Priest reflects on Jesus visiting the home of his good friends, Mary and Martha, in Bethany || Picture it: Cairo, Egypt, during Ramadan 1986. I was on assignment for MARYKNOLL magazine. A Muslim family hosted us for a few days. Despite having to fast during the daylight hours of their holy month, Ramadan,...
Priest reflects on how to see the Holy Spirit at work || Faced with life-changing decisions, as people of faith we’re supposed to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. But how can we know for sure the ideas that pop into our heads are from God? Obviously, when the choice is between good and bad, […]
Even when we feel far from God, God never leaves us || When inviting people to come to church, I sometimes hear: “I can’t go to church; I’m too big a sinner.” This is like saying, “I can’t go to the hospital; I’m too sick.” It’s not that people don’t want forgiveness as much as […]
God is with us in our dangers, dilemmas and crises || Unrelenting wave upon wave of sex scandals, incompetence and cover-ups are crashing over the boat that is fast taking on water. It appears the Barque of Peter may be sinking. Through it all, Jesus seems fast sleep—oblivious to our peril. We pray....
Christmas calls us to celebrate God at work in everyday events of human life || A young woman, Mary, engaged to marry, becomes pregnant. Surprised, confused and disappointed, her fiancé Joseph considers breaking off their engagement rather than expose her to public humiliation and perhaps even execution...
Sorrowing Catholics have two models to inspire them: Jesus suffering on the cross and Mary standing at the foot of the cross || As a priest, let alone Christian, what could I say to a widowed mother who just lost her only son unexpectedly and tragically? As I waited in line with mourners inching towards...
Holy people like Mother Teresa continued serving despite their doubts || A distraught mother cornered me after Mass. “Tell my son to come to church!” she said and added, “He says he no longer believes in God.” When I inquired about his age and learned he was 19, I said, “Yup. He’s right on schedule.”...
Peter and Paul let discipleship outshine differences for the good of the Church || What do we do when disagreements and factions threaten to tear our faith communities apart? Certainly opposition and even persecution from the outside seem less threatening or detrimental to our Church than internal divisions....
In the shadow of the cross || During my novitiate year in Hingham, Mass., a mother from the neighborhood asked a favor of us seminarians: could we take turns helping take care of her wheelchair-bound, 23-year-old son, David, who suffered from muscular dystrophy? Our duties would be to take him out of bed every...
The Conversion of Paul || On January 25 the Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches celebrate the conversion of St. Paul, arguably the most important event in the development of Christianity after the death and resurrection of Jesus and descent of the Holy Spirit. Paul expanded the identity and mission...
