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Catholic Faith Corner

Living in the Light
of Jesus Christ

Sea of Galilee at Sunrise

Catholic Faith Corner

Living in the Light
of Jesus Christ

God’s Forgiveness & Our Mercy

This week on Wednesday evening all churches in the Cleveland Diocese will be open for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Lenten tradition. No matter how sinful, a person can experience the mercy of God. During Holy Week we will ponder the climax of God’s mercy: washing everyone clean by the blood of his Son. Years […]

Jesus Risen and Alive . . . Through Us!

A friend just emailed me the following story that is appropriate for this Easter season: A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago .. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush to catch […]

Foot Washing: Humble Service

This week a Sister in Africa asked for a copy of the chapter on service from my book Voices: God Speaking in Creation. I realized that the topic is appropriate for my Holy Week blog, so here it is: Towel [He] got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel […]

Thank God You’re You! Loving Yourself

Last year after Mass, someone said, “Come with me. You have to meet Father’s sister. She looks just like you.” Did anyone ever tell you, “You look just like my ________________”?  (Fill in the blank.) Maybe we do have a doppelganger or two. But no one will ever be exactly like us, even if we […]

Advent: Jesus Coming in Mystery Now, Today!

Advent readings at Mass focus us on the coming of Jesus in Majesty at the end of time, while Christmas decorations recall his coming in History in Bethlehem, but his third coming that we commemorate during Advent is his coming in Mystery. This coming gets pushed aside. Let’s think about it, for it is the […]

Mary, a Model of Mercy

We learn from and are inspired by other people. Olympians, movie stars, and sports figures often credit an older person who was a model for them. An African proverb is “No one sits by the fire without getting warmed.” Mary, the Mother of Jesus, serves as an excellent model of mercy for us. No doubt, […]

Year of Mercy, part 4: Jesus Teaches Forgiveness

We have been the recipients of God’s incredible abundant mercy. Now we are to let mercy flow from us onto others. We are to be the face of God’s compassionate love for others: our family members, friends, and colleagues. Jesus taught us this. When he was criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners, he […]

Year of Mercy, part 3: Jesus, Mercy Incarnate

Jesus is the Face of God: He is God made visible. He is the incarnation of mercy. Moreover, mercy is the principle theme of his preaching and is manifested in how he treated people. We could say his middle name was Mercy. Jesus met people’s physical needs. In a synagogue he read his job description: […]

Year of Mercy, part 2: Jesus Teaches about God’s Mercy

Even if we didn’t have the Old Testament, we would still know that God is merciful from the teachings of Jesus. The very motto of the year of mercy is from his lips: “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.”  Jesus revealed the incredible Father’s mercy through not just one, but several parables, in […]

Year of Mercy, part 1: God’s Mercy

In this  Extraordinary Jubilee, Year of Mercy, I’ve given talks on mercy, which meant researching this topic. I gleaned some thoughts on mercy that you might find worth pondering. Pope Francis declared the year in hopes that new flood of mercy will flow over the world. He said, “Mercy is the true power that can […]