Rich Thoughts

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. How is Matthew 15:29-37 a fulfillment of Isaiah 25:6-10a? How are both passages going to be fulfilled in the future?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. (You may need to adjust the volume in the middle.) More information on the song: http://datafeedfile.com/basesearch.php?dff_page=prdtmain&dff_product_sku=2569043. It's track #8.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. As we begin our second year with the new translation of the Roman Missal, how does the "Lord, I am not worthy…" prayer speak to us now? It's based on Matthew 8:5-11. On roofs and (un)worthiness.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Advent invites us to wait; the American Dream tells us to get it now. How can we live in joyful hope in the face of uncertainty? Insights from Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:2, Luke 21:25-28, 34-36.

En la cárcel del condado de Knox. ¿Cómo Escrituras de hoy nos aconsejan esperar?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Opening comments on Revelation 15:1-4; homily on Luke 21:12-19. Do we allow room for God to be an integral part of our lives?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Who are the 144,000 people referred to in Revelation 14:1-5 (and 7:2-4)? I'll tell you: we don't really know. For what has God destined us?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Can we allow Jesus Christ, our Truth, to reign in our minds, in our wills, and in our hearts NOW, rather than waiting until the end of time? Song at the end is "The Call," with lyric by George Herbert and music by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Mary Beth Bowman is the accompanist.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. On the American holy day, a reflection on how gratitude is a sign of faith. Gospel passage is Luke 17:11-19.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. A quick comment on the Presentation of Mary, and then a homily on the confusing passage of Luke 19:11-28. Reference also to Revelation 4:1-11.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Three readings about sitting with God: Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22; Psalm 15; and Luke 19:1-10. Any ideas here that relate to Eucharist or Thanksgiving?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. How do we maintain the joy of Luke 18:35-43 instead of becoming "weary" like those in Revelation 2:1-5? Consult Psalm 1! Thanks to Rev. Ilona Komjathy of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Pittsburgh.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. The terrifying nature of apocalyptic literature (including Daniel 12:1-3 and Mark 13:24-32) and why it's supposed to bring us joy.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. The studies and convictions of St. Albert the Great, and relating it to the context of the Letter of Philemon.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. A reflection on three of my Catholic heroes of the 20th century -- Dorothy Day, Joseph Bernadin, and Pedro Arrupe -- in light of Titus 3:1-7.

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. How Frances Xavier Cabrini lived out the ideals of Luke 17:7-10 and Titus 2:6-8. (Plus, a rendition of some lousy poetry!)

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. Both the role of Josaphat and the authorship of Titus lead to debates among Christians. It's an opportunity to pray for unity and reconciliation!

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. The widow "contributed… her whole livelihood." Can we do likewise? Should we do likewise? If not, how do we appropriately live out her example?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. How do Phil 2:12-18, Psalm 27, and especially Luke 14:25-33 make sense in light of the bitter political campaign season that just ended?

At Blessed John XXIII Parish, Knoxville. The challenge of living out Jesus' call in Luke 14:12-14. Seems consonant with Philippians 2:1-4, however!