This relationship appears throughout the Gospel. In Jesus’ appearance […]

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus asks his disciples, “Can you drink from the chalice I am going to drink?” Behind me in my office is a whole bookshelf of biographies. As I reflected on Jesus’ question, I began to pull books off the shelf. Kansas priest and military chaplain, Emil Kapaun, was killed in a […]

Ash Wednesday Who can forget the image of Pope Francis walking alone into the dark, empty, and rainy Saint Peter’s Square on March 27, 2020. Eleven million people watched him on social media. While our city streets were dark and empty and our hospitals full, Francis reminded us that we were not alone. He repeated […]

Saint James tells his readers to be doers of the word and not just hearers. In today’s parlance, that would be, “If you are going to talk the talk, you need to be willing to walk the walk.” Phonies are easily recognized: they spout off a lot about many things but do little, if anything, […]

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Today we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Luke is clear in informing us that Mary and Joseph were fulfilling a requirement of the Law of Moses that any first-born son was to be consecrated to the Lord. They are obedient […]