The gospel reading for Jan. 23 is taken from Luke’s Gospel, first the introduction, 1:1-4, then the story of Jesus teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum, 4:14-21. Previously, I concentrated on the quotation from Isaiah that Jesus read. The lectionary, coupling this with the introduction, led me this time to the action with the scroll. […]
Fifty-five years ago, on Jan. 1, 1967, with the Vietnam War raging, and numerous other armed conflicts causing untold death and destruction, Pope Paul VI initiated the first World Day of Peace. He wrote, “We address ourself to all men of good will to exhort them to celebrate “The Day of Peace” throughout the world, […]
The powerful temptation to build earthly kingdoms has been a painful thorn lodged deep within the human psyche from ancient times to the present day. Kingdoms from Babylon to Persia, from Greece to Rome, from Ottoman Turkey to Great Britain, have come and gone. And the days of the modern kingdoms of the U.S., Russia […]
As the first Christmas of World War I approached, Pope Benedict XV on Dec. 7, 1914, asked the leaders of all warring governments to agree to an official ceasefire. He begged “that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang.” Sadly, his plea was ignored by government leaders. But remarkably, […]
There are five women mentioned and many ask, “Why the women?” Others ask, “What are the names of the other wives of the named men?” Not only are these wives not mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy, but many are not even named in the Bible. An adaptation of Matthew’s genealogy, for our times, with known foremothers, […]
During the U.S.-led coalition’s 20-year devastating war in Afghanistan against the Taliban, the poverty-stricken people of that nation suffered the brutalities of war that most of us can only barely begin to imagine. And the recent end of that war, has not ended the suffering. According to Brown University’s “Cost of War” project (see: https://bit.ly/3CEW5Pp), […]
As climate change rages along its disastrous path of increasing and more intense natural disasters – hurting the poor most of all – it now appears that a majority of people are finally beginning to admit climate change is for real – and that pollution from humans burning oil, gas and coal is the main […]
Clearly siding with the world’s poor and marginalized in a video message for the recent Fourth World Meeting of Popular Movements, Pope Francis boldly declared, “Seeing you reminds me that we are not condemned to repeat or to build a future based on exclusion and inequality, rejection or indifference; where the culture of privilege is […]
There is one war we need to fight. For without our intervention countless people will suffer, and thousands of children will continue dying daily. The name of the enemy – who deserves nothing less than total annihilation – is world hunger! Every year around this time, Oct. 16, World Food Day reminds us to pay […]
For Catholics who put their faith first, before anything else, there is one way – above all others – to view the life and death issues facing local communities, the nation and the world: and that is, through the lens of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching. But instead, it clearly appears that more often […]
