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Our first reading today begins with Peter standing up with the Eleven. All of the Eleven were called to be Apostles. As God’s calling, this was their vocation in life. Peter is called to be the first among the Apostles.…
Read MoreThe right to choose one’s religion is a basic human right. Yet Christians (and people of other religions) have faced persecution since Jesus Christ walked on this earth. Jesus himself was persecuted. Until Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan…
Read More3rd Sunday of Easter, Year AActs 2:14, 22-33Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 (11a)1 Peter 1:17-21Luke 24:13-35April 23, 2023 When Jesus was arrested, Peter denied him three times. The other disciples fled. Now, Peter stands up and proclaims Jesus. He…
Read MoreI write this during the second week of our Easter season. It is a season of resurrection. Thus, it is a season of life. If we are to enter into eternal life in the resurrection, we must first be good…
Read MoreWe are all in need of God’s Divine Mercy. Following the revelation of the Divine Mercy devotion by Jesus to Sr. Faustina, Pope John Paul II declared the Second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday (cf. my article…
Read MoreThe day after Christmas it is not uncommon to see Christmas trees already being discarded. However, in the Catholic Church, Christmas is seen as too important to be over with a single day. We celebrate it as a season that…
Read MoreEaster Sunday Morning, Year AActs 10:34a, 37-43Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24)Colossians 3:1-4John 20:1-9April 9, 2023 “On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark.” What did…
Read MoreEaster Vigil Year AGenesis 1:1-2:2Genesis 22:1-18Exodus 14:15-15:1Isaiah 55:1-11Romans 6:3-11Matthew 28:1-10April 8, 2023 What we have been celebrating in recent days is nothing short of amazing. On Thursday evening, we celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper where Jesus instituted the…
Read MoreGood Friday 2023Isaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 (Luke 23:46)Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9John 18:1-19:42April 7, 2023 Jesus is put on trial. First, He is brought before the high priest who is among those who do not believe that Jesus…
Read MoreAt the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would like to talk about something I have spoken about before. Why do we go to Mass? I write this in the midst of Holy Week. In the events we…
Read MorePalm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year AMatthew 21:1-11Isaiah 50:4-7Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (2a)Philippians 2:6-11Matthew 26:14 – 27:66April 2, 2023 Today we start Holy Week. It is called holy because it contains the most important events that…
Read MoreIn the midst of the Babylonian Exile God offers Ezekiel a vision that points to the Resurrection and new life (first reading – read all of chapter 37 for the whole story). The Lord promises that He will open our…
Read MoreYou may have heard there are changes coming to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The changes will be mandatory as of Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on April 16th this year (2023). (The changes were optional as of Ash Wednesday this…
Read MoreIn today’s gospel we hear the story of the man who was born blind. In those days, serious illnesses like blindness were seen as punishment for sin. So, seeing the man who was been blind from birth, Jesus’ disciples ask…
Read MoreI write this today as the northeast portion of our country is dealing with a major snowstorm. There are parts of eastern New York State that may see 2-3 inches/hour. Today, I am going to begin by talking about the…
Read More3rd Sunday of Lent, Year AExodus 17:3-7Psalm 95:1-2, 607, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 12, 2023 Jesus is making his way through Samaria. “Tired from his journey,” He pauses to rest at the well. While He is sitting at the…
Read MoreLast night I completed my series of presentations, The Eucharist: The Greatest Gift with Part III. You can see Part III at www.renewaloffaith.org/greatestgiftpart3 You can see the entire series at www.renewaloffaith.org/greatestgift For the next few days you can complete at…
Read MoreAfter a few weeks of some in-depth reflection articles, today I would like to offer a simpler and brief reflection. I pose a question, “Does the profound deserve a capital letter?”. In school we learn the English rules of grammar.…
Read MoreOur first reading today comes from Genesis 12 where the story of Abram, who God would later rename “Abraham.” Before this passage, the only mention of Abraham is his genealogy presented in Genesis 11:10-32. These four verses in today’s first…
Read MoreHello all, I finally got the Zoom account updated. So, here is the registration link for Part III of my series “The Greatest Gift: The Eucharist” – https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YVzoWhaOT3mggFIUNUPkHw coming up on Thursday, March 9th at 6:30 pm. I hope you can join…
Read MoreAngels are a common part of our faith but how much do we really know about them? Our belief in angels is rooted in the Bible. According to a search on www.biblegateway.com, the word “angel” appears in the New American…
Read More“The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.“ These are the words that begin our first reading today. God created humanity. The first part of this verse…
Read MoreAsh WednesdayJoel 2:12-18Psalm 51:304, 5-6ab, 12-13,14 and 172 Corinthians 5:20-6:2Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18February 22, 2023 What are we doing here today? It’s the middle of the week. We go to church on Sunday. Why are we here in the middle of…
Read MoreI recently wrote “More on Fortune Telling and Reiki in the Bible”, followed by an article on “Crystals, Exorcisms, and New Age.” Today, I would like to complete what I began to say about New Age spirituality and conclude with…
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