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Today's gospel narrative of the wedding feast at Cana is a good example of God's love for humanity. Wedding feast is a symbol of the feast that God has prepared for his elects. The wedding at Cana is peculiar in the sense that wine which is the symbol of merriment was lacking. How can people make merry without wine? Read more ...

This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Of course, His baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River is a bit different from the sacrament of baptism in the Church, as John himself alludes: Jesus Himself, in the person of the Church’s minister, baptizes with the Holy Spirit. I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on the effects of the sacrament of baptism, and how we might live this gift well. Read more ...

Today is the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. It is the manifestation of the child Jesus to the gentile world. The Magi from the east saw a star and through their knowledge in astrology recognized that a King was born in Jerusalem. There are two points in my reflection today. Read more ...

This weekend we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I’m writing to y’all, therefore, with three practical ways that I hope you and your family household will be blessed in the new year. Read more ...

Merry Christmas! I hope you’re not tired of hearing that already. For many people, the Christmas season seems to end on Christmas Day, but for us as Christians (rather than consumers) it is only just beginning. Learn more ...

Christmas is here; it is important you visit or reach out to your relatives and rekindle the fires of family links. Be a source of joy to those who encounter you beginning with your family members. God has visited his people. His people must visit themselves. Read more ...

As we blow past the half-way point of Advent and speed on to the celebration of the Nativity, I want to draw your attention to a very ancient way that the Church has marked with anticipation the final days before Christmas. These are the “O Antiphons” which have their roots in Sacred Scripture and early monastic communal prayer, and are still found in Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours in the seven days leading up to Christmas Eve. Read more ...

I wrote to y’all a few weeks ago about our Synod, and let me tell you: it did not disappoint! Bishop Burns called the Synod to consult the Faithful (that’s all of us) on the direction of the Diocese in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and how to make our local Church thrive. Read more ...

Advent is a time of hope and joyful expectations. The first reading of this Sunday begins by inviting Jerusalem to take off her robe of sadness and put on the splendor and glory of God. The prophet Baruch assures the people that God will do something new and favorable for them. The gospel shows the realization of that prophecy. God intervened in human history and invited human beings to a partnership for salvation. But how? Read more ...

I’ll be away from the parish for a few days this week to participate in the Dallas Diocesan Synod Assembly. You might remember that Bishop Burns announced this Synod in 2020, and since that time a lot of work has gone into gathering ideas and feedback from all the faithful in our area, and then compiling those thoughts into nearly 400 resolutions. Read more ...

With the embrace of modern nationalism and democracy in the West, sovereignty now belongs to the people, often represented by the state and its officials. So, how can we speak to a modern audience about the idea of God as king? Read more ...

A few weeks ago, I wrote to y’all about funerals and how we might live out well our responsibility to bury the dead. Today I’d like to re-visit that topic from a slightly different angle, namely: what should be done with our mortal remains after we die? Read more ...

Traditionally, we read the Widow's Mite story as a story about generosity. But I would like to reflect on it in the context in which Mark wrote it, as tragic evidence of religious exploitation of simple, suffering, and powerless humanity for which Jesus condemned the Temple religious establishment. Read more ...

Pope Francis recently published his fourth encyclical letter, entitled “Dilexit Nos,” which in English might be rendered “He has loved us” or “He chose us” (cf. Rom. 8:37). I am finding it to be a beautiful reflection on the significance of the heart, and how we find ultimate meaning in the love of Christ. I’ll share with you some of the insights that have stood out to me so far. Read more ...

You may sincerely desire to be a disciple of Jesus, but you are still held down by several forces. These forces must be dominated as the blind man, Bartimeus, did with his own obstacles. You may, for example, wish to be an active member of your faith community, but your attachment to your cloak may be an obstacle to realizing this desire such that you always believe that you do not have time. Read More ...

It is a corporal work of mercy to bury the dead, and while we might not think of it very often, it’s helpful to keep in mind that it is part of the mission of every parish church throughout the world. So I would like to reflect here on what it means to bury the dead, and how we might do it well here at St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Read more ...

Spiritual life begins with awareness of the things that hold us back; it starts with that enlightenment from the gaze and light of God. It starts from the wisdom to differentiate between gold, silver and the word of God that give those things existence. Read more ...

It has been my experience that God is never outdone in generosity. How can we repay Him? By living our vocation well, and always striving for His greater glory and the salvation of souls. Read more ...

Thanks to Fr. Emmett and Fr. Francis for all that they do.

Many things go wrong because we are not open to any contribution from outside of us. Good to ask: must everything come from you? Can some other person do something good? Read more ...