The Pre-Vatican II experience. When I was young, we were taught that it was a mortal sin to miss Sunday Mass. That worked for us, and Catholic churches seemed to be full. The Mass was something that seemed to be performed by specially appointed people. It was in a language we didn’t understand. It seemed […]
Discipleship Our word disciple comes from the Latin translation of the Greek word mathétés. Literally, both the Latin and the Greek words mean “learner” but not the type of learner we are used to today, not a learner who learns how to read or write separate from the other things of life. A disciple, in
What is a disciple? Read More »
It has been a long time since I’ve posted anything to this blog. Initially, I began this blog when I was pastor of The Church of St. Luke in Rancho San Diego, CA. I originally focused on the Liturgy of Word, at Mass, by discussing and writing reflections on the Sunday Gospels. I wanted to
Let’s talk about the Mass… Read More »
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12
A Easter 5th Sunday Read More »
The gatekeeper opens it [the gate] for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. (Jn 10:3–4).
A Easter 4th Sunday Read More »
Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. (Lk 24:13–16)
A Easter 3rd Sunday Read More »
[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Jn 20:21-23
A Easter 2nd Sunday Read More »
“Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’”
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Mt 27:54
A Lent Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday Read More »
Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Lent, Cycle A 1st Reading: Ezekiel 37:12-14 This is the culmination of the dry bones reading (Ezek 37:1-14). It recognizes that Israel’s plight in the Babylonian Captivity feels like the absence of God and therefore is a kind of death. Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the people that
