Scripture Scholars tell us that the meaning behind the word “parable” is curve, as in throwing a curve.
vincentian spirituality
Prioritizing (Lk 14: 25-9)
There are hardly any words in all the gospels more blunt than the stark ones Jesus proclaims in Luke’s 14th chapter.
Widening The Gate (Luke 13:22-30)
One of Jesus’ more intriguing images is that of the gate, the entranceway into his Father’s Kingdom. Entrance depends in large part on the practical steps we take to build the kind of unity, accord and cooperation that reflects his Father’s world.
On Being Overshadowed
On Being Overshadowed (Every year on the feast of the Annunciation thousands of Daughters of Charity the world over retake their vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service to the poor. This was the homily at one of their Eucharists.) I once heard someone say...
Right Religion
Right Religion (John 2:13ff) Some years ago, a book was published entitled, "When Religion Goes Bad." Premised on the fact that religion exercises a powerful force, it took up instances where that force has been badly used, even in destructive ways. Granting there was...
Following Behind “The Story”
Following Behind “The Story” Especially in this age of Facebook and Instagram has the power of story come to the fore. That is, increasingly so, the narrative much more than the bullet-pointed outline is what does the most effective job of getting through to hearts...
Why Step Across?
Why Step Across? (Leviticus 13; Mark 1) A concept that shows up in the history of religions is the one of boundaries, the borders between what is permissible and what is forbidden. These lines in the sand separating the holy from the sinful figure prominently all...
Driven to Disruption
Driven to Disruption (Mark 1:12-15) If you asked ten people what contact with God is supposed to bring I suspect at least seven would list things like peace, joy, calm, well-being, reassurance. But there's a theme running through Lent which moves in another direction...
Why This Suffering?
Why This Suffering? (Job 7) If you were charged with collecting a series of writings aimed to persuade people that God is overflowingly good and ever desirous for the good of His people, would you have included the Book of Job? We look in on the main character, this...
Circles of Repentance
Circles of Repentance (Jonah 3; Mk 1:14-15) At the beginning of Mark’s gospel, Jesus issues a no-holds-barred directive: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel!” It’s worthwhile noting that his command does not mean asking forgiveness for this or that sin. More...
The Holiness Quotient
The Holiness Quotient (Lk 2: 25-40) The initials “EQ.” Different from IQ, meaning Intelligence Quotient which measures mental ability, they stand for Emotional Quotient and refer to the degree to which one person can read the feelings and mood of another -- or more...
Words That Glow
Words That Glow (Isaiah 6:11; John 1:23) A familiar phrase, “It leapt off the page at me!” Of all the lines and sentences in a book, one starts to glow and flash out as if it were being spoken to me personally. I mention this because a single sentence occurring in...
