Article for Easter

  As we approach the two liturgical readings for today it feels like two seasons of the year, namely spring and winter. Spring speaks of new life and color with great hopes for the future, while winter sends a very different message of shutting down and the final conclusions for the long haul. The first…

  Growing up as a kid on an Iowa farm, we always hated hearing those dreaded words: “The cows are out!” It meant the cows and calves found a break in a fence or an open gate, and we had to find them all and then get them back in. Raising livestock can be a…

To whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe; we are convinced that you are the holy one of God. Some who were with him were puzzled by everything they were hearing from Jesus. “Whoever eats the flesh of the Son of Man and drinks His blood…

  Today we hear the dramatic story of the Conversion of St. Paul. Paul was lucky. His conversion came quickly in a dramatic fashion leaving him with few doubts as to what he should do. It would have been hard for him to miss what the Lord Jesus was trying to tell him. “Why are…

  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; I will raise him up on the last day.” We hear similar words frequently in the Scripture and especially during Lent and at Easter time. A traditional Lenten antiphon: Draw near O Lord and show us your mercy. At the…

  Reading today’s Gospel passage reminds us of other words of Jesus and of prophets of old. In short, Jesus is saying that He is the one who satisfies all their longings. “That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”…

  Stephen’s bold witness continues today. He had worked signs and wonders of his own which attracted the crowds, but they could not bring themselves to believe or to understand his words. He had explained the unfolding of God’s plan, identifying Jesus as the Righteous One, the awaited Messiah. When Stephen concluded his strong sermon…

  Today we encounter Stephen and his bold presentation. Totally taken up with the way of the Lord and filled with grace, Stephen could not contain himself. He preached and worked wonders in the name of Jesus. His hearers only heard what seemed to be the condemnation of their old way. He spoke against their…

50 Days of Joy? Some years ago, I saw an article with a question as its title – “50 days of Joy?” It talked about Easter and our experience of it. The writer stated the view that ”A whole season of joy seemed excessive.” The author confessed that he was more comfortable, and more at…

  A great deal can be said about work and labor in life. Work is indeed essential to living a good life and giving of our best selves to the World. There is one caveat to working. It’s not everything. We work to live. We don’t live to work. How often you see people who…

  This story from Acts is always an inspiration to me. Gamaliel declares that if the Apostles’ endeavor is from God, it will succeed. If it was simply a human endeavor, it would fail. This is a great reminder that whatever we do God is the one who has the final say. God decides what…

The saga continues in Acts. The chief priests and Temple authorities continue to pressure the Apostles. They hoped to intimidate them into silence. St. Peter wouldn’t be denied. He declared that they must “obey God” rather than any human authority. This angered those in the Temple. The Apostles persevered in telling the truth nonetheless. In…

  If you ever needed a “get out of jail free card,” look no further than today’s first reading. The Apostles were apprehended and thrown into the public jail at the order of the high priest and Temple authorities. Prison life is hard today. I can only imagine how bad prisons were in the time…

  We hear the same reading today from the Acts of the Apostles that we heard on Sunday, except with an additional detail. Joseph, called Barnabas, sold a piece of his property and gave the proceeds to the Apostles. This act of generosity can be encouraging for us as well. Churches often ask a great…

  We continue to hear the story of the Apostles in Acts. They were stuck in a hard situation that they didn’t deserve. When I was growing up, I loved to watch the Red Green Show, a comedy show produced out of Canada. One segment showed a few characters playing hockey on a street. (You…

Forward: I don’t know about you, but I am often caught off guard by the Easter Season. I walk through Lent with resolutions, and then when Easter comes, I fall right back into my old habits. Easter is indeed a time of celebration. It also is a time to keep at what you have been…

  Peter and John replied to the leaders, elders, and scribes: “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” The boldness of Peter and James comes out most powerfully in their encounter. For them, their faith in Jesus Christ was not something confined to one day a week,…

  In the work of seminary formation (in which I am engaged), we are trying to help prepare these men for the priesthood by transforming their minds and hearts. The work involves the cooperation with God’s grace and the hard work and efforts of many religious and lay men and women who contribute to the…

  The reading from Acts of the Apostles is perhaps one of my favorite readings in the New Testament. It’s common that we will find ourselves in a position where what is being asked of us, we simply do not have or cannot provide. Peter and John are being approached by the crippled man who…

  Peter and the beloved disciple had visited the empty tomb and saw the burial cloths there. They left in amazement, but Mary Magdalene alone remained there in a sort of vigil. Her weeping communicates the state of her distress, but it also expresses to us the degree of her love. Mary Magdalene alone waited—patiently…

  A young man came to me seeking direction in his life. I asked, “Have you prayed about it?” The man responded with what I detected was a hint of frustration, “Yes—I prayed about it, but God didn’t say anything!” Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to look for the body…