This weekend the Brothers in Christ were asked to pray for the life of an ailing seven-year-old girl. Some might ask what good that does. We pray for many sick people and they often die anyway. When people do survive…
The people of Jesus’ time were always hungry, both for physical and spiritual food. At key times in the gospels Jesus was their source for both—and these were miraculous times. In today’s gospel we have the classic example of the…
Everyone who works should take comfort and inspiration from today’s readings. It’s Trinity Sunday and the first reading introduces us to the spirit of Wisdom at work—God’s creative spark giving us life. It’s that wisdom that filled Jesus and inspired…
That first Pentecost was the biggest construction project in history. In a matter of seconds, God used a mighty wind to implode the Tower of Babel that humanity built and established his Church atop its ruins. Centuries before, the survivors…
In today’s first reading Stephen sees Jesus. In today’s second reading John hears Jesus. In today’s gospel we are given the chance to be one with him. The chance. Jesus prays to his Father, “I will make it known that…
As God’s children, we have many blessings. As Adam’s descendants we’ve accumulated many problems—all self created. God has always kept his laws simple for us. “Love me, love your neighbor.” But as today’s readings remind us, we always manage to…
Today’s readings give us the “GoodCop/BadCop” treatment in sending out the word of God. Paul, as usual, is the bad cop. He tells his men “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”…
Hollywood makes a lot of money on end-of-the-world movies, but why don’t they make an end-of-the-end-of-the-world story? Today’s second reading from Revelations is very cinematic, and the ultimate feel-good scenario. “The great distress” is over and the multitude of survivors…
Today’s first reading reminded me of a Chinese proverb: “Just as tall trees are known by their shadows, so are good men known by their enemies.” The disciples had powerful enemies—after all, they were the same ones who had Jesus…
Thomas was weird—judging by these readings, anyway. He was with the disciples before Jesus’ crucifiction, so he must have witnessed the miracles Jesus performed. Jesus even raised Lazarus from the dead. So why was it so hard for him to…