God’s Love is both Tough and Tender

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.”…

God Saves Us Every Day in Many Ways

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…

Why did Thomas Have to Autopsy 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…

Passion Fuels God’s Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

Passion Sunday refers to Christ’s passion, but passion implies extreme emotion. We know how extreme emotions affect human beings. They can make people do nutty things. That’s evident from the way the people around Jesus behaved throughout today’s readings. We…

Francis: a Pope of Hope

“Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” Today’s first reading from Isaiah is most appropriate for a mass that marks the first formal intention for our new…

Human Folly: Trying to Win the Fatted Calf

The Prodigal Son is a classic morality play–one that’s so poignant that it proves one of Jesus’ most under-appreciated miracles was his ability to change hearts through the power of his words. Raising Lazarus from the dead was amazing, but…

“Nothing” is a Lousy Name.

One of the hardest tasks expectant parents face is choosing a name for their child. There are perennial favorites like John, Matthew or Michael for a boy and Mary, Susan or Sarah for a girl. Then there are those parents…

No Prison Can Contain a Transfigured Soul

Today’s gospel is the transfiguration of Jesus, but to me it’s really about the transfiguration of Peter, John, James—and us. Up to this point the disciples were following Jesus and buying into what he was teaching, but when they saw…