Author: Deacon Richard Marcantonio
-
Chosen
Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; John 15:9-17 In the spring of my senior year, the high school play was a drama with a lead role that I really wanted. When tryouts came, I nailed it. I went home confident that I had that part in the bag. Only, I didn’t. Even worse, […]
-
The Three Choices
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 7:9; Luke 8:15; John 7:40-53 Years ago, the leader of a religious cult said that God told him the world was going to end soon; he even gave the day. When that day came and went, a few members lost their faith and drifted away. […]
-
The Heart of the Matter
Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent Hosea 6:1-6; Luke 18:9-14 When we hear the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we are rightly drawn to the differences between them. However, I think time is well spent thinking not only about the differences but also the similarities, and what both have to teach […]
-
Being Who We Were Made to Be
Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a A theologian once said that “great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to our eyes. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we […]
-
To See and Understand
Saturday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time Mark 9:2-13 As we read the gospel of Mark, we might catch ourselves wondering about the Apostles. They never seem to get it! No matter what they see Jesus do – healing after healing, miracle after miracle – they end up asking the same question: “Who is […]
-
Don’t Mess with Perfection: Saturday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34; Matthew 4:4; Mark 8:1-10 In the first reading we hear of Jeroboam, the first in a series of problematic kings, and the huge changes he made in the way the people of Israel worshipped. We’ll get to the reason why but it’s important to note that this tendency to mess with […]
-
Heat and Light: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 Today, 40 days after Christmas, is by tradition the day the Church sets aside to bless the candles she will use throughout the year. Their flame reminds us of God the Father, who said, Let there be light (Genesis 1:3), God the Son, who said, I am the Light […]
Mark 10:45 