The anointing of Jesus at the house of Simon the Leper causes quite the stir in today’s Gospel. Scandalized by the cost of the oil used, onlookers ask why the money was not given to the poor. But Jesus responds, “She has done a good thing for me.” How often am I like those “indignant”… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: Choosing Mercy Where We Can

In today’s Gospel we hear Caiaphas explain to the Pharisees why he wants Jesus to be killed : “…It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people so that the whole nation may not perish.” To Caiaphas it seemed that killing one man was justified because the rest would be… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: He is My God, and I am His Daughter

Today’s gospel tells us about Jesus and his response to those who are picking up rocks to stone him.  How must it have felt to be Jesus?  He was constantly criticized throughout his ministry.  The rallying calls against Him reached such a fever pitch that He was crucified. And yet, we see Him – in… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: How Jesus Responds to Criticism

We’re well into Lent. Perhaps what we gave up has slipped (or we have come up short in those areas where we promised to do a little bit better). Maybe we’ve started eating chocolate again, or jumped back on Facebook, or were cruel to others. Easter still seems a long way off, and perhaps we… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: Making the Journey

Today in the Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees present Jesus with an adulterous woman, publicly shaming her and putting her sins on display. It would have been easy for Jesus to denounce the woman’s actions and make a statement about virtuous behavior. Instead, he “bent down and began to write on the ground with his… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: Compassion Over Condemnation

“Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” What a powerful way to end Mass. Sometimes a priest might choose, “Go forth glorifying God with your lives,” or “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” but the underlying theme is the same: Go. It’s a commissioning, a reminder of our baptismal call to… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: Go!

In today’s gospel, Nicodemus questions the Pharisees by asking, “Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” The Pharisees are quick to judge and dismiss Jesus and his teachings simply because he is from Galilee. For St. Louis natives, we have a strong tendency to… Read More Lenten Reflection Series: Refusing to Judge the ‘Other’