Thoughts on the 4th Sunday of Advent, December 22, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com A central irony of Advent-Christmas is that with all the necessary plans, the set gatherings of family and friends, the detailed lists and preparations as well as the scheduled ceremonies, with all that, what is celebrated is the barely known…
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Thoughts on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, December 8, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This homily benefits from the contribution of Christina Gschwandtner in her reflection for the community on the phenomenology of Eucharist with attention to this Season of Advent. Her “Further Reflections” is a gift to the community as we begin liturgically…
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Thoughts on the Feast of Jesus Christ, Ruler of the Universe November 24, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Our faith, spirituality, religiosity thrives on imagery. Today’s feast has historical and liturgical roots in a view of what we formerly called the Church Triumphant. The images of our youth give way to mature ways of…
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Thoughts on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time November 10, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com As I see it, today’s Gospel passage (Luke 20:27-38) reveals Jesus view that it is downright silly to think that God is bound by Mosaic Law. Those who rise from the dead will be like angels, Jesus says amusingly…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53213 Community blog: https://maryofmagdala-mke.org/blog The article, “Mystery Manifested: Toward a Phenomenology of the Eucharist in its Liturgical Context,” (https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10050315) is instructive to me and my community of worship, Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community, Wauwatosa,…
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Thoughts on the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time & the Canonization of Cardinal Newman October 13, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com My Dad had a lifetime devotion to Cardinal Newman. The one document he wrote that I regret never having read is his college thesis which he did on the man who this morning…
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Thoughts on the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time & the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi October 6, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com At today’s Liturgy two readers proclaimed the Gospel passage from Luke 17:5-10 So, you may ask, why two readers of a Gospel passage that is written in the one voice of…
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Thoughts on the Celebration of Donna & Bob’s Anniversary, September 8, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com When I first read the Gospel (Luke 14:25-33) that is designated for today’s liturgy – the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – I didn’t see it as appropriate for our celebration today. Maybe another Sunday but…
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Thoughts on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 1, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Community Blog, www.maryofmagdala-mke.org/blog For years my Father was president of his local chapter of the Union which at the time was called the Lodge of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT). He said they kept electing him because he…
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Thoughts on the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 11, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Today’s Gospel parable of the relationship between the owner and workers (Luke 12:32-48) can easily be seen as a one-off. What I mean by one-off is, if what is described here (the grateful owner rewards the vigilant workers who…
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