Posts by Nicole Dietzenbach

  “Lord, teach us to pray.” What a profound scene this is. Jesus’ disciples want to learn from him how to pray. Prayer is so essential to the Christian life. It is comparable to breathing for the body. Prayer is breathing for the soul. So many saints this month—Therese of Lisieux, Teresa of Avila, Faustina…

  When we feel pulled towards a person, there is a reason. Some people just have a certain magnetism. A special character that invites us towards them. We are pulled toward them without any fear or coercion. They just have a halo effect where we admire something about them and want to follow after them.…

  For these reflections, I want to offer meditations that have less verbiage and invite you to search for insight within yourself. We read the story of the Good Samaritan who came upon the man who was robbed and left to die on the road. Reciprocity is the key here. When a person does something…

  Jesus tells the Pharisees that God gave life to humanity, recalling Genesis, and he created us as male and female. He challenges the notion that a man can dismiss a woman with a bill of divorce. He says that it was because of “hardness of heart” that Moses made this prescription in the Law…

  Everyone likes happy endings! If this is true it provides the reason for the popularity of so many novels, films, short stories, and musical masterpieces down through the centuries. All’s well that ends well and brings a certain satisfaction and lasting joy. Our Scripture readings for today combine to bring two very different stories…

  We celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi today with all the Franciscans (women and men) of the world and there are many. In fact, as the old joke has it: “How many Franciscans are there?… Only God knows, and God is not sure!” We do know, that Francis of Assisi continues to…

  It’s true. The Gospels, and all the various books of the Bible are full of abundant material for reflection. However, they also contain gaps concerning human interest information. We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the biblical writers to use their own best writing skills as well as the community’s collected memory which of…

   “Children should be seen but not heard” is a well-known proverb. Historians trace its usage to sometime in Fifteenth-century England. We can guess that some adult coined the phrase when some kids were raising a racket and were having way too much fun in the wrong place. Apart from the challenge of dealing with…

  The Scripture readings for today seem to highlight the word “disappointment.” The whole book of Job seems to be an example of “disappointment” on steroids! What more could happen to an upright person who had followed all the rules and yet saw his treasures come tumbling down around him? “That ain’t fair!” might well…

  St. Jerome, who lived from 347-420 was considered one of the most learned of the Latin Fathers of the Church. Some people just naturally do everything in a big way. St. Jerome took on the Herculean task of translating the Hebrew scriptures into Latin without the benefit of dictionaries and a wealth of commentaries.…

  The Peanuts Comic cartoon of years ago comes to mind as I reflect on the readings for this 26th Sunday of the Year. I’m reminded of Charlie Brown making an innocent, solemn wide-eyed, heart-felt pronouncement: “I love humanity!” which is immediately followed by a fire-breathing smoke-filled “It’s people I can’t stand!” How well we…

  Sometimes it is the responsorial psalm that brings together the two readings at mass. Such is the case today I believe. Today, Psalm 90. “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. You turn man back to dust, saying, Return, O children of men. For a thousand years in your sight are…

  The words of Qoheleth continue in their haunting mood. There is an appointed time for everything under the sun, a time for everything. When we are in a reflective moment, this could be an assurance that all our days are not just about business—frantic rushing from one thing to another. This passage is sometimes…

  Vanity of Vanities. All things are vanity! What way to start? “What profit has a person from all the things labored at under the sun?” So begins the Book of Ecclesiastes. And it does not sound very encouraging either. “One generation passes to another.” This book serves as a corrective to puffed-up egos, overconfidence,…

  So they set out and went on their way spreading the good news and curing diseases. That is the conclusion of all Jesus’ training of the 12 for their mission and the rather simple instructions he gave them. Recall one of the purposes of Jesus calling the twelve was first that they might be…

  Where is wisdom to be found? What exactly is wisdom? The dictionary defines it as accumulated philosophic or scientific learning/knowledge; insight; good sense; sound judgment. It is something acquired over time. It is the good judgment that flows from reflection. For us, the wisdom we seek leads us closer to God. This is an…

  Today we begin readings from the book of Proverbs. Throughout the first chapters, we hear verses like: “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and reject not your mother’s teaching.” Prov 4:1, “Hear, O children, a father’s instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding.” These verses are all reminiscent of the opening lines of…

  The questions of Jesus in the Gospels: Who do the people say the Son of Man is? Who do you say that I am? Today, what were you arguing about along the way? What do you want me to do for you? Can you drink the cup I will drink? Do you also want…

  Don’t blink, or else you will miss today’s Gospel. All Jesus said was, “Follow me,” and that changed Matthew’s life forever. It also changed the Church. Funny how simple the beginning of a vocation can be. For my parents, it was a glance at a dance (they arrived with different partners). For me, I…

  There is no doubt that if I witnessed someone rise from the dead, it would get my attention. In fact, it would bounce around in my head for days, and I would reflect upon it from many different angles. (I can be obsessive-compulsive sometimes). Love is a great virtue; it affects how we live…

  Please take time to re-read 1 Corinthians 12:31 – 13:13 (yesterday’s first reading at Mass) before reading today’s Gospel from St. Luke. In his conversations with the Pharisee and with the woman, Jesus demonstrates for us St. Paul’s definition of love. “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not…

  The passage from 1 Corinthians 12:31 – 13:13 has been read and heard so many times that it is easy for me to hear it again and believe that I comprehend it completely. However, that is like believing I am ready to move from milk to solid food by reaching for ice cream. The…

  Yesterday, St. Paul condemned the divisions within the community in Corinth. Today, he glories in its diversity. More milk, please . . . Paul compares the Church to something his audience knows well – their bodies. Feet, hands, ears, eyes, nose. Each can be identified; each has a unique purpose. Each is usually taken…

  Sometimes divisions exist in places where unity is expected. Only a few years after Jesus’ death, St. Paul had to address the Church in Corinth, which exhibited differences in how members worshipped and how they were treated. Two hundred years later, Saints Cornelius and Cyprian were martyred, ironically, for encouraging those persons who had…

  There are four “Servant of the Lord” passages in Isaiah’s prophesy, and we hear the third passage at Mass today. The Servant has been mistreated and wounded by those who could do so. He has every right to defend himself, possibly even to strike back. But no angry word is spoken. Who is this…

  Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross! The day that St. Helena founded the True Cross of Christ! Let me pose this question to you, have you discovered your own cross? We all have crosses that we have to bear. This is very important to the Christian, no matter what…

  Our responsorial psalm today is, “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!” The Lord as we know has many dwelling places and it is reassuring that God, the saints, angels, and our loved ones are preparing a dwelling place for us. It was seven years ago today my grandmother passed away unexpectedly.…

  Today’s gospel reading is about humility and mercy. “Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father…

  “Let’s Roll!” the last words recorded by Todd Beamer on United Flight 93. The events of 23 years ago today still run through my head. The gospel reading today—the Beatitudes—is very fitting for all those who lost their lives 23 years ago today. “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God…

  There are two points that stick out for me today. One is the responsorial psalm verse, “The Lord takes delight in his People,” and our Alleluia verse, “I chose you from the world, that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.” The Lord takes delight in us because we…

  In today’s gospel reading, we hear, “Jesus said to them [the Pharisees], ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?’” Our saint today, St. Peter Claver, believed in this philosophy to save life rather than to destroy…

  “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.” Today is normally the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary! This phrase in our first reading today goes in hand with our Lady at…

  In today’s gospel passage, Jesus and his disciples are passing through a field. The disciples are hungry so they begin picking the grain and eating it. This earns a rebuke from the Pharisees for both Jesus and the disciples. Jesus’ response sums up in this statement: The Son of Man is Lord of the…

  In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks of renewal. Specifically, he says you don’t tear a new cloak to patch an old cloak, because the patch won’t match the old cloak and the new cloak is damaged. Likewise, you don’t pour new wine into old wineskins, because the old wineskins will burst, and both wine and…

  In today’s gospel, Simon Peter is not in the best mood because he has been out all night fishing and has not caught anything. However, Jesus commandeers his boat so that he can preach to the crowds from it. At the conclusion of his preaching he tells Simon Peter to cast out his net…

  In today’s gospel passage, Jesus enters the house of Simon Peter, heals his mother in law, and then she gets up and waits on them. Later the townspeople bring others who are sick to Jesus and he heals them also. This, of course, gets everyone excited and happy. The next morning, however, Jesus get…

  In today’s gospel passage, the people are struck with the authority with which Jesus speaks. In this particular passage he shows that authority by casting out an unclean spirit with only a word of command. We should let ourselves be amazed by the authority that Jesus shows, and reflect on where it comes from.…

  During the weekdays of Ordinary time, we read successively from the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke. We read most of each of these gospels, but parts are left out. Today, on Monday of the 22nd week in Ordinary Time, we begin the Gospel of Luke. We actually begin with Luke 4:16-30. In this…

  In today’s gospel, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees because they allow mere human traditions to override God’s law. This may cause some consternation in Catholics because we know that the Church puts a strong emphasis on tradition. Fortunately, the Second Vatican Council provides an answer, specifically in the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. According to…

  “Consider your own calling, brother and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many of noble birth.” It is true that not many among us are of great standing in the world’s eyes, yet we are still chosen. Why is this the case? St. Paul tells…