An entry in my travel journal describes one Sunday in Galilee in 1988 on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by John Michael Talbot. As it does now, the world churned in turmoil with war surrounding the holy sites….
Sunday Mass in Galilee in Jesus’ language
Desolation in Ministry: Jonah’s Story
That feeling of dread, regret, or resignation. Not wanting to step into your parish office. Wishing you’d never taken on that new volunteer position. Wanting this year of RCIA to be over because you don’t even want to see the…
How to Evangelize with Silence
When we think of evangelizing the culture–bringing God’s message to all–we usually imagine verbal or written communication. Blogs. Speakers. John the Baptist shouting in the desert. We rarely think of silence, yet there are times when not saying something is…
A Saint Against Despair – Mark Ji Tianxiang
If you are anything like me, I often feel very despondent of the sin in my life. As the years go on, I do note some spiritual growth. But I am constantly struggling with sins that troubled me from my…
Peter and the Keys
Sunday Readings for August 27, 2017, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time “More Catholic than the Pope.” There is nothing more quintessentially Catholic than the Papacy. When we think “Catholic,” we think Rome, the Vatican, the dome of St. Peters….
Small Communities
Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 28:19 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel…
When Is It Finished?
I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. John 17: 4 Why did Jesus say he’d finished the work the Father had given him at the Last Supper? His suffering, crucifixion,…
Learning from Jesus’ Conversations
How often do we have conversations in ministry and wonder, was I imitating Christ? Yes, it’s an impossible standard. But, by examining the way we converse with others through the lens of “customer service” can help us relate to others and…
The Canaanite Woman
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…
How Deep is Your Dirt?
It’s summer and baseball season and that brings to mind a metaphor that we could apply to a lot of things. In this case I think it can be used to bring home a point about our faith: “Catholicism is…