Category Archives: Sunday Morning

Intentional Rejoicing

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The prophet Zephaniah exhorts us to “Sing joyfully, be glad and exult” with all of our hearts. He writes in the context of the worst kind of spiritual and political corruption by the very leaders who are supposed to care for the poor and the oppressed of Judah. Isaiah writes in the midst of suffering, as the people experience the devastation of the Babylonian exile.  Paul is writing from prison. But each in their own way tells us to rejoice. Why? Zephaniah says it best: God “… will rejoice over you with gladness…he will sing joyfully because of you.” (Zep 3:17-18).  Because of you. Because of me. Wow! The source, the overflowing fountain of joy pouring into the world. The words of the second reading are the hallmark of Guadete Sunday: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say again: rejoice.” A call for a universal chorus of joy. Continue reading →

Tribulations, Miracles and Promises

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Oh my gosh… Advent is here. It seems like just yesterday it was summer and then “boom” it’s Thanksgiving. I hope y’all had a nice “turkey day” with family and friends. I hope you had a chance to bask in the warm glow of those days and enjoy the love that bonds you together with all those folks important to you. And that you brought that sense of family and that warm glow here to church on Sunday morning. Continue reading →

In times of tribulation

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As children on a family road trip, who among us has not lamented from the back seat, “Are we there yet? How much longer?” It can be the plaintive cry in the weeks and days before Christmas: “How much longer?” Plaintive in the sense of impatience and joyful anticipation.

How much longer? It is easy to understand how it would be the question for people “In those days after that tribulation [when] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”  It is not a stretch to imagine how in the midst of such terrible days, even the faithful will lament, “How much longer?” – a question of fear, dread and anxiety. Continue reading →

Dramatic in the Ordinary

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In the gospel for last Sunday,  a scribe approached Jesus and asked, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” All the centuries later, we Christian people know the answer. We know it well. The first commandment is to love – to love God with our entire being, all that we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We all know what to do…but… Everyone of us can easily think of our epic failures in fulfilling the first and greatest of the commandments. During the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a very common confession includes “failing to put God first.” If I ask what that means to the person it is often answered with accounts of falling short on love of God or neighbor. As I said, we all know what we are called to do. As challenging as it is, simply put, we are called to be all-in. How do we become “all-in”? Continue reading →

In the Silence

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A scribe approaches Jesus and asks, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” All the centuries later, all Christian people know the answer. We know it well. The first commandment is to love – to love God with our entire being, all that we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The scribe agrees, essentially repeats Jesus’ answer and then adds a great insight. One that barely registers in our memory, if at all. The commandment to love is “worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” It is worth more than all we might hold dear about the practice of our religion. It is worth more than the language used, the elaborate churches we build, the outward piety we show, and the traditions of faith we repeat – sometimes without registering a lasting memory at all. Continue reading →

Just passing through

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There was a young friar who sought to live simply and a contemplative life. His Guardian gave him permission to live in his own lean-to down by the river.  For the first week the friar was ecstatic – his prayer life blossomed and he really felt he had taken a major step on his journey to God. At the end of the week, the young friar washed his one habit and put it out to dry.  The next morning he was dismayed to find that some rats had torn his habit to shreds.  So he covered himself as best he could, went to a nearby village and begged for another.  A week later, after washing, the rats destroyed that habit as well.  So, the young friar got a cat – and presto – rat problem solved. Continue reading →

From the backseat

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I remember family road trips when I was a child.  All my cousins on my father’s side lived in Atlanta. My dad was the only one of the 7 siblings that did not live in Atlanta. Each year – sometimes over Thanksgiving, sometimes over Christmas – we would load up the car with kids, bags, and whatnot and off we went. There were games, snacks, and drinks for us all. There was a suitcase with my clothes. The car was serviced, the oil checked, and the gas tank filled. This was before the days of the interstate highways and so there was route planning that needed to be done. I contributed to none of that. My only job was to be on time having recently gone to the bathroom and subsequently thoroughly washed my hands. I wasn’t in charge or responsible for any task or duties. I was 8 years old. Continue reading →

Everyday Prophets

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“Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!” – so said Moses to the people of the Exodus.  And did you know that at your own baptism you were anointed with the Sacred Chrism to share in the prophetic ministry of Christ? Were it that each one of us would know that we are prophets of the Lord and would live accordingly….. Of course, that raises the question of what it means to be a prophet.  When I ask around there are a couple of ideas that seem to be popular: Continue reading →

Praying for Wisdom

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Last week the question was “who do you say that I am?” Did you come up with an answer? Maybe some of you are thinking to yourself… “did he really expect us to think about that question?” Short answer: yes. Seems like a pretty important question, don’t ya’ think? I didn’t say it was an easy question, just an important one… perhaps the most important you will ever answer in this lifetime. It is the kind of question that calls for wisdom.

When was the last time you prayed for wisdom? Continue reading →

The Next Step

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While each of the gospel writers has their own style, pace and priorities – each is a masterful storyteller. Each weaves the accounts and stories into a meta-narrative that reveals something about the person of Jesus and thus is revelatory about the person of God. If your only encounter with the gospels is here on Sunday – while any encounter is a good one – you’re missing the whole of the narrative, missing the ebb and flow. It is like trying to understand the beauty of a quilt by staring into one patch. The one patch is beautiful, the stitching elaborate, but you miss the larger pattern, the greater beauty. Continue reading →