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 […]
As the liturgical year draws to the end and we prepare ourselves for a new one, the Readings presented to us start to get a little uncomfortable. Both the First Reading and the Gospel we hear are considered apocalyptic writings, writings about the end of time—Apocalypse meaning unveiling, seeing things as they truly are. In […]
Last week we heard the story of Zacchaeus, which occurred as Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem. This week we hear that Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem, where he finds the authorities are plotting against him. They set traps for him with their questioning. First they try to trick him by asking where his […]
A local fitness center was offering $1,000 to anyone that could prove they were stronger than the owner. Here’s how it worked: the muscle man would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, then he would hand the lemon to the next challenger. Anyone who could squeeze out one more drop […]
A few months ago some friends and I drove up to Austin to attend a graduation ceremony. We started talking about commencement speeches, and we noticed that most commencement speeches have two key elements in common. The first element is an emphasis on discovering your passion, talents, and gifts. The second element is a call […]
Leprosy is a terrible disease. In the modern world we have it more or less under control, but in Biblical times leprosy was an extremely serious matter. Leprosy is a bacteria that infects the body and starts rotting away the extremities; it is very contagious, so much so that in Biblical times it was required […]
One of the perks of wearing the roman collar in public is that I get to have the most interesting conversations in the oddest of places, even in the cereal aisle of a supermarket. I was looking at cereals the other day, and from the corner of my eye I saw someone pass by, and […]
The great author G.K. Chesterton said the following words: The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder. As Christians, we can sometimes fall into the danger of losing our wonder about the story of Christianity. We cease to marvel at the glory of a Father who goes to […]
Last week we heard about Jesus’ dinner invitation with one of the leading Pharisees; we heard that his popularity has been steadily increasing, and that he is becoming a celebrity of sorts. Today, the Gospel depicts a multitude walking with Jesus: “Great crowds were traveling with Him” (Lk 14:25). I can picture Jesus stopping, looking […]
“I am the most humble man on earth, you really should learn from me.” Only one person who could  in all honesty say that phrase without falling into the temptation of pride, and today in the Gospel acclamation we hear from that person. “Learn from me,” Jesus says, “for I am meek and humble of […]
