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In today’s gospel a scribe asks Jesus a question. Unlike other times when Jesus is asked a question, this is not a question to trap him. It is a good question. “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Where do we begin? It is not easy…
Read More3rd Sunday of Lent, Year AExodus 17:3-7Psalm 85:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 8, 2026 A “woman of Samaria” went to the well to draw water. She finds Jesus there. He asks her, “Give me a drink.” She is…
Read MoreThe Stations of the Cross is a favorite devotion for me. It used to be offered in many parishes in many parishes on Friday nights in Lent. We just resumed this practice two years ago. One can also pray the Stations of the Cross on our own. There are many…
Read More2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 (22) 2 Timthy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9 February 22, 2026 Abram, who will become known as Abraham, is a model of faith to us. God speaks to Abraham for the first time in the Bible, “Go forth from the…
Read MoreWe celebrate the season of Lent from Ash Wednesday until we begin the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. What are we trying to achieve? What is it that we hope to accomplish during Lent? I think the answer to this question is what we…
Read More1st Sunday of Lent, Year AGenesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 (3a)Romans 5:12-19Matthew 4:1-11February 22, 2026 Since last September we have had seven people participating in OCIA to prepare themselves to complete their Sacraments of Initiation. Today we send…
Read MoreAsh WednesdayJoel 2:12-18Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 114 and 17 (3a)2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18February 18, 2026 The Lord told his people to “proclaim a fast” and to “call an assembly.” We have assembled at Mass. The Mass as the greatest…
Read MoreLent begins tomorrow. How do we make the most of Lent? Maybe you have given up the same thing for Lent for several years in a row. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it helps make you a better disciple or if it is a true sacrifice that shows how important your faith…
Read MoreSixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Sirach 15:15-20 Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 (1b) 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 February 15, 2026 “If you choose, you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if your trust in God, you too shall live.” What way do you…
Read MoreI knew it was almost certain that it would happen. Yet I was disappointed to learn Saturday morning that the New York State Legislature had passed the amendments to the “Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID)” requested by Governor Hochul and that she had signed…
Read More5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 58:7-10Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 2:1-5Matthew 5:13-16February 8, 2026 “You are the salt of the earth.” We add salt to food to make it taste better. We are to do our part…
Read MoreFourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (Matthew 5:3) 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Matthew 5:1-12a February 1, 2026 The Israelites were struggling. In their struggles our Lord speaks to them. He speaks of the remnant that will remain in their midst. For several decades now,…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to be Catholic? What does it mean to follow Jesus? The simple answer would be that being Catholic means a person is baptized in the Catholic Church. Being identified as Catholic starts with Baptism but it is more than…
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 25, 2026 In a world full of political, moral, and religious differences Paul’s thought of everyone agreeing can seem wonderful. It doesn’t just sound…
Read MoreI wrote the following for a parish weekly email I send out. Portions are parish specific but I think the general thought applies to most parishes. With Lent less than four weeks away, this seems to be a good time…
Read MoreOnce again, I have been stumped the last couple of days for an idea what to write about. It happens when you write articles every week. Yesterday morning, I reached out to a couple and told them I was without ideas. I asked them if they had any idea(s). One responded…
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 18, 2026 Paul speaks of himself as one “called to be an apostle.” For Paul, his work to share the gospel…
Read MoreAs I prayed for a topic to write about this week, I found myself without any fresh ideas. There is always a lot going on in the world. Yet, there are two challenges in finding ideas for articles. The first is that much of what one hears in the news is the same…
Read MoreBaptism of the Lord, Year AIsaiah 42:1-4, 6-7Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10, (11b)Acts 10:34-38Matthew 3:13-17January 11, 2026 Seventeen days ago we began our celebration of the birth of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Knowing that the Nativity is too…
Read MoreThe Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 (11) Ephesians 5:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 January 4, 2026 In my homily for the recent Holy Day, I spoke about peace. It was not world peace but rather the Peace of the Lord that I was speaking…
Read MoreMary, Mother of God Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 6, 8 (2a) Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21 January 1, 2026 Today is the eighth day of our Christmas season. On the 8th day after their birth, Jewish boys were taken for the circumcision rites to be marked as a child of God. …
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