• Bulletin Board, Announcements, Calendar
• Welcome and Website Protocol
• Editorial - Op Ed
• Article Archive

Print this page

Article Categories

• Book Reviews
• Open Letter
• Editorials
• Notes, Quotes & Comments
• Pastor's Study
• Project Millstones
• Sidebar Comments
• Weekly Message

Links

AMERICA Magazine
A balanced Catholic weekly magazine published by the jesuits of the United States for an intelligent Catholic readership. Go online to subscribe.

Liturgy
This link will keep 'parishioners-at-large' in touch with current creative liturgy sources and resources that respect a variety of 'traditions' within the Church.

Voice of the Faithful
A 'movement' of lay Catholics 'inspired' by the abuse scandal calling for greater accountability of bishops to 'Catholics in the Pew.'

Survivos' Network for those Abused by Priests or Religious
A National Network of self-help support groups for people abused by clergy or religious.

Bishop Accountability
Vital information about the disclosure of sexual abuse and related issues affecting Catholics in the pew and the manner in which Bishops continue to exempt themselves from accountability

National Catholic Reporter
A national Catholic lay newspaper covering events not usually covered or presented with a clerical bias in the local diocesan press or but of concern and interest to Catholics.

COMMONWEAL Magazine
A 'lay' Catholic weekly publication with an accent on an intelligent analysis and commentary on curent issues, trends and concerns of interest to Catholics.

Search

Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

We are to be consecrated in truth.

Readings: Acts 20:28-38 Psalm 88:29-30, 33-36 John 17:11b-19

Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they may also be consecrated in truth. [John 17:18-19]

Read the Gospel very slowly and if possible, out loud and if necessary, three times! Although John’s literary style is quite complex, the farewell prayer of Jesus is as powerful as is Paul’s farewell message in Acts.

It is not likely that these passages are the actual words of Paul and Jesus. They are compositions that Luke and John or whoever wrote in their name and are based on the oral tradition of the sayings of Jesus and the preaching of Paul. They were written in the style of farewell addresses of prominent leaders of their times in order to win the attention of early believers to whom the message of truth was entrusted.

The ‘truth’ that is being proclaimed is not from a catechism nor is it a defined doctrine or dogma. It is the core truth about the God who spoke through the prophets and then through Jesus about the universality of God’s love.

During this time of immediate preparation for Pentecost, we are invited to think about our own responsibility to pass on the ‘truth’ of God’s goodness entrusted to us in Christ and how we are to live that truth in our daily lives, each in our own unique way. No one of us can do this alone and so we much join hands literally and figuratively within the community of believers everywhere.

To live the ‘truth’ is to live in the Spirit of Jesus Christ the fruits of which are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, moderation, self-control, reverence, etc. I’m sure you memorized these ‘fruits of the Holy Spirit.’

These are the true ‘marks’ of our authenticity as believers.

Epiphany

Thursday January 5, 2006

The Star Still Shines

Have you ever considered
how the stars that shone over Bethlehem
were the same as those that shone
over Rome and
over Babylon
and that still shine
over Iraq, Pakistan and the Sudan.

Isn’t it strange that
people who saw those stars
over two thousand years ago,
could not see the Star—none but shepherds
and astrologers from the east—the men called wise;
their wisdom rooted
not in human learning
or even in human instinct
but in the Spirit
that has permeated every age
and that enters the human heart
in every age;
at the center
where the infinite speaks the loudest
not with human tongue
but in the silent ‘ruah’—breath of God
life of God
gift of God,
the God of Abraham, Jesus
and yes, of Muhammad too.
The one God—Yahweh, Allah, Father and Mother of all.

We who celebrate Jesus’ birth
again this year
take courage and find hope
that our search for the star
and for the gift of peace
will bear fruit in our daily effort
to pursue wisdom
under all circumstances,
knowing that the star
that shone over Bethlehem
continues to shine over Rome, ‘Babylon’
and Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and the Sudan too!
and in the hearts of all
who pursue the path of peace
that Jesus pursued
from the cave at Bethlehem
to the tomb in Jerusalem.

But the end was just the beginning!

The end is still just the beginning
for those who pursue the wisdom of God
and the path of peace.

With Jesus at our side,
death will never have the final word!

Yes, people of wisdom still follow the star.
On this feast of Epiphany
peace be to all who seek God
with a sincere heart.