February 2024

‘After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.’ Talk about a dysfunctional family! Jacob/Israel’s family (in Genesis) had dysfunction in spades. The above quote comes when they decide to sell one of their brothers rather than let him die in the cistern into which they’d thrown him! Nice!! Still, somehow God took these petty […]

‘Like a barren bush…standing in a lava waste.” What a desolate image in today’s reading from Jeremiah! How awful to feel so abandoned! I’m wondering if I know people who feel that way?  Do I even notice? Are there friends or neighbors I’ve not seen for a while? Maybe I need to reach out to them.

In today’s Gospel we met Zebedee’s wife. She was one pushy broad! How she must have embarrassed her sons James and John! If she had taken Jesus aside to make her demand it would have been better for the brothers. But she was a momma trying to take care of her cubs. We can learn

What a strange directive we get today! ‘Call no one on Earth you father.’ Goodness but that sounds harsh! Are we being told to not love and respect our fathers? Isn’t that against the Commandments? I think to myself, smiling as I do so, “I’m okay because I called my father ‘Daddy’!” But I don’t

‘For the measure with which you measure will in turn be measured out to you.’ I find that statement in today’s Gospel scary. We are talking about more than monetary generosity here. I am guilty of judging people quickly and harshly. I form opinions too readily. And all too often I hold those opinions too

  Ever had a mountaintop moment?  Didn’t want it to end, did you? That is why Peter, James, and John wanted to build tents—they wanted to stay, but they couldn’t. No more than we can stay because life goes on. We must come back down the mountain. But those moments give us energy, strength, courage to face

What a wonderful phrase from Deuteronomy today, “You are to be a people peculiarly his own.” WOW!! Do you feel special? You should because you are! God loves you, wants only the best for you, and longs for you to spend all of eternity with him! All that love, if we remember to feel it,

‘…Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees…’. Jesus uses the Scribes and Pharisees often as his foils as he does today. They follow the letter of the law to the “T”, so we should emulate them. Yes, doing the letter of the law is all well and good, but Jesus makes it

Today, we celebrate the “Chair of Peter”,1st Bishop of Rome (Pope). I love Peter!! He gives me such hope. Peter can say the most profound thing (like in today’s Gospel), then turn around and be a totally dense blockhead. Despite his many failings, Jesus loved him and saw in him much goodness and strength. I hope

‘The King of Nineveh…laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth.’ Wow, that is something I admit I am unwilling to do—wear sackcloth. I like to be comfortable, not itchy and bleeding. So, what do I do to remind myself that I should beg forgiveness? I have no good ideas and even if I did,