One of the practices I began when named a bishop is to take the month of July not so much as a vacation month, but to take more time for prayer and study, and less time in the office. I am still available to my staff, and willing to schedule appointments Read more
So often as a preacher of God’s Word, I feel a certain responsibility for ‘my message’ to lead to conversion. I’m learning how misguided is such thinking! After Thursday night’s Chrism Mass, I was visiting with someone and ‘heard’ myself in conversation coming to ‘insight’. God’s WORD needs simply to Read more
Today’s Gospel, John 4:5-42, is about many things, one of which is seeing Christ for Who He is. As He comes to a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, it is about seeing Christ in our daily life. It is even about discovering Christ more deeply in our sacramental Read more
All of us are familiar with the story of Jonah. Called by God to go to Nineveh and preach the need for conversion, he refused, even fled to avoid such a calling. As is always the case, God eventually prevailed over Jonah…after quite a fishing expedition…and Jonah arrived for the Read more
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple, or as some may remember, Candle Mass Day. We recall today the moment Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in keeping with the tradition of Israel of purification. As the readings today recall, it Read more
Today we celebrate the conversion of St. Paul. His “immediate conversion” story is perhaps one of the best known accounts in all of Christian history. For that reason, I am “struck” with the thought that no matter how powerfully God intervened in Saul’s life, there was still for him as Read more
Another lesson from nature comes from the effort to remove invasive species from our woods. There is one tree, oddly enough named, Tree of Heaven, that is an invasive species, and must be controlled if not eradicated. Invasive species in a hardwood forest are synonymous with sin in the spiritual Read more
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Our Church is built upon this presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We renew again our faith in this mysterious but true presence of Christ in the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine which become His Body Read more