St. Luke is unique among the Evangelists. Matthew, Mark, and John were all Jews — all familiar with the promises of the Old Testament. They will see John the Baptist as the forerunner, the proclaimer of the nearness of the Messiah, and the one who challenges us to prepare His way.
Sunday Scriptures
Embracing Preparedness: The Call of Advent
Most people can remember at least one teacher who had a profound effect on their life. Teaching is a noble and honorable profession because teachers shape the minds of the future and prepare students for the responsibilities they will have later in life. Its success, of course, also depends on the openness its students display towards the process of learning. The purpose of exams is to measure the success of the learning process.
Understanding the True Kingship of Jesus
Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It is on this Sunday that the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. It is one of my favorite solemnities. The Church gives us this powerful image of Christ as King, ruling over all the earth.
Joyful Anticipation as Advent Approaches
In just a few short weeks, we will begin the season of Advent, which is the start of a new liturgical year. Advent is one of my favorite liturgical seasons. Although the shortest in time, only four weeks, it is, for me, a time of deep spiritual preparation.
True Wealth: Giving Beyond Monetary Gifts
We are blessed as a parish community to have St. Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity sisters here in our convent. Mother Teresa herself brought over the first group of Missionaries of Charity sisters here to the Diocese of Brooklyn at Our Lady of Victory convent almost 30 years ago.
The Transformative Power Of Loving Our Neighbors
My family and I were very lucky to have developed a great relationship with our neighbors. We all moved into our respective townhouses in Brooklyn around the same time. I vividly remember my parents bringing my sister and me to meet the neighbors. From the moment we all met, I had a feeling this was going to be a good fit for all of us.
Darkness to Light: Insights From Jeremiah and Mark
On this 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we can’t help but feel the rapidly approaching end of the year. The trees know it, as their enchantingly colored leaves are blowing away in the autumn wind.
Seeking a World Free From Evil
Just as I sat down to write this reflection, I received a phone call. Apparently, someone using my name was trying to scam a parishioner. This has happened to me and other people I know, and the general consensus is to assure people it wasn’t us and move on.
Pursuing Wisdom in Today’s World
As this year’s election cycle ramps up, we might lament that there never seems to be an ideal candidate. Certainly, we must be realistic, we know, but choosing “the lesser of two evils” doesn’t make us feel much better in the booth.
The Nature of Art: Insights From Jacques Maritain
When I was in my fourth year of college (and my third year in the major seminary in Huntington), one of my philosophy professors, Father Frank Tyrell, assigned a philosophy paper to our class, which was equivalent to a thesis.
