Readings: Deuteronomy 4: 1-2. 6-8; James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Preacher: Sr. Joan Sobala It’s that time of year when newly- minted freshmen are off for the first time to the college of their choice. Part of the excitement of moving out of their parents’ home— going out on their own—is that they are free. No… read more →
Readings: Joshua 24: 1-2a,15-17,18b; Ephesians 5: 21-32; John 6: 60-69 Preacher: Marlene Bessette Over the course of the last month, we’ve read the entirety of John’s sixth chapter, and it’s been building to a crescendo in today’s gospel. We began with the feeding of the five thousand, a story so important that it is the only gospel miracle, other than the… read more →
Readings: Proverbs 9: 1-6; Ephesians 5: 15-20; John 6: 51-58 Preacher: Deni Mack We sang Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord (Psalm 34: 2-7) at our parents’ funerals. That psalm defines us. Daily Mass consoled my father for the three years he grieved my mother’s death. Not long after my dad’s death an African priest told me, “Where… read more →
Readings: 1 Kings 19:4-8; Ephesians 4: 30-5:2; John 6: 41-51 Preacher: Brigit Hurley About 20 years ago I was sitting in a church basement on a Saturday morning, enjoying a presentation on Catholic social teaching given by Jack Jezreel. Jack founded the JustFaith program, (justfaith.org/) which has inspired much Catholic social justice activism in the Rochester area and throughout the country.… read more →
Readings: Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15; Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24; John 6: 24-35 Preacher: Christine Nowak Kvam How often do we find ourselves looking for something to make us happy? When feeling frustrated by the limitations of our home, we dream up renovations, upgrades, maybe even a whole different house that will make us more content with our daily surroundings. We spend… read more →
Readings: 2 Kings 4: 42-44; Ephesians 4: 1-6; John 6: 1-15 Preacher: Nancy J. DeRycke How many times have you and I heard the Story of Jesus going up the hillside, feeding the 5,000? So, we know it’s about generosity—ours and God’s. As I think about it this time around, however, I feel like you and I are on a different… read more →
Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2: 13-18; Mark 6: 30-34 Preacher: Cathy Kamp Like many of us in the latter part of July, the newly appointed, hard-working apostles in Mark’s Gospel were thinking they had earned a nice break. They knew it was time to reflect on their ministry in the quiet presence of God. Jesus’ words would have been music to… read more →
Readings: Amos 7: 12-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6: 7-13 Preacher: Susan K. Roll One wonderful result of the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical reforms is that Roman Catholics and mainline Protestants now share almost the same readings of the Word of God on the same Sunday, or at least the same Gospel. This Sunday is an exception though. The Gospel reading in… read more →
Readings: Ezekiel 2: 2-5; 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10; Mark 6: 1-6 Preacher: Mehgan Kellogg Pride is something that makes me think of Goldilocks. Too much of it, particularly without humility, can be an exercise in narcissism. Too little can leave one apathetic, self-doubting, and uninspired. Yet, if we are aware of Who is in charge, while embracing with pride who God… read more →
Readings: Wisdom 1: 13-15, 2: 23-24; 2 Corinthians 8: 7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5: 21-43 Preacher: Sister Karen Dietz Mass shootings, climate anomalies wreaking havoc, refugees clamoring at our borders, wars in too many lands to track, shootings, homelessness, and so much more. These are the daily realities that confront us each time we read or watch the news. The value… read more →