Preparation
Since my conversion, or reawakening in the faith, or “re-version” as it is sometimes termed for cradle Catholics, Advent has felt very Marian in nature. It could merely be that the Immaculate Conception is in the first half of the season, setting the tone. On the other hand, it could [...]
Sacrificial Love
The readings this week are remarkably unanimous in their message. We hear laid out the shape of love, which is the very essence of discipleship. In fact, this love can be summed up in a single word. We have heard Fr. Steven mention several times the concept of a love [...]
Family Fission
Oftentimes, it is the idiosyncrasies of the Scriptures, particularly the Lectionary, and the way readings are set before us in the Mass, that catch my attention. Many Sundays the Gospel and Old Testament reading are clearly connected, and serve to bring unity to the Word of God across the supposed [...]
Vocation
It’s hard to conceive of a topic about which to write, apart from the disquieting news surrounding the Church these days — or rather, surrounding the Church’s leaders — or more appropriately, surrounding the Church’s earthly leaders. It may seem redundant to state it thrice, as I have, but we [...]
Unity
Every week, we are given a Scripture so timely and so necessary that we ought to spend more than a passing moment on it. This week, however, sandwiched as it is between foundational truths about God’s promises and God’s generous abundance, the second reading can get overlooked, or leastways overshadowed [...]
The Right Tools For The Job
The readings we heard last week and this week set my mind on a branch of theology known as ecclesiology, which deals with the nature of the Church. Many of us are familiar with the idea of Christ initially founding (or planting, if you will) His Church in the world, [...]
A New Pentecost
It’s pretty easy to be amazed at the account we hear from the first reading on this feast. We can easily associate, based on this account, signs, miracles, even what we might call “strange occurrences,” with the arrival of the Holy Spirit. And why wouldn’t we? Jesus foretells us of [...]
Hidden Glimpses
Oftentimes, I find inspiration in very strange places — at least, I assume they are strange places. I don’t often hear of such ruminations on similar trivialities. Still, I suppose it is a blessing to have such oddball musings from time to time. All the snow of the past week [...]
Transfiguration
It seems something of an odd time of year to observe such an auspicious event. Clearly we associate Lent with ashes, sacrifice, difficulty, maybe scarcity, lack, even darkness (as opposed to light and brightness). However, this particular Sunday we dwell on one of the “brightest” moments in the life of [...]
The Story of Faith
This weekend’s readings get me a little turned around and confused. Taken in a vacuum, one might mistake these readings for, either just before or even during, Advent. The sort of themes we encounter this week are quite at home in those contexts. Repentance, preparedness and the shortness of time [...]
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