But he [the elder son] was angered and would not go in. –Luke 15:28– There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in
Read moreCannibalism?
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my
Read moreMagnetic Love
In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he has first loved us… –1 John 4:10– Once upon a time, a strong magnet fell in love with a slender nail. The magnet confided to the nail: “I love you. If you love me, become magnetized.”
Read moreEloquent Oxen
Draw near to him [i.e. Jesus], a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen and honored by God. Be you yourselves as living stones, built thereon into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. –1 Peter 2:4-5– The early
Read moreFr. Bernard J. Ezaki’s SHIP’S RULES
(This is a copy of my classroom policies from those happy days when I taught at Bethlehem Catholic High School. Perhaps some of the insanity therein contained might be helpful to other teachers…) Introduction Welcome aboard! I am, by nature, a benevolent Captain.
Read moreUnencumbered
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. –Mark 6:8-9– One of my closest friends in the priesthood is Father Frans Berkhout, former principal of
Read moreHow Heavy Is Your Knapsack?
Jesus of Nazareth…went about doing good. –Acts 10:38– When I was in college, a friend gave me a book containing the following allegory. I have long since forgotten the book’s title and the name of the author, yet the parable has remained with me now for more than forty years.
Read moreMisc
Psalms Project In 1986, while I was still a student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, I took an elective course on the Psalms taught by Father James Foley. One of the class assignments was to come up with a “Psalms project” that could be used in parish ministry. I decided to write
Read moreAdoration Inspiration: A Tiny Whispering Sound
A Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong
Read moreBio
Rev. Bernard J. Ezaki, M.Div., M.A. Assistant Pastor, Notre Dame of Bethlehem Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Father Bernard J. Ezaki was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on January 31, 1957. He is one of seven children, the fourth child of Dr. Toshio Ezaki and Mary (Vida), parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint
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