Spiritual Directions for the Journey
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Apr 26th, 2012
Wandering the internet as I prepare for this week’s homily has led me to find a painter named Alfred Soord (1868-1915). It would seem that Alfred is one of the few people that does not seem to have a Wikipedia page. The folks at wiki. answers however, tell us that Alfred was a painter whose [...]
Posted in Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Apr 25th, 2012
This is a second homily preparation week in a row. I have been invited to speak at the other St. Patrick’s in Toronto (you can never have too many St. Pat about the Friends of Dismas ministry. This weekend we have the scene of Jesus telling us as his disciples that he is the good [...]
Posted in Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Apr 21st, 2012
(Click here for Printer Friendly Copy) It all comes back to the Upper Room. In today’s gospel from Luke, just as in last weeks from John, we are in the room where Jesus gathered his closest disciples on that Holy Thursday night. It is shortly after the death of our Lord and those who were [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from Fellow Wanderers on Apr 20th, 2012
Luke gospel for this coming weekend wraps up with these words: Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them… “You are witnesses of these things.” Here is a partial list of things we have witnessed: Jesus humbling himself to share in our humanity. He was born, lived a full [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from Fellow Wanderers on Apr 19th, 2012
The disciples are locked in the Upper Room. In the readings below Jesus appears and greets his friends with the calming words, “peace be with you.” In Luke’s gospel this weekend, Jesus asks us a question: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? John 20:19-20 On the evening of that [...]
Posted in Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Apr 18th, 2012
As I prepare this weekend’s homily I have been reflecting on last week’s Gospel reading from John and this week’s from Luke and one thing struck me. The disciples have retreated to the safety of the Upper Room, the scene of the their Last Supper with Jesus, where they find themselves on the “horns of [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from Fellow Wanderers, Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike, This Sunday on Feb 8th, 2012
In yesterday’s “This Sunday” post we find two interpretations of this week’s reading from two priests, Fr. Robert Barron and Fr. Scott Lewis, whom I highlight each week. Fr. Robert Barron could be considered a Catholic apologist (for more (and I mean more) on Apologetics click here.). In this homily, Becoming Fit for Worship, Fr. [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Feb 8th, 2012
The story of Jesus healing the man with leprosy is found in all three of the synoptic gospels. This is a measure of the importance of this interaction in the minds of the evangelists. Mark is the only one, however, to include that Jesus was moved by compassion. Interesting? Mark 1: 40-42 And a leper [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Dec 31st, 2011
After the shepherds departed having told them what the angels had said we are told that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Mary “pondered” (to think about (something) carefully, esp. before deciding or concluding.) – What did she really know? Here is a song called: Mary Did you know? I [...]
Posted in Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Dec 17th, 2011
One of the truly amazing gifts of being Catholic is the rich theology and teachings we have been given through the years about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through the ages we have come to understand the role of Mary through the teachings of the Church, by numerous masterpieces of art and in a special way [...]
Posted in Big Questions, Reflections from Fellow Wanderers on Nov 23rd, 2011
This Sunday the Catholic Church introduces the 3rd Edition of the Roman Missal. Basically some of the words of the mass will be changing so they are closer to the Latin text used by the Church for 450 years before Vatican II. In the video below, produced by Life Teen, you will get a fast [...]
Posted in Presentations from the Road on Nov 8th, 2011
Every year at many Catholic churches there are small faith groups meeting and exploring the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) . I had the had the honor of being with the RCIA group at St. Patrick’s Parish and talk about -The last 5 things- the topics of Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell & Purgatory. [...]
Posted in Reflections from the Pulpit - Wandering with Deacon Mike on Sep 14th, 2011
The following is from a website called Catholic Resources and is an interesting summary of the parables of Jesus by Felix Just, S.J. Fr. Just, a member of the California Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), is Director of Biblical Education at the Loyola Institute for Spirituality. Here is Fr. Just’s take: What [...]
Posted in Henri Nouwen, This Sunday on Sep 5th, 2011
We are called to be as compassionate as God is compassionate. We are called to follow Jesus’ example as a son – “the younger son without being rebellious” and “the elder son without being resentful.” We are also called to grow into spiritual fatherhood – this means both father and mother, masculine and feminine. All [...]
Posted in Stuff for Wandering, This Sunday on Aug 17th, 2011
This week’s reading finds Jesus and the disciples in an area know as Caesarea Philippi, which is Situated 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee and at the base of Mt. Hermon, Caesarea Philippi is the location of one of the largest springs feeding the Jordan River. According to Wikipedia, Caesarea Philippi was an [...]
