This Sunday we get a chance to rejoice before the coming of Christmas. We don our rose vestments, light the rose candle, and sing songs of rejoicing as we near the end of our long wait for the Christ-Child. However, throughout this time of preparation for Christmas I have heard so much complaining about so … Read more
This week in Advent we light the second candle on the wreath. Many people forget that each candle has a theme. This weeks theme is faith. The readings reflect that as well. The passage from Isaiah talk about the coming of the Messiah. And in it we hear some pretty spectacular imagery. Lions will lie … Read more
This Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King, which is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It’s a time to start over, for us to reflect on the past year, and on the real reason for our faith. That Christ is our King of Glory. The Church chooses this feast to renew itself … Read more
This Sunday we read an important set of readings about what it means to truly be Christian. So many people proclaim that they are Christians, yet they lack the actually fruit of the Gospel in their lives. They promote themselves as the sole purveyor of “truth” and the only spokesperson of God. Sadly, they rarely … Read more
This week in the cycle we are beginning to wind down the journey of Ordinary time, which means that we have the readings in the cycle that prepare us for the end of our walk on Earth. For some this can be triggering, because a lot of these verses were used as a way to … Read more
As I sit here and write this blog (late I know) I am struck by the readings this Sunday. In Wisdom, we read about the great mercy of God. The mercy is so great that God overlooks the sins of humanity so that He may love them into repentance. Do not abuse them or hate … Read more
There are times where I am thankful that we are on a set lectionary. The readings never fail to shine a light on what we go through day to day in our mundane life. But it easy to forget that even though the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it was a committee of theologians that … Read more
This week’s Gospel and readings center on the idea of thankfulness and gratitude. In my 24 years of ministry, I have never experienced a time where there is less gratitude or thankfulness in our world. So many people look for the fault in others, the things they can complain about, and the opportunities to pick … Read more
This weeks Gospel is pretty vivid and heavy handed. It’s the most vivid and negative parable in all of the Gospels. The beggar and the rich man. It lends the question of who will listen to the prophets, and all the warnings that they give. That change is coming, and to be ready. But most … Read more
The past few weeks have been exhausting. Going back to college at my age was a feat in itself, but managing a parish, diocese, national church, magazine, and family has been a struggle. And so often in ministry we find ourselves alone working to help those most in need. Even worse, those who claim to … Read more