Podcast

On the Feast of the Assumption, I can’t help but think about Mary’s courage in becoming the mother of God. Did she know that God was asking her to play a unique role in human history—one with moments of joy but also pain and sorrow? Did she ever consider saying “no” to the angel Gabriel?...

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.”Psalm 34:2One sure solution for dwelling on the negative is to do the exact opposite: count your blessings and be thankful.Last week, we talked about “the grumbling syndrome,” and how letting God into our lives is the only answer to our discontent. Today I want to fo...

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”John 6:35Easier to grumble than let God be God, right? Easier but not very satisfying to our souls. In today’s reading from Exodus, we hear the complaints of the Israelites who just a few days out of Egypt and slavery accuse Moses of ...

“You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”Psalm 145:16How many times does God open a door for us—an opportunity to grow in our faith—and we say to ourselves, “I don’t think I can handle this. I just don’t have what it takes.”The miracle of the loaves and fishes is a good meditation to help restore our confide...

These are comforting words… Jesus urging his hardworking disciples, just back from teaching, to rest. We can take comfort from these words, too, because it’s safe to say we’re just as hardworking.Today’s Gospel describes a tender moment when Jesus advises us, his modern-day disciples that we need to take good care of ourselves. Rest well, p...

“He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick.”Mark 6:8Today, Jesus instructs us to travel in mission lightly, taking just the basics. A pair of sturdy shoes and the conviction of our faith is all the inspiration we need to share the Good News.Yes, faith. But also confidence! During my mission years in Peru, I worked i...

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”Luke 4:18“America, God shed his grace on thee!”Today is a day for picnics and family gatherings—and a moment or two of reflection. On Independence Day 2021 we have so much to be thankful for. The blessings of a democratic and open society are ours to che...

Order your copy today >> https://maryknoll.link/8awRenowned theologian Donal Dorr explores the interplay between an ecological spirituality and our traditional Christian faith at this critical juncture in the twenty-first century. Rather than seeing ecological spirituality as an adjunct to Christian doctrine, Dorr views it as central to our u...

Today’s Gospel is about the power of faith in the face of fear—emotions we all experience at one time or another.We know the story well. An official of the synagogue pleaded with Jesus for a laying of hands on his sick daughter who was at the point of death. The crowd said why trouble the rabbi when the girl had in fact died. Jesus’ response ...

Job, the apostles—and we, too—have a few things in common. At least that’s what we learn from today’s readings. In his distress Job calls on God to rescue him from his many torments. Finally, in a stormy whirlwind God does appear, not with answers but with questions. Of course, Job cannot answer any of the questions, making the point that J...

“It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.”Mark 4:31-32Think of today’s parable as a pause button. The story of the mustard seed gives us the needed room to exhale and remember that despite the headlines, t...

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord.”John Chapter 6, Verse 51The gift the Church celebrates today on the feast also known as Corpus Christi is an invitation from Our Lord to be living witnesses of his love and compassion. When Jesus consecrated bread and wine at the Last Supper, he said these gifts, His Body and Blo...