“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” – Matthew 1:23 Love–caritas in Latin–is the fourth gift we focus on during Advent. Another word for love is charity. “Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor…
Lazarus is blessed. Yes, the poor, hungry, homeless man covered with the sores from Luke 16 is blessed. When I compare this parable to the Beatitudes I see Lazarus as a picture of what it means to be blessed. Jesus taught, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will…
No, this is not a take on the George Thorogood song. But it is an important question. Who do you love: God or Mammon? The Scripture readings for this Sunday focus on how we view money. Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). Mammon is the personification…
Pentecost celebrates the coming of God’s Spirit of love into His Church. How could you explain the love of God to someone who does not know Him? How can we ourselves, as Christian disciples, understand the love of God, as incomprehensible as it is? God’s love has been described in Scripture in various ways; particularly as water, fire, and wind. God’s love is like water. Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,…
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. –John 13:34-5 As Christian disciples, we are called to love God and others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in a special way: as He loves us. Jesus loves you and I more…
Love is patient, love is kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4 St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “To love is to will the good of another” (ST I-II, Q26, A4). Our second reading today is the gorgeous gem of St. Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It is at the same time one of my favorite pieces of Scripture and one that challenges me most. I read it each morning and try to live up to…
As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. – Isaiah 62:5 It’s no surprise that Jesus performs His first sign in the Gospel of John at a wedding (John 2:1-11). There is rich marriage imagery in the Bible from Genesis to Song of Songs to Isaiah. It continues through the Gospels and epistles and culminates in…
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” – Luke 3:22 Baptism washes away sin, so why did Jesus need to be baptized? He was sinless: “…he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). This is why John the Baptist tried to prevent him from being baptized: “‘I need to be baptized by you, and do…
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. – Mark 13:32 During these final dark, chilly weeks of the Church year, we turn our attention to the last things: heaven, hell, the life to come, and the Day of the Lord: the Second Coming of Christ. What a blessing…
Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. – Mark 12:29-31 Love, caritas in Latin, sums up the purpose of our lives. Loving God and others is what makes us truly human. Love unites us to God spiritually. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “…charity,…