Our first reading this morning from the Book of Leviticus is from a section of that particular book of the Bible that has a title of “Various Rules of Conduct.” It’s inviting us to reflect on how we are following the Lord in our daily lives. Are we doing the things that we are called…
In our Gospel Acclamation for this morning, we hear a verse from the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord speaking through him: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” The season of Lent is a time for us to reflect on…
In a meeting with the Bishops of the United States in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said: “What is needed above all, at this time in the history of the church in America, is a renewal of that apostolic zeal which inspires her shepherds actively to seek out the lost, to bind up those who have…
Over the last couple of weeks now, if you have been to daily Mass, there have been a couple of occasions in our Gospels where we have seen these encounters happen with Jesus and the unclean spirits. It always surprises me how in these interactions, in these Gospel stories, it is often the unclean spirits…
This week we continue reading through the First Book of Samuel, how the Lord has appointed him as a prophet and judge for the people of Israel. Today, we see those two roles really coming to the surface in this interaction we see with Saul. Saul has been commanded by the Lord to go and…
I really love this story about Hannah from the First Book of Samuel because it shows what the Lord can do in our lives when we approach Him with deep faith, when we bring Him our petitions with a sense of trust that He is going to hear us. But it also shows us how…
Growing up, so many of my favorite television shows focused on the family unit. Shows like Family Matters, Full House, Home Improvement, 7th Heaven. I even would watch reruns of those classic television shows like The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch, and Leave it to Beaver. Why was I – and likely why were…
The story of Christmas, that beautiful story from 2000 years ago. It is so familiar to all of us. It is the story of God becoming man, stepping down from His throne in Heaven, stepping into the reality of humanity, choosing to make His dwelling among us. It is the story of God working for…
Throughout the centuries, there has been a lot said about Joseph and what was likely going on in his heart when he found out that Mary was pregnant with a child that was not his own. Think about it. In a binding religious ceremony, he had become betrothed to Mary; he publicly stated his commitment…
The message that is given to us from the Prophet Isaiah this morning is one of great hope. He’s not only talking about the restoration of the people of Israel from captivity and exile in Babylon, but he is speaking to them about the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah is trying to instill this sense…
Fr. Tom Pringle 