We are now in the season of Lent. As we all know it is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. If you are anything like me, Lent does not fill you with the same child-like joy that Advent does….
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
Why is Lent Forty Days?
Sunday Readings for Feb 14, 2016, the First Sunday in Lent In the English language, the special season before Easter is called “Lent.” The word comes from the “lengthening” of daylight hours as we progress from the darkness of winter…
We Are Prodigals All
Recently, one of our close friends lost his father. This last Saturday we attended the funeral. Prior to his death, his dad had selected which readings he would like to have read at his funeral. Inexplicably, the gospel reading that…
The More the Merrier
I like praying the Rosary. But I also bore easily. As I mentioned in last month’s article Rosary Riff, to keep the Rosary fresh I make up my own Mysteries. But sometimes I won’t use a mystery set at all….
Father Forgive Them
This marks my last of five Biblical meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries and 40 Days for Life, using Rosary Army’s Scriptural Rosary. In the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery meditation, consider Jesus’ words from the cross: “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them;…
Fasting
One of the things the church asks us to do in lent is fasting. But why? Does Jesus really want us to go hungry? The truth is, it is not hunger that Jesus wants for us, but holiness. To become…
Just Leave me God
I want to climb in a hole. I am uttering every profanity known to the universe – sick of it all. Pushing people away is so easy. Isolating myself is the only answer. Darkness, no light. Just leave, leave me…
Invitation to Mercy: Concrete and Immediate
I’m going to propose something that sounds utterly impractical. Completely inconvenient. And, at first, flat out impossible, maybe even ridiculous. Here goes: during this Jubilee Year of Mercy (and beyond!), when we know that it’s an occasion where a lot…
High Adventure or Cautious Mediocrity?
Readings for Feb 7, 2016 the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Peter. Paul. Isaiah. Frodo Baggins. They have more in common than meets the eye. Of course there are differences, too. Peter is a small business man, trying to wring…
Come Away And Rest With Jesus
In today’s Gospel reading from Mark, the disciples have just returned from a teaching mission to the villages in the area where they were traveling with Jesus. They had followed their instructions to preach repentance and had anointed the sick,…