Saint Andrew’s response, when called by Jesus to follow him, was immediate. “Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.” “[Jesus] said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once, they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew […]

Advent has begun. This first Gospel story (Matthew 8:5-11) tells of a Roman centurion’s plea to Jesus to heal his gravely ill servant, and Jesus offers divine intervention. “I will come and cure him.” The man’s reply is bold yet respectful of Jesus’ authority and his power to heal. “Lord, I am not worthy to […]

1st Sunday of Advent The First Sunday of Advent can be a little jarring. Culturally we have just celebrated Thanksgiving, and many people like to use this weekend to put up their Christmas tree and start enjoying the spirit of the season. It marks the beginning of “The most wonderful time of the year,” as […]

The gospel today is only three verses long, so please read it slowly at least three times. Verse 35 is directed towards anyone on the planet. Jesus is giving all of us a solemn warning. Depending on your bible’s translation, he states, “Beware… Be careful… Take heed….” Now, most of us are not carousers, but […]

A few weeks ago, I had a dream. I don’t remember what the dream was about, but suddenly out of nowhere appeared my dad and grandmother and as quickly as they appeared, they were gone, and I awoke abruptly. The dream stuck with me and brought me comfort when I needed it most. We all […]

Thanksgiving Day Where do we begin to express our gratitude for all the good things in our lives? To me, it’s obvious, with God himself for the many blessings he has given us! Giving thanks is very much a personal thing, so this is going to be a very personal reflection. God made me because […]

Sun and moon bless the Lord. Some years ago, our four-year-old first grandchild, Hunter, announced that he wanted to say grace at the family Thanksgiving dinner table. Our daughter Lizzie’s (his mother) and my eyes met. (That had always been my role on Thanksgiving since she was a child.) Her eyes read, “Oh my dad, […]

Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit, thanking the Father of heaven and earth for things hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to the childlike. We all were once childlike; we were taught to pray to our guardian angel, taken to Mass, where we looked about in wonder, and everyone smiled at us. We […]

The Envelope. When the mail arrived, she spent the morning going through paper requests to save the whales, the rainforests, the elephants, and the wooly mammoth. Then there were the human elements of helping war veterans, victims of natural disasters, victims of war-torn countries, and on and on it went. She read the brochures enlisting […]

The Solemnity of Christ the King We have one of the most critical passages in the New Testament for our reflection today. Jesus is standing before Pontius Pilate. The religious leaders are demanding his death. Pilate has little respect for the unruly people he’s ruling. He doesn’t know what they have against Jesus other than […]