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Fourth Sunday of Lent 2025 (Year A Readings)

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  A few years ago I went on vacation with Fr. Scott and our friend Fr. Mike, and we rented a house right across the street from the beach just north of Boston. It was a beautiful spot.  My routine on vacation is pretty simple: I wake up early, go to Mass, and then treat myself to breakfast at this little diner overlooking the ocean.  It’s peaceful, the food is great, and the view is unbeatable. One morning, I was sitting at a table with a perfect view of the Atlantic—waves rolling in, seagulls flying by, all of it. I ordered my breakfast and started playing Wordle on my phone while I waited.  You know Wordle—the word game where you try to guess a five-letter word in six tries. That morning’s puzzle was a tough one. After three or four attempts, I was getting nowhere.  Frustrated, I gave up and just typed in the word I had started with earlier in the puzzle. It wasn’t the right answer, but then the correct word popped up. Would you believe it? The answer was… “OC...
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Feast of the Annunciation

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 Today, we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our faith—the moment when the Word became flesh. Not in a royal palace, not in a place of power, but in a small town, in the simple life of a young woman named Mary. I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. In the lower church, there is a cave, the very place where tradition tells us Mary encountered the angel Gabriel. On the altar inside that cave, an inscription reads:  Verbum caro hic factum est —"The Word became flesh…  here! " That single word— "here" —is striking. It reminds us that God's great act of salvation didn’t happen in some distant, abstract way. It happened in a real place, at a real moment in history. God entered our world in the most concrete way possible, taking on our humanity in the womb of Mary. But this mystery isn’t just about a past event. It is about how God still desires to dwell among us  here —in our hearts, in our daily lives, in the simple m...
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Location: Morrisonville, NY, USA
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Third Sunday of Lent 2025 (Year A Readings)

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  I need to stay hydrated to avoid fatigue, brain fog, and even emotional stress! Have you ever felt tired, dizzy, sluggish, or had a headache for no reason? Maybe you've been irritable, unable to concentrate, or just felt "off." Chances are—you were dehydrated. Health experts tell us that by the time you feel thirsty, you're already behind on hydration. Our bodies need water constantly to function properly. Without it, we experience fatigue, brain fog, and even emotional stress. So how do we stay hydrated? Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid things that dehydrate us, like too much caffeine or sugar. Recognize the signs early—before they get worse. But let’s ask a deeper question: Have you ever felt restless, discouraged, or like something is missing? Maybe you've tried to fill that emptiness with distractions, success, or relationships—yet the thirst remains. If so, chances are—you’re spiritually dehydrated. God Meets Us in Our Dry Places! In our F...
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Location: Morrisonville, NY, USA
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Second Sunday of Lent 2025

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  Despite my fear of heights I was able to take this picture from the summit of the Mount of Transfiguration where this weekend's gospel reading takes place in 2016. I have a confession to make: I’m afraid of heights.  I don’t like climbing ladders. I don’t like looking over high ledges. And I certainly don’t enjoy standing on observation decks at the top of skyscrapers.  Just the thought of looking down from that high up makes my knees weak! Why?  Because when you’re that high, you feel vulnerable. You realize just how small you are. And that fear can be paralyzing.   The logical part of my brain knows I’m probably safe, but something inside me still panics and wants to back away. In today’s Gospel, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain.  Maybe they were a little winded from the climb, but nothing could prepare them for what happened next.  Jesus is transfigured before them—His face changes, His clothes become dazzling white, and Moses...
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