God has a plan for your life. As I was meditating on today’s Scriptures, I began focusing on a word St. Paul uses in his letter to the Romans. He says, “For those [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son….” The topic of predestination is one I have discussed frequently with my uncle Rich, usually over dinner at places like the Texas Roadhouse. Yes, somewhere in the midst of chupacabra’s and Cotten-Eye Joe blasting on the loudspeakers, we would be sitting there…

Last week, I spoke about the importance and the value of family from a Catholic perspective. From the very first human beings, we see the significance of family: how husband and wife, along with their children, are the basic unit of community, and how that fundamental cell provides the ideal atmosphere for human flourishing. After all, the first commandment God gives humankind is: “Be fruitful and multiply.” And the beauty of this structure is that it was exactly the way God had intended it. Why…

By their fruits will they be known. Given the incredibly devisive climate in our country today, I thought it might be helpful and prudent to analyze the riots and protests from a Catholic lens. I am sure we all agree that our country is out of joint; I am sure we all agree that what happened to George Floyd was a terrible injustice; I am sure we all agree that some level of criminal justice reform is needed. But, in the midst of violence and riots in the streets, businesses and churches burning,…

Happy Independence weekend. I hope everyone has been able to take a break from all the bad news and spend time with family, enjoy hot dogs and burgers on the grill, and take it easy. Given our nation is going through a difficult time, I want to encourage everyone to look up the website archives.gov and read the Declaration of Independence. I am sure that you will agree that we have much to be thankful for, but also much to safeguard, and visiting our nation’s founding documents will help us keep…

In last week’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples not to fear, that they are precious in the eyes of the Lord, that even the hairs of their head are counted. Today, he says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Jesus gives these words of encouragement within the context of his commissioning of the Twelve disciples. He sends them forth with the instructions to proclaim the kingdom of heaven, to cure the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse lepers,…

On Sunday, we heard from the prophet Jeremiah, who was called by God to warn of the impending doom of the Babylonian Exile to a people who did not want to listen. And during this week, we have been hearing the Exile unfold as it is recounted in the Second Book of Kings. Jeremiah, who came to be known by the message he proclaimed, namely, “terror on every side,” was preaching a message no one wanted to hear. It was as if the people were in denial and complacent, more interested in business as…

“Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” These words of Jesus from today’s Gospel should give us all pause. It seems that much of our nation today is suffering from denial, and to see the effects of this denial, we need look no further than any of the major news outlets. On one channel it’s COVID-19 numbers are rising; on another it’s chaos in Seattle; on another it’s the tearing down of monuments. Now, the denial we suffer is not that these things are happening,…

“Not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.” These words of Moses, from the Book of Deuteronomy, focus our attention not on signs or miracles, but rather, on the Word of God. We should not become fixated on what happens as a result of some miracle, but rather, on what that miracle reveals to us about God. In the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus addresses this very issue when he says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not…

This weekend marks the 76th anniversary of D-Day, the Battle of Normandy, where we remember and honor the brave soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War II. At the time it was the largest naval, air, and land operation ever launched in history. And what was the motivation behind mustering so large an outpouring of American soldiers in a foreign land? It was the threat of one of the greatest evils humankind has ever encountered; it was the threat not only of Nazi fascism, but…

“Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.” On this great Solemnity of Pentecost, we invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts so that rivers of living water will flow from within us. Jesus promises the Spirit to all who come to believe in him. And so, today we give primary focus to the Holy Spirit, who is the source of all life, the source of all love, the source of all being.