The Ball Brothers: "I Sing the Mighty Power of God"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of The Ball Brothers presenting "I Sing the Mighty Power of God":

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13; and Luke 4:21-30. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 71 (Psalm 71:1-6, 15-17).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 71 Sing of Your salvation and I will sing Your glory

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"

He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"

And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 31, 2016)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 31, 2016)

Community in Mission: A "Rule of Life" for Prophets - A Homily for the 4th Sunday of the Year (30 JAN 16)

The Sacred Page: Why the "Good Person" is Rejected: 4th Sunday in OT (28 JAN 16) 

Word on Fire: The Primacy of Love (Cycle C * Ordinary Time * Week 4)

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Prophet to the Nations: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (25 JAN 16)

The Dispatch: The motive and mission of the true prophet (30 JAN 16)

Spirituality of the Readings: The Carpenter's Son? (4th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Who's a Prophet? (4th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

The Word Embodied: Justice Done in Love (4th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Historical Cultural Context: Jesus the Prophet (4th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Cyril of Alexandria (4th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the graces You give us to be merciful.

Msgr. Pope on the Importance of Being Merciful

"In [a recent] gospel the Lord gives us a very practical reminder: 'The measure that you measure to others will be measured back to you.' What does this mean?

"Well, if you were on your way to court and you received advice as to how you could influence the judge to be less severe in your case would you not seriously consider following that advice? Surely you would - unless of course the 'advice' involved bribery or some other corrupt activity.

"And in fact Jesus, our judge, has described an upright way by which we can avoid severity on the Day of Judgment. Simply put, the way is for us to show mercy to others."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on why it is importance to pray for a merciful heart and for us to show mercy.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Blessed (and also very smart) Are the Merciful (28 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"As Christians, we cannot be self-centred, but must always be open to others and for others." - Pope Francis

Leroy Van Dyke: "The Auctioneer"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of Leroy Van Dyke presenting "The Auctioneer":

From Yankee Magazine: The "Best Diner Dishes in New England"

"When the winter winds begin to blow, one's thoughts turn to comfort food - and the best comfort food in New England may be found in its numerous, varied diners."

Yankee Magazine contributing writer Mike Urban (also author of The New England Diner Cookbook) recently offered his selection of the "best diner dishes" in New England (which includes at least one appetizing dish from each of the six states).

To access the complete post, please visit:

Yankee Magazine: Top 10 Diner Dishes in New England

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your Mercy.

Bishop Robert Barron on Pope Francis and Evangelization

"The whole Christian world has watched with fascination as Pope Francis, over the past several months, has reached out to evangelicals. Who can forget the mesmerizing iPhone video, filmed by the Pope's (late) friend Bishop Tony Palmer, in which the Bishop of Rome communicated, with father-like compassion, to a national gathering of American evangelical leaders? His smile, his tone of voice, and the simple, direct words that he chose constituted a bridge between Catholics and evangelicals. What I found particularly moving was the remarkable reaction of the evangelical audience after they had taken in the video: a real prayer in the Spirit.

"And who could forget the high-five - reportedly the first of Pope Francis's life - exchanged with Pastor James Robison, after the Pope insisted that a living relationship with Jesus stands at the heart of the Christian reality? Many Catholics were surprised when the newly-elected Pope Francis asked the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray for him, but evangelicals from Argentina weren't taken aback, for they had witnessed something very similar. In June of 2006, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was attending a meeting of evangelical pastors in Buenos Aires, and after he had spoken to them, he knelt down on the stage and asked them to pray for him and to bless him."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, reflected on the importance of the Church's emphasis on the ministry of evangelization.

To access Bishop Barron's complete post, please visit:

The Boston Pilot: Echoes. Pope Francis and the Evangelicals (26 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Every artist was first an amateur." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for inspirations to and opportunities to spend time with You.

Randy Hain on Finding Time for God

"For years I have heard people say they don't have enough time to pray, get involved in parish ministry, attend daily Mass, take part in Eucharistic adoration, be involved in children’s activities, serve in the community, etc.

"I believe our misconception about time is one of the biggest obstacles, along with living in 'silos' and failing to surrender to Christ, to leading an integrated Catholic life. As someone who is also challenged about having enough time each day, I wonder: Do we own our calendars or do our calendars own us? Are we willing to make the changes necessary to get back on track?

Friends and colleagues have long wondered how I seem to squeeze so much activity into each day. As a reformed workaholic, I have always had a tendency to be fully engaged throughout the day and usually maintain a full plate of faith, family, and work-related activities. As I have gotten older and hopefully wiser, I have thought a great deal about how to make 'time' work for me as I seek to grow as a Catholic, husband, father, business leader, and servant of the community. There is no magic bullet, but I would like to share five ideas for how we can begin to tame our calendars and lead fuller, richer, integrated lives."

In a recent commentary, writer Randy Hain, Senior Editor for The Integrated Catholic Life, offered a number of suggestions designed to help us "tame our calendars" so that we find time to include God in our lives. These suggestions include having our priorities in order, combining activities when possible, removing the unnecessary and replacing it with the necessary, and knowing where we are going.

To access Mr. Hain's complete post, please visit:

Integrated Catholic Life: Too Busy for God? (14 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Psalm 51

"A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit." - Psalm 51:12

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for opportunities to learn about You and Your creation.

Laura Yeager on Judging Others at Mass

"Recently, a young woman came to Mass pushing a huge double baby carriage. In it were three children, all very young. The twin girls were in the two seats, one in the front and one in the back. They looked to be perhaps eighteen months old. A slightly older child, another girl, rode in the carriage’s little bin in the back of the stroller. The woman's fourth child, an older girl of about six, walked beside her.

"The whole lot found a seat at the back of the church, in a pew that was behind the main row of pews. . . .

"As the Mass proceeded, I peeked over and examined the family, and was impressed. The four children were exceptionally well behaved. They sat quietly in the stroller, or in the pew, and seemed to understand the sacredness of the occasion.

"Then, I noticed that the little one in the front seat of the stroller wasn’t wearing shoes. It was the middle of October! My eyebrows went up, and I began to judge the woman. Bad mother; no shoes on the kids.

"I couldn't stop myself from staring. When Tommy was little, I had always gone out of my way to make a good impression: his shoes were polished; he was appropriately dressed, with hair trimmed and face washed.

"As I continued to pay more attention to this mother's negligence than the Mass, I remembered being in a store, once, with Tommy. He was about ten months old and had a very bad cold. His nose was running. Heavily. I didn’t have any tissue. A clerk in the store gave me the dirtiest look, and I felt like I could read her thoughts: How could I let the mucus drip down my child's face like that? Why didn't I go into the public restroom and procure some toilet paper to solve the problem? Bad mother; not wiping that kid’s messy nose.

"It's so easy to judge. But when we are judging, we are forgetting how hard life is, sometimes, and how none of us can have it together every second of every day."

In a recent commentary, writer Laura Yeager reflected on the effects of judging others while at Mass and elsewhere.

To access Ms. Yeager's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: What If Everyone at Mass Is Busy Judging Everyone Else? (19 JAN 16)

Reflection starter from St. Thomas Aquinas

"If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way. " - Saint Thomas Aquinas, whose memory the Church celebrates today (28 January)

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor (Op. 125), as played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (conducted by Riccardo Muti):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of our faith and for the many ways in which our expressions of faith touch the lives of others.

The Church Should See America as Mission Territory

Peggy Noonan can be described in many ways: former speechwriter for President Reagan, best-selling author, Wall Street Journal columnist. But the "core" of her identity, she says, is being Catholic. That means she embraces the tenets of Catholicism and sometimes offers "tough love" to the Church's leadership. But at the heart of her words, even when they're critical, there is a profound reverence for the faith she has embraced since she was a little girl.

Noonan recently joined me on Christopher Closeup to discuss her new book The Time of Our Lives, a collection of her best essays and columns from 1981 to the present. It's filled with stories and observations about politics, culture, heroism, humility, virtue, faith, and more.

On the topic of faith, Noonan credits her great aunt with planting the seeds of her belief not through words, but through actions and symbols. Noonan told me, "[She] was a simple Irish peasant, and she had a simple Irish peasant's belief. She had on her bureau Mass cards and rosary beads and [pictures] of Jesus and the Sacred Heart and the Virgin Mary. She took me to Mass when I was a little girl every Sunday, and I thought everybody in Mass was very nice, so I got it in my head that maybe if you go to church, you become nice. . . She didn't proselytize [or] teach me about Christ. She had Christ all around me."

As Noonan got older and learned more about Catholicism, her faith developed maturity and depth. She even came to teach a religion class to girls at a private school in Manhattan for a number of years. They ranged in age from post-Communion to Confirmation, and they taught her a lesson about the influence (or lack thereof) of the pictures by which she had been surrounded growing up.

Noonan said, "I asked [the girls], 'What signs and symbols of religious faith do you see around your house?' There was silence. Then one girl said, 'My grandmother wears a medal with Mary on it.' That was the only answer. I thought, 'Thank you, Grandma!' I enjoy seeing signs and symbols of faith in people's houses, whatever their faith is. I understand something's being said there. What's being said is, 'There is a God.' And it's important for kids to be aware of that."

Noonan believes that an awareness of Catholic basics is sorely lacking in modern America, and she offers this advice when she talks to priests: "We in America are mission territory. You have to come to us like we are a vast continent of people who've never been exposed to Christian or Catholic thinking. You have to go through the Bible and explain who Jesus was, who His followers were, explain how we feel about the Blessed Mother, explain Catholic thinking and why Catholics have these rules. I honestly believe that we've got to start over in America."

At the same time, Noonan acknowledges there's something about being raised Catholic that never leaves you, regardless of whether you're ardent or lapsed. Part of that, she says, is being baptized, which can supernaturally awaken something in our souls. She also compares the faith to a harpoon piercing your heart: "You can swim away with that harpoon in your heart forever, but you will be pulled back."

Like that harpoon, Noonan's words can pierce, but they're ultimately meant to pull as many people as possible back to a faith that becomes the core of their identity, just as it is for hers.

This essay is this week's "Light One Candle" column, written by Tony Rossi, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)

Background information:

The Christopher

Reflection Starter from Saint John Paul II

"Christ came to bring joy: joy to children, joy to parents, joy to families and to friends, joy to workers and to scholars, joy to the sick and joy to the elderly, joy to all humanity. In a true sense, joy is the keynote of the Christian message and the recurring motif of the Gospels . . . Be messengers of joy." - Pope Saint John Paul II

"Lord I lift Your Name on High"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of the Maranatha Singers presenting "Lord I lift Your Name on High":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your faithfulness.

St. Thomas Aquinas on Overcoming Sadness

"On certain days we have all been sad, days when we have been unable to overcome an inner torpor or depression that weighs down on us and makes it difficult to interact with others. Is there a trick for overcoming sorrow and recovering our smile? Saint Thomas Aquinas suggests five remedies against sadness that have proven surprisingly effective (Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 38)."

In a recent conference, Carlo de Marchi, vicar of Opus Dei for Central-South Italy, offered five recommendation from St. Thomas Aquinas when we are overcome with sadness. These remedies include granting ourselves something we like, weeping, sharing our sorrow with a friend, contemplating the truth, and bathing and sleeping.

To access a report of these remarks, please visit:

Opus Dei: 5 Remedies Against Sadness (19 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Samuel Johnson

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." - Samuel Johnson

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings You poured on us and on all Your people during the past weekend.

Pope Francis: Christion Mission is to Proclaim the Gospel by Word and Life

"Pope Francis centered his Angelus address this Sunday on what it means to evangelize the poor, and how this is the mission of the Church.

"'Evangelize the poor: this is the mission of Jesus; this is also the mission of the Church, and of all the baptized in the Church,' the Pope said Jan. 24 to the crowds in Saint Peter's Square. 'To be a Christian and to be a missionary is the same thing.'

"'What does it mean to evangelize the poor? It means to be close to them, to serve them, to free them from oppression, and all this in the name and with the Spirit of Christ, because he is the Gospel of God, he is the mercy of God, and he is the liberation of God.'"

A recent Catholic News Agency article reported on this message from Pope Francis, in which he stated the "the proclamation of the Gospel, by word and life, 'is the main purpose of the Christian community and all of its members.'"

To access the complete Catholic News Agency report, please visit:

Catholic News Agency: Evangelize the poor: that is your mission, Pope says (24 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales

"There is nothing small in the service of God. Be faithful in small things and God will see that you will succeed in those of greater importance." - Saint Francis de Sales, whose memory the Church celebrates on 24 January

"We Are Many Parts"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of Marty Haugen's "We Are Many Parts":

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; and Luke 1:1-4; 4:4-21. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 19 (Psalm 19:8-10, 15).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Proclaim His marvelous deeds

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 24, 2016)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 24, 2016)

Community in Mission: On The Wonder of the Word of God - A Homily for the Third Sunday of the Year (23 JAN 16)

Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: St. Luke Was a Good News Man: Homily for January 24, 2016, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (23 JAN 16)

Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: Changing My Homily to Honor the Roadside Pilgrims of Snowmageddon (23 JAN 16)

The Sacred Page: Jesus Proclaims Jubilee! 2nd Sunday in OT (21 JAN 16) 

Word on Fire: Wall and Bridges (Cycle C * Ordinary Time * Week 3)

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: New Day Dawns: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (18 JAN 16)

The Dispatch: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." (23 JAN 16)

Spirituality of the Readings: Two New Eras (3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Scripture on Scripture (3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

The Word Embodied: Justice Done in Faith (3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Historical Cultural Context: The Synagogue Scenario (3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Origen of Alexandria (3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (22 JAN 16)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of falling snow.

Msgr. Pope on Finding God in Falling Snow

"It's snowing today in Washington, D.C. and I had a beautiful walk coming back from the March for Life this afternoon. Tonight I will enjoy another walk through the winter wonderland.

"Not everyone likes snow but it is an amazing work of God. He takes a barren winter landscape and creates it anew. I can almost hear the Lord saying, 'Behold, I make all things new!'

"In the modern world we often walk past the glory of God hardly noticing the gifts that He provides every day. Tonight and tomorrow I don't want to miss God's gifts. It is true that these gifts come along with weather-related hardships, but maybe - just maybe - God can get a few of us here on the East Coast to stop for just a minute, rest a while, and behold His glory."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on opportunities to connect with God during winter snowfalls.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: God in Winter - Finding God in the Falling Snow (22 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"In today's society, in which forgiveness is so rare, mercy is ever more important." - Pope Francis

2016 March for Life

Throughout this week the nation remembers the 43rd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion at any stage of the preborn baby’s life in his/her mother’s womb. To sadly commemorate this decision and its tragic consequences, there are a number of observances taking place in this region and throughout the nation.

The March for Life is being held today, Friday, 22 January in Washington, DC. The pre-march March for Life Rally will be on the National Mall (west of 8th Street near the Smithsonian Castle) beginning at 12:00 PM and continuing until approximately 1:00 PM. It will be followed immediately by the March for Life itself. (The March will go on during the impending snow storm.)

As in previous years, the Solemn Vigil Mass for Life/National Prayer Vigil for Life was held in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception last night. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York (and Chairman, USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities) was the Principal Celebrant and Homilist at the Vigil Mass.

Background information:

March for Life

National Prayer Vigil for Life 

Archdiocese of Washington: Youth Rally and Mass for Life

Walk for Life West Coast

"Let Us Exalt His Name Together"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of "Let Us Exalt His Name Together" (presented by the Christian Fellowship Church, Doha, Qatar:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life and for those who strive to protect and nurture it.

Fr. Landry on the Mercy of Jesus

"There are many ways to live out the Year of Mercy, but I think perhaps the most fruitful is to ponder and imitate Jesus' own merciful example. The theme of this Year of Mercy is 'Merciful like the Father,' and no one has shown us how to emulate the Father's Mercy better than the 'image of the invisible God' himself, the one who identified himself to St. Faustina Kowalska as 'Mercy Incarnate.'

"All of Jesus' life is a manifestation of God's loving mercy, but when we look at the demonstrations of that merciful love in the Gospel, we see that they fall into five general categories. In Greek, the evangelists introduce them all by the same verb, splanchnizomai, which in English is normally translated as Jesus' 'heart was moved with pity.' Since splanchna, however, means 'viscera' or 'guts,' a more literal translation would be that Jesus was 'sick to his stomach' with compassion as he saw people in need.

"Jesus did five different things in response to these intense cramps of compassion, things that the Church continues to do and every Christian is called to do with particular focus during this Year of Mercy. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Roger J. Landry (a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, MA, who works for the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations) reflected on these responses of Jesus (including teaching, healing, feeding, forgiving, and praying.

To access Fr. Landry's complete essay, please visit:

Boston Pilot: Echoes: Echoes. Receiving and Extending Jesus' Five-Fold Mercy (19 JAN 2016)

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D Major ("The Titan")

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, ("The Titan"), as played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Leonard Bernstein):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of indoor plants and for the ministry of those who care for them.

So They Can See There's Another Way

Vaughn McCoy owes a lot of people. Ordinary people, like his Mom, a single mother of six who raised all of her children in a public housing project in Paterson, New Jersey. He owes other family members, too; and coaches, teachers and mentors who popped up along the way. He hopes to pay them back by changing lives, just as his was changed, by meeting kids and talking to them and writing a book, about how he survived drugs and violence growing up, and how, eventually, he became an assistant U.S. attorney.

It's been a long, tough climb for McCoy, and he tries to convince the kids with whom he comes in contact to forget about the celebrity jobs - athletes and singers and musicians, the road out of the ghetto for only a handful of people. Instead he advises them to seek something in the medical or legal field, or be a teacher, an engineer, an accountant or a reporter - "ordinary jobs" with built-in community support.

"We've been blinded by the fame of those other things," he told Keith Idec of The Record, a leading North Jersey paper. "But they'll never be able to reach the people. That's why I felt I had to make myself available to them, so they can see there's another way."

McCoy, 47, has done pretty well for himself by looking in the direction of "ordinary" employment. After playing football at both Paterson's Eastside High School and Rutgers University, he picked up a law degree from Rutgers and a master's in business from NYU. His wife Marnie is an administrator with the school system in Paterson, and they reside in New Brunswick. After leaving the federal attorney's post, he became vice president (legal) for Public Service Gas & Electric in Long Island.

Profit was far from his mind when he wrote his book, Playing Up, in 2013. He self-published the book, donated 5,000 copies to school kids in Paterson, and set up a related website (vaughnlmccoy.com) to help promote it. He leaned on some high-profile acquaintances for assistance: the foreword was written by Joe Clark, former Eastside principal (of Lean on Me fame), and endorsements came from Victor Cruz, who grew up on Paterson and is a star football player with the New York Giants, and Greg Schiano, former football coach at Rutgers.

"I think a lot of kids will find themselves or their brother or their mom in my story," McCoy said. "I think they like to read about themselves or characters that look like them or experienced the things they experience. I want to give kids something they can identify with and be inspired by."

As noted at the outset, Vaughn McCoy owes a lot of people and wants to give back. The book is one way he does that; so are the appearances at school gatherings, and so are the informal meetings he has with kids. He wants them to know that it can be done, that there is a way for them to "play up" to their surroundings and truly make something of themselves.

"I'm not asking anyone to mentor a whole neighborhood," he says. "But if there's one kid that you can open a door for, all those things matter. That's what motivates me every day, to really give back in that way."

This essay is this week's "Light One Candle" column, written by Jerry Costello, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)

Background information:

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales

"It is a very fine thing to feel ashamed of oneself when one realizes one's own imperfections and misery, but the feeling must not drag on lest one lose heart. It is necessary to raise the heart to God with a holy confidence, founded not in our strength but in God. We indeed change, but God never does; He always remains equally good and merciful toward us, whether we are weak and imperfect or perfect and strong. I always say that our misery is the throne of God's mercy, and so we must realize that the greater our misery, the greater should be our confidence in Him." - Saint Francis de Sales

Panoramic Photographic Tour of Cathedrals

"From Bristol to Beijing, the world’s churches and cathedrals boast stunning architectural details. Thanks to their elaborately painted murals, stained glass windows, and vaulted ceilings, no two centers of worship look exactly alike.

"For the past four years, New York City-based photographer Richard Silver has traveled the globe, taking pictures of far-flung religious centers across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He shoots multiple images inside each church interior, and uses Photoshop to fuse them together into one breathtaking panoramic picture."

A recent Mental Floss post offered a number of Mr. Silver's panoramic photos.

To access the complete post, please visit:

Mental Floss: These Panoramic Photographs Take You on a Tour of the World's Cathedrals (16 DEC 15)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the peace of heart that comes from You.

Dawn Carpenter on Answering the Call to Work

"Recent studies show a need for a greater understanding of labor as a Christian call to work. Nearly half the people on the planet are workers. Statically speaking, the UN's International Labour Organization tallies the world-wide workforce at nearly three billion. Standing hand-in-hand, these workers would circle the globe 11 times. Needless to say, what work looks like throughout the world can be dramatically different. Factors such as national affluence and the respect for the rule of law and private property are important - just as are the levels of education, training, and opportunity available to workers. Despite these often vast differences in the world of work, what is remarkably similar are workers' feelings about engagement with their work.

"According to Gallup’s study of 142 countries entitled the State of the Global Workplace, only 13% of employees worldwide feel engaged at work. This means that only one in every eight workers is mentally committed to his work in such a way as to be open to making fruitful contributions to his organization and community. This is a striking commentary on man's place in the world of work.

"A Christian approach to work offers another way: an orientation to work and the calling of the worker that is rooted in man's relationship with God and creation. This orientation is expressed in what can be called a 'calling to work.'"

In a recent commentary, writer Dawn Carpenter reflected on a Christian's call to work as an opportunity to use his/her gifts and energies to help meet the needs of the world and the community and as a continuation of the Lord's redemptive work.

To access Ms. Carpenter's complete post, please visit:

Catholic Stand: Answering the Call to Work (16 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Fulton Sheen

"“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is 'timing.' It waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” - Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

Morehouse College Glee Club: "We Shall Overcome"

As we continue our observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day holiday, I offer this version of the Morehouse College Glee Club presenting "We Shall Overcome":

Report: Number of Christian Martyrs Greatly Increasing

"In 2013, there were some 2,100 Christians killed for faith-related reasons across the globe. Last year, that number rose to at least 7,100, according to a recent report from an advocacy group.

"'The persecution of Christians is getting worse - in every region in which we work ' and it's getting worse fast,' Lisa Pearce, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said in the group's 2016 report. 'Many countries have dropped down the list, not because persecution there is decreasing, but simply because others are getting worse faster. And it wasn't good three years ago.'"

A recent Catholic News Agency article reported on this increase in the number of Christian martyrs and on the persecution of Christians throughout the world.

To access the complete Catholic News Agency report, please visit:

Catholic News Agency: The number of Christian martyrs has tripled in two years (15 JAN 16)

Background information:

Open Doors

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016

This week,the week of 18-25 January, is being observed as the 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The octave ends on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle. This year's theme is "Called to Proclaim the Mighty Acts of the Lord" (based on 1 Peter 2:9).

 

Background information:

Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute

Graymoor: History of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Additional information:

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

World Council of Churches: Commission on Faith and Order

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which our prayer works in our lives and the lives of others.

Fr. Longenecker on Understanding the Power of Prayer

"We're supposed to pray. In fact the New Testament says we're supposed to 'pray without ceasing.' (I Thess. 5:16-18) How do you do that and what do you mean by 'prayer' to start with? If you thought it was asking God for stuff you're not completely wrong. We're supposed to ask God for our needs, and I think it's just fine to ask God for the particular things like, 'Dear God, please heal my son.' or 'Please God we need money to pay the bills.'

"However, these sorts of prayers are really a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. When we pray for specific things we are putting it all into God's hands. We may say, 'Give us this day our daily bread' but we also say, 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' When we do both together we join our will with God's will and great power can be the result. The power I'm talking about is the power to change the world, and even more miraculous - the power to change ourselves.

"Of course, when I say 'power to change ourselves' I really mean God's power is released through prayer for the transformation of our lives. The first thing that is transformed in our lives in this way, is our viewpoint. By prayer we gradually shift from judging everything according to how it impacts us to judging everything according to God's will."

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on our prayer and its relationship to the Scripture verse "All things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to his purpose."

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit: 

National Catholic Register: Blogs: Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Understanding the Power of Prayer (12 JAN 16)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter from Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The time is always right to do what is right." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The Church's One Foundation"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of "The Church's One Foundation":

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and John 2:1-11. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 96 (Psalm 96:1-3, 7-10).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Proclaim His marvelous deeds

The Gospel reading is as follows:

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."

And Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come."

His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you."

Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."

So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from - although the servers who had drawn the water knew -, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now."

Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 17, 2016)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (January 17, 2016)

Community in Mission: Biblical Basics about Mother Mary – A Homily for the Second Sunday of the Year (16 JAN 16)

Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: Mary and Miracles: Homily for January 17, 2016, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (16 JAN 16)

The Sacred Page: The Bridegroom Revealed: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (12 JAN 16) 

Word on Fire: The First of the Signs (Cycle C * Ordinary Time * Week 2)

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: In the Wedding: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (11 JAN 16)

The Dispatch: Cana, Signs, and Sacraments (16 JAN 16)

Spirituality of the Readings: My Delight (2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Let the Scriptures Speak: The Bridegroom is Here (2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

The Word Embodied: Lovely in Eyes Not His (2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Historical Cultural Context: Jesus and His Mother (2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Maximus of Turin (2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for those in our lives who proclaim Truth.

Msgr. Pope on Hardness of Human Hearts and Repentance/Conversion

"It is rather a typical assumption of the modern Western mind that differences and hostilities are due mainly to misunderstandings or a lack of proper information; that if we would discuss ('dialogue'), share information, respect pluralism (diversity), and overcome misunderstandings, all would be well and there would be peace.

"Missing in this approach is the more sober notion of the hardness of human hearts. Information alone does not usually bring peace and an end to trouble. Rather, transformation effected by repentance and conversion is the truer and more biblical answer. But repentance and conversion usually require a lot more than dialogue or the sharing of information.

"Biblically, repentance is usually effected by a combination of instruction and admonition. Teaching and the setting forth of doctrine are essential, but warning about the consequences of disregarding the truth must also take place. As He taught, Jesus consistently warned that in the end there will be sheep and goats, those to the right and those to the left, the wise and foolish virgins, those who will hear 'Come blessed of my Father ..' and those who will hear, 'Depart from me you evil doers.' Yes, His parables are filled with warnings as are his more discursive teachings, in which He warns that no one will come to the Father except through Him and that Unless you come to believe that I AM, you will die in your sins (Jn 8:24)."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on hardness of human hearts leading to and perpetuating error and on the necessity of repentance and conversion.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Scripture's Sober Assessment of the Hardness of Many Human Hearts and What It Means for Evangelization (14 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"When we entrust ourselves to the Lord, we can overcome all obstacles that we encounter on the way." - Pope Francis

The Brothers Four: "Try to Remember"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of The Brothers Four presenting "Try to Remember":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings You bestow on family celebrations of life events.

Stephen Schneck on Markets and Catholic Social Teaching

"The uniform of college students changes every few years. When I first began my teaching it was bell-bottoms, then dancers' leg warmers, Uggs, and skinny jeans. Now it's leggings, colorful rubber boots, and yoga pants. For the guys, I remember the first baseball caps in the classrooms, then it was backwards baseball caps, sideways baseball caps, and now baseball caps with painfully flat brims and a sticker. How do these changes happen?

"My mom was convinced that a coven of women-haters convened every year in Paris to enthrone what would be the most unflattering articles of clothing. Watching Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, you might think so. But in truth, nobody entirely controls fashion. Much as we might like, we cannot hold Madison Avenue or Vogue accountable. Nobody sees the vast majority of fashions coming.

"For the most part the logic of fashion is driven by something like market forces. And, like other markets, its hands are powerful and pretty much invisible. Walk across a campus or through an airport or mall and just imagine all the factors at work that lead people to dress in the styles they wear. We've all felt the pressure of the invisible hands of fashion, whether we want to be fashionable or not. How many millions of us have purchased yoga pants or baseball hats with flat brims? No doubt some of us do yoga and play baseball and need the appropriate uniform, but something else is going on here. Where did our desire to make those purchases come from?

". . . Catholic social teaching says nothing about yoga pants or baseball caps. But the church does say something about market forces."

In a recent commentary, Stephen Schneck, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at The Catholic University of America, reflected on markets, human life and dignity, and their relationship with Catholic social teaching

To access Dr. Schneck's complete post, please visit:

U.S. Catholic: Blogs:  Yoga pants and Catholic social teaching (January 2016)

Reflection Starter from Thomas Merton

"Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul." - Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O.

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and functionality of language.

Fr. Longenecker on Improving Our Spiritual Fitness

"After the holiday feasting I'm ready to sign up at the gym. Crammed with Christmas cake and candy, and stuffed like the turkey, I am, like my waistband, overflowing with good intentions and new year resolve. I'd join the gym, except that I'm embarrassed to stand in line with the rest of the flagging and flabby holiday crowd for the torture of the treadmill and those weight machines that remind me of the medieval rack and rope.

"Surveys show that 80 percent of people who join the gym in January quit by June. In fact, 4 percent don't make it past January, and 14 percent more drop out by the end of February. At least they got up and endured the public humiliation of joining the gym in January. I never even make it that far. Instead, I sit at home and wonder how it might be possible to lose weight and get fit without the effort of exercise or the distress of dieting. So I pick up my Bible and ponder again two of my favorite verses, I Timothy 5:23, 'Take a little wine for your stomach's sake' and I Timothy 4:8, 'Bodily exercise is of little profit.'

"Is it possible to lose weight and get fit by sitting around thinking about it? I fear not. I've got to haul my flabby body out of the easy chair and do something that isn't easy: get some exercise. I've got to discipline my appetites and exercise some self-control if I'm going to get fit.

"It's the same in my spiritual life. I can't just sit around thinking about becoming spiritually fit. I've got to get some exercise, start eating sensibly and learn some self-discipline."

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on three ways in which we can improve our spiritual fitness: exercise (going to Mass each week and to Confession each month), eating well (having a healthy spiritual intake), and self-discipline (fasting and prayer).

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Flagging and Flabby? Get to the Spiritual Gym! (3 JAN 16)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter

"Better do a kindness near home than go far away to burn incense." - Chinese Proverb

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of frosted winter scenes.

Patricia Heaton Humbled by Trip to Africa

When Emmy Award-winning actress and former Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Patricia Heaton got time off from filming her hit sitcom The Middle a few months ago, she traveled to Africa to build bicycles and make soy milk. Granted, that's not all she did there, but these were some of the non-Hollywood activities she engaged in while getting to know the people of Zambia and helping promote the work of World Vision.

I've interviewed Heaton before about her pro-life activism. She's one of the few people in Hollywood who are vocal about their support for the unborn. But her pro-life views extend further in that she also volunteers for a variety of charities that give the less fortunate a helping hand. That's exactly what we talked about during our most recent interview on Christopher Closeup.

Heaton explained that she is a longtime supporter of World Vision, a Christian NGO (non-governmental organization) that works with children, families and communities around the world to combat poverty and injustice. The mother of four boys with her husband David Hunt, Heaton made the trip with her youngest son, who is 16. "We were able to meet our new sponsor children," she said, "and build bikes that World Vision gives to people. Getting a bike is like having a car there."

They also witnessed many of World Vision's development programs in action, including clean water projects, mother's nutrition projects, and the construction of medical clinics in conjunction with U.S. churches. In addition, they saw the benefits of the charity's gift catalog, which allows Americans to buy things like school supplies and even goats to meet the needs of families living in poverty.

World Vision also supports savings clubs which, says Heaton, allow women to "take out loans, start businesses, build onto their house, and buy goats and animals…So it was great for me and my son, who lives a pretty nice life in California, to see how a large number of people in the world live with no electricity and who are just now getting clean water and wells. And the people of Zambia are so beautiful. They don't have much, but they're lovely and grateful. It was humbling."

The trip affected Heaton spiritually, giving her a different perspective on the way she lives - and the way all Americans live: "I came home more determined to simplify my life and clear out a lot of the clutter…I think it is a reminder of how much we've been given in this country. Just being born on this soil is a huge gift because no matter what level you were born at economically, you can have opportunities. I saw people in Zambia who were gifted with talents and had dreams of wanting to do certain things that they were not able to do because of where they live. We can get angry and entitled here when Starbucks doesn't have soy milk. It ruins our day. So to see people who struggle but have the joy of the Lord in them was extremely humbling and definitely has made me go back to basics with my faith."

Heaton remains grateful as well for her success playing harried mom Frankie Heck on the The Middle, currently in its seventh season. She concluded, "We've gotten many comments about people feeling comfortable that they can sit down with their kids and [watch] The Middle. It's hard to find a show like that anymore, so I'm blessed that I can feel comfortable with the work I'm doing."

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Tony Rossi, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)

Background information:

World Vision 

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from Paul F. Boller, Jr./William McKinley

"William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president, once had to choose between two equally qualified men for a key job. He puzzled over the choice until he remembered a long-ago incident.

"On a rainy night, McKinley had boarded a crowded streetcar. One of the men he was now considering had also been aboard, though he didn't see McKinley. Then an old woman carrying a basket of laundry struggled into the car, looking in vain for a seat. The job candidate pretended not to see her and kept his seat. McKinley gave up his seat to help her.

"Remembering the episode which he called 'this little omission of kindness,' McKinley decided against the man on the streetcar. Our decisions - even the small, fleeting ones - tell a lot about us." - Paul F. Boller, Jr. (in Presidential Anecdotes)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C major (Jupiter Symphony)

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C major, ("The Jupiter Symphony"), as played by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (conducted by Nicolaus Harnoncourt):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for cheerful greetings that buoy our spirits.

On Father Jim Sichko and Missionaries of Mercy

"Father Jim Sichko, a pastor at St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond, Ky., travels and preaches at parish missions in many different states. But this year he is one of Pope Francis' designated 'missionaries of mercy' - and that information has already made a big impact on his mission circuit.

"Father Sichko told the Register at his last parish mission, where he gave a weekend retreat preaching and hearing confessions, the church was filled to its maximum capacity of 300 persons 'every night.'

"'There was an elderly gentlemen that was brought back into full communion with the Church; and a second was an infant whose parents did not want their child baptized, but they decided from the mission to seek baptism for the child,' he said.

"In this jubilee year, the priest said he believes the missionaries of mercy will 'see some powerful conversions and some amazing people coming back to the Church.'"

A recent National Catholic Register article profile Father Sichko and his missionary of mercy ministry.

To access this National Catholic Register report, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Priests Aim to Pierce Spiritual Walls of Sins Thought Unforgivable (9 JAN 16)

Background information:

Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus - Bull of indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (11 April 2015)

Reflection Starter

"`Tis well to walk with a cheerful heart
Wherever our fortunes call,
With a friendly glance and an open hand
And a gentle word for all.
Since life is a thorny and difficult path
Where toil is the portion of man,
We all should endeavor, while passing along
To make it as smooth as we can." - Source Unknown

"The King of Love My Shepherd Is"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of the BYU Singers presenting "The King Of Love My Shepherd Is":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of various effects of light.

On Unscripted Papal Preaching

"The god of Mammon, who is 'like a wild animal, trying to clutch me with his talons and enslave me,' and people not open to the Holy Spirit, who 'are like swamps that give off foul-smelling gases,' are just a few of the analogies that appear in the latest collection of papal homilies.

'Rigid doctors of the law 'imagine God as a kind of really strict school teacher who assigned humanity homework that only very few are able to do. For the majority, the notebook of life will be handed back with the grade: 'Poor!''

"If it sounds like the usual fare from Pope Francis, it is strongly similar, but the author in this case was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI."

In a recent commentary, writer Carol Glatz offered observations related to a number of teaching moments then-Cardinal Ratzinger encountered during the time before he became Pope.

To access her complete article, please visit:

Catholic News Service: Clear and colorful: A common property in unscripted papal preaching (30 DEC 15)

Reflection Starter from G. K. Chesterton

"The doctrine of human equality reposes on this: that there is no man really clever who has not found that he is stupid. There is no big man who has not felt small. Some men never feel small; but these are the few who are." - G. K. Chesterton

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the graces You pour on us as we receive the sacrament of Baptism.

National Catholic Register: Profile of Minnesota Viking Kevin McDermott

"After bouncing around three teams in his first two years in the NFL, Kevin McDermott found a home with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015. The undrafted free agent is very comfortable with his punter, Jeff Locke (who was also his teammate at UCLA), placekicker Blair Walsh and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

"McDermott would like to stay with the Vikings as long as possible, but, knowing that one day his football career will end, he looks to his wife, Lauren, for a lifetime commitment. Even more essentially, he looks to his Catholic faith for solace in this life and the next. The Nashville native has a keen appreciation for the value of meditation and sees Sunday Mass as indispensable."

A recent National Catholic Register interview profiled Kevin McDermott and his faith life.

To access the complete National Catholic Register article, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Irish Viking Navigates Rocky Seas of the NFL (8 JAN 16)

Reflection Starter from St. Augustine

"There is no Saint without a past, no sinner without a future." - Saint Augustine of Hippo

"When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized"

As we continue our celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, I offer this version of "When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized":

The Baptism of the Lord

Today the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. The assigned readings are Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; and Luke 3:15-16, 21-22. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 29 (Psalm 29:1-4, 9-10).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Baptism of Jesus (January 10, 2016)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: Baptism of Jesus (January 10, 2016)

Community in Mission: Jesus Does Not Go into the Water Alone; He Takes Us with Him - A Reflection on the Baptism of the Lord (9 JAN 16)

Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: "Where is Christ?": Homily for January 3, 2016, the Epiphany of the Lord (2 JAN 16)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Baptism of the Lord and the Sacrament of Confirmation

The Sacred Page: The Baptism of the Lord! (6 JAN 16) 

Word on Fire: Vitae Spiritualis Ianu (Feasts * Baptism of the Lord)

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: A King to Behold: The Anointing: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (4 JAN 16)

The Dispatch: "Why did Jesus insist on being baptized?" (9 JAN 16)

Spirituality of the Readings: Staying With (The Baptism of the Lord C)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Inspired Hindsight (The Baptism of the Lord C)

The Word Embodied: Transformations of the Body (The Baptism of the Lord C)

Historical Cultural Context: The Baptism of Jesus (The Baptism of the Lord C)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Hippolytus of Rome (The Baptism of the Lord C)

National Catholic Register: Sunday Guide: The Glory of Jesus Is Just Getting Started (10 JAN 16)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: The Baptism of the Lord (9 JAN 16)