Ok, I’m dating myself with lyrics to a song from the Seventies, but that Five Man Electrical Band hit always comes to mind when I talk about John’s Gospel. You see, John is often referred to as the Gospel of Signs. Instead of using the word “miracle,” John speaks of “signs” that Jesus performed. These … Read more
“But what good are these?” So says Andrew to Jesus, explaining that there is a boy with five barley loaves and two fish. “But what good are these for so many?” Don’t we all feel like that sometimes? We can look at our personal challenges, we can thing about situations confronting our family, we can … Read more
In light of the attempted assassination of former President Trump, I felt that I would heed President Biden’s National Oval Office Address and ask that we all take a step back, reevaluate what is really important, think carefully about what we believe and who we are willing to lose from our lives over someone who, … Read more
We Need Your Help To Make This Beauty Thrive! Our beautiful Bell Tower is in need of repair. We have begun the process but just the scaffolding alone is over $1,500! We need your help to get to the finish line! There have been Twelve major renovations since the initial core of our church building … Read more
At Saint Miriam, we just can’t help it! Every year we get bigger and better and this coming fall, we are pleased to announce that we will be expanding again. Please join us in welcoming our newest Pre-K 4 Classroom that opens in September 2024! There are a few limited spots available, so act fast … Read more
Friends of Saint Miriam desperately need Bottled Water Donations! You can help us keep our street friends hydrated. Bottled water is essential for the overall health and hydration of our poor and homeless guests. Who can help us give this portable source of a human necessity to someone less fortunate? What can one cold bottle … Read more
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel, we will hear, “He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Jesus needed rest. While you read this message, my family and I are out resting! (Well, we are on a family vacation to Delaware to visit family with everyone in tow, so … Read more
We lost a friend to Saint Miriam last week. Donna Conway lost her battle to pancreatic cancer. I married Donna and her husband Dan just a couple years ago. You might have met them when they attended Mass at the parish often. She was a beautiful soul and warm woman and a lady in every … Read more
Dear Friends, Quick: what is the purpose of Christianity? If you had to write a Mission Statement for Christianity in as few words as possible, what would you write? What’s the plan? Well, as we begin to read Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, Paul states succinctly what he calls God’s “plan for the fullness of … Read more
When Jesus visited Nazareth, where He grew up, He faced rejection. He was not able to perform any miracles, apart from curing a few sick people. He was amazed at their lack of faith! Contrast this with the story of the Centurion, when He said, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel … Read more
Mark’s Gospel continues this Sunday with the story of the woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years and the synagogue official’s daughter who had died. Last week it was Jesus calming the Sea. It is as if Mark’s Gospel is a highlight tape of Jesus that includes His greatest hits. It’s short, fast-paced, and to … Read more
I was cleaning out some old desk drawers last week, in a not completely successful attempt to feel more organized. But the project ended up being a blessing: amid papers and notes and holy cards and lots of other stuff, I discovered an old, tattered booklet that had been gifted to me way back in … Read more
With this Sunday finding Mark’s Gospel bringing us the famous lesson on storms and the fact that President Biden offered a way for immigrants to stay together in our country, and it also being a week of remembering freedom with Juneteenth, I decided to go deep into the water to remind us that, as Catholic Christians, … Read more
Dear Friends, I have to admit: I get the disciples’ reaction to the storm at sea. “Why are you afraid?” Jesus asks. I want to answer, “Um. Gee. Maybe because the boat is taking on water and we’re being knocked all over the place and could go overboard or sink at any moment.” I think … Read more
This coming Sunday we hear another famous parable! Jesus often thinks and speaks in parables and uses images which he draws from the world around him. Jesus reaches especially for symbols of life and growth in His wonderful illustrations using words and story. Today we hear a familiar, yet ever evolving, mustard seed parable! From … Read more
Are you a patient person? Are you patient with yourself, with others, with the world? Or do you like things done—and done perfectly—lickety-split? Do you like immediate results? And only the best results? I admit I can be impatient—with myself, with others, ok, let me just admit it: with the whole world, and, yes, even with … Read more
Yikes! Jesus doesn’t seem to be a very “family values” type guy in today’s gospel. It seems as if he is snubbing his mother and his brothers and sisters. Add this to the time that Jesus remarked that no one could come to him without hating father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters and it … Read more
People imagine their god intervening in the world to different degrees. Once, God is like a Watchmaker, Occasionally, God is a tinkerer for some but not for all. Constantly, well we are mere Marionettes! The whole idea of a tinkering God suggests that God might have created one thing, later decided to change it, or … Read more
It’s one of my favorite memories from my days at Mother of Mercy House: We were celebrating Thanksgiving Day Mass in our tiny chapel. An elderly man peeked in our window, saw us praying and decided to come in and join us. It was obvious that he wasn’t Catholic as he didn’t know the responses but … Read more
