2016

When my mother died, I was given a book entitled, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi.  One thing I learned from that book is that life is full of consequences. What happens to us can be a consequence of the choices we make and others make. My mother made poor health choices like smoking that led to a fatal heart attack at the young age of 65.

In Biblical times, people blamed tragic deaths on sin but Jesus criticizes this mindset: tragic death, illness or other misfortunes is not the result of sin. Sin, however, is always a choice we make, which result in consequences that we later regret. Thus, Jesus is quick to caution his listeners, “I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” …

3rd Sunday of LentRead More »

Today’s gospel of the Transfiguration is familiar to most of us since every year we hear this story on the Second Sunday of Lent. As I reflected on the text, the word, exodus, caught my attention. We usually associate that word with the journey of the Israelites across the Sinai so what did Luke mean here?

He doesn’t tell us what Moses, Elijah and Jesus discussed, other than that they “spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.” That is, Jesus’ pending death. Luke hints that they talked so long, the apostles fell asleep, but upon awaking, they saw the glory of God and soon heard a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son, listen to him.” …

2nd Sunday of LentRead More »

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For those of us old enough to remember, Lent in the past was not, in some respects, a time we looked forward to.  Easter was the goal and we looked forward to it with real anticipation.  Our attitudes about Lent tended to be on the gloomy and negative side.  Perhaps nowadays we have gone to the other extreme—Lent being only a passing moment!

Yet, Lent has always been one of the key times in the Church year and it would be a great pity if we were to forget its real meaning.  We used to pray at the beginning of  Mass for the First Sunday in Lent, “Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection and teach us to reflect it in our lives.”  Help us to understand the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus and to live that out in our lives!!

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1st Sunday of LentRead More »

Love! How often have I heard your name! We hear the word used in numerous settings: we say that we love ice cream; we love our spouse and our children; we love the Seahawks, we love our country, yet we know that in each instance, the word has a different meaning. That same word can be used to cover sexual passion or unselfish benevolence; vague good-feelings toward others or a very committed devotion to God. Our mission statement even reminds us to love, yet what comes to mind when you think of that word?

There are different kinds of love. There is erotic love, which comes from the Greek word, eros, the desire that evokes passion. Couples madly in love know the feeling. It was this kind of love that moved their relationship beyond being just a casual friendship.

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4th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

The readings today lead me to think about our attitude toward laws and codes of behavior. But first, let me tell you about Br. Alpheus. When he entered the abbey, he was told that the monks were only allowed to say two words every five years.  After five years in the monastery, the Abbot asked him what his two words were.
 
Br. Alpheus said, “Food Cold.” “OK,” the Abbot said, “You may not speak for five more years, then you will be allowed to say your next two words.” Five years later the Abbot asked him what his two words were. Br. Alpheus said, “Bed, hard.”  “OK, Br. Alpheus,” the Abbot said, rather dismayed, “you may say your next two words five years from now.”
 

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3rd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »