Love! How often have I heard your name! We hear the word used in numerous settings: we say that we love ice cream; we love our spouse and our children; we love the Seahawks, we love our country, yet we know that in each instance, the word has a different meaning. That same word can be used to cover sexual passion or unselfish benevolence; vague good-feelings toward others or a very committed devotion to God. Our mission statement even reminds us to love, yet what comes to mind when you think of that word?

There are different kinds of love. There is erotic love, which comes from the Greek word, eros, the desire that evokes passion. Couples madly in love know the feeling. It was this kind of love that moved their relationship beyond being just a casual friendship.

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4th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

The readings today lead me to think about our attitude toward laws and codes of behavior. But first, let me tell you about Br. Alpheus. When he entered the abbey, he was told that the monks were only allowed to say two words every five years.  After five years in the monastery, the Abbot asked him what his two words were.
 
Br. Alpheus said, “Food Cold.” “OK,” the Abbot said, “You may not speak for five more years, then you will be allowed to say your next two words.” Five years later the Abbot asked him what his two words were. Br. Alpheus said, “Bed, hard.”  “OK, Br. Alpheus,” the Abbot said, rather dismayed, “you may say your next two words five years from now.”
 

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3rd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

Since a wedding is mentioned in this gospel, the sacrament of marriage often comes to mind, but I am drawn instead to what happened quietly at the reception and the closing line of this gospel passage, “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.”

Perhaps your attention was drawn to the short conversation between Jesus and his mother. When Mary tells her son that there is no wine, Jesus appears to snap at her by saying, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” Jesus isn’t being sassy to his mother.  That title was commonly used then just as we often say “ma’am” nowadays. Nor did Mary appear to be offended. Instead she quietly tells the waiters to do whatever Jesus tells them.

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2nd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

O Holy Night is a timeless Christmas hymn that can touch us deeply. In the first v. we hear, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining
till He appeared and the soul felt it’s worth.”


That verse captures the depth of the mystery we celebrate now: God loves us so much that the Father sent his Son to defeat evil for us and to be one of us.  Together the Father and Son gave us the Spirit to empower us to continue the Divine Presence and lead others back into an intimate union with God, making his presence felt by what we say and do.

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ChristmasRead More »

Despite its penitential overtones with shades of purple, Advent is really meant to be a time of joy. Paul tells us from his prison cell, “Rejoice in the Lord, always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” Zephaniah urges his community, “Sing joyfully! Be glad and exult with all your heart!”

Gaudete Sunday, the midway point of Advent, directs us toward joy and away from the more somber view that is so common through this season of preparation. Deep down, joy is what we want in life. The quest for joy is what motivates many of the choices we make. That likely prompted the question repeated three times in today’s gospel, “What should we do?”

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3rd Sunday of AdventRead More »