Sunday’s Gospel reading from Luke (Luke 4:14-21) is a hard text to get your head around from preaching. There is no dramatic story for me to break down, no wise and confusing parable for me to explain, nor is there a dramatic miracle that takes place that I can talk about. This is a simple short story about Christ’s first sermon. Read More
prayer | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker - Part 21
On the Inside; On the Outside
Here is a prayer often attributed to Oscar Romero, but actually written by the late Bishop Ken Untener:
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith. Read More
We say this all the time, but do you ever stop to think what we are actually saying when we speak this phrase? What do these three words actually mean? Read More
It’s the fifth of July, and it’s going to be another hot summer day. After surviving a scorching July 4th of 102 degrees, it should be interesting how this day will shape up. Temperatures are climbing again, forecasted to be around 103 degrees or so, with high humidity. It is very important to stay hydrated, and to begin the day on the right foot. Read More
This was printed in America Magazine, written by Fr. James Martin, S.J.
Dear God, sometimes I get so frustrated with your church.
I know that I’m not alone. So many people who love your church feel frustrated with the Body of Christ on earth. Priests and deacons, and brothers and sisters, can feel frustrated, too. And I’ll bet that even bishops and popes feel frustrated. We grow worried and concerned and bothered and angry and sometimes scandalized because your divine institution, our home, is filled with human beings who are sinful. Just like me. Read More
Sometimes, all of us get wrapped up in our own little world. We become self-absorbed, and we want to hang onto our God-given gifts because they’re ours. Here is a little prayer that will hopefully help break this “it’s all about me” syndrome.
Touch your forehead, mouth, heart and hands as you say this: Read More
A man who worked in a sawmill lost his wristwatch in a large pile of sawdust. The crew stopped the machines and they all began looking, but they could not find the watch. They decided that they would go to lunch and look again when they returned. After lunch, a young boy was standing there with the wristwatch in his hand. The man said, “How did you find it?” The boy replied, “Well, I just laid down in the sawdust and listened for the ticking.”
That is prayer!!!
On December 31st, I had the opportunity to preach on the feast of Mary, the Mother of God. My homily focused on the fact that a new year calls us to reflect, sort out, and understand – that our lives are fundamentally changed by Christ. I spoke of how Mary couldn’t help but ponder the drastic changes her son would bring to her life, and maybe even her world.
As all of us take the time to look back over the past year, and all those important days and events, can we see how God was present and active in all of them?
Then, I shared my list of the ten things that I learned in 2011. At the request of many, here is my list: Read More
