Point Loma, San Diego, CA
Point Loma, San Diego, CA
The encounter of Jesus with a Canaanite woman in the Gospel of Matthew (15:21-28) teaches the disciples and us about the universal mission of Jesus. He is the Savior of all nations. He is sent to reveal that God’s love and mercy are extended to all. He is the sign par excellence of God’s love. His love is inclusive and …
In the Gospel of Matthew (14:22-33), Jesus came toward His disciples walking on the sea. This is the revelation of the power and presence of God in Christ. Theophany is revelation, manifestation. God is made manifest to human beings. It is the initiative of God. It is the manifestation of the divine identity of Jesus. He is the Son of …
In the Gospel of Matthew (14:13-21), the miracle of superabundance reveals God’s infinite generosity to His people. The miracle of the feeding of the crowd is narrated by all four gospels. It means that the story is important to the Christian communities. God is never outdone in generosity. He provides because His love is everlasting and unconditional. The Psalm declares …
In the Gospel of Matthew (13:44-52), Jesus gives three parables that illustrate the Kingdom of God. They are the parable of the treasure buried in the field, the parable of fine pearls and the parable of the dragnet. They reveal that God is the highest, supreme good, the absolute treasure, the summum bonum. In the first parable, a man finds …
In the Gospel of Matthew (13:24-30), Jesus gives three parables or images of the kingdom that illustrate God’s reign. In the parable of the weeds among the wheat, it acknowledges the coexistence of good and evil. The slaves asked the master, “Where have the weeds come from?” They knew that the master only sowed good seeds. It is very significant …
The Parable of the Sower in the Gospel of Matthew (13:1-23) highlights the message of hope and confidence. It points to the growth of the Kingdom of God because of the promise of a vast harvest. Nothing will frustrate God’s plan. The Word of God will not return to Him empty. Parables are metaphors, comparison and symbols drawn from everyday …
Sometimes I feel capable of absorbing almost anything except God’s Word. My mind soaks up song lyrics, sports trivia, and endless online content. But what was the reading at Mass this morning? I struggle to recall. That realization discourages me, and it leads to an uncomfortable question. What is my heart really for? Is it shaped for constant information and …
This weekend, our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unlike most nations, the United States was not founded primarily on a shared ethnicity, language, or culture. Instead, our founders built a political community out of diverse peoples united by a shared vision of liberty. That vision echoes something deep in the Christian mystery …
I still remember the first homily I ever preached as a new deacon. It was at the seminary, and the Gospel was this one: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37-38) Standing before more than 200 classmates and professors, I stumbled awkwardly through my words and realized how strange — almost insane …
Jean Améry, a Holocaust survivor tortured by the Nazis, later wrote about the abyss of human evil. He described his reaction as an “indignant despair.” Haven’t we all, to some degree, felt that abyss opened beneath us? A sudden loss, a violent headline, a moment of loneliness or panic, when the world feels fragile and meaning seems to collapse? It is …