On the feast of the Savior’s Nativity we read the account of the Angel who appeared to the shepherds and said “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people… “
And yet just three days following this announcement of joy and peace we are jarred by today’s remembrance of the brutal slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem and surrounding districts.
Continue reading “The Holy Innocents”The story of the 10 lepers is a description of lost and corrupt mankind, our redemption and the one thing most necessary for our continued healing and intimate relationship with God.
The 10 lepers are on the outskirts of the town, far away, crying out for help. Leprosy analogously means for us the stench of sin which separates us from the righteousness of God, also depicted by their being outside of town. Man is separated from God and absolutely trapped in his sin. They are on the border of Samaria (the unclean foreigners) and Galilee (the land of the people of God), a mixed place. The situation of man’s sin is mixed, it’s not all bad. They are impure and sinful by leprosy, but they cry out to God for mercy—showing faith. This faith itself is purity of heart. Continue reading “Pentecost XIII – Ten Were Healed, Only One Was Made Whole”
The Feast of Corpus Christi celebrates Christ with us in the Holy Sacrament of His Body and Blood. From the very beginning men have found the idea of eating Christ’s flesh and drinking his blood difficult to swallow. When He first said this is what you must do to have life, as recorded in John’s gospel, we read that many of his own disciples left him over it. Continue reading “On Corpus Christi”
