Let us recall the grand themes of these Sundays in Lent. Passages of John's Gospel John 4 – the Samaritan woman meets Jesus at the well, and comes to believe his word that he is the Messiah. She then starts to speak openly about this incredible new thing that has happened in this meeting. John …
Continue reading "A Homily for the Second Scrutiny of the Elect"
This third Sunday of Lent we read the Gospel of John Chapter 4. It is the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. It is the first of three accounts chosen from John's Gospel which are selected in Lent for the themes of conversion, baptism, and new life. Let me give this …
Continue reading "A Homily for the First Scrutiny of the Elect"
In the Gospels many meals are recounted. We might think of Jesus eating with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. We might think of Jesus making Himself known "in the breaking of the bread" as He and the two disciples were eating dinner together in Emmaus. Or we might think of those scandalous accounts where "he has …
The content below is reposted from years ago. I post this in honor of St. John the Apostle, celebrated today. His writings give us the events of the Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2), the explicit doctrine of the Eucharist (John 6), and the depiction of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Rev. 21). The …
Continue reading "My Top Ten Reasons for Getting a Marriage “Blessed” in the Church [Repeat Post]"
December 26, 2025. It is the feast of Saint Stephen the first of the martyrs. In Acts Chapter 6 and 7 we hear of Saint Stephen and the role he played in the Church. We also see how it came to be that he was killed as he witnessed to Christ, our Messiah and Lord. …
The focus on John the Baptist this Advent has renewed some reflections in me on prophets. Most especially, let’s talk about the prophet Jonah. What is "the sign of Jonah" to which our Lord refers in the Gospels? On the one hand it appears that Jesus himself explains this "sign." He says that "just as …
Mary Tarrinelli owns the Our Lady of Ephesus House of Prayer in Jamaica, VT. She gave the nickname to the groups that she has lead to Ephesus Turkey as “Turkey Trotters.” Wed Oct. 8 was the travel day to Turkey. I offered Mass at 9am in “Bishop Marshal Chapel,” at the House of Prayer in …
Here we are, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time on cycle C of the Lectionary. Luke 16:1-13 is the Gospel. You know, the one about the “dishonest steward” who was getting fired for squandering his master’s goods. Here is my old take on this marvelous parable. The dishonest steward – right before his was “canned” …
Continue reading "It’s me, the unrighteous steward (repeat post)"
I used this text as follows to do a very short introduction and tour of the 150 Psalms in a parish presentation. A more readable PDF version was posted HERE on the St. John Vianney Parish website. Psalms copied from World English Bible with Deuterocanon( https://ebible.org/eng-web/)All in the public domain.All symbols visible within the text indicate …
Continue reading "An abbreviated tour of the Book of Psalms"
The Catholic Church has an extensive set of teachings about love, and marriage, and sexuality. These teachings are quite articulate. But again, they are vast because they are “extensive.” So, the summaries and impressions often shared about these teachings can easily go astray from what are our religious beliefs, or moral principles, really are in …
Ubi Petrus VT