Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalms 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23 OR 13:1-9

……from your Pastor’s Desk – Start up your time-machines or jump into your DeLorean – because we are going ‘Back To The Future’. Here is an excerpt from our Parish bulletin dated July 13, 2014. Which was, coincidentally, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A – just like this weekend. And which, coincidently, was the first weekend of my assignment here. So…

Sunday’s Readings: Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalms 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30

……from your Pastor’s Desk – Today’s gospel should give us comfort when we feel down and out. If we feel that we have worked our fingers to the bone and have not seen any success, the gospel is for us. Can any of you relate? …

Sunday’s Readings: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a; Psalms 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42

……from your Pastor’s Desk – The Love of the Lord – In the Gospel Reading, Jesus seems to recommend an inhuman attitude: you are not to love your mother or father or your child more than Jesus. In fact, you are not to love your own life more than Jesus. If you do, you will lose what you love. What does it even mean to compare loves in this way? If you have more than one child, you can love each one equally, can’t you? Why think that your love of your child is in competition with your love of Jesus? But if it is, honestly, why wouldn’t you love your child more? …

Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalms 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33

Taking Life Seriously – In the Gospel, Jesus encourages us as follows: “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid.”
God pays attention to each of us. God knows us each in the tiniest detail!
A conclusion follows. See what you think of it: …

Sunday’s Readings: Exodus 19:2-6a; Psalms 100:1-2, 3, 5; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36—10:8

……from your Pastor’s Desk – HAPPY FATHER’S DAY – I am constantly amazed at how God can bring good out of bad. Case in point, I can’t tell you how many fathers got to spend time with their children during the time of Covid. Unplanned, of course, but to see them in the courtyard with their little ones teaching them to ride a bike, or out in the parking lot riding with them on bigger bikes together, or stretching and doing exercises on the lawn or just playing games with them. I’ve had a few say to me that they never realized how smart or joyful or loving their kids were before. But having, and taking, the time to be with them, well, was a real joy to these fathers. …

Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a; Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58

……from your Pastor’s Desk – The Eucharist and SCUBA – People have commented that when I raise the Host after Consecration, I hold it up longer than most priests. Well, if I do, I am not doing it for dramatic effect! When I hold up the Eucharist after Consecration, you and I spend a moment in adoration. At that moment I know that you and I are exactly on the same page. …

Sunday’s Readings: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9; Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18

……from your Pastor’s Desk – Beyond Human Reasoning – The Holy Trinity, today’s feast, is quite beyond human reasoning. “Two is company, three is a crowd” is a popular expression. But the New Testament would have it otherwise. There, the figure three symbolizes completeness and perfect symmetry. …

Sunday’s Readings: Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11; Psalms 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

……from your Pastor’s Desk – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! – A few years back, we had a very cool conflation of celebrations. Mother’s Day and Pentecost were on the same day. And, as was brought to my attention just before mass that day, a mother and her daughter were both celebrating their birthdays on that same day! A mother’s birthday has a special appeal. It usually evokes a significant response in family members, especially in the strays. There is an awareness of the life she has given and nurtured. …

Sunday’s Readings: Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11; Psalms 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20

……from your Pastor’s Desk – Ascension Day – Parting messages have their own impact. The last words said by someone moving away or even going away for a long time hold special places in our hearts. I remember numerous deployments I went on in my years of military service and how touching the words were between husband and wife and parent and child. I have told you in a previous homily the last few words my mother said just before she died. Many of you have similar experiences with family and friends. A final word of encouragement and a blessing at these times often mean more to us and have a longer lasting impact on our lives than the accumulation of all words spoken before. …

Sunday’s Readings: Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8, 14-17; Psalms 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20; 1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21

……from your Pastor’s Desk – It is safe to say that for many of you who are reading this, both parents are deceased. My father died in 1997 – I was 42. My mother in 2009 – I was 54. Not a child by a long shot, but one of my friends said to me at my mom’s funeral, ‘So, how does it feel to be an orphan?’ I did not think of it that way, but it did make me pause and reflect. …