Fr. Jim's Blog

As for Ishmael, I am heeding you. (Genesis 17:20) Imagine a military general designing a new offensive strategy for his troops. But before he goes public, he briefs one of his enlisted soldiers on the details. What if the soldier had the moxie to propose a change in his plans—and the general followed his advice? That might seem exceptionally democratic, wouldn’t it? Now imagine a similar thing happening between God and one of us. It would seem almost absurd! But this is the scenario that plays out in today’s first reading. God had promised to bless Sarah’s offspring, but Abraham just couldn’t see how it was going to happen. For years they tried to conceive a child, but to no avail. So he made a counterproposal: Bless Ishmael instead. Now here’s where it gets interesting. Instead of vetoing Abraham’s proposal, God actually considers it and alters his plan. He sticks to his original promise, but he also honors Abraham’s request and promises blessings on Ishmael. This story shows us...

The company who hosts my website finally fixed the problem. I was able to republish most of the site and will add the other sections this evening.

Just a brief note to say that my website is offline for a while. I hope to have it back online very soon.

I have posted the homily from yesterday's Mass. You can listen to it by clicking here.

I have posted the homily from last weekend's Sunday Mass. You can listen to it by clicking here. 

Great reflection today from the Word Among Us: “A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth.” (Sirach 6:15) Several years ago, sociologists at Duke University published a study on isolation in America. The study found that over the past two decades, Americans’ circle of close friends has shrunk dramatically. Twice as many people report that they have no one with whom they can share important matters. How sad that so many people feel all alone! Unfortunately, it seems as if modern life keeps us from being too committed to one another. Between busy schedules, changing obligations, and fast-paced lives, we can allow ourselves to drift away from one another. It seems that we all want to have and to be faithful friends, but we find it very challenging! Sirach describes the kind of friend we all want to have—one who sticks by us no matter what. In good times and bad, through ups and downs, a true friend remains faithful. It’s no accident, either, that this quali...

I finally got the Pentecost homily recorded and uploaded. You can listen to it by clicking here.