Spending time with today’s Mass readings, prayers, and scripture from the Liturgy of Hours drives home a strong invitation from this Advent season: conversion of life to the LORD. What stands out most is the call to grow in good deeds to others. Spend some time praying and reflecting on the Opening Prayer for Mass on this First Sunday of Advent: Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to […]
Jesus gives us some great one liners in today’s Gospel. (Matthew 7: 6, 12-14) Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. The bottom line to these ‘pearls’ of wisdom and divine instruction […]
Today is the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, a day which Pope Francis dedicated as the World Day of Prayer for the Poor. Our Gospel today comes from St. Matthew (25:14-30) and is the familiar story of the talents. As is often the case, a clue for understanding this passage lies in the first line: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.” Do we recognize that all we have is given us by God? And what we have is given us according to our ability. God […]
During the month of November, our liturgical celebrations draw our attention to the culmination of our earthly pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Heaven. We do well to ponder regularly the source of our life in God, the reason for our being expressed in God’s will, and our destination as eternity with God. Blessed Cardinal Newman summarized our human condition quite concisely once when saying: “Life is short, death is certain, eternity is long.” In the Nicene Creed, we express our belief in Jesus Christ, that he has ascended into heaven, is seated at the right […]
During the month of June, we will conclude another Easter Season with the celebration of Pentecost, followed by some major Solemnities: Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi (The Body & Blood of The Lord); the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, and Saints Peter & Paul. That is quite a line-up for any month of the year! These great liturgical celebrations speak to us of the importance in our lives of discipleship (following Jesus) and witness (being heralds of the Gospel). Jesus shares his life with us not only that we may […]
As 2016 draws to a close, I hope you are able to give thanks for the many ways God has been present and active in your life this year. In order to plan for a new year, it is helpful to take stock of my awareness of God’s presence and action in this past year. I’ll readily admit, I’m often so consumed with meeting the demands of the ‘present’ that I can tend to lose sight at times of what God is doing and how God has been answering all of my prayers. January 1st […]
Today is the feast day of a saint who has deep roots in Indiana, St. Mother Theodore Guerin. Mother Theodore was invited to come to Indiana by the first Bishop of Vincennes, The Most Reverend Simon Brute, who also was from France. Bishop Brute’s cause for sainthood was introduced several years ago. He helped form the first generation of priests for this country, and was a spiritual director and friend to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. He was appointed Bishop of Vincennes in 1834 and died in 1839. Mother Theodore arrived in Terre Haute, Indiana after Bishop […]
It is looking more like Christmas than the beginning of the Triduum at the Cheyenne Cathedral today! Despite the weather outside, I am grateful to have the business demands of these days finally behind me. It is a welcome moment to begin to prayerfully enter into the spirit of these holy days. I hope and pray your Lenten observance has helped you grow in virtue and holiness. Ultimately, these steps forward in the spiritual journey are a part of the ultimate goal of drawing nearer to Christ. I continue to pray for all of you, […]
By design, the Creator uses the things of this world to teach us of the things of heaven. Our practice of harvesting the fruits of the earth is meant to help us understand that God is also looking for a bountiful harvest from each of us! The fruitfulness of our lives has eternal implications. Farmers sow seeds with the expectation of reaping a harvest. Likewise, God creates each person in his own image and likeness, bestowing unique gifts upon every one with the expectation that our lives will advance the Kingdom of God. We are […]
As I prayed last night and again this morning in preparation for this Lenten journey, the phrase came to mind: “Less consumption, more production.” I doubt that mantra would fly for long on the lips of present presidential candidates, but it is not an economic formula, but rather has become my spiritual goal for this Lent. First and foremost, the Lenten journey draws our attention to the sin that is at work in our lives, and to be humbled and repentant. The Psalms speak well of the reality of sin, and our need for […]