Last week as we celebrated Easter's promise of new life, we heard news of death in Sri Lanka, where four hotels and three Catholic churches were bombed. Early reports counted over 200 fatalities and over 500 wounded. Sorely in need of God’s healing mercy, we will conclude the octave of Easter with the Feast of [...]
Last week civil and ecclesiastical authorities of South Sudan participated in a 2-day religious and ecumenical retreat at the Vatican in an effort to end the country's civil war. Organized by the Vatican Secretariat of State and the Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the retreat ended with Pope Francis speaking and then [...]
On Monday we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. As we continue our Lenten practices and end Women's History Month, the feast’s Gospel reminds us how Mary's humble and unwavering Yes to God's will facilitated the Incarnation and so changed history. Mary must have wondered how God's will would play out in her life, but [...]
Several times in the gospel, we read that Mary pondered God’s work in the events of her life and the life of her son Jesus. The season of Lent also calls us to consider God’s work in our lives, identifying and transforming those attitudes and actions that distance us from God and from others. In [...]
As we once again enter into the holy season of Lent, we will be signed with ashes and reminded to repent and believe in the good news of the Gospel. Last week in Rome, Pope Francis and church leaders ended the summit on sex abuse with a penitential Mass, acknowledging the evil of abuse, the [...]
As of this posting, the State of the Union address has yet to be delivered; however, there is much to be addressed concerning the union's state. Political speech has been reduced to soundbites and tweets and the rhetorical distinctions between news reports and commentaries are vanishing. Even before last Thursday 's vote on the two [...]
This week has called us to hope and action. On Monday we were reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of unity. And today we end the octave of prayer for Christian unity, joining our prayer to Christ's, “That all may be one.” Both Dr. King and Jesus spoke their hopes while expecting to [...]
Last Sunday we celebrated the baptism of Jesus. Immediately after Jesus's baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert where after forty days Satan tempted him. At our baptism, we were called to share in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet and king. Given the lengthy government shutdown and divisive political discourse, we may be tempted [...]
Many readings of the Christmas season feature dreams. In dreams, Joseph was advised to take Mary as his wife, the Magi were warned not to return to Herod and, finally, Joseph was instructed to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. When Jesus began his preaching, He shared God's dream for us, a dream of justice [...]
What a contrast of images and experiences this Christmas season has delivered to us! Nativity scenes have moved us through time and space to Bethlehem and memories and movies have moved us back to childhood moments of opening presents and to more grown-up memories of opening our very selves to new graces and experiences through [...]
