Sunday Reflections

Jesus sends the disciples out in pairs to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand.  The disciples are preparing places for Jesus, who is, indeed, the presence of God.  So, God’s reign or God’s presence is near at hand for all these people, as it has been for every person that Jesus has healed of sickness, freed from a demon, or welcomed back into God’s people from the margins of society.  Interestingly, the disciples experience much joy in this proclamation.  Like the disciples, the earth itself is rejoicing, something which is reflected in the resp

  The call of Jesus is powerful and direct.  However, in our human condition, our response can be weak and confused.  Fortunately, Jesus continues to call, continues to try ‘to get through’ to us.  He is calling us to a deeper life with him, and to go beyond that, to share his life with others.  After we push aside all the excuses (like those in the gospel) we are left with the question, “Will I follow him?”  God would not ask us to do something  if he did not give us the graces to carry out what he asks.  So, … what are

A man was running down the concourse, late for his train.  On the way he accidentally bumped into a child selling apples.  The apples went all over the place.  The man stopped, missed his train, and helped the little boy gather up his fruit.  He then gave the child $20.  “God would take care,” he said.  The little boy was so amazed – “God would take care,” said the other passengers.  The child, seeing his windfall asked, “Was that man Jesus?”  Everyone laughed, but the man asked himself: not if he was Jesus bu

There is, of course, something ironic in the gospel reading for this weekend.  Simon is thinking to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him; that she is a sinner.”  Jesus is indeed a prophet, which he demonstrates by responding aloud to what Simon has been thinking!  He points out that this sinful woman has carried out all the measures of hospitality that Simon himself, as host, did not carry out.  Jesus points out that she must have been forgiven much because she loves much.  In

     Jesus continually shows us his power to do the impossible and the improbable, as this week with the return to life of the son of the widow in Nain.  His death would have left his mother destitute, without any status and without any means of support.  In his great compassion, Jesus spoke up and said, “I tell you, arise”.  And he did!  To each of us Jesus addresses the same words – ‘Arise!”  For each of us this ‘rising’ (resurrection) will be unique, rising from our doubts and fears, our temptations an

The important 20th century theologian, Karl Rahner, S.J, once wrote that speaking about the Trinity is almost unintelligible to Christians today, and if Christians were to wake up one morning and find that there really is no Trinitarian God, it would hardly matter to most!  Because of this state of affairs, Rahner worked tirelessly in his writings to explain why it does make a difference to believe in a Trinitarian God.

This weekend we celebrate an important Feast in the liturgical year – Pentecost.  We celebrate that the Holy Spirit, which Jesus had promised, came upon the first disciples, empowering them to go out and preach the Good News, and to BE the Good News.  We have all received the Spirit, in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, however for many this dynamic role of the Holy Spirit remains dormant and the grace of God unused because we have not opened ourselves to the Spirit.  This requires a risk on our part, because the Holy Spirit, active in us, will manifest itself

Who does not love Jesus?  Certainly, every Christian would claim to love Jesus.  Indeed, we would even find many who do not identify themselves as Christians, but who would profess some love for Jesus.  But, keep his word?  Well, this proves to be more of a challenge…even for Christians.