Posts by Fr. Rich (Page 22)

Jesus says in today’s Gospel,”Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” These words of Jesus tell us to trust in Him and He will carry the load, He will ease our burdens. But sometimes we take these words of Jesus and now say that we are entitled to everything and should not be denied anything. It is God’s duty to provide for us. Sowrong!! It is Independence Day Weekend and we…

This weekend is our Independence Day Weekend and usually a lot of picnics, parties and family gatherings are planned. Enjoy your festivities but please be careful. Masks and social distancing can put a damper on things, but you and your family’s health, safety and well being are more important. Enjoy and be careful.

When we think about Christianity, the prophets and disciples are always the first things that come to mind. Yet it was their persevering faith that led to the spread of Christianity amid difficult times. In today’s Gospel, we are told to put God above everyone and everything else. That’s a lofty challenge for us as followers of Christ today. The world is focused on us, as individuals, and what we want, rather than on what God wants for all of…

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Body & Blood of Christ. It is truly the feast of the Eucharist. At the Last Supper, Jesus said: “Do this in memory of Me.” Our Eucharist is a daily opportunity to live and retell what we are thankful for. For the word Eucharist means thanksgiving. Each celebration of the sacraments reinforces the mysteries of our faith: that we are invited to be members of Christ’s body, called to be witnesses and given…

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity: Father, Son and HolySpirit. We don’t need a theological explanation of what the Trinity is. But maybe we need to know that God as Trinity acts in our lives: Creating (Father), Redeeming (Son), and Sanctifying (Holy Spirit) each and every one of us. In today’s second reading, St. Paul gives us a formula to follow: grace, love and fellowship. Greet each other with kindness, not a curse, as the world…

Today is the Feast of Pentecost. It is called the Birthday of the Church. And it is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon those first apostles and upon us all. What does it mean to have the Holy Spirit come to you? For those first apostle, it meant that their fears all but disappeared and they had the courage to go into the world and share the Good News of Jesus. They spoke and everyone…

This past Thursday we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension. In Acts 1:9 it says Jesus “was lifted up, and a cloud took Him from their sight.” Then two angels addressed the apostles asking why they are just standing there looking at the sky. We lose things in our lives that are valuable to us. It could be a job , our health, a loved one, and in the midst of this pandemic, our ability to gather, give a hug,…

This is Memorial Day Weekend. We would usually have a memorial service remembering and honoring our veterans. But due to covid-19, this service will not be held. But that doesn’t mean we cannot remember to honor our veterans. Since its first official observance on May 5, 1868, when it was called Declaration Day, it has been a day of remembrance for those who sacrificed and died in our nation’s service. And while it was originally dedicated to honor Civil War…

This is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Do you believe that we have spent the entire Easter Season and half of our Lenten Journey at home away from church distancing ourselves from one another? In today’s Gospel, Jesus promises an Advocate (Holy Spirit) to those who believe in Him. This Holy Spirit is truly a part of our everyday lives. He is the knowledge and wisdom for our witness to faith – our caring actions, generosity and concern for others.…

Mother’s day is all about celebrating the woman who raised you and shaped you as a person. From all the packed lunches with napkin notes, to the bandages and kisses after falling off your bike, to being the first to cry at your graduation – your Mom was there for it all. Happy Mother’s Day to all our Moms. Pray and remember those who have moved on to eternal life. And show love to those still with us. Happy Mother’s…

How do we get around today: Google maps, navigation app on our phones, GPS in our cars? If you notice those are not much help today. We are quarantined at home. We’re with the same people day in and day out. No where else to go. Maybe the map we need has always been right in front ofus. Yes. Our faith! Our faith isn’t taking us on the road to another city. But it takes us along the road of…

The RCA company was one of the first to develop the phonograph, or, as they called it, the Victrola. Their logo was a dog sitting next to an old style speaker with his ear cocked and listening. It’s selling point was that the sound of their phonograph was so true to life that the dog would be able to recognize his master’s voice. How good are we at recognizing the voice of the Lord in our lives? Does it come…