Posts by Fr Dino Vanin (Page 6)

The Catholic Church might be the only Church who makes a big deal out of the Transfiguration; such a big deal that she celebrates this feast twice each year: on the second Sunday of Lent and on August 6th. For the Catholic Church it is a big deal because of the intimate union of Jesus with all of us in his Mystical Body. The destiny of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Body, is the destiny of his Body as well.…

And Jesus replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” (Matthew 13:52) This is an obscure yet intriguing sentence with which Jesus concludes his teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven by means of parables during the last several Sundays. It reveals a most reassuring fact about this Kingdom applicable to each one of us: from the beginning of…

On the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we find out from Jesus that, as Sower, the Father is one of the worst farmers around. His wasteful clumsiness is due to his infinite love for all his children; he scatters his seed even in the most improbable, unsuited spots such as on a busy trail, rocky ground, and thorn bushes. Nobody can ever accuse God of being less than insanely generous in his sowing! Since Jesus has the same heart of the Father…

“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.” (Matthew 11:25) Every time I hear these poignant words from the Gospel of Matthew, I think of the Saint who lived them out so egregiously: St. Therese of Lisieux “the Little Flower.” Undoubtedly inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Therese realized that the secret to be showered with divine blessings and…

On this 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Gospel passage and second reading have a few powerful sentences with which we are familiar, yet they might have lost their edge precisely because we heard them so many times before. Hence, by now, they might be unable to penetrate the thick layer of spiritual insensitivity that, perhaps, we have built up around our minds and hearts. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. (Matthew…

In the Gospel of Matthew (10: 26-33), Jesus talks about the right kind of fear we should have as we live out and preach his Gospel mainly with our lives. It can be understood better if taken together with what is written in the preceding verses (Matthew 10: 16-23).  In them, Jesus conveys the idea of the explosive energy of the Gospel. For Jesus, the Good News packs such power that we should live it out and preach it without reliance on…

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) It should be reassuring to us to know that Jesus is fully aware of all the things and the situations that trouble us, cause us much concern and even sleepless nights.We should never forget that Jesus is moved with pity at the sight of the divisiveness in which our country finds itself and all…

I wonder what must have been Nicodemus’ reaction the night in which Jesus broke to him the greatest piece of good news ever: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) What is our reaction to it now? Decades ago, we might have seen those placards, posters, even big signs at ballgames simply saying: Jn 3:16. The most astonishing news ever is encapsulated in…

We should keep in mind that not only the solemnity of the Ascension, but also the solemnity of Pentecost can be correctly understood only within the context of the mystical Body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the Head and all of us are the members of his Body; we are the Church. Now, while we do not know when the birthday of Jesus the Head is, we certainly know that Pentecost is the birthday of the Body, of all of us,…

The only correct way to truly celebrate the Ascension is within the context of the Body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and we are its members. Since the Body can never be separated from the Head, after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, he remains with us on earth, as the last sentence in today’s Gospel passage (Mt 28:20) indicates: And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. At the same time, we also…

Across the centuries, Christians have always needed someone mighty and strong to lean on and to cling to whenever the squalls blow fiercely, and the pain becomes hard to bear. For three years that support was provided by the physical presence of the Lord Jesus in human flesh, visible and operative amid his first disciples. The Apostles took over that task after Jesus ascended into heaven to receive from the Father the fullness of his glory for having obeyed him…

On the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?” Now, these are most certainly words of comfort; but they should not be interpreted as referring only to our endless, blissful future life in heaven. These words should…