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Don’t succumb to the eyes of envy
Homily for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Envy is not a pretty word. It is a deadly word. Out of the seven deadly sins, envy is number two. Number one is our…
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A lesson from the resurrection lily on the spiritual life
Dotting gardens and landscapes around Western North Carolina are resurrection lilies. They are so named because the leaves appear lush and green in February, resembling daffodils. Unlike daffodils and many other bulbs, the…
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What is the two-point plan of Jesus?
Can you imagine someone running for political office saying the same things Jesus said in the gospel (Mk 8:27-35)? “Fellow Citizens. Let me introduce my two-point plan to benefit all: (1) Deny yourself. …
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Blessed are the Pure of Heart, a Funeral Homily for Michele McCreary
Michele Embodied the Beatitude There is one beatitude that speaks to the mood today. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We come mourning the death of Michele. We come…
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An ordinary dream demands a new interpretation
“What’s it like?” That’s a question Michele McCreary, a long-time acquaintance, asked me in a dream. She was talking to someone I used to work with before I retired. When our eyes met,…
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“What happened to the sun?” asked the two year old
Last week, I was at Emerald Isle with my family. In addition to my delight in being with my children and grandchildren and their spouses and partners, I received a neat lesson on…
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Three reasons God places a stranger in your path
Occasionally, I experience what I call a ‘random ministerial encounter’. I think we’ve all had them. It’s when God places someone in your path, and you realize it’s not a coincidence (as nothing…
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A new delight in icon gazing
I’ve been practicing something called ‘icon gazing’. In ancient times, it was called visio divina. Similar to lectio divina, which could mean ‘spiritual reading’, visio divina is ‘spiritual gazing’. The practice is basic.…
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When we cry out, “This is enough, Lord.”
When you find yourself in spiritual desolation and feel like saying, “This is enough, Lord,” there is one question to ask: Who’s voice am I listening to – is it the voice of…
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Cuando gritamos, “¡Basta ya, Señor!”
“Basta ya, Señor. Quítame la vida”. Estas son las palabras desesperadas de Elías mientras yacía bajo una retama en el desierto. Ha habido momentos en mi vida, y tal vez en la tuya,…
