“The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous…” This is what the Pharisee prays in the parable Jesus tells in today’s Gospel. This is an example of someone who “is full”...
Trivia night will be held Saturday, February 22nd, after Mass. Menu to be decided. $12 per person. Please bring your own beverage. We will have prizes between rounds. All proceeds will go to the Capital Campaign.
Jesus, tells us in today’s Gospel to pray unceasingly. Seems impossible by the standard understanding of prayer. Can you imagine our lives if Jesus actually meant that we were to constantly pray out loud? I am imagining a bus ride where everyone was praying out loud unceasingly. The need for noise cancelling headphones would...
Some people just don’t understand gratitude or are just not good at it. In the situation in the Gospel ten lepers are healed, no, they are given their life back. Being cleansed of leprosy means you can enter society again and be treated like a regular human being. In order...
“When you have done all you have been commanded, say ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” The metaphor in the story could seem harsh to us today. A servant has worked hard all day, and rather than receiving a much-needed respite, the master...
Wow, the Gospel today sure sends shivers up your spine. I imagine being treated as we treat the least of God’s kingdom in heaven! Makes me wonder. Imagine how the least of God’s kingdom are being treated today? Yikes! You know it is one thing to imagine one person held...
Compartmentalization or consistency? In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells a strange story of a sneaky, savvy steward that raises questions about our personal virtue. “How much do you owe? Here is your promissory note, write one for eighty.” This parable isn’t advice for money management. Historically, there were many positions...
“Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost…”. Or, which of you wishing to construct a new parish event center does not first sit down and calculate the cost? What better Gospel story for a capital campaign than the reading we...
The message of the Gospel is not about social etiquette, it is about humility and authenticity. As Jesus begins his speech to the people in the house, specifically the Pharisees, it sounds like he is simply helping people avoid embarrassment. As he continues, the more serious point of his parable...
Today’s Gospel should alarm us, particularly if we ponder the idea that somehow God will not recognize us. How or why could God ever not recognize us? What would the circumstances be and more importantly how do we make sure that God does recognize us? Jesus is not clear in...