During a military campaign, Martin cut his mantle into two to save a poor beggar from freezing to death. This gesture became the symbol of a sharing Christianity. Ordained a priest by S. Hilary of Tours, he introduced the monastic life in France. Later, as bishop of Tours, he created and organized many rural parishes
The First Reading in Year I will be taken for a whole week from the Book of Wisdom. It was written in Greek in Alexandria, the century before the Christian era. Although he hopes non-Jews too to read it, the author advises mainly his coreligionists to seek wisdom in their faith in God rather than
At the occasion of the feast of a Pope who understood his time and who is therefore one of the two popes called “the great,” we reflect for a moment on the task and service of leadership in the Church. Serving, witnessing, collegiality among the leaders and with priests and the laity, seeking together to
Greeting: Know that this place is holy because the Lord is here among us. Know that we ourselves are called to be holy for we are God’s temple. May the Lord Jesus always stay with you. R/ And also with you. Introduction by the Celebrant: Christians build churches to worship God. But churches have no
Paul concludes his letter to the Romans with various greetings and a hymn of praise to God. After the Lord’s parable on the unjust steward, Luke adds several statements from various sources, some allegorical reflections of the early Christian communities, some his own comments, all rather remotely related to the parable. Behind these lies his
Paul excuses himself for interfering in the affairs of the Church of Rome, for it was not founded by him. But he will rely on the Romans for his missionary journeys to the West. He has two basic reasons for dealing with them: collegiality – for he is an apostle like the others – and
The heart of the gospel and of Christianity, of the Christian community, of the Church – and therefore of the life of every Christian – lies in living for one another and somehow belonging to others: to God, to our neighbor, in love, mercy, mutual help, forming God’s community, and celebrating this in our worship.
St. Augustine said: “Love and do what you want,” not to declare that in the name of love anything goes, but that if we truly love, then, we are ready to give our all to God and our neighbor. We will know what is right. And when love is no longer authentic, we will know
Today we keep the memorial of Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of Saint John the Baptist. Though not officially on the universal Roman Calendar, their memory is cherished in Catholic tradition, drawing from the Gospel of Luke (chapters 1–2), where their faith, patience, and openness to God’s plan are recounted. Zechariah, a priest of
We belong together as members of the same body of Christ, each with one’s gifts and talents, with one’s own contribution to make for the well-being of the whole and for the service of others, in the solidarity of one common destiny in Christ. We are like guests at the same table, where there is
