Spiritual

Naaman, the army commander and a highly respected man was a leper. He was cleansed by Elisha. https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar . Now the problem with Naaman was that he balked at the way the cure would happen. He, like most of us, wanted fireworks—something grand. Instead, all he had to do was bathe. How dull! I wonder if we […]

Today we are given the Ten Commandments  https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar. A lot of time is spent on the first—no idols. We know how long that lasted. A golden calf was soon being worshipped. It didn’t end well. Do we have golden idols? Are we worshipping false gods? Anything that removes us from the sweet, trustworthy, precious, and wisdom-filled

The Gospel is the well-loved Prodigal Son tale.  https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar. We are encouraged to place ourselves into the story. It is easy to think of the wayward son as us, and maybe even the son who stayed home because we feel his indignation. And the God-like father waiting patiently always ready to forgive and welcome home. We

“A landowner planted a vineyard.” Matt 21. …and the landowner was God. Guess who the vineyard is? You know grape vines must be pruned. They must be pruned hard to get rid of old unproductive branches so new fruitful branches can grow and mature. Maybe I need some hard pruning. Maybe I need to look

Jeremiah tells us that if we trust and have faith in the Lord, we will be like fruitful trees growing beside a stream which will never run dry. The important word here is fruitful. As we bask in the undeserved love of God, we must bear fruit. And not only bear fruit, but give it

“Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Ps 31 It takes great trust to utter these words! Great faith, too. I know that I forget that my life is in God’s hands. My life is only a temporary gift given to me by God, and can be called back at anytime. Still, there are times

“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?” Ps 50  https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendarIsaiah, the Psalmist, and Jesus are warning us that we must be mindful of our motivations. If we do deeds to receive praise from others, then God may turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to us. Glory and praise for

“Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you” Ps 79.  https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar What is my prison? And more importantly, do I want to be freed from it? Do I sigh and call out to be set free? Maybe I am too comfortable in the prison of my own making. In my prison I don’t every have to

Peter was out of his head–wanting to build tents and stay forever on the mountain top. He wanted to capture that moment and live in it always. Can’t really blame him. Why go back to the ordinary of daily life after such an experience as the Transfiguration? Well, it’s because we have to. No matter

Today we are reminded that God sends his blessings (rain) on the just as well as the unjust. One could, and does, ask why! Why should the unjust get anything, we might, and do, demand. Well, it is hubris that makes us ask such a question, because we are probably thinking that we are the