Spirituality

2nd Sunday of Lent Genesis 12:1-4a2 Timothy 1:8b-10Matthew 17:1-9 The story of the Transfiguration maps out some steps we need to take in our journey of prayer. First, we must climb the mountain; second, we must look upon Jesus; and third, we must go back down the mountain to tell others what we have seen. First, we must climb the mountain. Before revealing his glory to Peter, James, and John, Jesus leads them up a high mountain....

  Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7Romans 5:12-19 OR 5:12, 17-19Matthew 4:1-11 Kichijiro is a supporting figure in Martin Scorsese’s 2016 drama/history movie, Silence. In the movie, Kichijiro is a Japanese guide who serves and accompanies the French Jesuits, Frs. Rodriguez and Garupe. The Jesuits go to Japan on a mission to find their lost mentor, Fr. Ferreira, who has been rumored to have committed apostasy. Kichijiro is a cowardly drunkard who denies being Christian and betrays his visitors...

What is it that tempts you the most? Is it an action, a person, or a place? It is something that seems innocent enough, like a food, a drink, or an event? When you really start reflecting, you find that there are many temptations all around. Even if you are strong and never succumb to a certain temptation, it is still there waiting for a weak moment in your life. One difficultly in the life...

When a new store or restaurant opens in the area, there can be quite a buzz. People want to see what the place is like. If the establishment is lucky, a positive word of mouth can spread all over the area. The challenge then becomes keeping that buzz alive. If people start to think that the new place is not as good as advertised or they had hoped, the crowds will dwindle and soon the...

One day, my son was explaining to his mother that he felt she had lied to him. It was nothing very important, but he wanted to take this opportunity to share how important telling the truth is to him. He explained that he simply tells it like it is in all aspects of his life. But an hour later, we caught him in a lie! Again, it was not about a matter of life and...

February 14, 2020  •   Angie Windnagle For Sunday, February 23, 20207th Sunday in Ordinary Time   Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-181 Corinthians 3:16-23Matthew 5:38-48 Recently, I posted a controversial article on social media, and not surprisingly, I was met with a slew of responses from friends describing ways they either agreed or disagreed with me. It was like a lot of social media debates — one sided, heated, and in the end, somewhat pointless. As I reflected, I...

Please click the link below for our Guide to Parish Life.  Winter 2020 Guide to Parish Life

There are times I wish I had no obligations. It would be great to take my wife’s hand, hop in the car, and drive into the sunset. Where we were going would not matter as much as the fact that we would have nowhere we had to be. There would be nothing we had to do. No bills. No commitments. No problems. Freedom! Life doesn’t work like that, however. When Jesus came along and asked...

January 24, 2020  •   Br. Silas Henderson For Sunday, February 2, 2020The Presentation of the Lord Malachi 3:1-4Hebrews 2:14-18Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32 St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph, in keeping with the Law of Moses, presented the Child Jesus to God in the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. This would also have been the time of Mary’s ritual purification following the birth of her child. We read that they offered to...

January 17, 2020  •   Angie Windnagle For Sunday, January 26, 20203rd Sunday in Ordinary Time   Isaiah 8:23—9:31 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17 Looking up at the stars on a warm, quiet night is one of my favorite things to do. I revel in the chance to soak in the vastness around me, staring at the charming character of stars that are so massive and powerful in existence but seem so tiny to my eyes....