Rich Thoughts

An introduction to the letter to the Colossians and to pseudo-Pauline epistles in general. And then, praise for the hymn of Colossians 1:15-20. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville)

Luke's themes of discipleship, table fellowship, and humility come together in a challenging call to work for social justice (Luke 14:1, 7-14). (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Paul speaks to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 2:9-13) about being a "spiritual father." How does this apply to the experience of St. Augustine? How does this apply to our experiences? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

The oldest words of the New Testament (1 Thess 1:1-10) have a lot of ideas about how Christians should relate to one another. Interesting to contrast with Jesus' criticism of the Pharisees in Matthew 13:22-30. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

It's all about growing in relationship with God. Many suggestions about how to take the next step in nurturing that relationship. I'll post the video online when it becomes available. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

A long introduction to the parable of the trees in Judges 9:6-15, and then relating it to my own experiences of pruning our garden this summer. What do you need to prune in your life? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

An introduction to the Book of Judges (Judges 2:11-19). Why in the world would the Israelites keep worshipping other gods, when things never worked out for them when they did? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Maximilian Kolbe's ministry as a Conventional Franciscan reflected Jesus' teaching in Matthew 18:15-20. Perhaps his death at Auschwitz had parallels to Moses' death in Deuternomony 34:1-12. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Why is the book of Deuteronomy included in the Bible, if it's basically just a repeat of parts of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers? The sweeping oratorical style of today's passage (10:12-22) helps explain why! (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Despite employing an analogy about slaves being beaten and using the phrase "gird your loins," Jesus actually has a very positive message for us in Luke 12:32-48 -- keep it simple. God desires to give us the kingdom! (Holy Ghost Parish, Knoxville, TN)

The heart-breaking consequences of not trusting in God (Numbers 13-14), contrasted with the faith of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. Do we truly trust in God? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Very different attitudes about food in Numbers 11:4-15 and Matthew 14:13-21. What's our attitude towards our life experiences? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

So, is it bad to get closer to God? Or, is it our goal to become more Christlike? St. Ignatius might be able to help us get there! (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Did the Israelites REALLY worship a golden calf while Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments? A look at the cults of the Canaanite gods leads to some interesting -- and relevant -- ideas! (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

A more nuanced approach to the "seeking" and "persisting" discussed in Luke 11:1-13 and Genesis 18:20-32. Illustrations from the papal encyclical issued three weeks ago and from a baptism taking place a few minutes after this homily was preached!

A reflection and explanation of the traditions of contemplative prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

The style of Pope Francis refutes the complaining of our Judeo-Christian ancestors in Exodus 16. (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Our Judeo-Christian ancestors -- like my own immediate family -- rarely agree on the facts about key events in our history. Is this a problem, or is it a gift? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Both Exodus 14:5-18 and John 20:1-18 are stories of people telling themselves negative narratives of their own experiences. How do we break out of negativity to recognize the Good News? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)

Should Luke 10:38-42 be called "Martha and Mary" or "Martha v. Mary"? (Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville, TN)