BLOG: Deacon-structing,Reflections,Saints and Blesseds
Among the many beautiful and significant places of Jerusalem is undoubtedly the Via Dolorosa, or Way of the Cross, the way that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, and headed for Golgotha, the place of his crucifixion. This route starts from the Fortress Antonia, a building that once stood at the north side of the Temple of Jerusalem, considered ...read more
Every step of our pilgrimage in the Holy Land has left us in awe not only because of the historical and spiritual dimensions of the holy places we visit and which commemorate the life of Jesus but also because of the beauty of the landscape that surrounds us. On March 1, 2016, after having navigated the ...read more
On Saturday, February 27, 2016, we drove to Nazareth from our residence on the Mount of Beatitudes to visit the site of Mary’s home and where Jesus lived as a child. But first we stopped off at Nazareth Village, a complete replica of what the small Nazarene village would have been looked like over two thousand years ago. We ...read more
Cana is a Galilean town five miles northeast of Nazareth. Its population of around 8,500 includes both Muslims and Christians. “The wedding at Cana” is a bible reading to tell us about the first miracle of Jesus, the water into wine. There are many symbolic meanings in this reading. Let us focus on some of them ...read more
The Sea of Galilee is located in the east side of the Galilee, in the north of Israel. There are many stories related to Jesus along the Sea of Galilee. For instance, he called his first disciples by the sea, preaching the parable of the sower, the walking on the water, the calming of a ...read more
I love it when we hear something we’ve heard many time as if it was the first time. Last year, I heard something that I had never heard before: “If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only ...read more
Over the last couple of days, I’ve been sharing with you what stood out most for me during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico. First it was his focus on young people and the challenges they face. Next it had to do with how we respond to challenges that we all face in the light of sin. Yesterday we looked ...read more
Over the next couple of days, I’d like to share with you what stood out most for me during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico. First it was his focus on young people and the challenges they face. Next it had to do with how we respond to challenges that we all face in the light ...read more
Over the next couple of days, I’d like to share with you what stood out most for me during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico. First it was his focus on young people. Sadly, my next point is a bit more sobering. Fertile Soil Pope Francis could not have gone to Mexico and not spoken about ...read more
Pope Francis went to Mexico, he said, as a “missionary of mercy and of peace but also as a son who wishes to pay homage to his mother, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, and place himself under her watchful care” (Meeting with Authorities at National Palace in Mexico City, Feb. 13, 2016) and that he ...read more