Posts from September 2026

Our Gospel this weekend reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Jesus tells a story about two sons. One says ‘no’ to his father but later changes his mind and does what he was asked. The other says ‘yes’ but never follows through. One way to understand this story and what it teaches is that obedience means doing, not just saying. How many times have we said ‘no’ to the Lord. And then guilt causes us to change. Maybe…

Today’s Gospel will bother a lot of people, even make some a bit uncomfortable. In today’s society, people follow the principle of doing or giving for what they are paid. You might hear words like, “they don’t pay me enough for what I do” or “I’m not doing anything more than the bare minimum.” Can you imagine if God worked on those same principles? Do you think He would have carried that cross? Would he have miraculously fed the multitudes?…

Forty-five years ago (1981) there was an attempt on the life of Pope St. John Paul II. Fortunately, the Pope lived. After he recovered, he shocked the world when he made a visit to Rome’s Rabbibia Prison on Christmas Day to see the man who had attempted to assassinate him. Millions watched on television as the Pope, on Christmas Day, visited with Mehmet Ali Agca, who only two years before had tried to assassinate him. The white-robed Pope and jean-clad…

In one of the popular Chicken Soup volumes, Dennis E. Mannering tells about an assignment he once gave to a class he teaches for adults. He told them, “Go to someone you love, and tell them that you love them.” At the beginning of the next class, one of the students began by saying, “I was angry with you last week when you gave us this assignment. I didn’t feel I had anyone to say those words to. To all…