I am honored to announce that Archbishop Coyne has approved my nomination of David and Maryellen Bailey to receive this Archdiocesan award for 2025. Maryellen and David joined our parish in January 1, 2008 and have been involved in various projects, activities and opportunities.

It’s a work in progress, Lord, I hope! This Sunday is a tough gospel to hear as well as one on which to preach, at least for me. In it Jesus commands us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us?! In practical terms, we might ask the question, just how am I supposed to love someone I am opposed to, like a Joy Reid or Tucker Carlson, or perhaps an organization like Planned Parenthood or Students for Life, or CNN or Fox News—and God forbid, the New York Yankees? How can I love “those people” who are so opposed to me, my way of life, my beliefs, and my traditions?

The Coming Engagement On this Sixth Sunday in Ordinal Time, we hear from the Gospel of Luke, chapter six, verses seventeen and twenty through twenty-six, in which we hear of the Beatitudes and the Woes. The context and setting of this gospel occurs just after Jesus has appointed His twelve apostles and then descends from the mountain top to level ground, a plain, and a large crowd has gathered to see and hear Him—the people want to be healed and taught. Scholars tell us that the setting emphasizes Jesus’ accessibility and His desire to connect with the marginalized and the suffering.

On this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear the Lukan Gospel (5:1-11) and according to scripture scholars there are at least seven (7) themes upon which one may pray or meditate. The gospel narrates the calling of the first disciples, specifically Simon Peter, James and John, while they were fishing. The seven themes are: Divine Call and Response; Faith in Action; Abundance through Obedience; Transformation and Mission; Humility and Recognition of Sin; Community and Collaboration; and, The Eucharistic Symbolism.

When we prepare to receive Holy Communion, it must be with openness to the Sacrament and with a well-prepared soul and mind. What am I receiving? When we approach the altar, am I prepared by prayer to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Savior of the World? And am I reverent, or am I chewing gum (I have seen this) or am I greeting people enroute? After I have consumed the Body or the Blood, do I return to my pew and pray, do I join in with the Communion hymn of praise, or do I rush out of the Church to avoid the announcements and to get to breakfast fast?