Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of workers who pick up and otherwise handle our trash.

Sarah Greydanus on Purgatory

"As All Souls' Day approaches, homilists may find themselves tiptoeing around discussion of Purgatory. Advising people to pray for their deceased family or friends can be difficult. Many perceive this as an insult to the departed, contending that their loved ones are surely in Heaven already and need no prayers.

"Much of this mindset is based on emotions rather than intellectual decisions, and so calls for a tactful, gentle response. Part of the problem, however, arises from misunderstandings about Purgatory. Those unfamiliar with Catholic theology often confuse Purgatory with Hell. Even in Catholic circles, popular assumptions imply that genuinely good people always go straight to Heaven, while Purgatory is for the mediocre souls not quite bad enough for Hell. Another phrasing of this idea is that, to compare these states to school grades, Heaven is an A, Purgatory a C, and Hell an F.

"None of this is even remotely true."

In a recent commentary, writer Sarah Greydanus reflected on the blessing of Purgatory and the purification it provides.

To access her complete post, please visit:

Catholic Stand: Purgatory Is Not an Insult (26 OCT 17)

Reflection Starter from Hyman G. Rickover

"I believe it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on our actions because in a society that is willing to accept mediocrity, the opportunities for failure are boundless." - Admiral Hyman G. Rickover

Angelina: Prayer of St. Francis

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of Angelina presenting "Prayer of St. Francis" ("Make Me A Channel of Your Peace"):

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Exodus 22:20-26, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10, and Matthew 22:21-27. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 18 (Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51).

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

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 18 I love the Lord my strength 

The Gospel reading is as follows:

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.""

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 29, 2017)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 29, 2017)

Community in Mission: The Gospel, Standing on One Foot - A Homily for the 30th Sunday of the Year (28 OCT 17)

The Sacred Page: Of Law and Love: Readings for 30th Week of OT (26 OCT 17)

The Sacred Page: The Two Greatest Commandments (The Mass Readings Explained) (23 OCT 17)

Word on Fire: The Great Commandment (Cycle A * Ordinary Time * Week 30)

Spirituality of the Readings: Look What Love Is Doing (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

In Exile: The Ten Commandments of Mercy (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Let the Scriptures Speak: How to Love God (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: All You Need Is Love (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Historical Cultural Context: The Law of Love (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of the night sky.

Msgr. Pope of the Implications of the Word 'Consider'

"Every now and then a word suddenly catches your ear, and suddenly you notice it several times in one day. You're tempted to say, 'There it is again!' 

"Recently, such was the case with the word 'consider.' It's just an ordinary, every-day word. Or is it? Why did it suddenly strike me so? 

"With my knowledge of Latin, it occurred to me that the word 'consider' might have something to do with the stars, because the Latin word sidera means 'stars' or 'heavenly bodies.' How interesting! I've used the word for years and yet that thought had never crossed my mind before. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on our consideration of something as thinking of it "in a way that sees the present moment as caught up in something far more than the here and now; [experiencing] this moment, this place and time, as part of something far greater than we can imagine."
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Just a Common And Often Used Word With a Star-Struck Meaning! (23 OCT 17)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"Let yourself be guided by the tenderness of God so that you may transform the world with your faith." - Pope Francis

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the may ways You act in our lives (often unnoticed by us).

Philip Koslowski on a Eucharistic Miracle at Tumaco, Colombia

"At the start of the 20th century a great undersea earthquake shook the Pacific Ocean and casued a tsunami that devastated the shorelines of many cities. However, according to the inhabitants of Tumaco, Colombia, a huge wave was pushed back when the local priest processed out with the Blessed Sacrament.

"When the people of Tumaco felt the ground shake on the morning of January 31, 1906, they immediately went to their parish priest, Fr. Gerardo Larrondo. The local inhabitants begged their pastor to perform a Eucharistic procession that would invoke God’s aid to fight back the tsunami wave that threatened the very existence of their city.

"The people could see the giant wave approaching the city and so Fr. Larrondo gathered up his courage and with the Holy Eucharist placed in a monstrance, processed head-on towards the wave."

In a recent commentary, writer Philip Kosloski gave a brief overview of this event.

To access Philip's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Philip Kosloski: The tsunami that receded when it was blessed with the Blessed Sacrament (30 AUG 17)

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Reflection Starter from Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Music... will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer