INTO THE WILDERNESS By Emily VanBerkum This past Wednesday, our parish’s Catechumens and Candidates (those preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation during the Easter Vigil) assembled on Ash Wednesday for a special scripture reading exercise of Matthew 4: 1-11, Jesus’ temptation in the desert. We
STEWARDS OF GOD’S MYSTERIES By Lucinda M. Vardey Today’s readings are full of predominantly feminine expressions and understandings. Isaiah refers to God’s care and compassion for us as being like a mother’s. The psalm reflects a similar maternal theme of the soul waiting patiently in silence,
A HARD GOSPEL FOR HARD TIMES By John Dalla Costa Jesus’ most challenging teaching is also his most essential: to love our enemies. With the vitriol in today’s politics, and so much hate in our culture, we are forced to confront both the implausibility of such
CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF RELATIONSHIP By Fr. Chris Valka, CSB In our Gospel today, Jesus tells us that unless our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Righteousness is best understood as “right relationship”. In other
LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE By M.J. Santa Ana Jesus says to “let your light shine before human beings, so that they may give glory to your Father in heaven.” Our light shines when we do a good thing out of a sincere concern for the needs
HAVING AN EPIPHANY By Lisa Fernandes Today is the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Epiphany has three meanings. The first meaning when capitalized, refers to the twelfth day of Christmas (January 6th observed January 8th this year) in the Western Catholic Church and is a Feast
UNITE AND CONQUER By Tina Sibbald In 1 Corinthians, Paul appeals to the people to be in agreement and not allow divisions among themselves. At first glance, one might think he is advocating for an opinion-free body, devoid of free will. But when one thinks about
A PRECIOUS GIFT By Elizabeth Chesley-Jewell The readings of this week are all about introductions and offerings. In our first reading Isaiah introduces us to the servant of the Lord. The Lord says to the servant, “I will give you as a light to the nations,
GOD’S SELF-REVELATION By Emily VanBerkum The jubilation of Christmas Day does not end on December 25. In fact, so often, in the hustle and bustle of vacation plans, family gatherings, and boxing week shopping, we neglect to observe the entirety of the infancy narrative as it
THE HEART OF MARY By Lucinda M. Vardey Today’s scripture recounts Mary’s reaction to the words the shepherds heard from the angels, that she treasured and pondered them in her heart. During our parish’s Magdala seminar on feminine theology in Rome last year, French theologian, Anne-Marie Pelletier, helped