Tuesday 5th Week of Lent

Did you ever wonder where the symbol for the medical profession of a snake on a pole came from? Today’s reading from Numbers will tell you. The Israelites were instructed to gaze upon a snake to be cured of snake bite inflicted upon them because of disobedience. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says that when he […]

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Monday 5th Week of Lent

Two women, two charges of adultery. Today’s readings consist of familiar stories—Susannah (from the book Daniel) who is wrongfully charged, and the un-named woman caught in adultery (from John’s Gospel). In each case, the worst was believed. Do I do that? Do I immediately assume guilt because it is easier than finding the truth or

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Sunday 5th Week of Lent

Today is the last of the big conversion stories of John’s Gospel—the raising of Lazarus. It is a wonderful story, filled with Martha’s coming to mature faith, the promise to us of resurrection, and the power of Jesus. All of these are worthy of taking time to ponder. However, I want to talk about the

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Saturday 4th Week of Lent

Annunciation of the Lord I love that in the midst of Lent we have this wonderful feast day! The readings for today are so familiar that we may not really hear them anymore. But listen to what they say: Isaiah promises that a young girl will bring forth “God is With Us”! With us! Not

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Friday 4th Week of Lent

Wow! today is a lesson in not wanting to change—to hear that we have erred. In the Book of Wisdom, a plot is forming to destroy the prophet who reproves those in the wrong. The wicked say that “merely to see him is a hardship for us”. Jesus is facing mounting disdain for his message,

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Monday 4th Week of Lent 3/20/23

St Joseph, Spouse of Mary Today we celebrate the quintessential strong but silent man—St. Joseph. In all of Sacred Scripture, Joseph never says a word. He is not even mentioned in two of the Gospels. Joseph is a man we really know very little about (Shameless plug here—read my book, Yosef’s Path: Lessons from my Father, to

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Sunday 4th Week of Lent

The Sunday we continue with the three wonderful stories from John’s Gospel. These stories are used every year for RCIA because they are filled with images of baptism, confirmation, and conversion. I am not going to talk about that today exactly. Instead, I want to muse on a phrase that stood out to me in

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