Nicodemus: From Confusion to Conversion
09/14/10 05:28
Nicodemus is, in a sense, a model for all of us who seek enlightenment in our darkest moments by going to the foot of the cross.
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The Roman Centurion Pleads with Jesus
09/13/10 08:05
None of us can know how our example of faith might affect the lives of others. All we know for sure is that every act of faith involves some risk on our part. Until we are willing to step out and take a risk, our expressions of faith are meaningless. Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel always; if necessary use words.” Read More...
The Difference Between "Try" and "Triumph" is That Extra "Umph" Called Faith
09/02/10 09:09
With the passing years, we come to realize that the safety of the shoreline is an illusion. We have to push past the reefs, the shoals and breakers that threaten to dash our hopes. We have to set our doubts aside and head for the deeper, calmer waters that lie just beyond the horizon. We have to have faith in our loving and provident Father. We have to push out into the deep – just as Peter did. Read More...
Stumbling Blocks on Our Faith Journey
08/06/10 09:01
In today’s Gospel, Peter makes a small remark without realizing he has just cast a stumbling stone in the path that leads to calvary and the cross. Jesus quickly rebukes Him for his lack of faith, and the matter ends there. But sometimes our stumbling stones have long-lasting repercussions. Read More...
In Over Your Head? So Was Peter
08/04/10 09:27
To stay afloat in a sea of troubles, we have to remember that Jesus is always close at hand and ready to reach out and pull us to safety. Read More...
What Would You Have Done?
07/28/10 11:13
What would you do if you encountered a stranger in distress? Would you react the way the Good Samaritan did? Read More...
Are You a Godsend
07/26/10 11:07
You never know when some small act of kindness on your part will spread and grow into something you can scarcely imagine. Each time you give someone a helping hand, you’re a Godsend. Each time you give a generous tithe, you’re a Godsend. Each time you pray for someone in need, you’re a Godsend. Each time you post something inspiring on a Christian web site, or mail a Christian greeting card, you’re a Godsend. Read More...
Jesus Walked the Talk
06/04/10 07:58
Jesus would not have made a good politician. When He heard His followers were upset by His claims, He didn’t waffle. He didn’t conduct a quick opinion poll. He didn’t claim He had been misquoted. He stood His ground and watched as the doubters deserted Him in droves. The skeptics drew back, turned heel and left Him standing there. Read More...
Dealing with Our Doubters
04/24/10 05:15
All of us, at one time or another, are tempted to turn are back on Jesus. But the good news is that, Jesus never turns away from us.
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Jesus' Most Startling Prophecy
04/23/10 05:18
Most of the things Jesus foretold have already come to pass. History tells us that His prophecies were true. The one remaining prophecy – the promise of eternal life – will only be fulfilled in the mysterious future. But in this vast universe of mind-boggling imponderables, in this immensity of trackless space, there is plenty of room for one more miracle. Read More...
Jesus Appears to the Apostles
04/08/10 06:05
As students of the Bible, we, too, are expected to bear witnesses to the truth of our faith. And we don’t have to travel far afield to do so. Our neighborhood and workplace can be fertile mission territory. We can bear witness in our relationships with family, friends, co-workers and those who are in need of our support. Read More...
Use It or Lose It
11/18/09 02:58
It’s not enough to read the Bible and memorize the passages as if preparing for a trivia test. We have to walk the talk and perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Read More...
Overcoming Self Doubts
07/03/09 07:20
“. . . blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20: 24-29)
We are blessed with the gift of faith at birth because the skeptics of Christ's time were won over by what they witnessed and were so inspired by the experience that they had to share what they had discovered with generations to come. Read More...
We are blessed with the gift of faith at birth because the skeptics of Christ's time were won over by what they witnessed and were so inspired by the experience that they had to share what they had discovered with generations to come. Read More...
A Rock-solid Faith
06/25/09 05:31
“Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock . . .” (Matthew 7: 21-29)
In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks as the son of a carpenter, a man well-versed in the construction trades. He reminds us that, in the spiritual realm, our souls are a dwelling place, a temple of the Holy Spirit. They must be grounded on a rock-solid faith. Read More...
In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks as the son of a carpenter, a man well-versed in the construction trades. He reminds us that, in the spiritual realm, our souls are a dwelling place, a temple of the Holy Spirit. They must be grounded on a rock-solid faith. Read More...
Salt of the Earth
06/09/09 04:24
“. . .Ye are the salt of the earth. . .” (Matthew 5: 13-16)
When Christ likened His disciples to the salt of the earth, He compared them to a precious commodity. In fact, Roman soldiers earned part of their wages in salt. The Latin root for soldier is “sal dare,” which literally means, “to give salt,” and any soldier who distinguished himself in battle was said to be “worth his salt.” The Latin term for salt, “salarium,” is the origin of our term for wages, “salary.”
We don’t give much thought to the value of salt today because it is so readily available. But control of salt works throughout their empire gave the Romans power over life and death. Salt is an essential nutrient for all living creatures. We can’t live without it. Read More...
When Christ likened His disciples to the salt of the earth, He compared them to a precious commodity. In fact, Roman soldiers earned part of their wages in salt. The Latin root for soldier is “sal dare,” which literally means, “to give salt,” and any soldier who distinguished himself in battle was said to be “worth his salt.” The Latin term for salt, “salarium,” is the origin of our term for wages, “salary.”
We don’t give much thought to the value of salt today because it is so readily available. But control of salt works throughout their empire gave the Romans power over life and death. Salt is an essential nutrient for all living creatures. We can’t live without it. Read More...
Ascension of Jesus
05/21/09 07:22
“. . . ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” (John 16: 16-20)
On Ascension Thursday, we pause to reflect on Jesus’ final message to His followers in which He commissioned us to spread the Good News to all nations. And, like His disciples, we may wonder about what Jesus meant when He said that we would experience both sorrow and joy in fulfilling His command.
In the two thousand years that have elapsed since the ascension, Jesus’ followers have experienced the sorrow of persecution, even martyrdom; but they have also known the joy of winning great multitudes to the Gospel message. Today, there are more than two billion Christians world-wide, or about one out of every three people on the face of the earth. But much work remains to be done. Read More...
On Ascension Thursday, we pause to reflect on Jesus’ final message to His followers in which He commissioned us to spread the Good News to all nations. And, like His disciples, we may wonder about what Jesus meant when He said that we would experience both sorrow and joy in fulfilling His command.
In the two thousand years that have elapsed since the ascension, Jesus’ followers have experienced the sorrow of persecution, even martyrdom; but they have also known the joy of winning great multitudes to the Gospel message. Today, there are more than two billion Christians world-wide, or about one out of every three people on the face of the earth. But much work remains to be done. Read More...
The Shepherd's Voice
05/05/09 04:40
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. . .” (John 10: 22-30)
Amid all the background noise of contemporary society, it’s hard to hear ourselves think, much less hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. That’s why we have to set aside at least ten minutes a day for prayer and meditation so that we don’t wander off on our own and lose our way. Read More...
Amid all the background noise of contemporary society, it’s hard to hear ourselves think, much less hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. That’s why we have to set aside at least ten minutes a day for prayer and meditation so that we don’t wander off on our own and lose our way. Read More...
Manna from Heaven
04/30/09 04:14
“Jesus said unto them. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6: 35-40)
The Jewish leaders had challenged Jesus to produce a miracle like the manna from heaven that had sustained their ancestors in the desert. But Jesus knew that nothing He did or said would satisfy His critics because they lacked authentic faith. Three times in today’s Gospel, He said that they had to believe that He was the bread of life. They couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
Today’s Gospel illustrates the difference between knowing something and truly believing it. Read More...
The Jewish leaders had challenged Jesus to produce a miracle like the manna from heaven that had sustained their ancestors in the desert. But Jesus knew that nothing He did or said would satisfy His critics because they lacked authentic faith. Three times in today’s Gospel, He said that they had to believe that He was the bread of life. They couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
Today’s Gospel illustrates the difference between knowing something and truly believing it. Read More...
Jesus in Upper Room
04/26/09 01:35
"He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and wherefore do questionings arise in your heart?" (Luke 24: 35-48)
The Lord’s sudden appearance in the upper room is a reminder to all of us that Jesus can show up at any time and in any place - - often where we least expect to find Him. After all, He showed up in a stable. He showed up among the poor, the sick, the outcasts of society. He showed up on calvary hanging between two criminals. And He showed up at the empty tomb. Read More...
The Lord’s sudden appearance in the upper room is a reminder to all of us that Jesus can show up at any time and in any place - - often where we least expect to find Him. After all, He showed up in a stable. He showed up among the poor, the sick, the outcasts of society. He showed up on calvary hanging between two criminals. And He showed up at the empty tomb. Read More...
Nicodemus, the Cautious Convert
04/21/09 05:13
We all have questions for God. Like Nicodemus in today’s Gospel, we have to be willing to express our questions in order to learn and grow in faith. Questioning is an inherent part of any dialog and the very thing that changes our prayer from a monolog to a conversation with God. Read More...
Jesus Drives Demon from Boy
02/23/09 06:39
"He answereth them and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him unto me." (Mark 9: 14-29)
A number of “All Star” baseball players have admitted to using drugs to improve their performance and justify their enormous salaries. Those muscle-building, performance-enhancing substances have long-term, serious side effects. Liver damage? Heart damage? Hypertension? It’s just the cost of doing business as far as many “uber athletes” are concerned. The immediate pay off in an inflated salaries, lucrative endorsement contracts and the adulation of trusting fans are too irresistible for some.
Unfortunately, thousands of impressionable teens imitate these so-called role models in an effort to win at all costs. Read More...
A number of “All Star” baseball players have admitted to using drugs to improve their performance and justify their enormous salaries. Those muscle-building, performance-enhancing substances have long-term, serious side effects. Liver damage? Heart damage? Hypertension? It’s just the cost of doing business as far as many “uber athletes” are concerned. The immediate pay off in an inflated salaries, lucrative endorsement contracts and the adulation of trusting fans are too irresistible for some.
Unfortunately, thousands of impressionable teens imitate these so-called role models in an effort to win at all costs. Read More...
The Faith of a Child
12/02/08 09:03
“. . . thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes . . .” (Luke 10: 21-24)
In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we must be child-like in our faith in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The good news in today's passage from Luke is that the “wise and understanding” of this world have no special claim on faith. We don't need an ivy league degree or a Phi Beta Kappa pin to enter heaven. We don't need a genius IQ to understand what Jesus is trying to reveal to us.
Jesus’ message was so simple He never bothered to write it down. His message was so elementary that we learned it in grade school. His message was so easy to express that any child can draw a crucifix. Read More...
In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we must be child-like in our faith in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The good news in today's passage from Luke is that the “wise and understanding” of this world have no special claim on faith. We don't need an ivy league degree or a Phi Beta Kappa pin to enter heaven. We don't need a genius IQ to understand what Jesus is trying to reveal to us.
Jesus’ message was so simple He never bothered to write it down. His message was so elementary that we learned it in grade school. His message was so easy to express that any child can draw a crucifix. Read More...
Parable of the Seed
09/20/08 06:07
Today’s gospel is calling us to reflect on whether we are still growing in our faith? Whether we are more spiritually mature today than this time last year? Are we performing more corporal works of mercy? Are we reading and studying the Bible? Are we growing? Read More...
Jesus Meets Nicodemus
09/14/08 05:27
Faith is not a tendency to act in a certain way under most circumstances, but rather a total, unwavering 24/7 commitment. Read More...
The Mustard Seed
08/09/08 01:31
Speaking metaphorically, we all have mountains to climb, problems that loom large in our minds, occasionally blocking the sun, casting shadows in our paths. Those mountains can be conquered by the power of faith. Read More...
The Test of Faith
07/27/08 02:38
The Roman centurion took a risk by approaching Jesus in public. He might have been rebuffed. Yet, this powerful Roman commander went out of his way to humble himself before the Lord. As a man of authority, he knew Jesus’ word was law. All it would take to heal his servant was one word from Jesus.
“Speak but the word, Lord,” he said, “and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus was stunned because He had never witnessed such faith among the Jews. That very hour the centurion’s servant was healed. Read More...
“Speak but the word, Lord,” he said, “and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus was stunned because He had never witnessed such faith among the Jews. That very hour the centurion’s servant was healed. Read More...
Witnessing for Christ
07/09/08 06:18
Each of us must make it our mission to follow Christ's command. We need to witness to those closest to us. Read More...