Spiritual Reflections

This year especially, I think Pentecost is a celebration of unity and community. When I read these readings for Pentecost this year, certain phrases struck me in a very different…

Years ago, my brother renovated his basement, and since I am a born scavenger, I became heir to his leftover plywood. Coincidentally, that same summer, Helen Jean, Betty McGrath, Eileen…

When I first looked through the readings for these weeks after Easter, I was very surprised to find myself feeling almost flooded with love: Love seemed to be everywhere!!  Of course, many…

Acts 9:26-31, I John 3:18-24, John 15:1-8 This Gospel reading is so familiar to us: “The vine and the branches, I am the vine and you are the branches.” Jesus…

Good Shepherd Sunday? Foundation Day? Commitment Ceremony? The “Fiat” statue! Where to start?  One of the Communion services we use begins in this way: “We have been chosen by the…

Acts 3:13-19    1 John 2:1-5    Luke 24:35-48 Sometimes thoughts and prayers just don’t come together to make a good homily. Today is one of those days. After a strong start, what I…

There is richness to ponder in statements in today’s readings. In the Acts of the Apostles, “The community of believers was of one heart and mind.” “With great power the apostles…

“And.”  A…N…D… That’s the most important word to remember from my reflections this evening.  With God, what looks like an ending is always followed by “and.”  We see that truth…

Isaiah 50:4-7, Phil. 2:6-11, Mark 11:1-10 The story of that first Palm Sunday as told by Mark would have made for good optics. If CNN had been there, the news…

Jeremiah 31:31-34        Hebrews 5:7-9        John 12:20-33 Happy springtime to all of you!   Have you ever thought what it would be like if Lent, Holy…

  John 9: 1-41 In today’s Gospel, the scene is Jesus restoring sight to a man born blind — at which point Jesus makes this announcement: “As long as I am in the world I am the…

When I was looking for a way to connect our readings for today to events in today’s world, I thought about the movie, “The Poseidon Adventure,”  which came out in…