Traditionally the fifth Sunday of Lent was referred to as Passion Sunday. Nowadays Palm Sunday shares this designation. But still, with today’s readings we shift our focus to the coming Passion. We do this because the Lord shows us it is the proper time to do so. Some Greeks wishContinue Reading
There was a time when the Lenten fast was much more severe than it is today. We can get an idea of just how severe from observing the current traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church. As they get closer to Easter the scope of the fast expands. By the beginningContinue Reading
What constitutes true worship? This is the theme we meditate on as we come to the middle of the Lenten season. God reveals Himself in the giving of the 10 commandments. He introduces Himself as the sole God and any form of idol worship is therefore worthy of punishment. AllContinue Reading
For the Jews the sacrifice of Abraham is the climax of their covenant relationship with God. It is seen as a double sacrifice. First there is the sacrifice of the father, Abraham, willing to give up his own son. Then there is the sacrifice of the son who willingly givesContinue Reading
The shortest verse in the bible is “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept over the loss of His friend Lazarus and how that loss affected Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people would not accept the love He offered them. When Jesus weeps it is perhaps thenContinue Reading
Our Lord teaches us by His actions as well as by His words. In healing the leper He teaches us a great lesson. Not in the healing, we have come to expect that of Him, but in this; “He stretched out His hand, touched him…” Jesus could have healed theContinue Reading
We live in a society that idolizes wealth, power, and fame. The cult of the celebrity has developed to the point that people have become famous for being famous. Some have amassed huge fortunes based on little more than their own notoriety. It is part of our human nature toContinue Reading
With what authority does the Church teach? Or to put it in words we hear so frequently these days, “what right does the church have to tell me how to live my life?” In this week’s Gospel Jesus preaches in the Capernaum synagogue “as one having authority.” He did notContinue Reading
The first time Jonah is called by God to preach to the Ninevites, he runs away. God gives him a mission and he boards a boat headed in the opposite direction. Jonah hated the Ninevites. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyria. When Assyria conquered the Israelites, it was toContinue Reading
“Behold, the Lamb of God.” With those words a torch is passed. John the Baptist sends his disciples to the one who is greater than he. John does not even consider himself worthy to be the slave of Jesus. So he sends Andrew and another disciple to Jesus and JesusContinue Reading