REFLECTIONS

Jesus talks to us about the seed. The seed is so powerful. When you look at it from the outside, it seems like nothing—just a little thing. But if you really knew the holiness of a seed! An entire forest exists within a seed. If you put an acorn in the ground with the right conditions, it will eventually give you not just a tree, but a whole oak grove. A tiny apple seed has the power to grow an entire orchard. One seed! This is what yielding a hundredfold looks like.

In one of our recent Gospel readings, Jesus tells us: "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me." (Mark 8:34). This is a radical statement! When we hear this, we sometimes think about the cross Jesus carried up that hill. We think about fasting, giving things up, enduring difficulties. And yes, this is part of taking up the cross, but the Church Fathers talk about a different kind of cross. Not just the external cross, but the dee

In the wake of this tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk and last week's shooting in Minneapolis at the Annunciation Catholic School, it is natural to search for answers and accountability. Yet as we watch politicians and others rush to blame one another, to claim moral superiority, or to assign guilt to certain groups, we fall into a familiar trap described by Fr. Meletios Webber: the mind's compulsive need to be right.

My friends in the Midwest are experiencing thick, smoky air from the Canadian wildfires. For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, that heaviness is all too familiar. It starts with one small spark and suddenly thousands of acres are scorched, homes are displaced, and the sky is filled with haze. As I've watched the fires unfold back in my home state, I've found myself reflecting on how quickly things spiral out of control in our relationships and within communities. Misunder

In my previous reflection, I shared about a walk I took with my son five years ago. On that walk, I thought about four things that we can delight in amidst our walk with God, our Father. I'll conclude with my final two thoughts here. Around a hundred years ago, my grandfather was visiting the big city. It was quite a different sight from their country farm as he walked hand in hand with his grandson let go of his hand, dashed into traffic, and was killed. I thought of this

When my son was born, Fr. Tom told me, "All children come with a PhD, a Parental Healing Doctorate. Your son will be your teacher." I was reminded again of this while waiting with my son about six years ago. I had misjudged a car repair appointment, and we had hours to wait, not minutes. I decided we'd go for a walk and run some errands to fill the time. Walking hand in hand with my five-year-old son brought me reflections on my walk with my heavenly Father...

Jesus proclaimed 2000 years ago and says that same thing today to us: "We are to be baptized with water and we shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to Him." Jesus' final words at His holy Ascension should empower us to proclaim His Gospel, His truth, and to know that we will receive the power from the Holy Spirit to do His will. We are called to become His followers who will proclaim the truth that He is God, that He is the Light, that He is the door, th

Have you ever had one moment in life that changed your entire life? Today, let's zoom in on one moment in the life of St. Andrew where two questions changed his entire life. Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist, and he was there to witness Jesus arriving on the scene to be baptized. John the Baptist said of Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God" (John 1:36). St. Andrew heard this and felt something deep in his heart, and he decided to follow Jesus. I imagine him making a hasty

Even though Lent is in the past for 2025, I'd like to reflect on it one more time. In many Christian circles, the season of Lent arrives alongside the question, "What are you giving up for Lent?" I would like to suggest two different questions that I find more helpful and relevant to us all year round. For the first question, let's look to Jesus' words in Luke 9:23, He says "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me

Through the Great Fast we are seeking to be further enlightened by Christ's Gospel, asking that the Light of our Lord penetrate our hearts more deeply so that we can recognize Him clearly and serve Him more fervently. We are on a journey to become transfigured and changed through prayer, fasting and humility, by responding to God's calling to not only receive the light but to 'become' light! During each Lenten pre-sanctified liturgy, the priest comes through the royal doors

I have heard that St. Seraphim of Sarov would greet everyone he met with, “Christ is Risen, My Joy.” He would call each person, “My Joy.”

Pastor Allan passed away a short while ago. He was the first pastor I remember having when I was a kid at a small Baptist church in...