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If this is the first article you are reading on my blog, please allow to begin by saying this is the fourth article in a series on “how do you evangelize a culture that used to be Christian?” In order…
Read MoreI began a series of blog articles last week reflecting on the question, “How do you evangelize a culture that used to be Catholic?” Our whole culture used to be based on Christian faith. People are now turning away from…
Read MoreEvangelization, meaning to help those who already believe in God develop a deeper faith and to reach out to those who have fallen away from Christianity or have never believed, is something near and dear to my heart. Thus, it…
Read More6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year ASirach 15:15-20Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 (1b)1 Corinthians 2:6-10Matthew 5:17-37February 16, 2020 God had given the Ten Commandments through Moses. Moses told them that if they followed the commandments they would live. If they…
Read MorePeople look for what brings them fulfillment. The question is where do we look? In a society that is becoming more and more secularized people look for fulfillment in material things; money, property, clothing. We are told “more is better.”…
Read MoreI just uploaded the video and handouts for the second presentation in my series on the Sacraments. This one is on Baptism and Confirmation. It can be found online at www.renewaloffaith.org/sacramentsinitiation1. Please note that with a lot of good questions,…
Read MoreHere’s something I wrote for our parish bulletin 2/9/20 Evangelization: How Can You Share What Our Faith Means to You? I hesitated to use the word “evangelization” in the title of this article. I think when people here the word…
Read MorePresentation of the LordMalachi 3:1-4Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10 (8)Hebrews 2:14-18Luke 2:22-40February 2, 2020 Our psalm today speaks of the “king of glory.” Of course, the “king of glory” is the Lord. The historical setting for this psalm is the…
Read More3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 8:23 – 9:3Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 (1a)1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17Matthew 4:12-23January 26, 2020 As John is arrested, Jesus begins his public ministry. Hearing of John’s arrest, Jesus “withdrew to Galilee” but we should…
Read MoreI just finished reading a book called Inside the Atheist Mind: Unmasking the Religion of Those Who Say There is No God by Anthony DeStefano (Nelson Books, Nashville. 2018). Before I highlight a couple of ideas from the book, I…
Read More2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 49:3, 5-6Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 (8a, 9a)1 Corinthians 1:1-3John 1:29-34January 19, 2020 To prepare us for Christmas as the First Coming of the Lord, we first celebrated the season of Advent.…
Read MoreBaptism of the LordIsaiah 42:1-4, 6-7Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (11b)Acts 10:34-38Matthew 3:13-17January 12, 2020 Christmas day was 18 days ago. We began our Christmas season with the story of the birth of our savior “who is Christ and Lord.” …
Read MoreOn Wednesday I started a new series of presentations on the Sacraments. It’s a five part series. Here is a link to the first presentation (a general introduction). www.renewaloffaith.org/sacramentsintro Peace, Fr. Jeff
Read MoreThe Epiphany of the LordIsaiah 60:1-6Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 (11)Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6Matthew 2:1-12January 5, 2020 At Christmas we heard that the shepherds were the first to hear the “good news of great joy” that “a savior has been born…who…
Read MoreThe Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and JosephSirach 3:2-6, 12-14Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 (1)Colossians 3:12-21Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23December 29, 2019 We continue our celebration of Christmas for Jesus’ birth is too important to celebrate with just a single day. So, we…
Read MoreChristmas 2019Mass During the NightIsaiah 9:1-6Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 (Luke 2:11)Titus 2:11-14Luke 2:1-14December 25, 2019 There is much joy in seeing so many people here at Christmas as we celebrate something very special, very sacred. What makes this time…
Read More4th Sunday of Advent, Year AIsaiah 7:10-14Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (7c, 10b)Romans 1:1-7Matthew 1:18-24December 22, 2019 It’s almost Christmas but not yet. We have to wait a couple of more days. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, our reading from…
Read MoreAdvent Penance Service 2019Isaiah 57:14-21Psalm 63Matthew 3:1-12December 19, 2019 Christmas is coming but it is not yet here. We get excited for Christmas. Psalm 63, our responsorial psalm today, is one of my favorite psalms because it expresses our desire…
Read More3rd Sunday of Advent, Year AIsaiah 35:1-6a, 10Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (Isaiah 35:4)James 5:7-10Matthew 11:2-11December 15, 2019 “Be patient.” “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.” These are the words that begin our second reading today. …
Read MoreAdvent Holy Hour Matthew 26:36-46December 8, 2019 We are here this evening for what we call a “holy hour”. One might ask we do we holy hours at all and why today. To understand why we do “holy hours” at…
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