Waiting by the Pool: Lent, Effort, and Grace
Lenten Homily, 17 March 2026 Not a question of if, but where and how When we think about our Lenten journey, the miracle in today’s Gospel is really interesting. You have this man who has been there for 38 years, and people are being healed all around him, but it doesn’t really look like he’s […]
The God Who Breaks Our Boxes
Lenten Homily, 20 March 2026 I was continuing to look in the Gospels—like we talked about yesterday in the afternoon huddle—at that time between Jesus’ resurrection and when he ascends to heaven, and then Pentecost. Those 50 days are fascinating to me. Yesterday we were talking, in a sense, about the reactions of the people. […]
When Good Plans Become Idols: Learning Trust from St. Joseph
St. Joseph Homily, 19 March 2026 I think this is an interesting Gospel, and it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what Joseph has to teach us—both as a Church and individually. Recently I’ve had a couple of conversations with people I really respect, and they definitely have a point. But I also find it […]
Mercy Beyond Justice
Lenten Homily, 10 March 2026 In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the two debtors: a servant who owes an enormous debt is forgiven everything by his master, but then that same servant goes out and refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owes him a much smaller amount (Matthew 18:23–35). The point is […]
Fruit that lasts
“I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who produces fruit.” It’s a strong line. I’m drawn to the controversial, almost offensive parts of the Gospel, because Jesus challenges us—but never in the sense of: “You’re awful. You’re so bad.” That’s not the point. The challenge […]
Say YES to God
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus shows us a man who had everything he needed—and still missed what mattered most, because his heart never truly saw the person right in front of him. We could focus on the difference between the rich man and Lazarus, or we could focus on what […]
Two lives, one heart: Lent, mission, and integrity
I was reading this Gospel, and after the experience we had in Montserrat at Life Team, something kept coming to mind: the Pharisees. The Pharisees are the ones we usually think of as proud, arrogant—hypocritical. But the real issue is simpler and deeper: they live two lives. What they say, and what they do. And […]