Weekly Reflections (Page 8)

The solemnity of the Epiphany was one of the first feasts celebrated by the Church, much sooner than Christmas. The reason for its importance lies in the fact that this feast is about the contemplation of the mystery kept hidden for generations and millennia and finally revealed fully in Jesus, the Son of God made flesh. It is the mystery of the Father’s wish to save everyone. It is the mystery of the Father’s wish to have everyone become a child…

The sheriff’s department in a large city once distributed a list of rules titled “How to Raise a Juvenile Delinquent in Your Own Family.” The rules were: (1) Begin at infancy to give the child everything he wants; this will teach him that the world owes him a living; (2) Pick up everything he leaves lying around; this will teach him that he can always shift responsibility to others; (3) Always take his side against neighbors, teachers, and police officers. These people…

By Deacon Steve Greco We are all called to be saints. The only alternative is too awful to think about: an eternity separated from God. In order to become saints, we must pursue holiness in our lives. We must seek to live authentic Catholic lives, seeking God’s will in all we do. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says of holiness: “The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me’ … Jesus is the model…

I don’t know about you, but whenever I think of the Holy Family, I’m drawn to images painted by great artists. Most depict Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and animals surrounding the infant Jesus. For me, I also like to envision Mary and Joseph holding Jesus in their arms. As they gaze at Him and hold Him close, they not only hear him breathe, but actually, feel it; baby’s breath, if you will. To rework an old saying from an automotive legend:…

Every Christmas season, I look forward to the “Christmas Letters” section in the various publications that I receive. Many are reflections from readers that go way back, to times past. In reading them, what is most remarkable is that the memories of those times remain vivid, as though they happened yesterday. If you were to categorize them, there would be three: Some are letters remembering soldiers returning home from war, and the gratefulness that they—did; still others recount the loss…

In the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we meet two people, worlds apart: a very successful king and a 14-year-old Jewish girl from the obscure hamlet of Nazareth.  There had been significant ups and downs in King David’s past, yet, all things considered, he had had a very successful life. When he had time to reflect, he realized that his success was due to God’s generous favors, hence, he decided to build a house for the Lord as an expression…

During the 1980s, a saying swooped into American culture that has been attributed to Malcolm Forbes; namely, that “The one who dies with the most toys—wins!” At face value, it implies that the most important thing in life is to collect playthings and have fun while we can enjoy it. But sadly, it seems to go a step further by portraying our lives as a contest, where we “win” not by being fulfilled while we’re alive, but by being the…

Working with the Holy Spirit we continue to build up the glory to which we are destined as Body of Christ, so that, at the end of time, we may be as glorious as Jesus Christ, our Head, is. On the first Sunday of Advent we were invited by Jesus to work on our glorification through watchfulness to be heartened by signs of his presence among us and in us; and, thus, to face boldly and redress any situation hindering such glorification.…

Just over two months ago, on October 7, the nation of Israel was surprised by a number of deadly, vicious, and unjustified terror attacks launched from the Palestinian city of Gaza; many Israeli civilians—innocent men, women, and children—were brutally tortured, murdered, or captured and taken away as hostages. An Israeli named Amir, his wife Miri, and their two little girls, ages three and one, lived in Israel near Gaza in a small kibbutz—a Jewish community or village in which all the…

There is a modern saying, Bring it On. It refers to a fearlessness of the future. I suppose that if this saying existed in the 16th century, a certain teenager from the south of France would have embraced it. Having been born into a poor family, each day, Vincent tended the cattle, sheep, cows, and pigs; barefoot, it is said. Despite the reality that the work needed to get done, Vincent’s father knew that his son had a different gift.…

By Fr. Charles Irvin In the Acts of the Apostles (6:1-7), we hear about the first deacons. They were ordained by the overburdened Apostles who needed their help in caring for and providing services for the growing number of Christians in their communities. It’s interesting to note that the Apostles ordained deacons before the first priests were ordained. Such was the importance of service in the minds of the Apostles. Today, many pastors of large parishes are overburdened and need the help…

By Fr. Charles Irvin What I want to say to you is that you are significant in God’s great scheme of things. Let me point out two things about each one of you. Each one of you has his or her own completely unique DNA coding. No one who ever was, or who is living now, or whoever will live in the future can have your DNA coding. You are completely one of a kind. No one else will ever…