THE KING OF ALL SURPRISES By Leanna Cappiello By our very nature, we are people of expectation. We plan our lives in increments of years, months, weeks, moments and mealtimes. We like to know what’s coming so we can feel safe in our own knowing. But as we are
THIS WEEK IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER By Fr. Chris Valka, CSB Holy Week has begun. Everything is now set in motion: Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem precedes his arrest, which is followed by his trial, which precedes his sentence, which is followed by his torture and death. Everything
WHAT COMES NEXT? By Emily VanBerkum The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is one of my favourite biblical narratives found only in the Gospel of John. Early on in the narrative, we learn that Lazarus of Bethany, brother to Mary and Martha, fell ill
A CROSS THAT HEALS by Lucinda M. Vardey In Jesus’ time physical afflictions were interpreted to be a sign of sinfulness and children with disabilities were believed to be bodily bearing the wrongs of their parents. Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion undid that presumption. In our Christian understanding suffering
THE STRANGER'S VISIT By: John Dalla Costa Not surprisingly for such an amazing story, theologians have rich and diverse interpretations of the woman whom Jesus meets at the well. Some see her as a harbinger for the church. She was after all the first person in John's gospel
LITTLE THINGS FOR LOVE'S SAKE Here we are at the Second Sunday of Lent. Our cravings have increased for what we are fasting from, and our energy has decreased for the resolutions we are taking on. It can seem like a dismal time, especially with the
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION By Maria di Paolo Lent is a time for prayer and reflection and the scriptures for Ash Wednesday and for today, the First Sunday of Lent, give us much to begin with. On Ash Wednesday, we hear Jesus instructing the disciples in
A LENTEN PSALMODY By Fr. Chris Valka, CSB This Wednesday, we once again begin our sacred season of Lent. As a parish, I am asking each of us to journey with the Psalms, for they voice our dialogue with God and speak of the intimacy between God’s
BOUNDLESS LOVE By Emily VanBerkum In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5:38-48, Jesus places great demands on his audience. In fact, he outrightly asks for perfection. However, though Jesus' words may strike the reader as an impossible task, Jesus carefully reinterprets the Mosaic Law's understanding of retaliation
A CALL TO CLARITY by Lucinda M. Vardey What is Jesus saying in the last lines of today’s Gospel when he commanded our responses to be “Yes” or “No.”? And what is he inferring by any other response as coming “from the evil one”? Jesus always invites us