Category: Connecting Point

How can I trust that God’s got my back?

This is for everyone – yes that means you, too – the overworked, high-stressed, short on time – busy person with too much to do and so little time to “get-r-done”. …

You are a beloved child of God….
And we are, “not because of any righteous deeds we have done but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5)

As this new year begins, perhaps a resolution would be to remember that we …

Epiphany a good chance to reflect on the the story of the wisemen, three wealthy foreign “kings” who traveled a long way to seek Christ and offer him their gifts. There is a lot of mystery surrounding who they actually …

“How do I receive Jesus as the most important gift of Christmas?”

Giving and receiving gifts at Christmas is a spiritual activity of the highest order.  Gifts are an expression of our mutual love and support: they are the …

How can I make room for unexpected God moments?

The Scripture from Luke this week tells of the moment when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to let her know she was pregnant and would be the Mother of our Savior, …

I love the celebration of Christmas.  It is an opportunity for the Church to look like it could and should look like every weekend of the year: the parking lot is full, the sanctuary is packed full of people, everyone …

In this week’s Gospel, John the Baptist proclaims “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” In our Church, we can seek forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but what about other areas in our lives? I had one …

How can I find strength to work through my daily anxieties?

When I look back over the high & lows of my life, I sometimes wondered why God kept the darkness. When the pressure of everyday life leads to sleepless …

All of us experience times of darkness.  These dark times are usually the result of the hardships life gives us: the death of a loved one; serious illness; broken relationships with family and friends; failed dreams; economic setbacks; the apparent …

What can I learn from the changing of the seasons?

Seasons remind us that change isn’t bad, especially when we’re prepared for it. Seasons are the epitome of predictable change. We know what kind of change to expect with seasons. …

Are we naturally creatures of responsive love or are we reactionary creatures of a variety of emotional responses good, bad and ugly?

Habitual responses can be difficult to break especially in intense situations.  Old habits of responding out of our …

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

We find this quote in both the first reading and Gospel this Sunday. Jesus quotes the …

This week in the Gospel we have the story of Bartimaeus the blind man. Bartimaeus was healed by Jesus because of his faith. Before he met Jesus Bartimaeus was blind from birth and grew up a beggar. Bartimaeus’ blindness kept …

Who do I look up to for their humility, and how can I learn from them?  Like most people, I look especially to people in my own profession. The priests, parish priests in particular, who have best exemplified this virtue …

The school year has begun!  Our families dive into the many different communities; school, athletic, and dance; just to name a few. We will spend what we need to in order to be a member of these communities.  We will …

How can I let go of my selfish desires to support marriage covenants?

The Scripture this week allows for reflection on the beauty of the covenant between Adam and Eve and on the Sacrament of marriage.

My wife and I …

When am I so focused on what I’m doing that I miss the service of others?

In our own lives, we get wrapped up in our day-to-day routines, family, work, exercise, technology, etc. that we miss opportunities to perform good …

This Sunday’s readings involve Jesus telling his disciples how they should receive others. The disciples were arguing about who should be considered first. Then Jesus put a child in their midst and their attitude changed because who would reject a …

In our Second Reading this weekend, St. James insists that authentic Christian Faith is always accompanied by good works.  We are not saved by faith alone.  We are not saved by works alone. We are saved by faith and works …

When do fear and ignorance cause deafness in me?

Fear is the anticipation of the possibility that something unpleasant will occur. Some types are actually due to ignorance or a lack of knowledge or understanding”.

For some of us, the …

“How does my instinct to criticize others limit my awareness?”

Sometimes the noise of everyday life can blind us to the positive ways many things are changing around us.  It’s easier to want to criticize when we see something new …

Many of us have difficulty dealing with unpleasant situations. We look for ways to avoid confrontations and conflict. In today’s Gospel, and over the past few weeks, Jesus challenged his disciples and not many could accept it. Can we?

In …

Sometimes I pretend not to know the truth or ignore a situation instead of helping.
Sometimes when I see an injustice, I look the other way.
I think most can admit that we have done this at some point, right?…

“How can I give life to a lifeless situation?”

Have you ever taken a walk at night with only a flashlight to guide you?  If so, you have seen the power that a small light can provide. Living as creatures …

What difference does the Eucharist make in my life?

I am a Jesuit (Society of Jesus) priest. We were founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola and his companions.  Ignatius, our first superior general, was from the …

“When have I seen small gifts make a big difference?”

Sitting next to a volunteer at a meeting recently, the elderly woman said to me, “I only help out one hour a week; I don’t really make a difference.”  I …

“Where is my place to be alone with God?”

As I reflected on the Connecting Point this week, I thought instead of reflecting on where my physical place is to be alone with God, I would share my thoughts through …

I’m sorry. We use that expression often in our daily conversations; but asking for forgiveness is sometimes more difficult. There’s an implied admission that maybe, just maybe, we were wrong. It could have been because of our own actions or …

We live in a country that values achievement and success. In trying to be successful sometimes, our weaknesses come out and expose us to the world. In this Sunday’s readings St. Paul says, “Through the power of Christ we are …

Hurt, pain, & suffering, these are things that nobody likes to face. We try to avoid them as part of the human condition but also know that they are unavoidable. At any given moment there are people in my life …

Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist, whom Jesus himself called “the greatest man born of a woman.” (Matthew 11:11).  John’s greatness lied in the fact that Jesus was the focus of his life. He drew people …

In what small ways can I honor a father?

Our parents play a very special role in our lives.  Often times, they are the people who teach us right from wrong.  They are the people who instill a work ethic.  …

You hear the term a house dived a lot when Michigan and Michigan State play each other and if you have family members that attended both schools under the same roof. What team do you root for?

Now think about …

“When I grew up …” is the beginning of many stories among family and friends.  One of my favorite stories of when I grew up was when we came together as a family at the table for a meal. With …

Fortunately, I grew up in a Catholic household nurtured and knowing from my earliest memories that God loves us very much and very perfectly.  He loves us even in moments when we aren’t necessarily “lovable”. ..and yes, even when we …

There is so much awesome power in the Holy Spirit! And on Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, we celebrate that power. Power, at its simplest, is the ability to do something, to act, to accomplish. Another way is that …

It is not just in our “modern day” that we are discouraged from speaking up and defending the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In my early days in the workforce, it was a long established “rule” that you didn’t discuss politics …

Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him. Thomas doubted him.

Through all this Jesus still loved them. Jesus showed us how we are given the call to be “friends of God.”  That friendship includes putting others before ourselves, seeking ways to …

How can I grow in confidence to support others who need to know God?

In order for us to “bear fruit” and be his disciples, we must support others who need it; who need to know God’s love.

Growing up …

Jesus included everybody! Shepherding today requires paying attention: one of the clearest features of Jesus’ pastoral style is the way He included people that each person is not left out: he included criminals, the “unclean” and people who were outcast …

This weekend we hear the story of Jesus being made known through the breaking of the bread. Here Jesus was standing in the midst of the same disciples who were with him just days earlier before his passion, yet they …

On Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate the boundless mercy of God, who throughout history has forgiven those who have turned away. Jesus preached forgiveness extensively in his ministry, enshrining it in the prayer he taught his disciples. God’s mercy is …

In the celebration of Adult Baptism, the person being baptized is immersed under water three times, symbolizing the three days that Christ was in the tomb!  In Baptism, we die with Christ and rise with him to new life.  The …

“Mr. Rogers Neighborhood”

In these troubled times, it is not difficult to encounter someone who is weary.  But do we always see them?

The weary ones are all around us…at work, in school, at the market, on the street corner, …

“How do I let go of self-center ways to become the best version of myself?”

Feelings come and go. Human emotions can sometime control you; leaving you to feel worry, fear, and self-centerness. God calls us to let go of …

This, I believe, is not just a difficulty for “church professionals” but for people in general. We use phrases so often that the phrase loses the significance it should have in our lives. We sing, pray and proclaim the “Glory …

Jesus could no longer tolerate people taking advantage of others in the temple area, so much so, that he made a whip out of cords and drove them all out.  He even spilled the coins of the money changers and …

How can my living reflect God’s Light?

In this Sunday readings, we hear about Christ’s light and how it should reflect on others. Christ’s glorified body and the dazzling light are revealed to the disciples that followed Jesus up the …

My friends who run marathons take their physical fitness seriously throughout the year.  They incorporate physical exercise routines and healthy eating into their daily lives.  However, as a marathon draws near, they step things up a notch.  In order to …