Editor’s note: Mary Franceschini came across this beautiful litany that was written by the Center for Action and Contemplation, founded by Fr. Richard Rohr. The Center kindly gave us permission to share it here on the Harvest and Hope blog. Fr. Richard Mangini calls it “excellent, inclusive, powerfully connective.” A Litany of Belonging (reproduced fromContinue reading “A Litany of Belonging”
Category Archives: Christian
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time:
January 23, 2022: Jesus proclaims God in his life; Are we ready to do the same? Last weekend, we began the return to Ordinary Time. We have reboxed Christmas and put it away. All of a sudden, the baby in the manger has become an adult. The hesitant Jesus stood before us and we watchedContinue reading “Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: “
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: “Do whatever he tells you”
January 16, 2022 So now what is Jesus supposed to be and to do? Last Sunday, God spoke: “You are my beloved Son, Jesus; with you I am well pleased.” So now what? What is Jesus supposed to do next? Start talking! Start doing! The human part of Jesus is not sure what his nextContinue reading “Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: “Do whatever he tells you””
The Baptism of the Lord: Version 2
January 9, 2022 Yesterday, at St. Mary’s Church in Walnut Creek, I baptized Luca Slovik. I baptized Luca’s mother and I married her to his father. I baptized his grandmother and married her to her husband Jay. When you are a priest for 55 years, you are not only a priest but a grandfather priestContinue reading “The Baptism of the Lord: Version 2“
The Baptism of the Lord: “The purpose of Baptism is to share with us who we are really and to encourage us”
January 9, 2022 (Version 1: This is Father Mangini’s first version that he delivered at mass) Today (yesterday) at St. Mary’s Church in Walnut Creek, I baptized Luca Slovik. Thirty years ago, I baptized his mother Veronica. I married his parents a few years ago. I even married his grandparents. When you are a priestContinue reading “The Baptism of the Lord: “The purpose of Baptism is to share with us who we are really and to encourage us”“
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
January 1, 2022 Growing up in the early 1940s, we were taught more about Mary and devotions to her than we were taught about Jesus – in my catechism classes at least. Over the centuries, our Catholic Church created a goddess-like cult for Mary. She was much more approachable than Jesus, it seemed, and equallyContinue reading “Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God“
Holy Family Sunday: A reflection on being holy and human
December 26, 2021 We have a tradition of “piousitizing” (trying to make him look pious) the life of Jesus who is supposed to be the ideal, good child. But is he being a brat who defies his parents who requested that he take his place in the children’s part of the Caravan as they walkContinue reading “Holy Family Sunday: A reflection on being holy and human“
Christmas Day: “Christmas is about loving people”
December 25, 2021 Perhaps, you would think that it should be very easy to give a homily on Christmas Day, but it isn’t for a priest. Why? Because there is so much to talk about or because everything is like a distraction and blur. Like we worry over saying something that is meaningful and thatContinue reading “Christmas Day: “Christmas is about loving people”“
II Sunday Advent: Is everything falling apart, or is God creating something new with our help and his inspiration?
December 5, 2021 What is the liturgical year that Fr. Robert keeps talking about – its ending or its beginning? It is a way for us to help focus our spiritual attention, to focus the time that we give to God, a way to deepen our sense of how God is present to us inContinue reading “II Sunday Advent: Is everything falling apart, or is God creating something new with our help and his inspiration?“
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe: A Light in Our Minds and Hearts to Show a Way to Integrity
November 21, 2021 We don’t use, today, the language of politics to describe Jesus. The feudal systems of monarchs and kings went out of fashion in the 18th Century with the French revolution. Yet it took much longer for European monarchies to vanish. There are still a few nominal monarchies — England, Belgium, Spain. InContinue reading “Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe: A Light in Our Minds and Hearts to Show a Way to Integrity”
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