by Fr. Jim Chern
There’s a line in today’s first reading from Exodus that’s just heartbreaking: “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” Just let that hang in the air for a minute. This is coming from people…
Of the over 500 words we just heard proclaimed from the scriptures, there’s one, single, five letter word that has the power to derail everything I might want to preach today. A simple adjective that…
You’ve probably heard the warning “Don’t dance with the devil.” But the problem starts long before the dance. It starts when you agree to the conversation. The devil usually doesn’t kick in the door, he…
Ash Wednesday is probably one of the most well-known Catholic days of the year. And yet, it always feels a little strange—especially walking around here on campus. There’s nothing subtle about a dirty ashen cross…
If you were to take a look at my school transcripts you would pretty quickly see that I was not the greatest of students. Nothing dramatic that screamed “what is up with that?” In a…
A week ago at Sunday Mass, we started into what many scholars call “the greatest sermon ever given”—the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus opens with some of the most recognizable lines from scripture, the Beatitudes:…
Today’s Gospel is one of those passages we almost know too well. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”—we hear it and instantly recognize the script. It’s like the Jeopardy clue everyone gets right: “What are…
I’ve got a confession that tends to surprise people—especially the seminarians I work with as a spiritual director. Every so often, one of them comes back from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They’re glowing.…
Have you ever been handed one of those inspirational quote sheets—maybe during an icebreaker, a retreat, or a mandatory HR training—where someone proudly points out how every religion basically says the same thing? “Do unto…
For most people, Christmas is already over. The decorations are boxed away, the trees are on the curb, and the familiar rhythm of daily life has returned. The music has faded, the gatherings are finished,…