Category Archives: “Speak to Me Lord”

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist preaches to his fellow Jews. They shared expectations about what God was going to do when he came to set things right in the world.

      Today’s first reading gives a sample of the prophesies that fed their expectations. When God brings his people together, Baruch declares, they will be “borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.” Continue reading →

On this first Sunday of Advent, the word of God offers a timely message. For the sights and sounds of the season bring multiple distractions into our daily routines. There is the sensory overload of festive food and drink, and the stress of the inevitable commercial activity that marks the season. To-do lists and extra errands overwhelm the days and weeks leading to Christmas. Continue reading →

In an early song, Bob Dylan sketched absurdity. “We sit here stranded, though we’re all doing our best to deny it.”

With uselessness and deception all around, memories of a former lover fill his mind. The presence of his lover-of-the-moment, he cries out, “makes it all too concise and too clear that Johanna’s not here.” After surveying his situation, he declares, “These visions of Johanna are now all that remain.” Continue reading →

Family feuds often revolve around inheritance. Decisions on who inherits family property and possessions bring out the best and the worst in family relationships. One hears of siblings with strong family bonds who are torn apart by inheritance disputes, while other families draw closer together to make amicable decisions to share inherited family possessions. Continue reading →

Longboarding. Slacklining. Free climbing. Kiteboarding. BASE jumping. Extreme sports are dangerous. That’s why they’re such a kick. Fear pumps adrenaline.

      There’s a high that comes from riding the fear and breaking through ordinary limits. The observer senses the fear and admires the movement. The exhilaration, though, belongs to the athlete alone. Continue reading →

The award-winning movie “The Mission” tells the story of Jesuit missionaries who attempt to bring the good news of the Gospel to remote regions of northeastern Argentina and Paraguay as they evangelize the native Guarani people who inhabited that beautiful, rugged land. The story unfolds against the backdrop of 18th-century rivalries between the political powers of Spain and Portugal who seek to expand the wealth and power of their global empires.   Continue reading →

What does it mean to have faith in Jesus? What is this having faith in him?

      It’s possible to answer these questions in an abstract way, with carefully defined terms in a theological discussion — possible, and useful. But we also need something more vital: a living demonstration. Continue reading →