Posts

Image
  Thursday – 13 th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew 9:1-8 A Helping Hand Outside Old City, Jerusalem   A woman came up to me after Mass on Sunday and proceeded to thank me for my sermon from 2 weeks earlier – God is calling (cellphone) – do we answer!   She remarked that she had brought a group of high schoolers with her that Sunday and they apparently got the message loud and clear!   And she wanted to thank me!   And it made my day! That’s how it is!   Sometimes all it takes is just a few words to brighten someone else’s day!   What you think is a simple gesture can be a miracle, a kindness, to someone else! That is what happens with the paralytic in today’s Gospel.   He never would have encountered Jesus without the help of others.   A simple act of kindness - carrying him to Jesus– and look at the results!   Most often when we hear this story, we focus on the paralyzed man.   But let’s change our perspective. The ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Wednesday – 13 th Week in Ordinary Time 1 st Reading – Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 Stormy Weather – Round 2 Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem Continuing my stormy weather story from yesterday!   With all the heavy rain and flooding, getting to church on Sunday was a bit nerve-racking!   We left early just to be safe and arrived at St. Joseph’s without any major problems.   But what happened next was completely unexpected! I got out of the car and raced around to help Ginger. By the time I got to her side of the car, one of our Mass greeters came out with this huge umbrella, met us at the car and ushered us, safe and dry, into the church.   I saw that act repeated dozens of times before and after Mass.   Our Greeters stationed themselves at all the entrances to the church and shuttled parishioners back and forth to their cars before and after Mass!   Wow!   What service!   What hospitality!   What a wonderful act of kindness!   (I should a...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Tuesday – 13 th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew 8:23-27 The Storms of Life Stormy Tennessee Morning Like most of the country, we have been experiencing some extreme weather lately.   Heavy thunderstorms and rain on Saturday night and most of the day Sunday!   And as we head toward 4 th of July on Saturday (and my Bday on Friday the 3 rd) , oppressive heat and humidity.   Ugh!   The heavy rains Sunday morning made for some tricky driving to Mass on Sunday.   Country roads are always a bit of a challenge, but when you add heavy rain, ditches turning into flooded rivers and water cascading down the hills onto the road, well driving is not for the faint-hearted! That’s where the disciples are in today’s Gospel.   This is no leisurely ride on the Sea of Galilee.   Storms pop up out of nowhere and this one is terrifying even for the disciples, most of whom are fishermen and should be used to it.   They are scared and fearful for ...
Post a Comment
Read more