Jesus was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 4:1), which led Him into the desert. Are you ready to follow Him? The desert of Lent can seem a little overwhelming at the beginning. It’s hard to stare down forty mostly cold winter days. Most of us long for spring this time of year. We can’t wait to leave our coats at home, feel the sun on our faces, and see the daffodils cheerfully greeting us.…
Every year on Ash Wednesday, you bow your head and are crowned with ashes. You are told, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Hear these words: “you are dust.” We are made from the most basic, humble, fleeting substance: the dirt of the earth. But God’s presence in our lives is what makes us into His image and likeness. His holy breath brings us life. “Then the Lord God formed…
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit” (Lk 6: 43). What is this good fruit that Jesus speaks of in our Gospel today? Fruits of the Holy Spirit are “perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory…[they are]: ‘charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity’” (CCC 1832). In the allegory of the Vine and…
We all know the golden rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Lk 6:31). Easier said than done, right? Notice that the rule is not, “Do to others as they deserve.” Thank goodness, because we don’t always deserve to receive mercy. We fail each other. We can be hurtful to others. We sin against God and each other. Even so, we’re called to “be merciful, just as your Heavenly Father…
Pope Francis wrote, “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality, or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self” (Rejoice & Be Glad, 32). In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us the key to happiness: holiness. The world says that happiness consists of money, pleasure, power, and honor. But Jesus…
Today’s readings point to our roles as missionary disciples. In the first reading, Isaiah feels unworthy. But once his lips have been made clean he responds, “Here I am…send me!” (Is 6:5-8). Similarly, we may feel unworthy to tell people about God. After Isaiah was purified, he was confident and bold; perhaps after we’ve been purified in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we too may feel more confident in proclaiming the Gospel. In the Psalm, we…
Jesus loves me. You’ve likely heard that song many times, maybe so much that the words have lost some of their meaning. At a recent Grace that Reigns retreat, Bishop Emeritus Gilmore of Dodge City told us how much God loves us on an individual, personal level. He said that God loves you _______ (your name here), so much that He couldn’t imagine a world without you in it. That God would have made the…
“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it” (1 Cor 12:27). Each part of our bodies has a specific purpose, a role to play in the success of the whole. In our second reading, St. Paul describes the importance of each part of the body. We need our eyes to see, our hands to work, our legs and feet to get us around, and so on. Because we are each a part of…
Today Jesus reveals His divinity at the miracle at Cana. It was Mary who noticed that the wine had run short at the wedding: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). Jesus replied: “My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2:4). Jesus’s hour came later at the Last Supper, where He turned bread and wine into His Body and Blood: “Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this…
In the early weeks of the new Church year, our readings reflect on Jesus’ identity, which is entwined with His mission. Remember that Mary was to “name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). The Epiphany of the Lord (last week), the Baptism of the Lord (this week), and the miracle at Cana (next week) each reveal Jesus’ identity and mission in a different way. At the Epiphany, the…