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7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2-23-25

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“Here's a question for our culinary experts: What food product contains the following ingredients: Annatto Extract, Cellulose Gum, Cocoa Powder, Coloring Agents, Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Eggs, Gelatin, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Modified Cornstarch, Monocalcium Phosphate, and Salt, among many others? If your answer is "Chocolate Fudge Stripe Layer Cake," you're correct! For most of us, this list of ingredients might seem mysterious, even puzzling. However, to the baker who knows the recipe, the relationships between these elements are perfectly clear.” 1 Just as it is difficult on our own perhaps, to make such a cake, still harder it may seem to be  to follow Jesus ’ recipe,  found in this weekend’s gospel, for living a full and rich life in his kingdom. By ourselves it would be very difficult indeed.    But with the grace of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is possible and most achievable to live the way Jesus  has asked of us.  And how can ...
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Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2-16-25

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In the liturgy of the Mass, there comes the time where the congregation, together with the  celebrant, prays the Our Father. We stand and with our arms and hands outstretched, we  pray that prayer together. With arms outstretched and hands open, we take this particular  stance to receive the blessings from God. With our palms held upward we are called to  remind ourselves of our own poverty and our never-ending need for God’s blessings. In  such a stance and prayer as this, we remind ourselves also of our relationship to all of  creation. For all of creation is sustained and nurtured solely through loving care of our God.  In the gospel, Jesus extends his remarks to a large group of humanity, literally all of us. As  the gospel says he stands on “level ground: with us. He is not above us where we cannot  reach, but rather he stands level “on level ground with his disciples and a great crowd of  people.” He speaks to those who are the “b...
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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2-9-25

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“There was once a successful businessman whose life seemed perfect from the outside, but deep within, he felt restless and unfulfilled. Troubled by his emptiness, he sought guidance from a wise and godly monk.                                                                                                                                    ...
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The Presentation of the Lord 2-2-25

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  For a moment let us picture the old man, Simeon, and the old woman Anna, in today’s Gospel  story of the Child Jesus being  presented at the Temple.  For many decades  Simeon  “the just and pious one , awaited the consolation of Israel.”   For years upon years both of them, Simeon and Anna, had been coming to the Temple faithfully, determined, and hoping that even if the Messiah did not come in their life-time, they, in their time, might be seen at least as faithful.   Imagine then their ecstasy when they encountered the infant Messiah in the Temple, waiting to be found by them.  We can almost see Simeon’s face as he looked into the eyes of this infant child and realized God had fulfill Simeon long awaited wish.  So much so was his happiness and cried out with joy and  with tears streaming his face “Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which y...
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