Why the Commandments Are Good

Our gospel reading and the first reading for this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) speak of God’s commandments. We think in terms of 10 commandments. The Jews list 613 commandments with the 10 being the most important and applying to everyone. With so many commandments, where does one begin? I think this is …

Continue reading ‘Why the Commandments Are Good’ »

Repost with Corrected Link – First Video in New Series on Prayer

I just uploaded the recording of the first webinar in my new series on prayer, Giving Our Hearts to God: What It Means to Pray. You can view the view and see the slides at www.renewaloffaith.org/prayer2021partI. Here’s a description for this webinar – “How do you pray? Do you pray the rosary? What about the …

Continue reading ‘Repost with Corrected Link – First Video in New Series on Prayer’ »

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BJeremiah 31:7-9Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3)Hebrews 5:1-6Mark 10:46-52October 24, 2021 As Jesus leaves Jericho, “Bartimaeus, a blind man,” is sitting by the roadside begging.  When he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is there, he begins to “cry out.” He may be physically blind but the words he cries …

Continue reading ‘30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily’ »

Using the News to Pray

In previous articles like, “What’s in the News,” I have written about why I think it is important to follow the news. Watching the news we typically hear more discouraging news than uplifting news. Recently, I have begun trying to use news headlines as the source of material for prayer. I still advocate to follow …

Continue reading ‘Using the News to Pray’ »

Suffering and Serving

Today’s first reading comes from the fourth of four passages in the Book of Isaiah that speak of a “suffering servant.” People see suffering as something terrible and to be avoided. However, in the first reading, regarding the suffering servant, we hear how “The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.” It is the …

Continue reading ‘Suffering and Serving’ »

Generations

In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of “generations.” We use the word “generation” to signify the changing of stages. Most often we use it in the sense of biological generations. When parents have children, the children began a new generation. Grandchildren would be yet another generation. Used in this sense, generations have been seen as about …

Continue reading ‘Generations’ »

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BWisdom 7:7-11Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 (14)Hebrews 4:12-13Mark 10:17-30October 10, 2021 A man asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This is a question we all probably want to know the answer for, at least I assume since you come for Mass that you want …

Continue reading ‘28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily’ »

Marriage and Divorce

In the gospel for today (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B), the Pharisees asked Jesus a question. They asked this question to test him. They were looking for a way to prove He was not the Messiah. While their motives are bad, the question can be a good question, “Is it lawful for a …

Continue reading ‘Marriage and Divorce’ »