In today’s Gospel we are reminded that a disciple is one who has been chosen. To be chosen by Jesus, however, is not to be set apart from the world. Instead, to be chosen by Jesus is to be sent to serve the world as he did. The disciples of Jesus were chosen and were […]

If we let fear into our hearts it will surely paralyze us. However, why fear if we have faith and belief in Jesus? The apostles did not let fear defeat them for they knew that even if there was no physical manifestation of His presence there was always His spiritual and sacramental presence before them. […]

While we can and should take comfort in the Shepherd’s provident care and protection – and the gift of eternal life that he offers us – we can only say we truly know this Good Shepherd if we are willing to listen to his voice and follow his commands in the cacophony of the noisy […]

Their encounter with Jesus in the opening of the Scriptures and breaking of the bread is life-changing for the two disciples in today’s Gospel story. We have our encounter with Jesus in a similar way during the Mass as we listen to scripture and receive the Eucharist. These sacramental encounters should be life-changing for us, […]

In our day to day lives there are many opportunities for conflict. Jesus did not promise us the absence of conflict. Instead, he gave us the gifts of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation so that we could reduce conflict. One of the measures of Christian life is not the absence of conflict, but the manner in […]

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary of Magdala’s discovery of the empty tomb did not mean that Jesus’ body had been stolen – it was evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead! As Christians, we are invited to look beyond the surface, beyond the obvious, and to search for the deeper meaning – the deeper […]

When we participate in the reading of the Passion, it is hard to say “Crucify Him”. It reminds us that we all choose sin and that Jesus loves us anyway. He loves us so much that He died and rose for us and our salvation. Adults: Do you find yourself going along with the crowd […]

To become the people God calls us to be, to live our lives in the joy of God’s love, begins by our “dying” to our doubts and fears, “dying” to our self-centered wants and needs, “dying” to our immaturity and prejudices. The grain of wheat is Christ’s assurance to us of the great things we […]

God made us to live in the light of his love. But this original friendship with God was corrupted by sin. Our sin causes us to shy away from Christ, the light that has come into the world. During the season of Lent, we try to fight this tendency by remembering God’s great mercy and […]

Jesus makes it clear that the real temple of God lies within us. His cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem calls us all to cleanse ourselves. We have the days of Lent to make a special effort to become less selfish and more loving – to renew and deepen our covenant with God. As Catholics, […]