Reflections
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the First Sunday in Lent, Year C, March 9, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 3/08/25
Someone approached me on Ash Wednesday to inquire what he could give up for Lent. Before I could say a word, he started dishing out a laundry list of behaviors he thought could be on his list: Pornography, smoking, lying, speeding, messing around with women, and hatred of Hispanics. ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, March 2, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 3/01/25
The 8th Sunday in Ordinary time often serves as the springboard into Lent, or the end of the runway from which we take-off for our Lenten and Easter flight. For the next twelve weeks, we shall traverse the spiritual terrain of Lent and Easter before touching down again on ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, February 23, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 2/22/25
If you thought last Sunday’s Gospel was challenging, today’s Gospel from Luke 6:27-38 is a jawbreaker. The words we heard today are not the kind we would love to hear every day. When told about someone else, they sound too good to be true. For example, someone would wonder ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, February 16, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 2/15/25
Show by the raise of hand if you would love to be poor, starving, weeping, and hated by everyone. I’m sure many would not want those. Show by the raise of hand if you would love to be rich, well fed, laughing and well-spoken of by all. Those who ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, February 9, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 2/08/25
One of the primary decisions someone starting a business makes is to choose partners who will serve as both founding members, associates and employees. In a style characteristic of Luke, Jesus goes out in search of partners and wouldn’t pick them from among the armchair “professors,” aka, rabbis who ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Presentation of the Lord, Year C, February 2, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 1/30/25
As he did on the walls of our Livingroom, my father wrote catchphrases and dates on the wall of his own bedroom. February 2, 1946 was a remarkable date on the wall by his bedside. It reminded him of his greatest regret or failure in life. That was the ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, January 26, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 1/25/25
Let me once again explain the reason for the three year cycle of the Church’s Liturgical Year. The arrangement of the Liturgical Year draws from the synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. The years are distinguished using the letters ABC. In Liturgical Year A, our Gospel readings for Sunday ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, January 19, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 1/17/25
Despite the recent warning by the Surgeon General about alcoholic beverages, I won’t hide the fact that I occasionally like to have a glass of red wine after dinner, and Bailey’s Irish Cream for my coffee. In fact, Santa delivered a giant bottle of Baileys during the Christmas. That ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Baptism of the Lord, Year C, January 12, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 1/10/25
While many Americans brought down their Christmas trees and decorations the day after Christmas, intentional Catholics know that Christmas season only began on Christmas day and concludes today with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Christmas, like Easter, is celebrated with an octave—eight consecutive days that liturgically ... Read More »
Fr. Jo's Reflection for the Epiphany of the Lord, Year C, January 5, 2025
Posted by John Wolf on 1/03/25
On the wall of my father’s living room hangs a large framed picture with these words: “Christ is the Head of this House, the Unseen Guest at Every Meal, and the Silent Listener to Every Conversation.” My father reminded us as kids that Jesus hears every word we utter, ... Read More »