God's Word on Sunday: So much more awaits us in God’s Kingdom

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Nov. 6 (2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; Psalm 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5; Luke 20:27-38)

Would we be willing to suffer torture and death for our faith and our inner convictions? We could be like Peter in the gospels and insist that we would stand fast even if everyone else chickened out. It is easy to boast of our courage and fortitude as long as the suffering is merely theoretical. But if we were to be hauled before authorities and forced to decide on the spot, it would not be so easy — in fact, the mere thought can be frightening. 

God's Word on Sunday: The true Lord seeks those who are lost

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 30 (Wisdom 11:22-12:2; Psalm 145; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10)

Many images of God compete in our individual and collective consciousness. Some of them are inspiring and lifegiving, while others smother the human soul. In its journey through millennia of history, the human understanding of God changed often as it was affected by experience and culture. The image of God is not static and unchanging, for the process continues. 

Cries for peace can't be ignored, Pope Francis says at interreligious meeting

Standing in front of an ancient symbol of violent battles, Pope Francis and religious leaders from around the world echoed "the cry for peace" of people suffering the impact of conflicts around the world, but especially in Ukraine.

Vatican, China renew agreement on appointing bishops

Saying it is committed to "respectful dialogue" with China's communist government and to "fostering the mission of the Catholic Church and the good of the Chinese people," the Vatican announced it has renewed its agreement with China on the appointment of bishops.

God's Word on Sunday: Those ‘tuned in’ to God resonate in His heart

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 23 (Sirach 35:15-17, 20-22; Psalm 34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14)

What does it take to get a hearing before the throne of God? How should we pray? Many prayers are directed heavenward each day — each minute and second of the day — but not all of them seem to be answered. The problem is that we fashion the prayer out of what is in our own heart. If our prayer is filled with egotism, selfishness, cynicism and smugness, the prayer is really directed towards ourselves.

Indigenous traditions enrich Catholic faith

It was a double celebration — the launch of a first book of its kind by an Anishinaabe Catholic woman, and a powerful lesson on how a harmonious blend of indigenous rituals and practices with those of Western Christianity could illuminate the path to a renewed spirit of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and an enriched Catholic Church.

God's Word on Sunday: Strength is drawn from those who inspire

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 16 (Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8)

In armies of the ancient world, the charisma and presence of the military leader made the difference between victory and defeat. As long as the leader stood tall and continued to fight, the warriors could take courage and continue the struggle.

Pope Francis prays for unity of church as he celebrates anniversary of Vatican II

The Second Vatican Council was the universal Catholic Church's response to God's love and to Jesus' command to feed his sheep, Pope Francis said, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the council's opening.

God's Word on Sunday: God’s mercy is free for the asking

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 9 (2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19)

The prophet Elisha did not do a background check on Naaman the Syrian and neither did God. Naaman was a foreigner and an enemy, for he was the commander of the Syrian army. Neither God nor the prophet seemed to care. He suffered from leprosy, and an Israelite slave girl in his household urged him to go to Elisha. He was incensed when Elisha ordered him to bathe seven times in the Jordan. Naaman angrily declared that there were many rivers in his homeland — he needn’t have made the long journey. But urged by his servant, he did as the prophet ordered and was healed. He ecstatically offered a gift to the prophet, but it was promptly refused.

Tourist detained after toppling busts at Vatican Museums

A tourist who toppled two ancient Roman busts in the Vatican Museums has been handed over to Italian police, the Vatican said.

God's Word on Sunday: Faith an ‘unfailing lamp’ that lights the way

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 2 (Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Psalm 95; 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10)

“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?” In one form or another, this has been the lament of countless generations of believers. Even today, it is a telling accusatory question that is often leveled at God. Where was God during the war, the Holocaust, the earthquake, the plane crash and so on? There are no glib and easy answers, and those who attempt to explain the unexplainable merely deepen the gloom.