Sunday Readings for August 20, 2017, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time The apostles thought she was a nuisance and asked Jesus to get rid of her. Jesus had gone to the region of Tyre and Sidon, modern-day Lebanon, and…
The Canaanite Woman
Old vs New
Sunday Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Old vs. New “Liberal” and “conservative.” The definitions of these terms are seldom stated. Usually, they are just presumed. Often people call “conservative” those who like old-fashioned things and “liberal” those…
The Double Message of the Parable of the Sower and the Seed
Sunday Readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 16, 2017 I’ve always loved gardening. Seeds I’ve planted include carrot, cucumber, and of course, zucchini. In each case, I’ve planted seeds in neat rows, expecting nearly all of them…
Does Life Feel like a Chore?
Sunday Readings for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 9, 2017 I once knew a woman who called herself “a recovering Catholic.” It seems that as a child, she was taught a religion that was all about guilt. Impossible demands…
The Eucharist: The Body of Christ?
The Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of transubstantiation, namely, that in the Eucharist, the communion wafer and the altar wine are transformed and really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Have you ever met anyone who has found…
Pentecost: The Difference that the Spirit Makes
As a teen, I thought the clergy were supposed to do everything. We laity were just called to pray, pay, and obey. Oh yes, and keep the commandments, of course. The original 10 seemed overwhelming enough. Then I discovered the…
The Feast of the Ascension
Sunday Readings for the Feast of the Ascension The celebration of the Ascension used to leave me a bit flat. It was clear what Good Friday did for me. And Easter Sunday’s benefits were indisputable. But as for the Ascension,…
The Paraclete
He wore steel-rimmed glasses and had hair to the middle of his back. The fringe on his buck-skinned jacket bounced as he walked. At least that was the way I was accustomed to seeing Mike as he bopped around town. …
Lazarus
Sunday Readings for April 2, the 5th Sunday of Lent Some find it hard to accept that God would love some people more than others. That wouldn’t be fair, they say. But God became man. If he did not love…
The Man born Blind
Sunday Readings for March 26, the 4th Sunday of Lent The Lion of Judah is no tame lion. Neither is he predictable. While walking along the streets of Jerusalem one day, Jesus sees a common enough sight in the Holy…