

The Other John M's Christmas Gifts to Me
I had just gotten up early last Christmas morning when the doorbell rang. It was John, the man who cuts my grass regularly. He greeted me...


"When our Voyage is O'er . . ."*
At dinner last night, one of our family members in our group commented that she noticed the absence of Christmas decorations and...


Heating up the Coffee, Refreezing the Ice Cream
When I woke up this morning, the temperature was 15 degrees F, or -9.4 C. It was freezing cold. In Florida and the Philippines,...


A Homily at Sea*
I did not expect to give a homily on this cruise but I thank Fr. Jack for the opportunity. I would like to offer a little reflection to...


" . . . That We May Share in His Divinity"
A Christmas Homily “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us –“ (John 1:14) Today, Christmas Day, is a day of peace,...


Yearning for Home . . . and to Never Leave Again
Ehrlickman (Erick) Pacheco is only one of the hundreds of Filipinos working in the dining rooms of cruise ship Holland America. I met...


More than of Waiting ... But of Longing
At a recent Christmas party of a parish ministry, I was requested on the spot to give a “surprise talk” about the meaning of Advent and...


When Loved Ones Go
Yesterday morning I met Anthony K again when he visited the school after a long time. He is a former fellow employee who retired two...


"If Only" and "Wakefulness"
(A Homily for the First Sunday of Advent) When I was driving to work the other day, I saw the license plate of the car in front of me...


“IF ONLY . . .”
Driving to work this morning, I saw the license plate of the car in front of me when traffic stopped. The license plate of the car read:...