Having returned to the Parish after my vacation, I would like to share some of my experiences and impressions, which I gained in India. This time I did not go beyond the territory of my State, Tamilnadu, so named after the language is spoken by the people. The Tamil language Read more
Jesus had just been proclaimed the Messiah, the Son of the living God by Peter in Matthew’s Gospel. We heard that passage last week, now Jesus explained to his disciples that He must suffer, die and then rise again. Peter, thinking in human terms tells Jesus; “God forbid, Lord! No Read more
Our Gospel reading from Mathew today (16:13-20) is a familiar one. Peter gets it right and proclaims Jesus as; “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus knows this proclamation is due to the Father’s revealed truth coming from the mouth of Peter. Jesus then states that Peter will Read more
The reading from Isaiah ends with this statement; that God’s house is open to all. The prophets of the Old Testament were sent to Israel, the northern kingdom, and Judah, the southern kingdom, to bring about conversion. The people had intermingled with those who worshiped other gods and had begun Read more
We hear the story of Jesus walking on the water today. Peter, the impulsive man he was, asks Jesus to bid him to come to Him on the water. Peter does well until he became aware of just how strong the wind was blowing and became frightened and then he Read more
This familiar story of Jesus showing His glory to Peter, James, and John is truly a beautiful one. In this brief section of the Gospel Jesus gives these three disciples a glimpse into Heaven, Jesus’ eternal dwelling place. Jesus shows these disciples that He is the fulfillment of the law and Read more
Jesus gives three examples of what the kingdom of Heaven is like in today’s Gospel reading. I struggle with the comparisons He uses compared with the norms in today’s world; after all we don’t hear of people finding buried treasure today. But I realized I was missing the point of Read more
Part Two: Liturgy of the Word Usually, when we gather as a family or as friends for a meal, we begin with a conversation telling our stories. Likewise, after the gathering rites during Mass, the Liturgy of the Word follows. God speaks to us in the inspired Words of the Read more
Part 1: Gathering Rites (Cont’d) Greeting: While the entrance hymn is sung, the priest kisses the altar, which represents Christ, as a sign of surrender and adoration. Following the hymn, the Mass begins with the sign of the Cross and greeting. This greeting is significantly for wishing well, to all Read more
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus makes a promise to us in the passage from Mathew’s Gospel today. Doesn’t this sound inviting to you? Which one of us doesn’t need rest? We live in a world consumed with busyness, Read more