I love the Psalms of Lent, especially Psalm 137. Known as the “Psalm of Exile” or “By the Waters of Babylon,” this psalm comes from the 6th century BC. This was the time of the Babylonian exile; the Jews are lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem...
Looking at the Breviary I was holding, I thought about having owned this book for over ten years. I purchased the set while in diaconate formation. My mind has been drifting over the past three decades lately as I mull a retirement date. Thirty...
Sitting in my brother’s kitchen a while back, he asked me “is there a right way to pray?” Before I could answer, he said, “no there isn’t.” “It’s all good,” as a friend of my wife’s would say. CCD theology at its best. I am glad my brother gave me...
As we enter the New Year, let us embrace and pay homage to the woman whose fiat, or “yes,” played a pivotal role in the divine plan of salvation. Mary, as the Mother of God, occupies a unique and revered position in Christian theology...
The Catholic Octave of Christmas is a sacred and joyous period that extends beyond the traditional celebration of Christmas Day. An octave is a liturgical period of eight days, and in the context of Christmas, it begins on December 25th and...
In speaking with a friend about his travel plans before Christmas, I asked him whether he was apprehensive about his upcoming drive or looking forward to his planned event. “Both,” he replied. He was looking forward to the event but not...
I love this season of the year. I love the crispness in the air and the colors of the leaves changing. While I don’t like the shortening of our days, I like how nature is telling us that time and change stop for no one. The Church is in accord with...
Athletes are trained to know their bodies. Chemists, like me, know which medication to use for certain aches. “No pain, No gain” versus simply, “No pain.” A friend of mine takes an Aleve® each night so she wakes up with less aches. I’ve always...
