Tag Archive: #reflection

Deacon’s Beacon: Living the Beatitudes

Much of the news lately has been very depressing – focusing on mass shootings, killings, acts of violence and revenge.  All of these acts show a depression, anger and paranoia that is too prevalent in our world. My article today [read more...]

Called to be Salt and Light

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light [read more...]

The Prophet Zephaniah and the Beatitudes?

The Beatitudes deserve a thorough evaluation and discussion, perhaps through a long and drawn-out homily. But, that’s not the approach Deacon Paul takes here. Instead, follow along as we “…[are] sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger” and “..take [read more...]

Nothing Ordinary Here!

There is nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time. This couldn’t be truer today when Zephaniah reminds us of the mysteriousness of God’s way and Jesus lays out his Gospel blueprint in his Sermon on the Mount. God’s ways certainly are mysterious. [read more...]

Hardened Hearts Show-and-Tell (with OLW School Students)

At Our Lady of the Wayside’s School Mass on Wednesday, January 18, Deacon Paul Onischuk asked what kind of hearts did the Pharisees have in the Gospel according to Mark? Hardened hearts that were not “open” or receptive to Jesus.  And [read more...]

Living the Good News

The message of Jesus is simple. It can be boiled down to two sentences. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the good news.” In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus appears in Galilee for the first time [read more...]

The Calling of St. Matthew

In Saturday’s Gospel (Mt 9:9-13), Jesus called Matthew, the tax collector, to be His disciple. This moment is captured magnificently in Caravaggio’s masterpiece, The Calling of St. Matthew. Matthew’s ‘Who, me?’ expression is probably not unlike that of many ordinary people [read more...]

“I Don’t Want Heaven if Not Everyone is Going to be There”

“If not everyone is going to heaven, then I don’t want to be there.” Is this sentiment honorable? Or misguided? Fr. Mike addresses the mystery of heaven and hell and gets to the core of what it means to be [read more...]

Behold the True Lamb

During this time of the National Eucharistic Revival, the faithful should take every opportunity to reflect on the Real and True Presence of Jesus. As John the Baptist urges, don’t miss the Messiah in your midst, “Behold the Lamb of [read more...]

Begin With the End in Mind

What do I want to be true about me at the end of this year that is not currently true? At the beginning of this new year, Fr. Mike shares the advice of Stephen Covey: “Begin with the end in [read more...]