We went to the sea again for our post-paschal outing, and not a moment too soon. It had been about seven months since the last time I had been to the coast—way too long! After the exhausting (though blessed) experience of Holy Week and Easter, it was time to head for the deep blue sea. [...]
We continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, proclaiming the Gospel of his appearance to his disciples after He rose from the dead. We call this Sunday “Thomas Sunday” because this Gospel (Jn 20:19-31) includes the account of St Thomas’ doubt and his profession of faith. But there’s still more to this Gospel, and I’ll [...]
Christ is risen! We have come at last to the full and glorious celebration of the Feast of feasts, the Mystery of mysteries: the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. We sing at Matins: “Christ our God has brought us from death to life and from earth to heaven; therefore we sing [...]
The Gospel for the vigil of Pascha (Mt 28:1-20) describes a truly earth-shaking event. “Behold, there was a great earthquake,” says the evangelist. I wonder if this shaking of the surface of the Earth was a reverberation of the smashing of the gates of death in the netherworld, when Christ descended to free the captives [...]
. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” . “It is finished.” . “Father, into your hands I commend My spirit.”
We begin now to enter fully into the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, the beginning of the Sacrifice of Jesus at the Mystical Supper in the upper room. Of this evening Jesus said to his disciples: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” For He was about to bestow [...]
Judas Iscariot awoke on an early spring morning in a chill of fear. He lived alone, but he sensed that there was someone else in the room. Still groggy from inadequate sleep, he tried to listen for any telltale sounds of movement, but he heard none. He rolled over in a vain attempt to return [...]
I’d like to take a look at one verse from the Gospel of John that I suspect most people pass quickly over, since it doesn’t seem to say a lot. It’s just a transitional verse that gives us some information that apparently has little bearing on the rest of the Gospel. But I have often [...]
We are beginning now the celebration of the great and holy mysteries that lie at the heart of our life and salvation. The Gospel for Palm Sunday (Jn. 12:1-18) actually brings four mysteries together, all related to the coming Passion of the Lord: the raising of Lazarus, the anointing by Mary of Bethany, the treachery [...]
“The sight of the world in which we live, the need and misery, and an abyss of human malice, again and again dampens jubilation over the victory of light. The world is still deluged by mire, and still but a small flock has escaped from it to the highest mountain peaks. The battle between Christ [...]
