3rd SUN LENT – “He told me everything I’ve ever done…”
She was thirsty. She went to the pit to draw water. Jesus, the fountain of living water was there, but she was not impressed. She had been coming to the pit for a long time. She didn’t know the water didn’t slake her thirst. Having five husbands revealed her inability to be nourished by anything […]
Fr. Don Driscoll, SJ – RIP 2007
It’s ten years today since Don died suddenly of a heart attack. He had served as chaplain to the College of Pharmacy at Creighton University for a number of years before. So many of his colleagues and students and friends and family and Jesuits remember him today with a huge sense of loss. Especially […]
3rd SUN LENT – Thirsty people…
We are thirsty people. Where do we go to slake our thirst? John’s gospel highlights this conundrum by using two different Greek words for “well.” …So [Jesus] came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well [pēgē – ‘fountain’] was there, and […]
2nd SUN LENT – The only fear is…
One brief comment about fear – at the sound of the voice from the heavens, the disciples were overcome by fear; Jesus said, “Get up and be not afraid.” What kind of fear…? To fear, be afraid = akouo Matthew 17:6f When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and […]
2nd SUN LENT – Part Deux of Homily
On the mountain, Peter spoke for the disciples, offering to build 3 booths for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. What’s up with that??? This reply seems to come from the same place in Peter as his reply to Jesus previously, “God forbid that you should suffer & die!” Peter and the others want to domesticate Jesus and God […]
1st SUN LENT – Homily #2 / audio
The Third Temptation – Our daydreams about our/my greatness, to control for every outcome, can help us be situated with Christ in Lent. So, “How did you Marquette University fans prepare for the game against Creighton, to prepare against loss?” Should I wear my lucky Creighton sweatshirt or not? I was seeking a way of managing […]
1st SUN LENT – Homily #1 audio
Jesus fasted. He was hungry. Implications? My first homily explored what I wrote about the last couple days. Perhaps you will find it helpful for your Lent. –roc,sj
1st SUN LENT – Basic Temptation
Jesus hungered in the wilderness. He was tempted there and in that state – ‘make stone bread’. Actually, the Greek says, “Say this stone is bread.” He wasn’t tempted to exercise divine power or to perform magic. He faced the fundamental temptation we all face: Make something be what it isn’t. A stone isn’t […]
1st SUN LENT – A Time of Testing…
The Greek, peirazo, can be translated “to tempt” or “to test.” There are lots of reasons to render it “to test.” In which category would you put Jesus’ temptation/testing? Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. God tested Abraham. Genesis 22:1f After these […]
Kind Post Friday
Fr. John Staudenmaier, SJ of the University Detroit-Mercy sends out poetry to friends and family daily. Here is the one he sent today – about kindness tested by the kind of suffering that connects self with God and others. He always suggests we read the poem aloud and deliberately. (I added the line breaks to […]
Deep Calls to Deep