Today’s passage from the Book of Wisdom is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ public life. He is the Just One, who corrects evildoers and exposes their shame. That is why the authorities in Jerusalem were trying to kill him. They did not accept that Jesus was the Christ, God’s anointed. But, they did not lay a hand on him. So, the inhabitants of Jerusalem ask a simple question that ought to stir in our hearts as well. They say, “Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?” Might it be…
Have you ever wrestled with God? I’m sure we have wrestled with one another, especially during this time being stuck indoors. But, have we ever wrestled with God the way we might go at it with one another? The readings today are packed full of imagery and meaning, and interestingly enough, both are presented in the form of a trial.
Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Holy Mother Church celebrates Laetare Sunday. The word laetare is Latin for “rejoice,” but our rejoicing today is somewhat bitter-sweet. We just observed the first day of Spring, which often comes with a sense of hope and anticipation for warmer weather, new growth, longer days, and new possibilities. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has blanketed the world with a shadow of fear, panic, and doubt. But, while we take this precaution and seclusion to protect…
In light of the recent declarations by the President, the World Health Organization, and the CDC, I would like to invite everyone to join in offering this prayer for all who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic:
Good morning. With the first week of Lent now behind us, hopefully we have found a good balance with our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Remember, the season of Lent is about letting go of the things that distract us from living our faith more authentically. It is a time of conditioning, like practice before a big game, and the time we spend disciplining ourselves now will better dispose us for life in heaven. We ought never to take our eyes off of our destination, which is to say, we ought…
On this First Sunday of Lent, our readings highlight the brokenness of our human nature through the temptation and sin of Adam, the first man, and our redemption from temptation and sin, through Christ, the new man. In the Book of Genesis, we witness the fall of the first man, Adam, through temptation. As I reflect on this passage, I had this insight: After Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they…
Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent. We have gathered together to be reminded of our humanity and humble ourselves before Almighty God. Some of us may be here seeking reconciliation; some of us may be here seeking consolation; some of us may be here seeking a fresh start. All of these are made available to us, not because we put ashes on our faces, but rather, because we have made a conscious decision to turn away from the world and set our hearts on God. This is precisely what the…
“Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus’ words from today’s Gospel echo what the Lord God spoke to Moses: “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.” This is precisely what we should be focusing on as we prepare for the Season of Lent. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, a day we remember our mortality and acknowledge our need for God to deliver us from a world of sin and death to eternal life in heaven. So, be holy, as the Lord, our God, is holy.
Today, Jesus uses powerful imagery to describe those who give glory to the Father by their good deeds. He says, “You are the salt of the earth,” and “the light of the world.” This echoes what the prophet Isaiah says in our First Reading: “If you remove from your midst of oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.” In other words,…
Hailing just a few miles away from the famous Trenton Makes the World Takes bridge, Fr. Jim is a native Trentonian and priest of the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. After completing his seminary formation at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD, Fr. Jim was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on June 2, 2018.
