My Dear Brothers in the Catholic Priesthood: Mark 6:7-13, the Gospel reading for today’s Mass in the Roman rite, shows Christ seeing to the beginning and foundations of apostolic ministry: + earthly poverty, + invincible authority against evil, + the preaching of repentance, + the healing of those who suffer. Today’s bishops and priests are white-collar workers. But Christ was a blue-collar worker, a craftsman, a carpenter. He chose as leader among his apostles Peter, a blue collar... Read more
The Patheos “Sick Pilgrim” blog asked me to write about St. Joseph as part of their observance of the Year of St. Joseph that Pope Francis has asked the Church to celebrate from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. + Pope Francis has written an apostolic letter about St. Joseph. + I, as a Benedictine monk, follow St. Benedict’s rather restricted or pared down spirituality, with no other specified “devotional” practices other than the ceremonial worship of the... Read more
Broken or not, nets are not what you need to be fishers of men and women. Mark 1:14-20 for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today in the Gospel, we meet Christ at the beginning of his public mission to tell people the gospel of God. Today, as he begins it all, he sums up the gospel of God in four short announcements. This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent.... Read more
If we don’t listen to Christ, then we won’t look Christian. The First Thing He Preached 2,000 Years Ago. Mt. 4:17. Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mk. 1:14-15. Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” The Last Thing He Told Us 2,000 Years Ago. Mt. 28:19-20. “Go... Read more
Insurrection is Most Holy God undergoing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 10, 2021, is our first day of Sunday worship since a violent horde of insurrectionists broke into the Capitol of the U.S.A. to overturn a just and legal governmental process. They tried to stop Congress and the Vice President from fulfilling the Constitutional process of confirming the election of a new President. They bludgeoned... Read more
We pagans with God, God-With-Us, all of us, prostrate ourselves today in homage to him who is King, Anointed (Messiah, Christ), Ruler and Shepherd of God’s people, their Savior from their sins. Matthew 2:1-12 for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. In Matthew’s Gospel, the earthly life of Christ starts abruptly. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Then straightaway, magi from the east, pagans, came looking for him, asking in Jerusalem for his whereabouts.... Read more
Mary, there were some things you did not know. Luke 2:22-35 for December 29, the Fifth Day in the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord. In this day’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon, moving him to speak truths that amazed Mary as if she did not yet know them: The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him Today with the Gospel we look upon the fortieth day of Christ’s... Read more
Family life for Jesus, Mary and Joseph was not the same as for every family in history. However, no family’s life has ever been the same as any other’s. Nonetheless, in Catholic doctrine the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is impossibly different from all other families since the beginning of the world until its end. The Child is the human incarnation of the person of God the Son. As a human being, he existed without ever bearing... Read more
Pray for us, woman full of grace, your heart full of mysteries! Luke 2:15-20 for Mass at Dawn on Christmas Day. Christ is the Saving Mystery in Person. The mother of Christ, the mother of the Saving Mystery, kept all these things … in her heart. She and Joseph listened to shepherds who rushed in telling of an angel’s words. Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will... Read more
Angels we have heard on high, an army of angels. For the Christmas Mass at Night on the Nativity of the Lord: Isaiah 9:1-6, Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 2:1-14. The Gospel tonight describes Christ’s birth with four phrases. she gave birth to her firstborn son She wrapped him in swaddling clothes laid him in a manger there was no room for them in the inn This tight report tells us nothing about the feelings of Mary and Joseph.... Read more
Turn. Love. Repeat.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In