Let me repeat something that is so simple we may miss it: Lent is all about conversion.  That’s the point of self-denial, of taking more time for prayer,  and of giving away money or things to others. You and I don’t fast and pray and give things away In order to gain more of God’s love; He already loves us as much as he possibly can. We also don’t do these things for a show. The only point is the extent to which this helps our own conversion. And note that: Lent is about our own conversion;  it’s not your job to convert her, or him. Even in the family: true conversion ..read more

 Everyone knows that Ash Wednesday is this week, right? And we all know that those 18-59 are obliged to fast  on Ash Wednesday – and on Good Friday.  That means one full meal and two snacks if you need them. And, we all know that the focus of Lent  is on repentance and self-denial:  that’s why we pray more seriously, and look to be more generous,  and we choose to give things up. Allow me to point out: the hardest fast is not from food. It is from words. The words you and I speak. And the words we listen to.  Fewer words mean more silence ..read more

 Lent begins in two and a half weeks.  For the next three Sundays,  you and I will hear from Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians,  from chapter 15, where he talks about resurrection. This is a great transition to Lent. Let’s recall what we believe as Catholics. At the moment our life in this world comes to an end,  you and I will immediately face Christ as our judge. We call this the “particular judgment.” And in that moment, Christ will weigh our faith:  did we respond to his grace? Did we obey his commands?  Did we repent of our sins and turn to ..read more

 I bet this has happened to you. You put new lights – brighter lights – into your kitchen,  and then, you look and grimace: hmm, that floor doesn’t look so good!  Or, it’s the bathroom, and you look in the mirror! Hmm, not so good! That’s when you turn down the lights! Something like that – yet far more transcendent –  happened to Isaiah in the first reading, to Paul in the second reading, and to Peter in the Gospel.  The intense reality of who God is  illuminated for them the disturbing reality of their own lives. Isaiah said: "Woe is me, I am doomed! Pa ..read more

 Today’s feast is celebrated every year,  but it only falls on Sunday every once in a while.  The formal name is the “Presentation of the Lord”; Another name is “Candlemas,” because of the candles of course. But why candles? On one level it’s kind of obvious:  Jesus comes to the temple, and he is the Light of the World. But let’s you and I drill down on that, shall we? When Jesus was born, he looked like any other baby. When the Apostles met him, they encountered a man like them. Jesus ate and drank, he worked and got tired and had to rest. Then, on one occasion,  ..read more

 Jesus chose this Gospel passage to announce: he is the Messiah. That’s what he did in that synagogue that day. People were waiting for something like this. It must have been an electric moment. Notice what Jesus identifies as the heart of the Gospel: Liberation. Redemption. Freedom. But what does that mean? He is not speaking primarily about political freedom. Jesus never organized a demonstration or circulated a petition. Political freedom and activism are very worthwhile –  but they were not Jesus’s starting point.  Jesus focused on changing lives. If you are poor, what co ..read more

 As you know, this time of year we revisit the Catholic Ministries Appeal.  And Archbishop Schnurr prepares a homily and sends it out, with the option of playing an audio. The Archbishop leaves it up to the priests  whether to play the audio or not.  My preference is to take his message and present it in my own homily.  All the good parts that follow are from the Archbishop!  If you don’t like anything that follows this introduction, that’s my fault! Salvation history tells the story of God’s unfailing love for us.  From the first moment of creation, with H ..read more

Today we recall when Jesus showed up  on the banks of the Jordan River and asked to be baptized. We might wonder, first: why did he do this,  and second, why is this important to us? What does it mean? John was baptizing people as an act of repentance.  They were confessing their sins along the way. So: they were, in a sense, going to confession. The shocker is to see the Lord Jesus get in that line. Jesus puts himself squarely with us, in our situation.  He does not hesitate at all. This is also about Jesus showing himself as the new Adam. The first Adam rebelled and fa ..read more

 Let me start with a straightforward question: “What does it mean to be a faithful Christian?” If you were pressed to answer, what would you say? Maybe someone would say, you receive your sacraments. Or, you go to Mass faithfully and go to confession. Or, you give to charity and the church, you live a good life. Or some combination of the above. These are good answers, but incomplete,  especially if people end up talking about following rules  or checking off items on a to-do list. Here’s the answer I propose to you: To be a Christian is to be another Christ; And I want to pu ..read more

  I know everyone over 50 remembers the “Charlie Brown Christmas.”  Does everyone under 50 remember seeing it? The premise is simple: poor Charlie Brown is wandering around,  trying to figure out the “true meaning of Christmas.” Watch the program yourself to see how it ends. But I’m going to give you my answer. This past Sunday we heard these words in the psalm: “Lord…let us your face, and we shall be saved.” Now, that’s an interesting expression, for two reasons. First, to state the obvious, God is pure spirit:  What can it even mean to speak of God’s “face”?  I ..read more