My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” (John 6:55) What does it mean that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ, given to us as food? In teaching on the Holy Eucharist, St. Thomas…

"Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” (1 Kings 19:7) This is our third week hearing from the “Bread of Life” discourse of Jesus in John, chapter 6. We began with the multiplication of…

Zealous Laborers for the Lord This time of year holds some very special days for the Oblates of the Virgin Mary. Last weekend Fr. Jorge Sanchez, OMV, and Fr. Jonathon Hank, OMV, were ordained priests at our parish in California.…

We have no idea of the value of the gifts that have been put into our hands. The TV show “Antiques Roadshow” features people bringing items from home to be evaluated by experts. Often they are amazed to find that…

“Shepherd” is an image that often recurs in Scripture. It is a common metaphor for the kings and leaders of Israel after David; kings were regarded as shepherds of the people. The prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah rebuked the kings of…

Jesus…sent them out two by two. Mark 6:7 Jesus sent out the Twelve, two by two, and gave them authority. They had nothing but his word, with all its power to touch hearts and stir them to repentance. Their touch…

The Scandal of the Incarnation After the preceding passage about the faith of an unknown woman and a synagogue official and the healings that resulted, the Gospel of Mark jumps to Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth, where “he was…

Peter the apostle and Paul the teacher of the gentiles taught us your law, O Lord. June 29 is the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, and one of the principal celebrations of the patron of our parish. In…

What is Christianity all about? Before reading on, try to answer this question in your own words. It is difficult to answer such a broad question briefly, and many answers are possible. Common answers offered these days include “Faith in…

God promises salvation from the very beginning. Today’s first reading recounts the first and greatest tragedy - our first parents’ first sin. Breaking trust with God, they lost trust with each other, destroyed harmony with creation, and lost even the…

When you think of the Last Supper and Cross, do you think “thanksgiving”? The early Church did, because from St. Paul onwards, the sacrificial meal instituted by Jesus has been called Eucharist (Thanksgiving). Sacrifice was essential in the ancient Jewish…