Actual Grace

For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say. –Luke 12:12– Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. –Luke 21:14-15–             Here

Read more

Vitamin N

A Homily for the Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility.  For as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.[1] –Saint Vincent de Paul–             Not too

Read more

Seeing Red

A Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he [i.e. Jesus] resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.  On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception

Read more

A Double Motive

A Homily for Pentecost             My friend Rose bakes one awesome blueberry pie.  It’s her mother-in-law’s recipe, and she follows it to the “T.”  This is, no doubt, because the pie is quite delicious, but it is also, in no small measure, because Rose has a great deal of love

Read more

Three False Voices

A Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. –John 10:27–             I’ve said this often before: My tough Slovak mother hated when her kids would whine.  As a trained nurse, Mom had a great deal of

Read more