One side effect of my father's illness is his suffering from a filling up of fluids in his body. It's called edema, or "dropsy." So I have a vivid image of Jesus looking at this man across the table from him, suffering ...

the times of great persecutions of the early Church, there were so many martyrs that it was impossible to commemorate each one on an individual day. Eventually, when the Church was given an old this great feast was born.|Today ...

feel drawn, by a grace deep within, to reflect upon the life of Thérèse of Lisieux, the "Little Flower". Her "little way" of holiness attracts me so much today. Her compelling life and simple message seem to fit so ...

And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. - Mt 13|We have a remarkable story in today's gospel. We see a classic example of how familiarity can breed a hostile environment for Jesus' work ...

If you, O Lord, laid bare our guilt who could endure it? Ps. 130|| Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God. Mt. 5.||How could our holiness possibly "surpass" ...

I really understand that the disciples of Jesus didn't comprehend his mission and felt very frightened by his prediction of his passion and death. It makes sense to me that they were resistant to going to Jerusalem with ...

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come. Ecclesiastes 11|The Son of Man is to be handed over to men. ... But they did not understand this saying. Luke 9|Today's gospel ends with the words, ...

And so I say to you, you are Peter,||and upon this rock I will build my Church, |and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16|The feast of the Chair of Peter reminds us that our Lord gave Peter ...

Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. ... Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. Sirach 3||The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy ...

If you wish to come after me, you must deny yourself, and take up your cross and follow me.||For if you wish to save your life, you will lose it.|If you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.|What would it profit ...