Browsing Pastor's Column

3-27-22 - 4th Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 3/22/22

4th Sunday of Lent- Fr. Leo

For me the parable of the Prodigal Son is a story about God’s mercy.  For God, love and mercy are the same. Just as God cannot be unloving, so too God cannot be unmerciful. This is good news for us because it reminds us ... Read More »

2-27-22 - 8th Sunday OT - Erin O'Leary

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 3/15/22

8th Sunday OT - Filling In For Father… by Erin O’Leary

Today is the last Sunday before Lent begins. We get a good reminder from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians about the fact that God has given us victory over the death of sin through the gift of Jesus.

... Read More »

3-06-22 - 1st Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 3/15/22

1st Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Jesus is lead by the Spirit into the desert where he fasted and prayed for forty days.  Being hungry in many ways he became vulnerable and was tempted to be other than who God calls him to be.

First, the devil says: “If ... Read More »

3-20-22 - 3rd Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 3/15/22

3rd Sunday of Lent- Fr. Leo

Two things come to me as I read our gospel from Luke.  The first, is that God is patient in our stumbling toward him in the spiritual life.  He knows full-well the challenges we face in being faithful to his love.  Just like the fig tree, ... Read More »

3-13-22 - 2nd Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Posted by Erin O'Leary on 3/13/22

2nd Sunday of Lent - Fr. Leo

Luke’s Gospel today recounts the Transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of Peter, John and James.  This moment of light is very significant in salvation history.  God’s power is revealed in his Son as his face is changed and his clothing turns ... Read More »

2-20-22 - 7th Sunday OT - Erin O'Leary

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 2/07/22

7th Sunday OT - Filling In For Father… by Erin O’Leary

Jesus knew that we human beings are not always going to be loving and merciful.  And yet, he loves us completely anyway.  That is the good news.  Today’s Gospel gives us the challenging news: “Love your enemies, do ... Read More »

2-13-22 - 6th Sunday OT C - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 2/04/22

6th Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

The Spiritual life is not lived apart from our human life.  We cannot pit the spirit against the flesh.  It is a matter of balancing the two.  As humans, we naturally seek pleasure.  It keeps us alive.  It is a pleasure to eat because we need to eat.  The ... Read More »

2-06-22 - 5th Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 2/01/22

5th Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

Simon Peter, James and John become apostles after witnessing Jesus’ speech at Lake Gennesaret.  They accept Jesus’ call to be fishers of men.

Paul too, becomes an apostle, but he had to have his arm twisted a bit.  Not until Jesus knocked him off his ... Read More »

1-30-22 - 4th Sunday of OT - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 1/25/22

4th Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

Jesus was rejected by those who knew him best.  Why, because God couldn’t be so familiar, could he?  He wouldn’t be human, would he?

Yes, God shared our nature in Christ and so is more familiar to us than we are to ourselves.  Our challenge is ... Read More »

1/23/22 - 3rd Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 1/18/22

3rd Sunday OT - Fr. Leo

As Jesus rolled up the scroll from Isaiah and handed it to the attendant, he proclaimed to all that he was the messiah, the Son of God, who would give sight to the blind and make justice reign for all people.  Thus began his ... Read More »