In our reading from Exodus, Moses is conversing with God about the future of his people and their relationship with Him. Moses says, “Accompany us in life. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own.” This is an example of how we invite God into…
To describe the Trinity, Jesus uses names very familiar in our Catholic faith—household names—names that embrace and forge bonds: Father, Son, Holy Spirit—the breath that instills life. The Feast of the Trinity is the proclamation that God is not solitude in himself, but communion, bond, and embrace. That he reaches out to us and gives…
The Holy Spirit symbolizes God’s freedom, breaking monotony and embracing harmony. Its renewing nature acts like the shore to a ship, and a longing for the sea for those at home. God often works in unexpected ways, providing Mary with an unconventional son and Elizabeth with a prophetic son; the Word of God conveys the…
Ascension: the time of bread and fish around the fire on the lakeshore is over. The time of names spoken one by one —names that seemed to burn on his lips—is over. The Ascension is the feast of His presencein a different way: Jesus has not gone far away,but forward and deep within; not beyond…
Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers! The concept that “Mother knows best,” in all matters related to her children, has been around almost as long as mothers have, and seems to be part of God’s design for motherhood. A mother is called to combine a life of frequent multitasking, remembering birthdays, doctor appointments, and…
Seven verses in which Jesus reiterates, seven times, the core of his message: at the beginning of everything and as the fulfillment of everything lies the same act:to love, the cornerstone and keystone of living life. “You are loved” is the foundation of the law, and its fulfillment is: “you shall love.” Anyone who separates…
One of the most uplifting phrases in the Gospel that strengthens my faith is: “I have come that they may have life.” This promise assures me that He guides me toward experiencing a full, abundant, and joyful life—much more than mere existence. The concept of “life” unites all of Scripture, echoing the plea found in…
Have you ever experienced the chaos of an overcrowded airport? Early one morning, I was in a busy airport that had a mix of gates and shops, all in the same area. While I’m in line to board the plane surrounded by people, I suddenly realize, my line isn’t moving towards the jetway, because I’m…
The Gospel of Emmaus unfolds like a great liturgy in three stages: the liturgy of the road, the liturgy of the Word, and the liturgy of bread. Emmaus is twelve miles from Jerusalem, a three-hour walk during which they talked about the divine hope they had invested so much in, now tarnished by blood on…
One week after the women and the disciples saw the risen Christ, there was still an atmosphere of fear in that house. Fear of the Jews, but also fear of themselves, of their own cowardice, of how they behaved on the night of the betrayal. It feels like there is no air. Despite our unreliable…