Category Archives: Musings

A Play in 3 Acts

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A reflection for the Readings on Spy Wednesday: Holy Week is a story told in three acts.

Act 1: Love Portrayed.  All Lent we have seen Love Portrayed:  Jesus transfigured on the mountain top. The glory of God revealed and yet what would seem to be the final scene of the play is but the beginning. We’ve more to hear, more to see. Especially in the daily gospels we have acts of love. A man born blind who now sees. Lessons on unlimited forgiveness. Teachings on the great commandments of loving God and neighbor. And so many more scenes of love portrayed.  The disciples believe because they have seen and heard the power of God in the world. Continue reading →

Taking a chance

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Your average Catholic only needs to stand next to a born-again, evangelical Christian to understand how private we are about our life in faith.  Of course, you’re thinking, “All that public praying and witnessing, that’s their thing. Our faith was more discrete, more private, more, well…… more sophisticated than asking someone in the local WalMart if they had been saved. Ours is a faith steeped in tradition, liturgy, sacraments. This is how we serve the Lord.” Continue reading →

Reminders

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The gospel reading for today has a rather odd phrase: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, I said, ‘You are gods’”?  I think there is a tendency to be mystified and at the same simply think, “OK, Jesus said it…. That’s enough for me.”  And then move on. But there is a lot going on in John 10, of which this gospel selection is just a portion. The whole of John 10 offers several questions, one being whether Jesus is the “good shepherd” promised in Ezekiel 34, but the one that concerns our reading today is whether Jesus is the unique Son of God, and conversely, whether God is in a very unique way his Father. Continue reading →

The Words We Speak

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In today’s gospel we see Jesus in an encounter with the Pharisees as time rapidly approaches the events we know as Holy Week. One of the basic threads of this narrative is about the ability to see, to intuit, to recognize the swirl of events that are around you. At first glance they might seem random, chaotic, or singularly isolated. At second glance there might not be any greater clarity, but something edges up to the corner of consciousness – maybe only to be dismissed, to be misconstrued, lost, or attach itself in that nagging way some thoughts do. The thoughts that just won’t be on their way. Continue reading →

Patris Corde

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Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Several years ago Pope Francis wrote the Apostolic Letter Patris Corde – With a Father’s Heart. It is a wonderful reflection of the attributes and characteristics of fatherhood – and also understands that St. Joseph serves as a model, not just for fathers, but for all who care for others. Click here to read the full text of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter. Continue reading →

Possibility of New Life

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The scene in today’ gospel (a woman caught in adultery) is a mixture of zealous righteousness that seeks to enact the law without pardon or quarter, the leadership who want to trap Jesus between mercy and the Law, and a woman caught in sin, fearing for her life.  True righteousness would have some measure of concern for her soul. True righteousness would be free from deceitfulness, not hiding behind loyalty to Moses for other intentions. Continue reading →

The Gaza Pier

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As part of the State of the Union address, it was announced that the United States was going to “build a pier” to provide a port of entry for emergency relief supplies. Gaza has no maritime port capable of supporting more than fishing boats – in other words, there is a single marina. Gaza has relied on true merchant shipping ports in Egypt and Israel. Those options are not and have not been available since the start of the war in Gaza. Continue reading →

Working things out

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Today’s first reading is taken mid-scene from a key part of the Book of Exodus. We quickly pick up that the infamous “golden calf” incident has occurred and the Lord is not happy as he tells Moses: “I see how stiff-necked this people is. Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.” Can we blame God? Ever since our expulsion from the Garden of Eden the arc of humanity’s story has been one on increasing and spreading evil with God keeping things in check (e.g. scattering the people of Babel) while looking for a “few good men” – Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph and now Moses. Looking for someone with whom to establish human leadership that could lead humanity back into the presence of God. Continue reading →

On Living Waters

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Part of the baptismal ceremony for infants is the blessing of the waters of the sacrament. It is a wonderful blessing that tells the history of salvation through the story of the living waters. It is a panorama of events from Sacred Scripture: “At the very dawn of creation your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. The waters of the great flood you made a sign of the waters of baptism, that make an end of sin and a new beginning of goodness. Through the waters of the Red Sea you led Israel out of slavery, to be an image of God’s holy people, set free from sin by baptism. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. Your Son willed that water and blood should flow from his side as he hung upon the cross.” Continue reading →

On Remembering

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The Prophet Isaiah lived in times there were indeed troubled: foreign armies at the walls of the city, kings that had led the people astray from Covenant faithfulness, relying on alliances, warriors and gold to fend off the invaders from nations far larger than Israel. Yet for Isaiah, the vision of God’s majesty was so overwhelming that military and political power faded into insignificance. He constantly called the people back to a reliance on God’s promises and away from vain attempts to find security in human plans and intrigues. Isaiah insisted on the ethical behavior that was required of human beings who wished to live in the presence of such a holy God. Inevitably the people failed and Isaiah then delivered the message of judgment upon the people… but always with a parallel message of hope. It was never too late to turn to God. Continue reading →