Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalms 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37
…from your Pastor’s Desk – This Wednesday will mark the twenty-third year since the September 11 (“9-11”) terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, New York City. Most of us can recall exactly where we were when we first heard of the attacks. But the details already fade. And, for those who were not yet born, it is ancient history. …
Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalms 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
…from your Pastor’s Desk – History is not the past; it is the present looking at the past. By placing the Pharisees before our eyes in so many readings the Liturgy today is clearly calling us to see ourselves in them. …
Sunday’s Readings: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Psalms 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Ephesians 5:21-32 OR 5:2a, 25-32; John 6:60-69
…from your Pastor’s Desk – I want to get rid of the large elephant in the room. It entered during the 2nd reading for today’s Mass. From Ephesians 5:22 “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.” This reading ALWAYS captures the attention of married couples, since it is so often misunderstood. …
Sunday’s Readings: Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Woman-Wisdom – When people move into a new house or complete a restoration, they often have a little celebration to which they invite their friends. Once the house is to their satisfaction, they open it to others and provide refreshments. This is called a ’housewarming party’ – a good feast in the presence of others to be properly launched. Something similar is happening in today’s Scriptures. They ALL speak of eating! …
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 4:30—5:2; John 6:41-51
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Appreciating What We Have – We all know people that are complainers. I know someone that if said; “I ‘d like to give you a hundred dollars” and handed her a ‘Benjamin’ – she’d frown and say “But I want 2 fifties !” Well, we all do our fair share of complaining, and sometimes with good reason. We complain about the weather a great deal. How many times have I been asked ‘Is it hot enough for ya?’ Or, conversely, ‘Cold enough?’ The answers are always, ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. …
Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Sacred Silence… – How do you prioritize your time? For those of us in the working world, we have a schedule set for us for a good part of the day. For those of us raising families – the responsibilities therein and subsequent time allowances are predetermined. For those of us doing both…YIKES! Our waking hours are limited, but even so – we are reminded again and again that we benefit greatly to take some time, even a few moments to ‘Come to the Quiet’ with our God – even if that means adjusting our schedule of what we might consider ‘Free’ or ‘Leisure’ time. …
Sunday’s Readings: Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalms 123:1-2, 2, 3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6a
…from your Pastor’s Desk – My first day here [this time around] was July 11, 2014. From my perspective, standing in front of you, I get to see all your faces every week [now that we are un-masked!]. In the ten years since my arrival the faces have changed. Some are brand new baby faces, some have matured a bit; some now gaze on the face of God. Children have graduated from Grade School to High School, High School to college. College students to whatever lies next for them. …