Author Archives: Administrator1

One of the first gifts we receive on entering the world is a name. With a name, unique to each individual, we are welcomed into a family and the human community. A name, given at birth, conveys the identity and essence of a person and encapsulates the story and purpose of each person’s life. Continue reading →

Today’s first reading is about as distant from us as anything in the Bible.

      The focus is on a man named Abram, or Abraham, who grew up in Ur, a city that went out of existence more than 2,000 years ago. The episode features a ceremony practiced by ancient kings, which involved walking between two rows of bloody animal carcasses. Continue reading →

Opportunities to grow in holiness are found in ordinary moments of each day — and so are temptations. In the daily routines of family life, work and study, we are tempted to compromise our relationship with God and one another. To be human is to experience temptation. Nobody is immune to the many enticements that weaken faith, destroy interior peace and harm our relationship with God and others. Continue reading →

Today’s readings begin and end talking about how we talk. A Jewish sage, Sirach, makes the observation that “when a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks” (Sir 27:4). Jesus — the Jewish sage par excellence — likewise takes a person’s speech as an indicator of where they’re at: “From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). Continue reading →

Superheroes never go out of style.

There’s something in us, young and old, that enjoys a good superhero tale. A typical superhero story includes a villain that everyone loves to hate.

Soon the bad guy and his accomplices create all kinds of mayhem till they manage to bring the world to the brink of disaster. This turmoil creates the ripe condition for the superhero to come to the rescue. Continue reading →

There’s nothing obscure about today’s Gospel. Jesus says that those who are poor, hungry, grieving and persecuted are to be congratulated because they’re on the way to great happiness.

      Those who are wealthy, satisfied, enjoying what the world has to offer, and admired by everyone are to be lamented because they’re going to end up miserable. Such a simple message. What could need explanation? Continue reading →

In his book “Outliers: The Story of Success,” author Malcolm Gladwell offers intriguing explanations for why some people are more successful than others. Gladwell looks for general rules of success: Is it nature or nurture? Is it innate talent, genius, favorable opportunities or hard work that makes it possible for some to become more successful than others? Continue reading →