Before receiving communion, as the host is elevated and the priests invite us to, “Behold the Lamb of God,” we utter the simple prayer, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” He knows our unworthiness, but we have to acknowledge it ourselves to appreciate the gift we are about to receive.
Sunday Scriptures
The Sacred Banquet of The Eucharistic People
Being a people of the Eucharist, this meal is at the center of who we are as a Church. The gathering place for most families is the table and so it is within each parish family, we gather at the altar to feast on Christ’s Body and Blood.
Jesus’ Mission Is at the Heart of Our Incomplete Understanding of the Holy Trinity
The beginning of the Gospel this weekend should be something that people might be able to understand in these days of the pandemic. We only need to change one word and it should sound like this, “on the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the coronavirus.”
We Cannot Fulfill the Work of Discipleship Alone
The beginning of the Gospel this weekend should be something that people might be able to understand in these days of the pandemic. We only need to change one word and it should sound like this, “on the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the coronavirus.”
Love Is Shown More in Deeds Than in Words
It was late in the evening when I received a text, “Are you still awake?” It wasn’t long after I sent “yes” that the phone rang. My friend teaches at a school for at-risk youth. He told me a story that got him over the edge.
True Faith Involves Trust
During the Easter season, we frequently hear the words faith and believe since most often we reflect on scripture passages that focus on being witnesses to the resurrection of Christ. However, this weekend’s readings allow us to go deeper into the core of true faith. It is the necessity of trust that makes our faith authentic.
The Guardian of Your Souls
Today, we hear once again the identity of Jesus as a shepherd. A shepherd that spends most of his time tending and ensuring the well-being of his flock. His primary responsibilities are to protect, nourish, and lead them where they need to go.
Merciful Love Goes Hand in Hand With Justice
By Father John P. Cush, STD On this Divine Mercy Sunday, perhaps we might wish to reflect on what mercy is and what it is not. The late John Cardinal O’Connor of New York chose as his episcopal motto, “There can be no love without justice.” Justice might be considered by some as an interesting […]
The Resurrection Day And a Woman of Mystery
The Gospel proclaimed this Easter Sunday, taken from the Evangelist Saint John, places the focus on Saint Mary Magdalene. Liturgically, the Magdalene was raised to the level of a feast day in 2016, with her own proper preface to the Eucharistic Prayer of Mass.
The Lord Jesus’s Suffering Leads to His Glorification
As a young priest, I was blessed to be assigned to Saint Helen’s Parish in Howard Beach. It was a wonderful parish, led by an exemplary pastor, Msgr. Joseph Pfeiffer. Although the parish was established in 1960, the parish church itself was not built until 1979. When it was built, it was decided that on the wall of the sanctuary, there would be a large bronze Risen Christ in lieu of a crucifix (today that Risen Christ is placed on the outside wall of Saint Helen’s Church).