We continue to see violence. This Saturday, August 3rd, there was a shooting in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart. The death toll now stands at 22 with more than two dozen injured. Law enforcement officials say the evidence points to it as a hate crime against Mexicans. Then, during the night there was a …
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CDeuteronomy 30:10-14Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 (33)Colossians 1:15-20Luke 10:25-37July 14, 2019 We hear the “scholar of the law” ask Jesus a question. We are told that he asked Jesus the question “to test him.” While the scholar’s motives may not be pure, the question is one we …
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I woke this morning, November 8, 2018, to hear the news of another mass shooting, this time in a bar in southern California. Twelve people are dead along with the shooter himself. As I watch the news this evening, a motive is not known at this time but the police have had previous encounters with …
Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Vigil Day Jeremiah 1:4-10 Isaiah 49:1-6 Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 (6b) Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15 (14a) 1 Peter 1:8-12 Acts 13:22-26 Luke 1:5-17 Luke 1:57-66, 80 June 24, 2018 Today would normally be the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year B of …
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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus moved on to the region of Tyre and Sidon. This might have seemed surprising to the Jews. Tyre and Sidon was considered pagan territory and thus unclean by the Jews. It is there that …
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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus’ disciples found themselves a few miles offshore “being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.” They faced a great storm. I know that I might feel fear in such a …
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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33 Jesus says “Fear no one.” What do you fear? For our new graduates, they can be happy and excited to have graduated but life transitions can bring the unknown and new things. Whether it be a new …
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Today, June 22nd, is the Optional Memorial of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More. In the Diocese of Rochester (United States), St. John Fisher is the patron saint of our diocese. That means for our diocese today is a feast day. St. John Fisher was the Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in England (Hence, …
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The gospel reading (Luke 1:39-56) for today tells the story of Mary going to visit Elizabeth. In this story there are four living people taking part in the story (Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband is also mentioned by name). The first of the four is, of …
Yesterday I attended our annual diocesan Ministerium. The speaker was Fr. Donald Senior, CP. His topic was “Laudato Si’: Biblical Reflections for a Spirituality of Creation.” Using Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si” he spoke about our relationship with God, each other, and the world we live. He spoke a couple of different times throughout the …
