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Who Is Christ? Who Are You?
In the early hours of Christmas Day, after joyous crowds had filled the church for Mass the night before, a number of believers return. They hear one of the most…
Illustration by Frank Kacmarcik, OblSB, Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Used with permission.
Do as I Do
Do we communicate our Gospel values with words, or by the way we live? That is the challenge posed in today’s Gospel.Let’s face it. We all have been like each…
Illustration by Frank Kacmarcik, OblSB, Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Used with permission.
Humble Prophets
Years ago, I had the good fortune to meet Kenneth Leech, the Anglican theologian and spiritual writer who was as famous for his commitment to justice as he was for…
Illustration by Frank Kacmarcik, OblSB, Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Used with permission.
Abundant Grace
My parents had a dining room table that, when stretched to full capacity, seated eighteen people. It was a centerpiece of our home and a place for family and friends…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
An Ordinary Fig Tree
My work as a biblical theologian started early. At sixteen, I volunteered to teach the Confirmation class to public school students. As I was starting the lesson, a grandmother walked…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
Beyond Fear
Today’s Scripture readings show contrasting expressions of fear. In the first reading, a woman endures witnessing the deaths of her sons due to her unwavering faith. In the Gospel, we…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
A Joy to Serve
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges us to reconsider who we invite to our tables, into our homes and into our lives. He tells us to invite the poor, the crippled,…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
Moving Beyond Fear
It can be easy to miss St. Paul’s juxtaposition of fear and divine adoption in today’s first reading. While often a lot of attention is paid to the opposition of…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
Watch for Lightning
Wouldn’t every weatherperson love to be able to predict the weather as easily as Jesus says today? But we don’t always adhere to those obvious signs. Several years ago while…
Illustration by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana. Used with permission.
Inside Out
We live in a world increasingly given over to “smart” gadgets and digital programs that finish our sentences. At the end of a message, I now have a choice of…
