Disciples on fire Jesus said, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! (Luke 12:49-50) What is this fire that Jesus was talking about? In the context of chapter 12 of Luke, this fire refers to the fire in one’s heart and soul in being a disciple of Christ. The eagerness…
Becoming a Vigilant Servant Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in…
Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith: His Real Presence in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery. Eucharistic Revival is the response of the whole Catholic Church in the United States to this divine invitation. Our hope is to renew…
ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA 2022 SYNOD REPORT SUMMARY Highlights: At the close of the survey, there were a total of 7,150 responses, 65% from women. 11,000 attendees in 333 listening sessions in 108 locations. Over 50% of respondents identified as white/Caucasian, over 30% as Hispanic. Most of the respondents were born between the 1940s and 1980s. Themes for Discernment: One common theme among the respondents is the desire to be more connected to the Church, especially after the church closures due…
The greedy brother and the rich fool Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” (cf. Luke 12:13-15) Jesus’ particular response to the person and then admonishing the crowd to…
The long and short of the Lord’s Prayer The Lord’s Prayer in Luke is situated differently as compared to Matthew. In Matthew, Jesus teaches the ‘Our Father’ to the crowds at the Sermon of the Mount (chapters 5-7). In Luke, the ‘Our Father’ does not even appear in the Sermon on the Plain, which some commentaries view as Luke’s counterpart to the Sermon on the Mount. Rather, Jesus teaches the ‘Our Father’ to His disciples after they asked, “Lord,…
Martha of Bethany The story of Martha and Mary from Luke 10:38-42 – what was that all about? Many commentaries say that Martha was too busy with domestic affairs and therefore failed to choose ‘the better part,’ which is, to keep still and listen to Jesus. That is true, but this Gospel passage is more than just being a Martha or a Mary. ‘Martha was burdened with much serving (v40)’ implies that Martha was doing a lot to serve…
A Neighbor to my Enemy In Luke 10:25-37, a scholar of the law tested Jesus and said, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25) Jesus answered, “What is written in the law?” The scribe said, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Dt 6:5, Lv 19:18) Jesus told him that he answered correctly, but…
In July this year, Fr. Lou Aldrich is offering 3 online spiritual seminars in Chinese via ZOOM: (1) July 9, 2022 1:00-6:00pm (Eastern Time); Theme: Assessing or Overcoming Moral Problems. (2) 2022 July 16, 2022 1:00-6:00pm (Eastern Time); Theme: Happy Life. (3) July 23, 2022 1:00-3:00pm (Eastern Time); Theme: Chinese Traditional Beliefs and Christian Communities, the common, objective, ontological basis of their respective moral teachings. All 3 seminars require registration. Click on the link for the online registration form: Online…
The Mission of the Seventy Is it 70 or 72? Bible translations differ on the actual number of disciples sent out by Christ. The NAB and Douay-Rheims states 72, while the RSV states 70. What’s important is not whether 72 or 70 is the exact number, but what it represents. In the Book of Numbers, Moses assembled 70 elders, as instructed by God, to share the burden of the Israelites (Numbers 11:16-17). It could be seen that Jesus chose the…