Some thoughts on Thanksgiving I’m traveling this week and don’t get to daily mass or watch it on TV, so I picked up one of my Bible apps and dialed up today’s readings. The gospel was one we had recently heard during Ordinary Time, Luke 21:12-19 (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time). Today’s was a slightly shorterContinue reading “Life is a Test: Are You Ready?”
Tag Archives: Jesus
The Coming Feast of Christ the King and our Approach to Time
By Deacon Keith Fournier, JD, MTS, MPhil Next week we will celebrate the Feast Christ the King in the revised liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. Yet, for many Catholics who commemorate the Feast, it is just one more somewhat esoteric celebration which we go through every year at this time. This mistake is atContinue reading “The Coming Feast of Christ the King and our Approach to Time”
MOLLIE FLETCHER KLOCEK
Chesapeake – Mollie Fletcher Klocek, 74, died peacefully on October 15, 2025, at the Commonwealth Senior Living Facility, Leigh Hall, in Norfolk. She was born on October 1, 1951, at Ft. Benning, Georgia, to John W. and Sara (Adams) Fletcher. She is preceded in death by her brother John and has two surviving brothers, MichaelContinue reading “MOLLIE FLETCHER KLOCEK”
Are You a Living Room Catholic (LRC)?
“You can’t be a part-time Catholic when there is a full-time Satan.” (from Scott Hahn’s Facebook site) I don’t recall where I got the term “living room Catholic” but it struck me when I heard it as “Catholic in name only” (CINO). Then I watched a conversion story on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN)Continue reading “Are You a Living Room Catholic (LRC)?”
Admonish the Sinner
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.” “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matt. 7:1, 3) We are reluctant to criticize others, probably because we don’t take criticism very well ourselves. We often rely on the above statements ofContinue reading “Admonish the Sinner”
Turning the Corner
The United States, after the last election is turning the corner in rebuilding a constitutional government; smaller, more efficient, less intrusive, and stronger. With the death of Pope Francis, the Church also has an opportunity to return to the basics of Catholicism and Christianity in general. The Church has elected a new pope. We shallContinue reading “Turning the Corner”
God’s Binary World
The spirit of relativism, which rules our society, insists that any choice we make, as long as it makes us “feel good,” is the right choice. God tells us that isn’t so. We have two choices, God, or not God. This is the question Joshua asks the Israelites just before his death after recounting theContinue reading “God’s Binary World”
Why Do We Need Lent?
Lent is right in front of us, a little more than a week away. Lent this year begins with Ash Wednesday on March 5, 2025. Why do we do this every year? It’s more than just a build-up to our celebration of the Passion of Our Lord (Palm Sunday, Good Friday) in preparation for rememberingContinue reading “Why Do We Need Lent?”
The Time is Fulfilled
A Christmas Missive “And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” Romans 13:11 Christmas is just about here. We have been waiting with eager anticipation. Time seems to have crawled while also seemingContinue reading “The Time is Fulfilled”
Choosing and Choice
Why is it that the most godless political party keeps trying to convince others, especially Christians, that God is really on their side? They’ve done it on billboards, in response to chastisement by a religious leader (e.g., Nancy Pelosi), and even two open letters (here and here) declaring their adherence to Catholic principles. Archbishop Cordileone (Pelosi’s bishop) and others responded, apparently to noContinue reading “Choosing and Choice”
Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord
Reflections on the Readings from the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B Before we get into this week’s reflections we should take a quick look at the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist, the Bread of Life, Panis Angelicus. First of all, the Eucharist is a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ which givesContinue reading “Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord”
The True Bread from Heaven
Reflections on the Readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time As we continue our travel through Chapter Six of the Gospel of John, we enter into the Bread of Life discourse. Dr. Peter Kreeft points out that, while in English we have the one term for life, in the Greek, in which this gospel wasContinue reading “The True Bread from Heaven”
Jesus Feeds the Multitudes:
Reflections on the Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B in the liturgical cycle focuses mainly on the gospel of Mark. However, the gospel of Mark is the shortest of the gospels, so the Church fills out the year with readings from other gospels, mostly the gospel of John. Thus, this week (andContinue reading “Jesus Feeds the Multitudes:”
Calling and Sending: Reflections on the Readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The Lord took me from my flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel” (Amos 7:15) Many people, some of whom call themselves Christians, make the charge that Sacred Scripture is not relevant today. This is clearly not the case with today’s readings. Today’s readings depict our being chosen, called, and sentContinue reading “Calling and Sending: Reflections on the Readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time”
My Articles on Catholic365
Although I haven’t been posting here lately, I have multiple articles on Catholic365.com. Please read and share. Catholic Men’s Groups are Vital, January 29, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/35324/catholic-mens-groups-are-vital.html Hell, February 1, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/35378/hell.html Lent 2024, February 8, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/35470/lent-2024.html God is Calling, February 11, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/35494/god-is-calling.html Jesus and His Cross, February 13, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/35528/jesus-and-his-cross.html Pray Constantly, February 16, 2024: https://www.catholic365.com/article/36583/pray-constantly.html What DoContinue reading “My Articles on Catholic365”
The Call: A conversion story
(For those who don’t think Jesus “speaks” to them during adoration.) (While meditating on the Eucharist during Adoration, 9/8/2023) Emptiness, loss, feeling of abandonment, Seeking solace, Church, the mass, Surrounded by strangers. Movement of Heart, a calling, Planning to sin, asking God’s grace, The answer: God intercedes. He sends people to call me back. Reconciliation.Continue reading “The Call: A conversion story”
World Youth Day 2023
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted the reaction by Maria Seybert, 19, of Littletown, Colo., [who] was attending her first World Youth Day and seemed inspired by Francis’ exhortations to spread the faith. “Yeah, I know that our church is very broken; we have a lot of sinners and broken people,” Ms. Seybert said. “I desire to hear somethingContinue reading “World Youth Day 2023”
Where Are the Nathans, Ambroses, Catherines of Sienna, and Gregory the Greats of Today?
What happened to us and to the Church? Where is our sense of fearlessly standing up to injustice, relying on the Lord? We are deeply engaged in spiritual warfare and our leadership is colluding with the enemy. And many of those leaders who are not on the other side seem to be blissfully unaware ofContinue reading “Where Are the Nathans, Ambroses, Catherines of Sienna, and Gregory the Greats of Today?”
What Do You See When You Look at the Eucharist?
“The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (1 Cor 11:23-24 RSV-CE) On June 12th, 2023, the Feast of Corpus Christi, the body of Christ, weContinue reading “What Do You See When You Look at the Eucharist?”
Jesus and His Cross
The beginning of Holy Week and anticipation of Easter is a time to reflect on our Lord’s passion, suffering and death on the cross. I think about those non-Catholic Christians and wondered what they did in preparation and how they reflected on the events leading up to Our Lord’s glorious resurrection on Easter morning. OneContinue reading “Jesus and His Cross”
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Mary, the Mother of Jesus “Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does it happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” (Lk 1:41-43, emphasis added) During this timeContinue reading “Mary, the Mother of Jesus”
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