Remain in My Love
What a blessing this morning, on the Feast of the Assumption, to read a 40-page pastoral letter on the Eucharist, “Remain in My Love,” written by Fr. Ted Dudzinski, a busy pastor in Kokomo, IN to be distributed to his parishoners! So great to know there are priests shepherding their flocks so well! Here’s a section from... Read More
Look to the Lord
Look to the Lord in his strength;seek to serve him constantly. (Ps 105:4-5) Funny how words you’ve seen many times can suddenly jump off the page at you with new power and meaning. For some reason, the opening lines of the responsorial psalm at Mass one morning leaped out at me and stayed with me throughout the Mass. Look to the Lord... Read More
The Yoke’s On You
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11: 28-30). A few days ago I was reading the Gospel of Matthew with a friend, and when we... Read More
Pentecost: “As you wish!
As a way of continuing the great feast of Pentecost which we have just celebrated, I’d like to pass on a simple, little prayer to the Holy Spirit. So simple that it would be easy to overlook if you happened to see it written somewhere without any explanation or commentary. I came across the prayer a few years ago in an article written... Read More
Did and Didn’t
Imagine St. Peter greeting you at the “Pearly Gates.” He pulls a large volume from the shelf and flips through the pages until he comes to your name. His face lights up momentarily with an approving smile: “Well, I see you’ve done a pretty good job resisting temptation and avoiding serious sin.” He turns a page,... Read More
Octave Day: Let us Rejoice!
A couple of years ago I emailed a Mercy Sunday reflection to a few friends, and I’d like to share it with you now. Mercy Sunday! “This is the day the Lord has made.” Today is the day of days, the octave day of Easter, the last and greatest day of that greatest of all feasts. It is known as Mercy Sunday because it celebrates... Read More
A Christian Spelling Lesson
Ever notice how sometimes the way a word is spelled doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense? A few years ago, listening to a talk by Babsie Bleasdell, I realized that the spelling of a particular word had actually kept me from understanding what it really ought to mean in my life. The word is “responsibility,” not a bad word... Read More
“Shalom”
Divine Mercy Sunday! Readings: Acts 2:42-47; 1 Pt 5:3-9; Jn 20:19-31 ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. Jn 20:19 Today’s Gospel tells the story of the first Easter Sunday and its octave day, which we celebrate today as Divine Mercy Sunday. The disciples are confused and frightened. Christ had represented their deepest hopes, but all that... Read More
The Obedience of Faith
Saturday in the Octave of Easter Readings: Acts 4:13-21; Mk 16:9-15 Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight for us to obey you rather than God Acts 4:19 Today’s readings give us a pretty clear “before and after” look at the disciples and teach us an important lesson about believing and doing. Mark’s Gospel presents... Read More
Return to the Charcoal Fire
Friday in the Octave of Easter Readings: Acts 4:1-12; Jn 21:1-14 When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire. Jn 21:9 In today’s Gospel, Peter and six of the other disciples have been fishing all night, but have caught nothing. Jesus shows up on the shore (once again they don’t recognize Him), and tells them where to cast their nets. They... Read More
