through him, with him, and in him
We all know the story of king Solomon, whom God would give the wisdom that he asked for. Solomon had it all: riches, lands, gold, slaves, and fame, and yet he was a searching soul. In Ecclesiastes he tells us of his journey, and his quest for what brings true happiness. At first, Solomon thought […]
Today’s readings cover a rich array of topics. We read about the early disciples of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles and their work to start and to continue the Kingdom of God. We hear about a new Heaven and a new Earth and of a New Jerusalem descending as a bride adorned […]
Whenever families gather, depending on their views, there can be certain unwritten rules that we prefer to follow, certain topics that we would rather not address. Sometimes it’s sports. Sometimes it’s politics. Most of the time religion is among them. …and yet these topics keep coming up. I was at a get together with friends […]
We are beginning the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John is one that’s full of signs, meanings, symbolism, and high theology. But over the next several Sundays, the main theme is going to be how He sees Himself. If we want to learn how to relate to Jesus, we […]
The prophet Jeremiah lived an estimated 650 BC to 580 BC, around six centuries before Jesus, and his main ministry was in the capital of Judah, in Jerusalem. In Jeremiah’s time, there was political intrigue, backstabbing, plotting, and overthrowing. When he is speaking in the first reading, a good king has been overthrown in […]
We hear some very powerful words in the readings on the purpose of Man’s life. The first reading, from Book of Wisdom, says that, “God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong […]
Jesus, being the great story teller that he is, relies on a variety of images to convey the novelty of His message. He talks, for example, of builders. He talks of fisherman. He talks of fish, of farmers, and today we hear another story: The parable of the sower. Seeds For those of you who’ve […]
The first reading, from the the book of Genesis, tells of what follows immediately after Adam and Eve consume the forbidden fruit. We hear of Yahweh walking in the Garden, looking for Adam, calling out Where are you? With a hint of humor, we hear Adam hiding from Yahweh. His shame makes him reluctant to […]
why, why, why? If I asked if you have had a personal encounter with suffering and pain, you would most likely say that you have. If I asked if you have experienced the emotional pain of losing a loved one through a tragedy or through natural passing away—or perhaps a personal loss like divorce, career […]
The New World Order I was thinking about how we would respond if Jonah came to Floresville. How would we react if we heard this message; that Floresville or San Antonio will be destroyed in 40 days? Probably some people would ask him for proof. Probably he would get arrested for public disturbance of the […]
Discerning vs Doing All three readings from this week echo a theme about the way of God, the will of God. The first reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28) contrasts the ways of God with the ways of man. This is echoed throughout Scripture: “Your ways are not my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). In the second reading, we hear […]
Why Forgive? Thirty-six years ago, there was an attempt on the life of Pope St. John Paul II. Many of you may even recall it. Fortunately the pope lived, and after he recovered, he shocked the world when he made a visit to Rome’s prison on Christmas Day to see the man who had attempted […]
