“People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them…” What a beautiful picture to carry away about the humanity of Jesus: taking the children in his arms and blessing them. The disciples try to hinder the people from bringing the children. Jesus tells them that they should themselves learn from them how to […]

In today’s gospel reading from St. Mark Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees regarding the issue of divorce. Few gospel topics generate as much interest as this one, however given the limitations of space this is not the place to enter into that debate. What does offer a pathway to reflection is the response from […]

THE BIG HUG To put today’s gospel reading into context, children have been brought to Jesus to be blessed. Jesus puts his arms around a child with the instruction “whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.” It is a tender moment which develops into a warning not to cause the […]

A few days before I began reflecting on this selection from the Epistle of James, my wife and I were awakened at 3:30 in the morning by the cries of someone yelling “Fire!” outside of our home. A fire on our front porch was spreading to the house itself when the fire crew arrived to […]

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you” (James 4:10). The scriptures ask the question, “Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?” (James 41) The psalmist pleads to God to be saved from the violence and strife that prowl the city day and night (Psalm 55). Jesus […]

In 1964 Blessed Paul VI formally bestowed the title of “mother of the church” on Mary recognizing that believers over the centuries acknowledged Mary’s maternal care for the church. Pope Francis has instituted a new Marian feast honoring Mary as mother of the church.This feast which we celebrate today will be celebrated every year on […]

We’re at the mid-point of the Easter season, and so we gently turn our sights from accounts of the resurrection. Today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles ends so beautifully as it redirects our thinking. “The church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the […]

Paul remained for two full years in his lodgings in Rome, with only a soldier to guard him. He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how the book of Acts ends. When the […]

By now we are all very familiar with the image of Pope Francis smiling and waving to the multitudes of people who come to see him. Perhaps you have noticed as well the distinctive pectoral cross that he wears. Sculpted upon this cross that Pope Francis wears is an image of Jesus as “the good […]

That they may be one as we are one, that the world may believe that you sent me and love them as you love me. We have heard these verses of chapter 17 of St. John’s Gospel many times, especially since the Second Vatican Council. They are the clearest and most profound faith statement about […]