I know some of you have been watching the series called “The Chosen.” It is, by far, the best portrayal of Jesus and his early followers I have ever seen. I’m watching it by the old fashion method of DVDs that I purchased. However, if you are able to access this series by going to The Chosen app or The Chosen website or even YouTube or Facebook or Netflix, it would be well worth your effort. Some episodes have even ...
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The late Fr. Henri Nouwen shared an encounter he had with a man who was dying in the hospital. The dying man said to him, “My whole life’s work was continually being interrupted until I finally realized that these interruptions were my life’s work.” We tend to think that in the past, life was less complicated, less multi-tasking, simpler and more trouble-free. People got up with the sun, when down with the sun, and didn’t start a second task until ...
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Perseverance
The readings this Sunday have a focus on death. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom says that God neither makes nor delights in death. Mark’s Gospel talks about the impending and eventual death of Jarius’ daughter. Don’t tell Wayne, but I too have spent much time over the past year thinking about death. On March 20, 2023, I was diagnosed with a meningioma tumor; on May 6 of this year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer; on June ...
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I recently had the opportunity to see the musical, The Lion King, in New York City. The animated movie came out 30 years ago in 1994, while the Broadway musical came out three years later in 1997 and has been playing there ever since. Like Cats and Les Misérables, The Lion King is more than just entertainment; it has deep spiritual themes running through it. In the first act, the lion king, Mufasa, sing to his young son, Simba, a ...
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Said He Would Calm the Raging Sea
As a resident of Halifax in 2003 I had the dubious privilege of living through Hurricane Juan, a Category 2 hurricane which tore through parts of the Maritimes just after midnight on September 29th. Those of us living on the Atlantic Coast are familiar with hurricane warnings, but the severity of Juan was unusual and unexpected. Eight Nova Scotians lost their lives in the worst storm to hit Halifax since 1893. Even though I ...
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Faithful Servants
After studying the readings for today I wondered how I could possibly say anything about love that has not already been said more eloquently by greater theological minds. I could have used many personal examples such as family and friends, or one of the many folks I encounter who consistently radiate joy, kindness and love. Lately though, my two dogs have been demanding a great deal of my energy, time and resources, so I am going to tell you ...
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Who is God For You?
Well, we are halfway through the Easter season. This is the Fourth Sunday of Easter, and four Sundays from now we will celebrate Pentecost. One of the characteristics of this season is the celebration of initiation sacraments. In our parish grouping we had an adult baptism at the Easter Vigil, and we have first communion and confirmation celebrations coming up in the next few Sundays. There is much preparation that occurs prior to the celebration of ...
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Two of my favorite books of all time, The Shack (William Paul Young) and The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) were both turned into movies. I don’t find this very often, but I did find these two movies were every bit as good as the books that spawned them. While they are both pure fiction, they nevertheless include deep truths about life, faith, forgiveness, and love that give you reason to do some self-reflection before moving on ...
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