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One chilly morning, I boarded a city bus. All four linked cars were empty aside from me and the driver, who was making occasional cheery remarks over the loud-speaker. The usually-locked door between driver and passenger was propped open. 

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Feb. 20 (1 Samuel 26:2. 7-9, 12-13, 22-25; Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38)

Having our enemy right where we want them can be a consoling and satisfying thought. Perhaps they have hurt us or done great harm to us—- who can blame us for wanting to get even?

Back in high school, we students noticed when Mr. Q dropped his customary bow-tie, had his hair cut and started smiling more. We knew he was in love. Sure enough, he started appearing at school events with his fiancée in tow.

In many ways, we experienced an encore in 2021 of the difficulties of 2020, along with a batch of new adversities. However, January offers us a chance to recalibrate. We are invited and challenged to live each of this year������Ƶapp 365 days as people of faith. 

The bullet journal is all the rage nowadays, from simple agendas to elaborate scrapbook designs.

Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 9 (Year C) Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 104; Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

What if the lead story on the evening news were one of great joy and life-changing significance? Can we even imagine what it would be? And could we even handle it, conditioned as we are to bleak and depressing news? We might ask what the catch is, or even label it “fake news.”

Epiphany of the Lord, Jan. 2 (Year C) Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12

In many respects, darkness has indeed covered the Earth during the last year. It has not been a pleasant or uplifting existence for many.

Advent, like Lent, is a prayerful time of joyful expectation of a major feast of the Christian year.

Third Sunday of Advent, Dec. 12 (Year C) Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Psalm 12; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18

Joy is an essential and vital element in our religious faith and relationship with God. And yet it often seems to be lacking, for what is written on our faces sometimes belies the words that come from our mouths.

Interrupting is a bad habit I have been working to break for a long time, with some success and more work yet to do. And every struggle has a flip-side strength: While I need to stop speaking over people, the weakness is driven by a persistent perseverance that can also be a strength. God has been asking me lately to interrupt some of the patterns in my life that are not serving me well.

Some people like to think of life as a journey, an adventure, a pilgrimage, a blank slate, a beach, a work of art … a box of chocolates. But life isn’t always that neutral, is it? Sometimes we are dealt a rough hand from the earliest moments of our existence. Sometimes life is filled with pain and obstacles. We are free to look at life however we want, but one thing is for sure: Life is a battle, and no one gets to sit on the sidelines.

Are you “hopelessly devoted”? No, not to your crush, your boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse, but to the Most High God?

Are you struggling with the rosary? Struggling with praying the rosary? You are not alone. Many Catholics feel super guilty for not praying the rosary very much or at all.

Have you heard of “The Warning” (aka “The Illumination of Consciences”)?

It can be difficult, these days, not to become crabby, bitter and divisive. Every day, we receive so much that frightens or angers us, and seems to threaten our very being.