Sixth Sunday of Easter – A – May 17, 2020 When encouraging people to evangelize and be public about their Christian faith, some will quote a verse from today’s second reading: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone … Read More
Fifth Sunday of Easter – A – May 10, 2020 Although the term is never used in today’s first reading, it is traditionally seen as the Catholic origin of the diaconate. Lately, many theologians, committees, and leaders have been discussing … Read More
Fourth Sunday of Easter – A – May 3, 2020 It’s only human nature to feel defensive when someone calls you out for something you did wrong. When this happens to me, I am so quick to explain myself and … Read More
Third Sunday of Easter – A – April 26, 2020 I’ve learned to be a functional introvert, forcing myself to say hello to strangers and trying not to wiggle out of a conversation too quickly. I do it not because … Read More
Fifth Sunday of Lent Some church leaders have proposed that the solution for stemming the rise in the number of those leaving the Catholic church is more rigorous, undiluted teaching of the faith. They call this evangelization. However it’s really … Read More
Fourth Sunday of Lent He stood on the street corner in his tattered coat, and I knew right away who and what he was. Sure enough, as I mentally tried to force the light to turn green, I heard, “Spare … Read More
Third Sunday of Lent Beyond water, there’s a deeper image that runs throughout today’s readings: the hardened heart. The joyful hearts of the Israelites that had sung and danced by the seashore now were hardened by thirst. Their stony hearts … Read More
Second Sunday of Lent Last week we explored how mystagogy is a lifelong discipline for all the faithful. At its core, mystagogy asks: What happened? What does it mean? What will I do now? As we continue through the Year … Read More
First Sunday of Lent It may seem strange to talk about mystagogy in Lent. But mystagogy is something all the faithful are called to do all the time. The United States bishops said that “mystagogy represents the Christian’s lifelong education … Read More
Ash Wednesday A few years ago, it felt like all of California was burning. Massive wildfires broke out up and down the state and burned for weeks. The fire that destroyed the town of Paradise in Northern California roared for … Read More