Articles for Ordinary Time

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

June 13, 2023

  We are being challenged this week to radically follow Christ. First, we have been called to receive his Body and Blood. In this, we are called to communion with God and our neighbor. As we reflected yesterday, this allows us the strength and means to live in the beatitudes. We are called to obedience,…

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Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

June 11, 2023

  Reflecting on the power of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, Pope Benedict XVI remarked that he could turn to his brothers and sisters who had received and say, “alas, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” He reflected on the reality that by receiving Christ in the Eucharist, we receive…

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Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

June 10, 2023

  Bless God! Give him the praise and the glory. The revelation of Azariah’s true identity as the angel Raphael in the Book of Tobit resolves one of the twists in this story. It unveils a profound spiritual truth: God often works in mysterious ways, using unexpected means to bring about His divine purposes. We…

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Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

June 9, 2023

Brothers and sisters, as we begin to conclude our study of the spiritual lessons in the Book of Tobit, let us put on the mind of Christ and see the profound parallels that are present between the obedience and mission of Tobit’s son Tobiah and that of Lord Jesus Christ to His Father in heaven.…

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Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

June 8, 2023

  In the intriguing narrative of the Book of Tobit, the angel Raphael plays a central role under the guise of Azariah, son of Hananiah the elder, one of Tobit’s own kinsmen. This hidden identity adds a layer of mystery and suspense to the story and reminds me of the plot twists and intrigue found…

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Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

June 7, 2023

  In times of suffering and lament, prayer becomes an essential lifeline that connects us with God and provides solace and hope amidst our struggles. It is through prayer that we find the strength to endure, the courage to face our challenges, and the grace to forgive and be forgiven. The Book of Tobit offers…

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Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

June 6, 2023

  The story in the Book of Tobit contains both moments of serious spiritual lessons and subtle, unexpected elements of humor. There is often a humorous side to our own life story, and this family’s situation is no different. Tobit’s loss of eyesight is the beginning of the plot and is significant throughout the narrative.…

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Memorial of St. Boniface, bishop & martyr

June 5, 2023

  The Book of Tobit is a beautiful religious novel that offers valuable insights into the post-exilic Jewish experience and into our own relationship with God. It recounts the story of Tobit, a righteous man who faced many trials and tribulations, yet remained faithful to the Mosaic Law and trusted in God’s commandments. One significant…

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The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

June 4, 2023

  The doctrine of the Holy Trinity holds a profound and central place within the Christian faith. Based on Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it is a theological mystery that attempts to explain the nature of God and His relationship with humanity. As I reflect upon this doctrine, I find myself drawn into a deep sense…

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St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, martyrs

June 3, 2023

  In our Alleluia verse today, we hear “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; giving thanks to God the Father through him.” I can’t help but think of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions with this quote. Charles defended his companions from King Mwanga who persecuted the Christians in his region and…

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Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

June 2, 2023

  Today’s gospel readings are about faith and trust. Jesus gets angry at the people in the temple who are treating the house of God like a Walmart, and he has every right to be! It shows a lack of faith of the people in the temple area. They care more about profit than worshiping…

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Memorial of St. Justin, martyr

June 1, 2023

  “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” I can only imagine, as we celebrate the feast of the Martyr St. Justin, that this quote from today’s gospel was going through his mind. “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” This quote can run through our minds as well when we feel like…

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Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

May 31, 2023

  Today is a very special day for me. On this very day in the year 2001, I consecrated myself to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today I can say “The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will…

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Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

May 30, 2023

  “With each contribution show a cheerful countenance, and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy,” I remember hearing a homily once about tithing, and I thought it was the most boring homily in the world. Of course, I was only six or seven at the time, but I remember my dad would say…

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Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

May 29, 2023

  “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” This quote from our first reading from Genesis is above the mural of the Immaculate Conception in our Abbey Basilica. It reminds us who is in charge…

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Fifth Sunday of Lent

March 26, 2023

   St. John’s account of the raising of Lazarus focuses on a mighty deed of Jesus, but the story is also something of a journey of faith—a journey of coming to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. When Jesus hears that Lazarus is ill, Jesus reassures those with Him that…

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Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

March 1, 2023

  “At the judgment, the citizens of Nineveh will rise along with the present generation, and they will condemn it. For at the preaching of Jonah they reformed, but you have a greater than Jonah here.” We “have a greater than Jonah here.” The greater than Jonah is the Incarnate Word, Jesus, who is among…

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Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

February 21, 2023

  Sirach tells us when we come to serve the Lord, prepare ourselves for trials and testing. And gold is tested in the fire and those found acceptable in the furnace of humiliation. The words of Sirach fit well with Jesus’ journey with his disciples as we hear it in the Gospel. Jesus was setting…

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Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 18, 2023

  At the Steubenville youth conference, high school students gather together to reignite their faith. Most high school students who attend experience what many people call a “Jesus High,” when they are on fire with their faith and filled with the love of Jesus. On the last day of the conference, one of the speakers…

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Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 17, 2023

  Today’s first reading and psalm put a special focus on the poor. In his letter, James remarks, “Show no partiality” between the rich and the poor. He follows this statement with a rebuke for those who judge or deal harshly with the poor. The point he is clearly trying to convey is that the…

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Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 16, 2023

  In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins to give the apostles a glimpse of the Father’s will for him. He explains that he must suffer greatly, be killed, and rise after three days. This must have been very difficult for the apostles to hear. We see this when Peter responds by taking Jesus aside and rebuking…

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Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 15, 2023

  “As the crow flies” is an expression that denotes the shortest and most efficient path between two points. It is a route without wrong turns, dead ends, or detours. No traffic jams, checkpoints, or road rage. It is a direct path to one’s destination. In today’s first reading, Noah has spent forty days on…

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Memorial of Sts. Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

February 14, 2023

  In our Gospel today, Jesus warns the disciples against false teachings using an analogy about leaven. The disciples are confused by his words, thinking that He is talking about food, which leads Jesus to ask, “Do you still not understand?” We are often told that the disciples were confused or didn’t understand where Jesus…

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Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 13, 2023

  In our first reading, we hear the story of Cain and Abel and the betrayal of brothers due to resentment. In the Gospel, we hear the Pharisees wanting a sign from Jesus, but he tells them “no sign will be given to this generation.” There are many things to say about these passages, but…

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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2023

  There are many out there who believe the Catholic Church to be an institution for the mere purpose of laying down many, many rules. “Do this with your life, and do not do that.” Today’s readings point to a different reality, however. The first reading points out that “if you choose, you can keep…

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Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

February 11, 2023

  Witness by Ariel Burger Seldom do you find a book that truly gives credence to its title, and yet Witness does. Ariel Burger is a Jewish Rabbi who mentored under Elie Wiesel, the writer, teacher, human rights activist, and Holocaust survivor. The author describes how he witnessed under the quiet and unassuming Wiesel whose…

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Memorial of St. Scholastica, virgin

February 10, 2023

  Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza Immaculee Ilibagiza was very young when the Rwandan Genocide broke out. She witnessed some of the worst evil that one could imagine. She survived because a local pastor took her and eight other women into hiding. She had to hide in a tight space for three months. She…

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Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

February 9, 2023

  Life of Pi by Yann Martel Very seldom is it that a book pulls a reader in and challenges their perception. This one does. Life of Pi is a novel written with deep philosophy. Pi is the main character. His family owns and operates a zoo in India. Pi grows up with a love…

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Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

February 8, 2023

  A Refutation of Moral Relativism by Peter Kreef We live in a time where objective truth is not recognized, and time-honored values are usurped by individual autonomy. In other words, we live in a time where too many people want to be their own gods without any rules or responsibilities. This book here was…

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Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

February 7, 2023

  The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Ratzinger This is one book of spirituality I cannot hesitate to share. Joseph Ratzinger is known most famously as Pope Benedict XVI. He came to prominence as a young theologian at the Second Vatican Council. He went on to serve as an acclaimed theology professor, and then…

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Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

February 6, 2023

  The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Few books have the power to make sense of life, and yet this book does exactly that. Dr. Randy Pausch was a young, gifted professor who taught at Carnegie Mellon University. He made a name for himself working in computer programming and research. He had quite a talent…

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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 5, 2023

  Forward: As always, writing about faith brings with it a unique challenge. How can I as a writer bring you a perspective on the faith that you haven’t heard already? How can I prepare reflections that will simultaneously aid your faith and inform you? So, this week, I’m doing something different. I will write…

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Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

February 4, 2023

  In today’s Gospel, Jesus sees the vast crowd that is looking for him and waiting for him, and he feels compassion for them. And he does something for them out of his compassion for them. First of all, this tells us how God feels about us, especially when we feel lost, confused, and far…

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Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

February 3, 2023

  In today’s Gospel, Mark recounts the events in Herod’s court that led to the execution of John the Baptist. Matthew also recounts the same episode in his Gospel. However, Mark includes an interesting little tidbit that Matthew omits, but that we should take a deeper look at. Mark writes that Herod was afraid of…

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

February 2, 2023

  Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The Law of God commands that the firstborn son must be taken to the temple and offered to God, and so in obedience, Joseph and Mary do this with Jesus. It is interesting to consider that since Jesus is God Incarnate, before his Incarnation,…

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Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

February 1, 2023

  When the Holy Family returned from Egypt after the death of Herod, they left Egypt and settled in the town of Nazareth. So, Jesus grew up in that town. In today’s Gospel, Jesus returns to his hometown after having spent some time in his public ministry. Since Jesus grew up there, the people of…

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Memorial of St. John Bosco, priest

January 31, 2023

  In today’s Gospel passage, we are presented with two miracles. At the beginning of the passage, Jesus is approached by a man named Jairus, who is a synagogue official and whose daughter is ill. Jairus asks Jesus to heal his daughter and Jesus agrees to accompany him back to the home. When they arrive,…

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Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

January 30, 2023

  In today’s Gospel, passage Jesus travels to the land of the Gerasenes, and encounters a man who has been possessed by evil spirits. This man howls and screams every day and gashes himself with rocks, etc. His neighbors have tried to restrain him, but even chains cannot hold him. He just breaks free. So…

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 29, 2023

  In today’s Gospel passage, we see the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In the first sentences, Jesus sits and his disciples come to him and he begins to teach them. In our culture we are used to people standing behind a podium when they address us, so we find it striking that…

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Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

January 28, 2023

  Mission Accomplished Today, in the opening prayer, we ask God to grant “that we may understand what he (St. Thomas Aquinas) taught and imitate what he accomplished.” Whoa. Really? He wrote about 60 works. One of them contains about 3,100 articles (the Summa Theologiae or “Summary of Theology”). Through his writing, teaching, and preaching,…

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