Category Archives: Messages

Aelred wrote of having a friend, a spiritual friend: “…what joy to have someone to whom you dare to speak on terms of equality as to another self; one to whom you need have no fear to confess your failings; one to whom you can unblushingly make known what progress you have made in your spiritual life; one to whom you can entrust all the secrets of your heart and before whom you can place all your plans!” Continue reading →

In our story Jesus, not yet recognized by his disciples, a carpenter by trade and a teacher by practice, shouts instructions from the shore to men who have been professional fishermen since childhood. ‘…toss your net to the right side of the boat’ he says. No fisherman who knows his salt would think of fishing from the starboard side. Continue reading →

John 20:26-31 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put … Continue reading →

…a recent quotation from Pope Francis. You know he has gotten great reviews from folks outside Roman Catholicism and has run head long into establishment outrage within his church. The statement reads: “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to is own security. Continue reading →

Easter is not a return to the past, but a movement to the future. Mary couldn’t nor can we hold onto the past. Our calling is to walk, comforted and directed by the Holy Spirit, into the future that God has for us. Continue reading →

The first to take Jesus were the Temple police who took him into custody. Then Pilate took Jesus and tried to release him. Next it was the Jews, the religious and economic leaders who took Jesus – to execute him. Then it was these two stealth disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus who took Jesus, they took him to bury him. And now it’s up to us – we’ve got to decide if we are going to take Jesus – and what we intend to do with him. Continue reading →

Traditional lore has it that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the Messiah. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person’s lifetime, then that person will be the Messiah. … members of the counsel are reported to have asked “What should we do?” Given our present prosperity, our freedom to practice our religion and control our civil life, maybe we should wait for a Messiah in a coming generation? Continue reading →

What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation. Continue reading →

What does denial of Jesus, or betrayal for that matter, look like today? Judgment can become complex. For instance we have Judas Son of Simon Iscariot or Simon Peter to contrast – one, tradition has it, hung himself and the other is made head of the Church. Close call. Continue reading →

John 13:34-35 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for … Continue reading →