October 2023

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103123.cfm Something small but beautiful for God. Jesus always starts in small ways to not overwhelm us. Many have grown to love the little flower, St. Therese of Lisieux. She is famous for her “Little Way.” She so much wanted to go on the missions to spread the love of Jesus. However, her poor health […]

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103023.cfm The Law is not an end but a beginning.     How often does a driver pull up to a stop sign and roll through it? We do it without even thinking. After riding with the police for eight years in Galesburg, IL., I learned that a police officer looks for a car to brake, knowing

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102923.cfm Jesus loves people, especially the weakest, and it gets Him into trouble. He is doing things no one ever did: touching lepers when he heals them, eating with publicans and sinners at the same table, and calling a tax collector to be his disciple. It’s just too much. So far, no one has been

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102823.cfm Pray well that you may listen well. There is more to the call of Jesus than following a career. Jesus calls us into a living relationship with Him. We know the difference between working for an employer and lovingly serving a member of our family. There is a world of difference between the two.

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102723.cfm In my years of experience as a spiritual director, I have found that frequent confession is vital to a personal relationship with Jesus. I always advise penitents to come to confession at a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks. Of course, more often would be much better.   Today, psychologists tell us that it takes

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102523.cfm I will do whatever it takes.  I often recorded Tampa Bay Rays after-game shows. You may notice that they always Interviewed the star of the game. Sometimes, a defensive player went to extraordinary means to help his team win the game. So many times, the player sacrificed his body to make a play and

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101723.cfm Some Things We Can’t See Over time, the sidewalks on our parish property settled. It took years for them to become uneven and a hazard. Finally, when someone tripped over one of them, we fixed it. But why improve just that one section? What about all the others? So, we hired a company that

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101623.cfm LET’S GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME When teaching, I have had the occasion to ask a question to see if the audience is with me, and no one raises their hand. It leaves an empty feeling inside. Jesus had the same experience. He repeats Himself in today’s gospel because people are not connecting

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101523.cfm Silence – An Unrepentant Heart Our culture is consumed with appearance. Look at the commercials. If we look only at the externals, for example, how a person dresses, we never see what Jesus sees in them. So, it would be easy to feel sorry for the poor fellow who didn’t have a wedding garment.

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101223.cfm WHAT’S UNDERNEATH YOUR CHECKLIST   “And I tell you, ask, and you will receive.” The Baseball pennant race has started set for the playoffs. How many prayers and fans will say a prayer before and during the game? How often do we pray for stuff, not people, including ourselves? People ask me to pray for