The first person recorded to have seen Christ risen from the dead is Mary Magdalene. Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene is intended to strengthen faith in the Risen Lord, first in the Magdalene’s heart, then in the hearts of those to whom she announced the Resurrection, and finally in the hearts of all those who …
Category: Uncategorized Blazes
To give Jesus the very best, after the example of Mary of Bethany
Today, holy Monday, we see Jesus in the house of his friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. These three siblings from the town of Bethany on the outskirts of Jerusalem gave a dinner party for Jesus. This is after he made the triumphant entrance into the city which we celebrated yesterday on Palm Sunday. No doubt …
“Why was he born blind?” A reflection on suffering, sight, and blindness
“Why was he born blind?” The disciples of Jesus wonder about the cause of blindness in the man born blind, whom we read about in today’s gospel reading for the fourth Sunday of Lent. “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” These kinds of questions are not uncommon; they are …
On forgiveness and being perfect with Our Lady – a reflection on the readings for the first Saturday of Lent (year a).
Our Lady readily observed the statues, commandments, and decrees of the Lord. He was her God, and she was his beloved daughter. She always walked in his ways and hearkened to his voice. Because of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s obedience, God raised her high in praise and renown and glory so that all generations will …
We need a doctor: reflection on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday (year A)
Today’s Readings. Jesus saw Matthew sitting there at the customs post. He noticed him and took and interest in him. Jesus sees us. He notices us. He takes interest in us. He looks at us and beckons us: “Follow me.” Jesus is the good physician, the best of all healers. To all those acknowledge their …
The Cross: Opportunity for Love
“To run from the cross is to run from Jesus.” I once heard these words stressing the importance of the cross and our call to participate in it. Basically, this is a call to accept whatever difficulties, inconveniences, sicknesses, and setbacks that come our way. In today’s Gospel reading we read how Jesus calls Peter …
The Conversion of St. Paul: the power of God’s transforming grace.
The all-consuming power of God’s grace to transform a person and give them a totally new vision is exemplified in the ilfe of St. Paul. He went from being a zealous persecutor who breathed out murderous threats against Christians and delivered on them, to a zealous apostle of Christ who practically evangelized the entire Mediterranean …
For the legal protection of the unborn
Today is the national day of prayer for the legal protection of the unborn. In protecting the legal rights of the smallest of children yet to be born, we uphold the dignity of our fellow human beings and we uphold our own human dignity as our brother’s (and sister’s) keepers. We have to look out …
The diabolical foundation for attacks on the generation of human life
The devil, the ancient serpent, hates material creation. He cannot stand the fact that God assumed to himself a material, human nature. According to a particular school of thought, God always planned to become man, even if the fall had not happened. Why? Because loves desires to be with the beloved. God so desired to …
Art Commentary: Star of Bethlehem by Edward Burn–Jones
I really like this watercolor painting, which was based on the artist’s design for a tapestry. I’m immediately drawn to the painting because it has a kind of Tolkienesque and Elvish quality – – perhaps the image informed the imagination of JRR Tolkien as he created the world of Middle earth. The warm green and …