Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM Where is the good news about God and man in this Gospel of catastrophes, in this flashing of swords and falling planets? The reading starts by reassuring us. Beyond deceitful prophets, beyond wars and betrayals, even when hatred should be rampant everywhere, there is that poignant expression: “But not a hair…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM The Sadducees in our Sunday Gospel want to ridicule Jesus and the belief in the resurrection, describing a woman seven times widowed and never a mother (Luke 20:27-38). Perhaps we imagine eternity as duration rather than intensity. We all know the wonder of the “first time”: the first time we traveled,…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM The art of the encounter, according to Jesus. First scene: characters on a quest. There is a rabbi who fills the streets with people and a curious little man, a thief as he suggests, the leader of the unclean in Jericho, a tax collector, rich to prove business is good, which…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM The parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector shows us the grammar of prayer. The rules are simple and apply to everyone. The first rule: If you put the “self” at the center, no relationship will work—not for couples, not with children or friends, much less with God. We live and…

The Gospel takes us to a school of prayer from the point of view of a widow, a beautiful figure of a woman, strong and dignified, not giving up, fragile and indomitable at the same time. Jesus told a parable about the need to pray always. But we are so busy, which makes us think…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM The healed Samaritan this Sunday has something to share with us. He wants not only the gift but the Giver. He knows it’s not about the healing but the Healer. He is in awe of a God with his feet in the mud of our streets and eyes on our sores. “The glory…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM When Jesus speaks of forgiveness at the highest level, the apostles panic, fearing they will fail, so they ask, “Lord, increase our faith.” Favor that Jesus does not grant because faith is not a “gift” that comes from outside; it’s my response to God’s gifts, with trust after his loving call. The…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM Dishonest steward … a model? In this Sunday’s Gospel it is evident that Jesus does not present us with the steward as a model for his dishonesty but for his craftiness. Indeed, at the heart of the text is the Savior’s bitter observation that “the children of this world are craftier…

Thank you for your kind welcome extended to me on my first week as pastor. I am enjoying meeting all of you. You will come to know me as one who enjoys sharing our faith in ways that connect scriptural tradition in a historical context with our journey towards God in our daily life. Please…

Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM God in his mysterious ways has united me to this beautiful and joyful Parish Community of St. James-St. Leo in Solana Beach.  Since the time I was the director of the Newman Center at San Diego State University during the early 2000’s, I used to visit St. James some weekends to…