The Gospel passage (Mt 5:13-16) for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time offers two vivid images that Jesus must have picked up from his Mom, as well as from the simple, daily life of his village of Nazareth. Salt and light. In ancient time, salt...
When I studied philosophy in the seminary, one of the images or examples that made the most sense to me was Plato’s allegory of the cave. Plato, of course, was a famous Greek philosopher who lived over 300 years before Christ. He wanted to...
The readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time are clearly about light: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. Isaiah 9:1 The people who sit in darkness have seen a...
Since the theme of our liturgy for the 4th Sunday of Lent is LIGHT, allow me to quote to you some verses about light in the Gospel of John: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) The true light, which...
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Jesus (John 9:1-41) reveals the possible hidden tragedy of self-delusion. “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so...
Early in the 20th century a married couple in Vermont bought a farm on the slope of a mountain in a remote, largely unpopulated area. A few weeks after moving in, they decided to go exploring, and walked down the hill behind their house, across the...
Without fail, from time to time, at least since about the year 1000 AD, self-appointed prophets of doom have predicted the imminent end of the world. Those who are more easily affected by predictions of doom lose the last shreds of their peace of...
To use a cliché we could say that the world and the Church so differ from each other as night and day. This analogy is intentional and revealing because it is first used by Christ who is the Light that shines in the darkness of the world. It is also...
