St. John perfectly illustrates the truth in his Gospel, where he uses poetry and prose to tell the story of Jesus. Today we should not be too hard on Thomas, who will for ever be labelled “doubting” Thomas. Thomas has given us permission to have our doubts, but Peter and John are assuring us that [...]
In today’s reading from the Acts of Apostles, we see Peter proclaiming to Cornelius and his household that Jesus is risen, and has been appointed by God to judge everyone, alive or dead. This same Jesus from Nazareth, anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, who had been doing good, curing sick people and [...]
HOLY MONDAY, April 18th 7:30AM – Holy Mass in Frackville. HOLY TUESDAY, April 19th 10:00AM – Central Diocese Clergy Conference in Scranton. 4:00PM – Holy Mass of Chrism in St. Stanislaus Cathedral, Scranton, PA. — At the Holy Mass, which the bishop concelebrates with his presbyterium, and at which the oils are blessed, manifests the [...]
Caiaphas wanted to eliminate Jesus as a problem. Pilate wanted to keep Caiaphas and the Jewish leaders quiet, and to avoid getting mixed up in their interminable religious disputes. At the same time he wanted to keep the people happy, and so to avoid the sort of popular unrest that might have got the governor [...]
Let us go together to meet Jesus on the Mount of Olives. […] Let us run to accompany Him as He hastens toward His passion, and imitate those who met Him then, not by covering His path with garments, olive branches or palms, but by doing all we can to prostrate ourselves before Him by [...]
Martha and Mary nursed Lazarus thourgh his final illness, death and burial. The two sisters knew that they had sent an accurate message to Jesus, telling Him of the imminence of their brother’s death. They also knew that if Jesus and the apostles were to travel immediately, they would see Lazarus before he died. When [...]
True reverence for the Lord’s passion means fixing the eyes of our heart on Jesus crucified and recognizing in him our own humanity. The earth – our earthly nature – should tremble at the suffering of its Redeemer. […] Foreshadowings of the future resurrection should appear in the holy city, the Church of God: what [...]
Today, in the Gospel, a man born blind will be our companion and will help us to see clearly. This poor man has never known what it is to see. His world is darkness. More than that, he is sometimes despised for his condition, as if he himself is to blame, as if his blindness [...]
There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other. Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is [...]
