Saturday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Gen 49:29-33,50:15-26Mt 10:24-33 "fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell" In shows with supernatural themes, it is not uncommon to come across a storyline where a character sells their soul to the devil in return for something they want in this world. It... Continue Reading →
9 July, Friday – To Save Our Life
Jul 9 – Memorial for St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, & companions Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China’s relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and... Continue Reading →
8 July, Thursday – Peace Be With You
Thursday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Gen 44:18-21,23-29,45:1-5Mt 10:7-15 "…let your peace come back to you." The Gospel for today is a continuation of Christ’s instruction to the apostles. As I reflect on it more, the more we choose to follow Christ, the more it gets harder. Though they have the capacity to cure... Continue Reading →
7 July, Wednesday – We Are Called
Wednesday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Gen 41:55-57,42:5-7,17-24Mt 10:1-7 "…proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." Would you agree that calling us by our name is very pleasant to our ears? When a person calls me by my name, I feel something special. How much more if it were Jesus Christ... Continue Reading →
6 July, Tuesday — Wrestling With God And Ourselves
Jul 6 – Memorial for St. Maria Goretti, Virgin & Martyr Maria Goretti (1890-1902) was a beautiful and pious farm girl, one of six children of Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. In 1896 the family moved to Ferriere di Conca. Soon after, Maria’s father died of malaria, and the family was forced to move onto... Continue Reading →
5 July, Monday — On Action
Jul 5 – Memorial for St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Priest St. Anthony (1502-1539) studied medicine at Padua, receiving his doctorate at age 22. Working among the poor in Cremona, he felt called to the religious life. He was ordained at age 26; legend says that angels were seen around the altar at his first Mass.... Continue Reading →
4 July, Sunday — 4th of July
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Eze 2:2-52 Cor 12:7-10Mk 6:1-6 I was given a thorn in the flesh…. to beat me and stop me from getting too proud. Just before Thanksgiving last year, I received word from the United States government that my application for citizenship had finally been approved. It was a surreal feeling,... Continue Reading →
3 July, Saturday — Sure or not?
Jul 3 – Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle Thomas (d. 72) was ready to die with Jesus when Christ went to Jerusalem, but he is best remembered for doubting the Resurrection until allowed to touch Christ’s wounds. He preached in Parthia, Persia and India, though he was so reluctant to start the mission that he... Continue Reading →
2 July, Friday — Let’s wash our linens clean!
Friday of Week 13 in Ordinary Time Gen 23:1-4,19;24:1-8,62-67Mt 9:9-13 “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick.” When I read today’s Gospel, an immediate thought that came to mind was the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Why? Because by confessing our sins to Christ through the priest as an instrument of God,... Continue Reading →
1 July, Thursday — Spiritual health before physical health
Thursday of Week 13 in Ordinary Time Gen 22:1-19Mt 9:1-8 “Your sins are forgiven… Get up and walk” I have a physical impairment, and I cannot walk without support. So I have to move around on a wheelchair. I remember when I first read this Gospel many years ago as a child, I often wondered... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 