Our Blog
Holy Family, Year C 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 Luke 2:41-52 December 27, 2015 We just celebrated Christmas and now we hear Jesus is twelve years old. Boy, they do grow up fast! Well, actually that’s not…
Read MoreChristmas – Mass During the Night Isaiah 9:1-6 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14 December 25, 2015 The grace of God has appeared as a little baby laying in a manger. His name is Jesus. Today is a time to rejoice. Today…
Read More4th Sunday of Advent, Year C Micah 5:1-4a Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 December 20, 2015 Today we hear the story of Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth. To understand the context of the story we first need to…
Read MoreI recently gave a presentation introducing what the Jubilee Year of Mercy means for us. Pope Francis’ very first words in Misericordiae Vultus are, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well up the mystery of…
Read More3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C Zephaniah 3:14-18a Responsorial – Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:10-18 December 13, 2015 “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel” These are the words the prophet Zephaniah offers to the Israelites.…
Read More2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C Baruch 5:1-9 Psalm 126:1-6 Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 6, 2015 Baruch writes to the people “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery, put on the splendor of glory from God…
Read More1st Sunday of Advent, Year C Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2 Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 November 29, 2015 Through Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord reminds the people that He “will fulfill the promise” He…
Read MoreToday we celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the United States. The first Thanksgiving happened almost 400 years ago when the Puritans came to the colonies and arrived in what would become Massachusetts. It was very hard for them…
Read MoreOur Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Year B Daniel 7:13-14 Psalm 93:1-2, 5 Revelation 1:5-8 John 18:33b-37 November 22, 2015 We call Jesus “king” but what does this really mean for us? The Jews had long been waiting…
Read More33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Daniel 12:1-3 Psalm 16, 5, 8-11 Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 Mark 13:24-32 November 15, 2015 Once again we draw to a close of another year. The year 2015 draws to a close in a…
Read More32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 1 Kings 17:10-16 Psalm 146:7-10 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44 November 8, 2015 Do we trust in God? The fact that we are here says we want to but do we live like trust…
Read MoreAll Saints Day, Year B Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14 Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 1 John 3:1-3 Matthew 5:1-12a November 1, 2015 While we might not know a lot about the saints, they are familiar to us. Often our churches are named…
Read More30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Jeremiah 31:7-9 Psalm 126:1-6 Hebrews 5:1-6 Mark 10:46-52 October 25, 2015 Today we hear of Jesus doing another miracle healing. This time it is the healing of Bartimaeus who is blind. Without a…
Read More29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45 October 18, 2015 Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. We know God is merciful. …
Read MoreWe continue to see stories in the news about surveys that say people of faith hold the same values as people who don’t go to church. For example, the divorce rate among Catholics is nearly the same as among the general…
Read More28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Wisdom 7:7-11 Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-1 Hebrews 4:12-13 Mark 10:17-30 October 11, 2015 Our responsorial verse speaks of asking God to fill us with His Love so that we might sing for joy! …
Read More27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Genesis 2:18-24 Hebrews 2:9-11 Mark 10:2-16 October 4, 2015 The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God created the Garden of Eden and everything in it,…
Read More26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Numbers 11:25-29 James 5:1-6 Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 September 27, 2015 Moses said, “Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them…
Read MoreThe following is taken from a column I wrote for the local Knights of Columbus Chapter. Well, not exactly. The Pope didn’t come to Tompkins County but he did come to Cuba, Washington, DC, New York City, and as I write…
Read More25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Wisdom 2:12, 17-20 James 3:16-4:3 Mark 9:30-37 September 20, 2015 In our first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear how the people are upset with the just one, calling him obnoxious. …
Read More24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 50:5-9a James 2:14-18 Mark 8:27-35 September 13 2015 Jesus asks His disciples “Who do people say that I am?” Jesus has been performing miracles and teaching. He knows people are talking about…
Read More23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 35:4-7a James 2:1-5 Mark 7:31-37 *Psalm 146, 6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (1b) September 6, 2015 “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! What frightens us? What comes to mind…
Read More22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 August 30, 2015 Some of the Pharisees, along with some of the scribes, have come to observe what Jesus and His disciples…
Read MoreThis weekend, Immaculate Conception welcomes a missionary to speak out the work of their group’s ministry. So, I will not be preaching this weekend but I do want to offer some reflection on the first reading and the gospel (21st…
Read MoreThis weekend (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B) our second reading is Ephesians 5:21-32. The passage speaks of marriage and how it is a symbol of Christ’s love for the Church. This reading is among the suggested readings for…
Read More