Love is definitely the theme of this Sunday’s readings. In his little book The Four Loves the greater writer C.S. Lewis describes four different ways of loving other folks – and ourselves.

The first of these is eros (eros), which is physical love—the love of young lovers, the love of Romeo and Juliet. The second is philia, Read More

I was really drawn to one sentence in this weekend’s Gospel: I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Over Holy Week, one gal confessed how she felt she did nothing for the Lord. I know this lady, so I was able to point out just how much she was Read More

This Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday, because that’s the theme of the Gospel. It’s also known as Vocations Sunday… around the world many will be praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for leaders who are needed to do the work of spreading the Gospel.

But let’s not stop there ... we also need lay folks who are able to lead people to God. Every one of us has a calling from God. We are called to be spouses, parents, teachers, doctors, civil servants, business men and women, salespersons, truck drivers, aides in hospitals and nursing homes, and yes, even sanitation workers. All of us share that responsibility, regardless of age, social status, wealth, health, or whatever. Read More

Like most everyone else I knew, I put a few bucks down for that huge MegaMillions lottery a few weeks ago. And like most everyone else, I daydreamed about what I might do with the millions!  As you can see, I’m still here, so those were dreams that didn’t come to fruition! Sigh, ah well … maybe next time. Read More

All week long, we have accounts of the various appearances of Jesus to His disciples. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, and she doesn’t recognize Him. The apostles receive several visits, and they too did not recognize Him right away. Ditto for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Ditto for the time when the apostles went out fishing and they saw someone on the shore … only after a miraculous catch of fish did they realize it was Jesus. And not only that, He had cooked breakfast for them!!! Read More

Why do I want so badly to be able to sing well at Easter? I believe that Easter is the feast that truly speaks to us, to the depths of our being. It hits us right where we live. This is the feast that addresses our deepest fears and our greatest hopes. And the deepest fear and deepest hope are centered around one question and one question only: Am I loved? Am I loveable? Read More

Palm Sunday falls on April 1^st this year … April Fools’ Day. How appropriate!!!

Only a fool would do what Jesus did. Why participate in a parade that was sure to enrage those who wanted to kill him? Who would choose execution, dying naked as a convicted criminal without even mounting a defense?!? Why not defend Himself with word or action? Why not rage against the unfairness of it all? And that bit about being raised on the third day … utter foolishness. Read More

As much as I like the Cycle A Gospels (woman at the well, man born blind, raising of Lazarus) the Cycle B readings have a beauty all their own. In Sunday’s Gospel, we’ll hear how some Greeks came to Philip, and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. Read More

Sunday’s Second Reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (using the B Cycle of readings) deserves to be read slowly and meditatively … it is an amazing tribute to God’s love of we human beings. It very much fleshes out what Jesus tells Nicodemus in the Gospel: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Read More

Sunday’s Gospel is John’s version of Jesus driving out the merchants from the Temple. It didn’t take much reflection till I found myself thinking of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 3:16, “You are a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Read More