“Little Stories and Big Saints” Thoughts on All Saints/All Souls, November 5, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com “Who we are now…. and who we will later become….” Adaptation of 1 John 3:3 Now, there’s an indicator of change, the kind of change, for our purposes, that speaks of conversion. And by conversion I don’t…
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“Where have all the bishops gone?” OR “The people do Social Teaching now!” Thoughts on 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time October 29, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com When last we left St. Paul – as in, last Sunday’s second reading from the 1st Letter to the Thessalonians – he reminded them that he led…
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“Virtue in Troubled Times” Thoughts on 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time October 22, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Maybe you share with me the disgust I am experiencing at a time when the occupant of the Office of President of the United States acts worse than the 5 year old child who has been…
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“Economic Justice not Mercy OR the Fairness of a Living Wage” Thoughts on 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time September 24, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com When one believes in and holds to a Social Teaching then by definition one believes in the priority of the Good. This is to say that the Social Teaching…
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“Where are the miracles today?” Thoughts on 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time August 13, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Today’s Gospel story of Jesus inviting Peter to come to him on the water is a familiar one (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter responds by stepping out of the boat and walking toward Jesus. He stays upright…
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“We are Eyewitnesses to Sovereign Majesty.” Thoughts on Transfiguration, August 6, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.co “For we are eyewitnesses of his sovereign majesty.” (2Peter 1:17) Now that the Transfiguration vision is done and Resurrection is experienced Peter has a clear appreciation for sovereign majesty. It has nothing to do with triumphalism, power, or…
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“When Ground is not ground and Hope is not hope.” Thoughts on 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time. July 16, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com On this midsummer Sunday we have a philosopher’s delight. Instead of completing the Crossword Puzzle on a beach plying appropriate amounts of sunscreen, we have word play nonetheless. Here’s why.…
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How, then, are we not a cult? thoughts on Independence Weekend, July 2, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com We celebrate, on this 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Independence Holiday running all the way to July 4th. This time of focus acknowledges that freedom is a gift to share and a challenge to sustain.…
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Message This! thoughts on Trinity Sunday, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Believe it or not, the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity – this celebration of One in Three, Three in One – has a coherent background to it. A background, when seen through philosopher’s eyes, that resonates with ancient questions. And the really big…
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“Quaint ain’t everything!” thoughts on Ascension, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com The Solemnity of Ascension, which we celebrate today, is about location. We hear the story that Jesus is taken up into the clouds. Where is Jesus? Those who wrote this story and so much else about those experiences with the Risen Jesus did…
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