Dear Parishioners, We often only equate the Season of Advent with the image of the coming of the Son of Man. While this neatly compartmentalizes the spirit of that holy season and its ordering toward the commemoration of the First Coming of Christ, it is the Second Coming of Christ
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, Every once in a while it is healthy for us to share in a bit of “humble pie.” While most of us would rather hear the comforting words of the 3rd Chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are presented with the challenging words regarding the consequences of
Continue readingDear Parishioners, For a second weekend in a row, the text of the first reading is taken from the Book of Genesis (18:20-32) and involves Abraham and his three “visitors.” In what seems to our ears to be a “negotiation” with the Lord, Abraham acknowledges the presence of those who
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, The call of Elisha by Elijah begins an apprenticeship in the line of prophetic succession (1 Kings 19:16,19-21). By the gesture of placing the cloak upon his shoulders, Elisha begins a radical response to this investiture by leaving behind the past and keeping his eyes fixed upon what
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, In the first reading of this weekend we hear the words, “On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be great as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.” Who would have ever thought that the words of the Prophet Zechariah (12:11) would, today, be so
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, David, the Shepherd-King of Israel, was a man who loved the Lord much. He, though chosen and anointed, sinned much. As we hear a condensed version of his sinfulness (2 Samuel 12:7-10), we hear David’s acknowledgement (without justification) of his sins and of the Lord’s forgiveness which would
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, When on Sabbatical I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Holy Land. One of the places I visited was a small village called Nain, located southwest of Mount Tabor and, much farther, to the Sea of Galilee. Today, it is mostly inhabited by Muslim families;
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, One of the unique features of every parish community is to have a “Patronal Feast Day.” Thus, to use a single example, on March 17 in every parish that is named after Saint Patrick it would be there Patronal Feast. For us at Blessed Sacrament Parish, our major
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, Every priest I know breathes a sigh of relief as we celebrate this first Sunday after the Solemnity of Pentecost. Some have even joked that this is the Sunday on which “ecclesiastical summer” begins! There is, indeed, something refreshing to the mind and spirit that still looks forward
Continue reading
Dear Parishioners, Happy Easter, everyone! In the Gospel of Saint John (20:19-23) the events of Easter Sunday and Pentecost are combined into one story where the disciples both experience the presence of the Risen Lord and, at once, are “breathed upon” to receive the empowering Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Continue reading