Skip to main content
First, please pray for Japan. It amazes me that people do not believe that the devil exists. Even folks who believe in God and consider themselves Christian. The question I want to ask them is, "have you read the Bible?" Last Sunday's gospel reading recounts the meeting between Jesus and the devil. The fourth chapter of Matthew's gospel tells you all you need to know about the devil. He is intent on leading you away from a relationship with God. He is focused on making sure that you try to place yourself on the same level as God. He tempts and most of the time it is with subtle words or whispers. So don't always expect big and flashy when it comes to the devil. Matthew 4:10 tells us, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve." Good advice for all of us. Later this week we will celebrate two special feast days. The first is in honor of St. Patrick. Of course, this special day has become one of revelry and green beer. I urge you to celebrate the day in the spirit of Lent and remembering that St. Patrick worked mightily to bring people to God. The second feast day is in honor of St. Joseph, who was Mary's husband and served as the father of Jesus while He was on earth. St. Joseph is a very special role model especially for fathers. He was the spiritual leader of his family and his family was not your ordinary family. Did you hear that the Vatican is uploading a new Facebook page devoted to the upcoming May 1 beatification of Pope John Paul II? The site will link to video highlights of John Paul's 27-year papacy. It should be very informative and inspiring.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Woman, Behold Your Son

The spiritual climax of the Gospel of John, as Father John Waiss points out, occurs at the foot of the Cross, where Jesus utters his parting words: “Woman, behold, your son!” and “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27). While these words were addressed to the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Church has long understood this moment as a universal adoption. To truly image Christ, we must share in His parentage; if we embrace God as our spiritual Father but reject Mary as our mother, we treat Christ as a half-brother rather than our "firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). As Origen noted as early as the third century, the profound depths of the Gospel are only accessible to those who, like John, rest their heads on Jesus’ breast and receive Mary into their own homes. This maternal role is deeply rooted in biblical typology, positioning Mary as the fulfillment of the great mothers of the Old Covenant. She is the New Eve , the mother of all the living according ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Gentleness of a Doctor: St. Anthony’s Devotion

St. Anthony of Padua is widely revered as the "Hammer of Heretics" and a "Doctor of the Church," titles that suggest a formidable and perhaps distant intellectual. However, the heart of Anthony’s ministry was a profound, tender love for the person of Jesus Christ that transcended mere academic study. For Anthony, Christ was not just a theological concept to be defended, but a living presence to be embraced. This deep intimacy was the engine behind his legendary preaching; he didn't just speak about the Word, he spoke from a place of friendship with the Word. His life serves as a beautiful reminder that the greatest heights of wisdom are always reached through the simplest acts of love and humility. This interior devotion is most famously captured in the ubiquitous image of St. Anthony holding the Infant Jesus. This iconographic tradition stems from a mystical event late in his life while he was staying at the home of a friend, Count Tiso. The Count peered throug...
Post a Comment
Read more