12-31-23 - Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 12/20/23

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Fr. Leo

Simeon was a devout man and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  Taking the child Jesus in his arms, he recognizes who he was and his role in salvation history.  Anna too, a woman of God, recognized Jesus as the Messiah. ... Read More »

12-24-23 - 4th Advent - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 12/13/23

4th Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo

Nothing is impossible for God.  This is the message of our gospel today.  It seems a simple straight forward maxim.  God can do the impossible.  Yet to embrace this truth, requires faith.  Without faith God’s omnipotence is simply a thought, but not an experience of something we ... Read More »

12-17-23 - 3rd Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 12/12/23

Third Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo

Priest, Levites, and Pharisees went to question John the Baptist to find out who he was and what he was about. This tells us two things. First, John’s ministry was having an impact.  Enough people were seeking him out that it caused the ... Read More »

12-10-23 - 2nd Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 12/04/23

Second Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo

 “I have baptized you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In the last sentence of today’s gospel, we see two aspects of the path to holiness.

First, is the baptism with water.  This John does as a human, ... Read More »

12-03-23 - 1st Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 11/28/23

First Sunday of Advent - Fr. Leo

 “Be watchful! Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come.”

To be watchful, is to be awake in anticipation of what is coming.  For us, it is the coming of Christ present and future and we look to the past ... Read More »

11-26-23 - The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - Fr. Leo

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 11/16/23

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - Fr. Leo

To be Christian is to love Jesus Christ and all that he revealed in his life, death and resurrection.   Having an intimate relationship with Jesus is key.  And this relationship is the model for all our relationships. ... Read More »

11-19-23 - 33rd Sunday of OT A - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 11/10/23

33rd Sunday - Fr. Leo

 It’s a sad moment when the one with one talent confesses his fear of his master and buried his talent.  Fear can have that kind of power over us.  It is very real. I’m sure we have all made decisions out of fear that have limited ... Read More »

11-12-23 - 32 Sunday OT A - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 11/07/23

32nd Sunday - Fr. Leo

 “Justice and peace shall kiss”  (Ps 85:11)

The five prudent virgins in today’s parable planned ahead.  They had enough oil to greet the bridegroom when he came.  Their prudence is rewarded by being able to present themselves to the man looking for a bride.  Much different are those ... Read More »

11-05-23 - 31st Sunday OT A - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 10/31/23

31st Sunday - Fr. Leo

 Legalism is a spiritual illness that can pop-up in any form of spirituality.  Legalism occurs when the laws of a religion are divorced from the spirit of the law in the keeping of cultic practices.  An even worse legalism is enforcing laws that God would not ordain.

This latter legalism happens in the case of the ‘morality police” in Iran beating and killing people because they don’t wear the ‘right clothes.”  What needs to be remembered is that God made the body, we made the clothes.  We were able to be naked before God and all, until we sinned.  Another example here would be the legalization of abortion.  It may be legal now, but it is still not moral.  Preventing life is ... Read More »

10-29-23 - 30th Sunday OT A - Fr. Leo Schneider

Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 10/24/23

30th Sunday - Fr. Leo

Jesus sums up Christianity by his two commands. One, to love God with our whole mind, heart and soul and secondly, to love our neighbor as ourselves. What Jesus did was summarize his own spirituality. Jesus loved the Father with all he had unto ... Read More »