Posted by Carol Johnson on 6/09/25
Ten days after his glorious Ascension into Heaven, the Lord fulfilled his promise to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples. The day this happened was no coincidence. That day was the solemn feast of Pentecost, which the Jews had celebrated for centuries. Pentecost was a feast of thanksgiving ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 6/02/25
Forty days after the Resurrection, the Lord ascended to heaven. The Lord's return to the Father from where he had come marked the conclusion of his mission. We read in the book of the Prophet Isaiah, “Thus says the Lord, for just as from the heavens the rain and ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 5/19/25
St. John begins his account of the Last Supper with these words, “Jesus loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). It was at this time that the Lord washed the disciples' feet. That was unthinkable. On the eve of his Passion, ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 5/12/25
“I will appoint for you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently” (Jeremiah 3:15) was the promise God made to Israel. This is the promise God makes to his Church in all times, including the present. After the funeral and mourning for Pope Francis, ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 5/05/25
In today's Gospel reading, St. John describes the scene of seven disciples after they had been fishing all night long. "When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread." That morning, the Risen Lord prepared a meal for them. This meal ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 4/28/25
There are two themes on the minds of Catholics today: Divine Mercy and Pope Francis.
The Second Sunday of Easter was instituted as Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope St. John Paul II just a quarter of a century ago. The devotion to Divine Mercy dates to Poland, the birthplace ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 4/20/25
The central theme of the Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament is that God is forgiving and merciful. These same sacred texts revealed that the full extent of God’s forgiveness was not definitive nor absolute for God’s people. There seemed to be ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 4/20/25
On this most solemn Friday of the Lord’s Passion, I want to focus on the virtue of obedience to God, of which the Lord gives us the perfect example. The counterexample is Adam. Adam’s disobedience was original sin. St. Paul wrote to the Romans, “For just as through the ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 4/20/25
Why do Catholics love the Eucharist so much? The answer is very simple: because this sacrament is the most beautiful thing that can happen to us in this world! And, it is available to us every single day! In the Eucharist, the Lord gives himself totally to us out ... Read More »
Posted by Carol Johnson on 4/14/25
In addition to saving the world through his suffering, the Lord’s suffering gave us an example of life. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that, "the cross exemplifies every virtue." So, if we want to learn to love, to have patience, to be humble, to be obedient to God, and to ... Read More »