There is something that connects every one of us at Mass today. It’s something that is true no matter who we are, how old we are, or how we have lived our lives. Every single one of us has either experienced the loss of a loved one or one day we will. It is one…
It’s possible for us to look like we’re praying while never actually speaking to God at all. That’s the example we see in the parable that Jesus has just shared in the Gospel. The Pharisee begins his prayer by thanking God, but before we know it, he starts listing all of his accomplishments. He shares…
In the Gospel today, we hear a story that is quite familiar to all of us. Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to Him: “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” We can imagine how desperate they were, how isolated, how unclean, how unworthy. Because of this condition, they were cut off from their families,…
Today we celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary, a feast that originally came from from both prayer and battle. It was established after the Christian victory over the invading Muslim Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The victory in that battle was attributed to Our Lady’s intercession after Pope Pius V asked all…
If we take an honest look at our hearts, I think we would find that fear can be one of the strongest influences on some of the decisions that we have made in our lives. Fear can paralyze us at times, keeping us silent when we know we should speak, and holding us back from…
His name was Lazarus. In all the parables that Jesus shares throughout His ministry, this is the only character He ever names. Think about that. That says something, doesn’t it? The rich man has no name, but Lazarus does. To God, the rich man is a cautionary tale, but Lazarus is a son. We can…
When I was younger, I remember hearing this Gospel about the “dishonest steward” and thinking, “Wait! What’s happening here? Is Jesus really praising a crook?!” It almost sounds like He’s telling us to embrace a way of life where others are being taken advantage of and cheated. But as always, if we sit with this…
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. And if we really think about it, that title is kind of strange, isn’t it? We’re celebrating and honoring a cross. We’re celebrating an ancient instrument of torture and death. To the world, it’s a symbol of humiliation; but to us as…
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to remove the wooden beam from our own eye before trying to take the splinter out of someone else’s. It’s a vivid reminder that true discipleship begins with self-examination. Before I can help my neighbor, I need to let God heal my own heart. The readings today and yesterday…
I once heard someone describe the Christian life this way: “It’s free, but it’s not cheap.” Yes, the salvation that we are offered from the Lord is pure gift. We know that Jesus has already paid the price by His sacrifice on the Cross. But following Him, truly following Him, truly giving our lives to…
Fr. Tom Pringle 