Sunday Reflections from the C.PP.S.
C.PP.S. Members share their reflections on Sunday readings
God Does Not Go It Alone
By Brother Brian Boyle, C.PP.S. Please recall Holy Trinity Sunday three years ago. That Sunday may have felt lonely. Chances are you attended Mass online. Chances are you would not have celebrated Easter as you did in previous years. Outside of the person(s) you lived...
May We Be Set on Fire
By Fr. Matt Keller, C.PP.S. There is a story of a little boy and his grandmother having a conversation and the little boy said “Grandma, I know what happened at Pentecost.” The grandmother said, “What happened at Pentecost?” He said, “It was when Jesus came to set...
Mary as Our Defender
This image of Our Lady of the Stick can be found at the Abbey of San Felice in Giano, Italy, where the Missionaries were founded in 1815. By Fr. Steve Dos Santos, C.PP.S. The celebration of Mary Help of Christians was instituted by Pope Pius VII in 1815, a year after...
In the Realm of Miracles
By Fr. Tony Fortman, C.PP.S. Today we celebrate the ascension of the Lord. Jesus ascended into heaven body and soul in the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary and his apostles. This is not the first time Jesus was suspended in the air. If we go back to the...
“Jesus Christus der Rechtes Eckstein”
By Brother Matt Schaefer, C.PP.S. Years ago, before I entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, I worked in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Across the street from where I worked there was an old church I walked by every day. As I waited on the corner to cross the...
The Good Shepherd is also the Gate
By Fr Tim McFarland, C.PP.S. A couple of years ago when I was in ministry in Mercer County, Ohio, I had prepared my homily for this Good Shepherd Sunday and noted how perhaps it was (is) difficult for us to identify with this Gospel as we don’t see sheep much – even...
A Powerful Passage
By Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S. The “Journey to Emmaus” is one of the most well-known stories in the New Testament. It is a vivid story that we can truly connect with. Two downtrodden disciples leaving Jerusalem…an encounter with a stranger to whom the disciples tell...
Mercy, Wrapped in Mercy
By Fr. Bill Nordenbrock, C.PP.S. The first time that I preached on the Gospel account of the appearances of the Resurrected Christ to the disciples was the day after my ordination. As I reflected on this narrative then, what caught my attention was that Jesus needed...
Easter Ripples Out
An Easter message from our provincial director, Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S. Throughout Holy Week, we lived through the familiar stories of Jesus’ passion and death. As we placed ourselves in the stories, we were at times part of the mob yelling “Crucify him,” and at...
We Too Have Seen the Lord
By Fr. Dennis Chriszt, C.PP.S. This is the feast of victory for our God! Alleluia, alleluia! Mary Magdalene’s first reaction was panic. “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” She wasn’t sure what to make of an empty tomb that...
It’s Wasn’t Praise that Brought Jesus to Jerusalem
By Fr. Tim Knepper, C.PP.S. The Gospel for Palm Sunday might be one of the longest readings we get in a year, not counting the Easter Vigil marathon. Long readings or intense theological ideas are good at times, but in a setting like Alcoholics Anonymous, even the Big...
There’s a Surprise Party Going On!
By Deacon Turf D. Martin Surprise! Many of us have been to a surprise birthday party or surprise anniversary celebration. There is a surprise party going on right now and we are invited. The surprise is to look on life with the eyes of faith, to see exactly what we...
The Works of God Made Visible
Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. (John 9:3) By Fr. Steve Dos Santos, C.PP.S. When I was a student at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, I took a class entitled “Preaching the Gospel of John” at...
To Be “Lengthened” in Spirit
By Fr. James “Santiago” Gaynor, C.PP.S. My childhood memories of Lent are of not eating the chocolate candy I wanted and of 40 days of fasting and abstinence. I remember having feelings of sadness and suffering. I was glad when it was finally over. The true...
In Communion and in Covenant
By Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S. Now that we are well on our way in the season of Lent, I am sure each of us has made some Lenten resolutions. Maybe you gave up chocolate or social media. Maybe you promised to watch less television and to pray more. And I’m sure that...
A Merciful and Gracious God
By Fr. Joe Uecker, C.PP.S. While Lent is a time to consider our sinfulness, it is also a time to ponder the graciousness of God. The Responsorial Psalm for the First Sunday of Lent sets the tone for the entire season. It is one of the most familiar biblical prayers...
Rending Our Hearts
By Fr. Joe Nassal, C.PP.S. On Ash Wednesday, the prophet Joel proclaims, “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” Rending means tearing, as when the psalmist prayed for God to rend the heavens and come down to earth. Or, in Mark’s Gospel when Jesus steps out of the...
Look for the Face of Jesus
By Deacon Greg Evers, C.PP.S. “Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.” What does it mean to be holy like God? There are certainly a number of ways in which one can live out this call. On a fundamental level, this is what we are called to do as baptized Christian...
With God’s Help, We See the Light
By Brother Tom Bohman, C.PP.S. Ten days ago we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation and also Groundhog Day. We can choose to see either the light in our own lives or see the darkness. God’s wisdom helps to clarify our human understanding of reality. Today we are...
Turning Beer into Furniture
By Brother Brian Boyle, C.PP.S. In a story from 19th century intellectual and theologian John Hutton, a man who had been a drunkard was captured by Christ. His workmates used to try to shake his newfound faith and said to him, “Surely a sensible man like you cannot...
Blessed are the Poor, the Meek
By Fr. Matt Keller, C.PP.S. When I was in high school, I was sent to a Catholic Youth Conference that concluded with Sunday Mass. I remember that the priest got up to give his homily and asked that a 15-minute timer to be set so that he would know when to end his...
Constant, Lifelong Conversion
By Brother Matthew Schaefer, C.PP.S. In my travels on the interstate system, I frequently encounter what I call Billboards of Doom. Two that I pass regularly give a rather unambiguous message: the first one, REPENT! and the second one, HELL IS REAL! I assume that...
Each of Us is Called by Name
By Fr. Tim McFarland, C.PP.S. We have once again entered into Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. The decorations of Christmas are put away and we’re back to the ordinariness of the year. However, the readings for today offer us a challenge to be “extraordinary”...
Make Room for the Messiah
By Fr. Tony Fortman, C.PP.S. Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. We remember the three magi, Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar. Our founder, St. Gaspar del Bufalo, was born on the feast of the Epiphany, January 6, and he was named after the three magi: Gaspar...
Blessings From Above
By Fr. Dennis Chriszt, C.PP.S. From Angels We Have Heard on High Gloria in excelsis Deo! God taught Moses how to call down a blessing upon God’s people, and for over three thousand years, rabbis and priests have been pronouncing this blessing. The Lord bless you...
God is not Dead, Nor Does He Sleep
By Fr. Angelo Anthony, C.PP.S. This Christmas season saw the release of a new movie that tells the story of how Henry Wadsworth Longfellow came to write the poem, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which became a beloved Christmas carol. In the long cold winter in...
To Look Beyond What Is
Joseph’s Dream by Edward Jarmosiewicz By Fr. Steve Dos Santos, C.PP.S. Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. (Matthew 1:20) The fourth Sunday of Advent invites us to step into the Christmas story more directly. As we are...
Rose Means Rejoice!
By Fr. Matt Keller, C.PP.S. Today is the Third Sunday of Advent, also referred to as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word, calling for us to rejoice. Today we have reached the exact middle point of the season of Advent, two weeks in and two more weeks to go, Christ...
Maybe Do Something Different
By Brother Brian Boyle, C.PP.S. Distractions. We all have them in different ways to different intensities. Distractions can not only stop you and me from personal growth. They can also get in the way of hearing God’s call in our lives. Sometimes a distraction can be a...
The Coronation of Our True King
By Fr. Dennis Chriszt, C.PP.S. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF0m2KZUUB4] When Queen Elizabeth II died, videos of her coronation were played. It was a great celebration with great...