Fr. Paul's Meditations for Church Year B

Sometimes we get deeper insights when we treat the scripture in CIA fashion. We check out the usual suspects, examine the evidence rationally and then look for the clues consciously. Today's scripture calls for such an investigation.  Read more

Today could be called "Baptism Sunday". It is a time in the church when many, from adults to babies, are baptized into the community of Christians. When people become Christians many times they move on in their life from the baptism event. Rarely is it ever celebrated as we celebrate other significant times in our life. When was the last time you celebrated your baptism?  Read more

The Wise Men did not discover Jesus. He was not lost. They were the ones who were lost. Forget wanting to look for Jesus. He is not lost. We are. His Presence is right here within us. We need to learn to use our conscious faculty to discover His Light.  Read more

Today, we do not have the choir, the crowd or the candles. We have a mostly empty church, as most already went to the Mass last night. There are unlit candles circling the church, perhaps flowers that need watering, with pieces of paper the alter guild might have missed after going deep into the night sprucing things up. This is a wonder full time. I like to call it a "no frills service".  Read more

One of the sayings I hear around Christmas is "it does not seem like Christmas." It is an interesting question to ask ourselves: "What do I need for Christmas to seem like Christmas?"  Read more

Mary had every right to be afraid. When a good friend comes to us and gives us praise, we may wonder what they really want. When God sends the Angel of the Lord to give us praise there may be more to it than just the praise. The difference is the friend might expect more from us. God does not expect anything from us but to receive what He already has given.  Read more

Here we go again. What is “The Light”? If you want to treat it as a physical light, then go at it. Then tell me how much sense or impact it can make in anyone’s life. The physical light is a metaphor for the real spiritual Light of Christ.  Read more

In this Scripture we center in on who is John the Baptist. His mission was to prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight in the desert the highway for our God. What are we talking about? Are we talking about a physical desert, and highway or a spiritual one?  Read more

In the Scripture for Advent I, it is presumptuous to believe Jesus is talking about a physical return. “This generation shall not pass away until all these things will come.” He was either terribly mistaken or those who think this is a physical return are the ones mistaken.  Read more