Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary. We give our praise and worship to God alone. We venerate (honor) Mary but we do not worship her. Our gospel reading today is the story of the Visitation of Mary. When Mary learned that she had been chosen to be mother of Jesus, the angel Gabriel also …
After Jesus had multiplied the loaves and fed the vast crowd, He “made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side.” So begins today’s gospel. As He made his disciples leave in the boat, He would have known that a storm was coming. Yet, He sent them anyways. It will …
Beginning this week you will see a new series of articles in our parish bulletin for St. Mary’s of the Lake and St. Benedict’s that I am writing to help people better understand and better appreciate what we do at Mass. I’ll also post it here and on a page I will be creating on my …
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Two weeks ago I wrote my first article, “What Does It Mean to be a Eucharistic People,” on Timothy P. O’Malley’s book, Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press. 2022, part of the Engaging Catholicism series.) followed last week by “Understanding Eucharistic Culture.” Today I will complete my articles reflecting on …
Today’s gospel begins, “Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.” Why did He take them with him? He knew what was going to happen and He wanted them to see it. What happened? “He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and …
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Last week I wrote my first article, “What Does It Mean to be a Eucharistic People,” on Timothy P. O’Malley’s book, Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press. 2022, part of the Engaging Catholicism series. Now, I would like to continue my reflection on O’Malley’s book and …
In today’s gospel Jesus continues to teach in parables. The first two parables speak of something so valuable that one would be willing to sell everything that one has to obtain the treasure that is offered. Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like the treasure and the pearls in these parables. Do you see …
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Almost three and a half years ago, our churches were shutdown by the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic. In his new book, Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press. 2022), part of the Engaging Catholicism series, Timothy P. O’Malley writes, “In the history of the Catholic …
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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AWisdom 12:13, 16-19Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a)Romans 8:26-27Matthew 13:24-43July 23, 2023 “Where have the weeds come from?” The man had sowed only good seed. Why were weeds growing in the field? His enemy had come during the night when everyone was asleep and sowed the weeds. There is evil …
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I am presently planning to do a fall series of presentations of discipleship. The question at hand is what does it mean to be a Christian disciple. With that in mind, I thought I would share some initial thoughts with you and invite your input for what should be included in the series. (Please note …
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