Apostolic Times

Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. How familiar is the image of the manger that serves as cradle for the newly born Jesus; familiar, too, is our understanding that the Word of God becomes human in this child.  But how are we to understand this divine Word who grew in human “wisdom, age, and grace?” (Luke 2:52) …
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Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. Promise is a central element of covenant peoples. Jewish faith wouldn’t exist without promise – from strangers who are fed by Abraham and Sarah and leave them with the promise of a son within the year, to a burning bush on Mt. Sinai which promises Moses and the people a Promised…
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2nd Sunday of Advent, December 4, 2022 Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. Several of life’s most important lessons came my way in the southern mountains of eastern Kentucky.  One of them, for example is the value of spending an entire afternoon porch-sitting without moving.  Here’s another: At the time I lived in Floyd County, that is,…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. Today’s Gospel passage (Luke 13:22-30) contains a familiar story Jesus tells about the head of household who welcomes many and refuses some into the safety of the enclosed home.  To those who are refused this owner says, “I do not know who you are.” Here are my two issues with making…
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Jim Ryan, Ph.D. June 20 was International Refugee Day.  On June 26, I was asked to give the homily during a joint zoom Eucharist that included members of Mary of Magdala Community, Wauwatosa WI, and members of Inclusive Catholics, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.  One feature of the homily focused on the refugee question and its worldwide…
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Blessed Trinity of the Future© Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. Dog lovers will be amused with reassurance, I think, when I say that my dog – for absolute certain – knows and understands one word.  (Actually, he knows many more which was the subject of one of my blogs between 2017-2020.  The title was, “My Dog…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, C.P. Digital Art Cosmic Christ Christ is Every One. Christ is dead to sin. Every One is dead to sin. Why is this not true? This is a digital image of the Cosmic Christ – the Suffering Servant among the stars.  You will, I hope, notice this image is not of an…
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Fifth Sunday in Lent –  Homily thoughts “Ephraim Week” © Rev. Jim Ryan, M.Div., Ph.D. The news that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead caused a stir in the goings-on of both Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, as well as Jerusalem, the temple surroundings specifically.  Some people believed in him and others…
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 Homily by Rev. Jim Ryan, Ph.D. Third Sunday in Lent, March 20, 2022 The person who goes to the doctor because of not feeling quite right and who receives the diagnosis that they have stage 4 cancer that has metastasized to several organs – this person faces some immediate choices.  Do they passively accept the…
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