Dianne Bergant

The phrase ldquo seeing is believing rdquo is well known to us all It suggests skepticism it implies that we will not accept the truth of something unless we can somehow see it While the phrase may validly express a concern for verification it contradicts basic religious ideas To paraphrase t

What can one say about the assumption of Mary There is no mention of it in the Scriptures That of course does not invalidate the feast It simply means that its full theological meaning is found outside of the readings selected for its celebration These readings however provide us with insigh

I have a distinct memory of my mother teaching me how to pray the rosary I knew the prayers I just did not know which ones were said on which beads I also have memories of my father sitting on our bed with my sister and me at each of his knees saying our night prayers I have no idea why I rememb

At first glance this well known saying from the first chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes sounds very pessimistic Some might say that the rest of the book gets even worse However such an evaluation is a misreading of a very sobering yet genuine perspective on life pursuits but not on life itsel

Have you ever noticed how often we hear the phrase ldquo I just love rdquo ldquo I just love to watch the sun set over the lake I just love the smell of the grease and the hum of the engines I just love the feeling of being in lsquo the zone rsquo I just love that dress on you

Whenever we travel on vacation we are dependent on the hospitality of others We may have to pay for it but the quality of their openness to us either enhances or detracts from our enjoyment Through hospitality we are made to feel as if we are at home And when we feel at home we want to stay In

The readings for today offer us two conflicting images One is of abundance and rejoicing the other is of the cross and self-denial One might think that these two images cannot be harmonized But if we look carefully at their messages we can see how they really do fit together Isaiah rsquo s mess

Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German Lutheran theologian wrote a series of reflections on the Sermon on the Mount entitled The Cost of Discipleship in which he maintained that discipleship requires us to make a fundamental decision to follow Jesus and to accept the conseuences of that decision His own r

On the old quiz show ldquo What rsquo s My Line rdquo a panel of celebrities tried to discover the occupation of a contestant who was required to answer their questions honestly but without revealing any pertinent clues The contestant won if the panel failed In today rsquo s Gospel Jesus asks