http://newskete.org/articles New Skete Community Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:22:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Labor Day Weekend, and also the Feast of the Birth of Mary the Theotokos. So many people throughout western history have used Mary of Nazareth as a model of holiness and passivity. So many mini-theologies have sprung up centered on her virtues of prayer and obedience that it is no wonder ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=187 Reflections for Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Is. 56:3, 6-8; Rom. 6-18; Matt. 15:21-28 A good many of us have come to expect of Jesus a certain way of behaving and speaking, and to envision his life as something almost too good to be true! So when we hear Jesus giving this anguished ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=186 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Is 55:1-5; Rm 10:1-10; Mt 14:14-22 There are very few episodes or stories that all four evangelists write about.  Today’s gospel is one of them. Compassion is what struck me from all three readings this morning. In the first Isaiah reading God told his people to come and eat ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=185 Third Sunday after Pentecost Sir. 11:1-11; Rom. 3:28-4:8; Mt. 7:1-11 Today we are gathered here again as one religious and spiritual body, either singing or not singing, praying or just listening, watching or lost in thought, memory, turmoil, or maybe some sorrow. Our faith says we are the body of Christ, and that ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=184 Sunday of the Healing of the Man Born Blind Readings: 1 Cor. 15:3-11; Acts 9:20-31; Jn. 9:1-39 Here’s a question: Which of these is more like my real self, an ordinary salt shaker or an ordinary ketchup bottle. We can laugh at this, but then we might become quiet and start to ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=183 Pascha 2010 1 Pt. 1:3-4; 2:4-9; Acts 1:1-18; Jn 1:1-18 In today’s readings we heard from two of the apostles who were closest to Jesus, Peter, whom Jesus asked, after his resurrection, to feed my sheep, feed my lambs; and John the evangelist, who was the only apostle to stand at the ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=182 Reflections of a Nun Entry into Jerusalem, Ze 9:9-12,16-17a, Ph 3:10,4:1, Jn 12:1-19 Palm Sunday 2010 Questions for an evening self examination mentioned recently in past homilies are: In whom have I met Christ today and where have I missed seeing Christ today. In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “The ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=181 Reflections on the Gospel story of the woman with the issue of blood. Mk 5:24b-34; Rom. 12:6-19; Tobit 8:4b-8, 10, 13, 15-17 The popular spiritual writer Henri Nouwen, who by the way had visited here, and who died just a few years ago, once wrote, “You know…my whole life I have ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=180 Reflections on the Gospel story of the healing of the blind man Mic. 7:8-10, 18-20; 2 Tim. 2:1-10; Luke 18:35-43 From everything I’ve read it seems to me that Jesus did not go around announcing that he is the expected Messiah and has come to save the world, and neither did he ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=179 Reflections on Christmas Jer. 23:3-6; Gal. 4:4-7; Mt. 2:1-12 These days it seems Christmas is referred to more as the Yuletide or the Holiday Season, with cards and banners saying Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays. Some of this is probably an attempt to be socially sensitive, or maybe even unreligious, but somehow ... http://newskete.org/articles/?p=178