Articles for Christmas

  As this Octave of Christmas continues to unfold, the liturgical readings provide us with something like observation windows concerning the “rest” of the Christmas story. While growing up, we always enjoyed hearing our elderly aunts, uncles, and grandparents telling stories about the “good old days,” even if we had heard them before. The stories…

  The smile of an infant lying in its mother’s arms can touch the heart of anyone. Sometimes people even find a new language of cooing with the little one to show their joy. Today’s Gospel story of Joseph and Mary bringing their child for the required temple rites seems to focus on the experience…

  Even with our sensitivities somewhat dulled by constant reports of horrible violence inflicted on innocent people, the story of the slaughter of the innocents continues to jolt our imagination. How could someone be so cold-hearted and paranoid as to order the execution of all two-year-old male children in and around Bethlehem? Perhaps the best…

  The series of feast days during this Christmas Octave week and their liturgical readings remind us of a wonderful family Christmas banquet. Just when you think all the food is on the table you’re surprised with yet another dish or course which adds another level of delight. Yesterday the feast of martyr St. Stephen…

  At the bottom of the center stairs at Conception Abbey, we have a set of two very heavy brass house chimes. They are rung by hand with a mechanism using two large wooden hammers. When the chimes are struck, their rich melodious sound travels throughout the house but after the sound dies down the…

  Whenever a child is born, there is change and hope, not only for the child and its family but for all of us. That change and hope come about because each new baby is capable of making the world a better place. Christmas is about hope and change because it involves a newborn Child,…

  St. John writes, “Children, be on your guard against idols.” When I think of “idols” I most often think of small stone statues that a non-Christian might have adorning their house. Since I don’t worship statues, I should be fine, right? Perhaps a better way to examine our conscience might be to ask, “What,…

  You need a retreat. Yes, you! Jesus finds Himself in the midst of full-time healing ministry—cleansing the leper and having great crowds assembled before Him to listen to His words and seek his healing power. He must have felt pressure and responsibility to minister to all of these people, but He also felt a…

  St. John writes, “If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar…” If these words don’t make you at least a little uncomfortable, then carefully read them again. Servant of God Dorothy Day reflected a similar sentiment when she wrote: “I really only love God as much as the…

  St. John writes, “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.” Faith takes root and people are transformed when they come to a “heart knowledge” of this reality of God’s love. I have seen it again and again in spiritual direction and in the lives of my…

  St. John reminds us of the foundational truth necessary for our lives: God is love, and God first loved us. Love is both the foundation of our life of faith and the test of our faith. Love must demonstrate itself in practice. Jesus shows us what love is as His heart is moved with…

  Discernment is a word that is rather common if you work in seminary formation, but for most people, it’s probably not one that enters into your everyday conversation. Discernment is the ability to judge well, or distinguish between choices or options. Most often in the Christian context, it has to do with distinguishing between…

    The story of salvation history is a story of adventure, of people on a journey. Abram is called away from his homeland to go to a land God would show him. Moses is to lead his people out of Egypt, Jesus’ disciples are sent out two by two. When we seek God, we…

  Not many of us have left Mass on Corpus Christi crying out: “Transubstantiation!” Not many of us here have probably ever left the Feast of Christ the King to shout: “Viva Cristo Rey!” Yet in the year 431 after the Council of Ephesus, the common folk of that city ran through the streets in…

  As we become more technologically advanced, we think less about times and seasons. Even farmers who are tied to land and weather have found ways to overcome much. Here in the country, farmers’ wives lament that farm implements now have headlights and that they plant and harvest without ending when the sun goes down.…

  I find myself jealous of the Evangelists at times – only four men got to write Christ’s story, inspired by the Holy Spirit. When we consider the differences in the gospels, we consider that they were not just chroniclers of facts but also storytellers. In other words, they used details to bring out greater…

  For the first time in Scripture, we find someone happy to die: St. Simeon. Before this, death was a punishment or at the very least a resignation. Even King David rests with his ancestors but not without running from rivals and enemies and mourning the loss of his son Absalom. Now, Simeon is happy…

  There are horrible martyrs’ feasts, and then there are horrible martyrs’ feasts. It is difficult to think of anything more detestable than the slaughter of innocent children. Yet, those are the martyrdoms we celebrate today. It is a hard feast to celebrate, but we note the sacrifice of these little ones who were embraced…

  The arrival of Apostles Peter and John at the Empty Tomb on Easter morning represents two forms of the Church. St. John is the Mystical Church that arrives at the tomb first, but does not go inside – it sees the mystery glimpsed from afar. In contrast, the Hierarchical Church is represented by Peter…

    Once in eighth grade, I passed out, hit the back of my head on a desk, and had a seizure. I remember waking to a circle of my classmates above me with faces full of horror. I felt the back of my head thinking it must have been broken and bleeding but it…

    Throughout the scriptures, we get to witness the dramatic event of the ‘heavens being torn open.’ It can be a unique and frightening event that manifests God’s very presence among us. We can call to mind the story in Exodus of God’s coming to Israel on the mountain of Sinai where they received…

  There’s a flashback today in the Gospel to the time before John the Baptist was imprisoned. He’s asked about why Jesus is baptizing and why the people are going to Him. John is humble in saying that the “bridegroom has the bride,” and the best man rejoices to take part in the wedding and…

  “Who is the victor over the World? The one who believes in Jesus Christ…” We have our victory in the Lord Jesus. He is the one who conquers sin and adversity. He delivers us from all the problems we have. I remember reading a book by Dinesh D’Souza, a Christian writer. He dedicated this…

  Reading this section of First John is a challenge for me because I haven’t always lived by this maxim, “Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” In elementary school and in junior high, I fought often. I didn’t respect others as I should have. I acted like a bully and was bullied back…

  Amongst Catholics, very few topics hit the raw nerve of people like liturgy. Yes, liturgy. I want to discuss this because it’s so important to our faith. Jesus did say that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. God inspired religion in order to bring us closer to him. If…

  I will often look over the readings for the coming week when writing a reflection like this and think, “what is the best way to approach this?” I’ve found that I can’t really write a good reflection unless it’s something that touched my heart first. I can only write or give a witness to…

  As we move from the Epiphany to the Lord’s Baptism, we hear today about the arrest of John the Baptist in the Gospel reading. Jesus “withdrew to Galilee.” John’s arrest seems to have affected Jesus deeply. They were both cousins, and John played an important role in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. There are…

    Introductory Note: Many of my reflections are taken from an essay I wrote for the American Benedictine Review’s annual writing contest. The theme I chose to write on was the glory of God at work in our life. I humbly pray my writing will contribute to your own prayer and meditation. This is…

  Saints Basil and Gregory Nazianzen, whose feast we commemorate today, were lifelong friends. They studied rhetoric together in the best schools, they lived a monastic life together, and later as bishops, they spurned each other on to greatness working out theology on the nature of the Trinity. We intuitively know that friendship is important,…

  In the year 428, there was a raging controversy in the Church over whether Mary could be called Mother of God—Theotokos in Greek. The dispute pitted Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople, against Cyril, the patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt. Nestorius claimed that Mary is the mother only of the human Jesus, not of the…

  John begins today’s gospel with “in the beginning was the Word,” and says in the first reading, “it is the last hour.” At least for John and the scriptures in general, the beginning and end of time are marked, not by Big Bangs, but by the absolute sovereignty and rule of Christ. However, the…

  Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” In the spiritual life, our souls also grow in strength, wisdom, and grace. But unlike our physical body, which reaches a certain maturity and then begins to decline, our soul keeps growing through every age, every experience, every…

  There is an ancient tradition that a child is not given to parents by God but only loaned to them for a short time. The Jewish rites surrounding birth contained this belief, especially of the first-born son. The Presentation of Jesus in the temple had a significance his parents did not fully grasp. He,…

  One can hardly imagine an evil more heinous than killing innocent children, nor a scene more heart-wrenching than their mothers witnessing and enduring such a violent act. This feast of the Holy Innocents presents us so quickly after the Christmas celebration of light and love, a reminder of the human heart’s darkest potential and…

    On this Holy Family Sunday, the Gospel reading is obviously about the Holy Family. In particular, this year, we hear the passage about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. There are five figures in this scene: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna. In my reflection today, I will focus on Joseph. Joseph…

  It is commonly accepted among scripture scholars that the stories of Jesus’ birth and infancy were the last parts of the gospels to be written. As the early Christians tried to grasp the meaning of Christ, they first reflected on his death and resurrection. In stages, they looked back to understand his teaching and…