Category: Connecting Point

Pentecost is a celebration for many reasons: it marks the end of the Easter season, is the birthday of the Church, and reminds us of the power that the Spirit […]

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension, we recognize the disciple’s confusion as Jesus leaves them for the last time. They are given a mission to spread the […]

“Always be ready to give an explanationto anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,but do it with gentleness and reverence,keeping your conscience clear”-1 Peter 3:15-16 This week’s […]

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tries to “untrouble” the hearts of his disciples at the Last Supper. Their hearts are troubled as they face Jesus’ imminent death. Jesus calls them to […]

Have you ever stopped to think about all of the metaphors that God and Jesus use in the Bible? In the Gospel this week, Jesus uses the metaphor of the […]

This weekend of Easter in our Gospel from Luke we read the jewel mine, a summary story, an encapsulation of the adventure of the Christian life, “the Road to Emmaus,” […]

How can I share the joy of receiving Christ’s peace? In this reading for the Second Sunday of Easter, Jesus appears to the frightened disciples and announces, “Peace Be with […]

In the Opening Prayer at Mass on Easter Sunday we pray:  “Bestow upon those baptized in (Jesus’) death the power flowing from his resurrection,that we may proclaim near and far […]

How can I create a path for Christ? This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday.  The passion narrative is proclaimed, but first we hear a Gospel reading from Matthew describing the entrance […]

This week’s readings (and Connecting Point) continue the theme of transformation. Last week in the gospel, Jesus healed the blind man and transformed his life. This week, Jesus is once […]

How can seeing the world as Jesus does allow me to be transformed? This weekend, we hear the story of the man born blind. Back then, the popular belief was […]

How is the living water of my baptism transforming me today? Water is necessary for life. It is so essential that scientists search for its presence on other planets in […]

How do I live out the holy life to which God is calling me? “He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works, but […]

How will I resist even the smallest temptations this Lent?  In the Gospel today, Jesus is alone in the desert and shows complete obedience to his Father’s will.  Jesus tells […]

Who do I need to pray for and love? In the Gospel, from Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us how we are to respond when people are violent […]

How can I seek God’s wisdom in daily challenges? We make many decisions throughout the course of our day.  Some decisions require more wisdom than others, ranging from how much […]

When have I witnessed Christ’s light shining through someone? “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5: 14 Fr. Ron […]

How can my light guide others toward Christ? In today’s first reading the Prophet Malachi tells us that God says, “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before […]

How can I be a light to foster unity in a divided world? In the first and second readings this weekend there are two themes that jump out to me. […]

How can I make the Lord known to others? Last week we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord.  It is an important time when Jesus begins his ministry.  Salvation has […]

What parts of my life are pleasing to God? “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”  Matthew 3:17  In Jesus, the Son of God, we see […]

How can I welcome neighbors and friends who do not share our faith? “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with […]

How can my family help others? “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father […]

Having heard the angels sing, having followed the shepherds to the manger; having gathered with our faith community to celebrate that most sacred night; having come together with family and friends to […]

Where is God calling me to greater trust? Trust can be a very difficult thing, especially when we have been betrayed by someone close to us.  Maybe we are the […]

John the Baptist, the messenger, has been sent and he has prepared us for the coming of our Lord. We can feel a sense of rejoicing begin as we move […]

What obstacles are keeping me from being welcoming to all? I don’t think there is anyone who would say that they aren’t welcoming. Whether talking about our church or our home, […]

What am I hiding that I don’t want others to see? This week’s connecting point is for the first Sunday in Advent.  It is a time of reminding ourselves that […]

How can I recognize God’s love and give thanks? One of my favorite stories about recognizing Jesus is the “road to Emmaus.” Jesus opens the scriptures and tells the disciples […]

How can my life be a testimony of God’s goodness? You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. […]

How do I remain faithful through the trials I believe that it is our dreams which give meaning to our lives. Our dreams move us and sustain us through difficult […]

Who around me is in need today? “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come […]

We can all be arrogant, so how can I cast mine off? Arrogance can be defined as “unpleasantly behaving as if you are more important than, or know more than […]

How can I find the strength to pray even when I’m burned out? Like most people, I work hard to meet deadlines, fulfill obligations, and spend time with family & […]

How can I give thanks when God answers my prayer?  In today’s reading Jesus comes across ten lepers who cry out asking for the Lord to have pity on them.  […]

How can I trust that God hears me when I pray? Habakkuk, in the first reading, is in great anguish crying for the Lord to respond for help.  It seems […]

How can deeper awareness lead to acts of compassion? Our Connecting Point question emerges from the content and dynamics of the story/parable/allegory from Jesus known as “the Rich Man and […]

How does prayer guide me to do the right thing? We learn to pray at certain moments by hearing the Word of the Lord and sharing in his Paschal mystery, […]

How can my living attract someone who is lost? I remember when I was in my twenties someone asked me what I thought was the most attractive feature of a […]

How can I rely more on God’s wisdom and less on my own?” We live in a time when knowledge and information are easily accessible. If you want to find […]

I write my Connecting Point reflections in the evening after taking about an hour to sit and pray with Jesus. For this reflection, I prayed for quite a few days […]

How can I up my game to enter the kingdom? From Luke’s Gospel, we read that Jesus responded to the question, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” by […]

How can I get fired up for Christ’s mission? It was that time of year again. Football Season! Michigan State vs. University of Michigan. The food was prepared and the […]

How do I find the courage to live my faith? Music; especially prayerful, powerful sacred music. Life can be frightening with all the bad stuff happening around us,  but we […]

How can I use my hard work to glorify God? ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;and the things you have prepared, to whom will they […]

What impact does prayer have on my daily life? “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of […]

How can I choose to be more attentive in the moment? Have you ever been in a situation where you’re in a group having a conversation with friends or family, […]

What more can I do to show others mercy? Jesus is tested by a law scholar on how to inherit eternal life. When Jesus asks him what the law says, […]

How do I find the trust to take a risk? In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends the seventy disciples to continue his work of “casting out demons.”  In this context, ‘demons’ […]

How can following the Lord lead me to true freedom?  When I think of freedom, many ideas and images enter by mind. I think of the brave men and women that […]