The Word

The Gospel for today which recounts the passion and death of Jesus includes elements of intrigue betrayal and murder A careful reading shows that the victim was not ignorant of the plots devised against him Even before the horrendous onslaught began Jesus announced ldquo My appointed time dr

Key concepts in today rsquo s Gospel reflect how many of us still face difficult issues Like the disciples some of us maintain that misfortune is indeed a punishment for sin Like the man rsquo s parents we too may be loathe to stand in support of another if we fear our own status may be in jeopa

We are children of the earth The fact that we live on the land has been reinforced by the biblical story of how God formed the first man out of the clay of the earth Gn 2 7 It might be more accurate to say that we are children of the water Life on earth began in the water and then developed ou

Once again it is the responsorial psalm that sets the tone for the readings proclaimed this Sunday The ldquo kindness rdquo referred to here is the covenant love that binds God to covenant partners This lovingkindness is the basis of God rsquo s compassion and generosity God cares for those in

Who has not heard or even sung the ditty ldquo This little light of mine I rsquo m gonna let it shine rdquo Children learn it and sing it with delight As simple as the words may be and as airy the melody the message is profound In fact it can be fully understood only by adults for it is a

Ash Wednesday launches us into the season of Lent The themes of the day are quite sobering The ashes placed on our foreheads are meant to call to mind the inevitability of death as one of the accompanying prayers reminds us ldquo You are dust and to dust you shall return rdquo Ash Wednesday

A clever advertisement for cellular phone service has found a niche in the popular consciousness The question ldquo Can you hear me now rdquo suggests that with this system reception is good anywhere in the world mdash if you are open to the call This all sounds like a vocation ad mdash not me

Idealistic young people are not the only people who yearn to change the world Committed social workers and politicians share that desire as do scientific and medical researchers Parents always say that they want a better world for their children Teachers too seek to equip students with the skill