However unsettling it might be for us to hear Jesus refer to the Gentiles as “dogs”, the end result of his exchange with the woman is a clear reminder that God is not unchanging or unresponsive to our needs, but rather is compassionate and merciful.   more...

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God continues to reveal himself to us and there will continue to be surprises along the way; some wonderful, some not so wonderful. Today’s gospel lesson presents us with two ways of responding: there were those who, when confronted with the unexpected, turned their backs on Jesus and walked away; and there were those who, despite being confronted with the unexpected and despite their confusion, continued to trust God’s love and providence as revealed to them by Jesus.   more...

Consuming Christ begins here, but it does not end here. Christ’s presence is by no means limited to the sacraments of Holy Communion. This is the great beauty of the incarnation. We can partake of the living bread come down from heaven at all times and in all places. And just as our bodies function better having physical sustenance on a daily basis, so too do our spiritual selves need daily sustenance in order to thrive.   more...

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This is the good news of our faith. This is the truth that will nourish our souls long after rice and manna have ceased to fill our bellies; long after we have found temporary satisfaction for our physical, social and political needs.   more...

...the feeding of the crowd by Elisha is only made possible when the unnamed man from the unpronounceable village offers the “first fruits” of his labors. He didn’t offer his leftovers, but he offered his “first fruits”. Then, in the passage from the gospel of John, the feeding of the five thousand is only made possible when the young boy offers the measly amount of food that he had. It wasn’t much at all, but he offered it freely.   more...

Through his death and resurrection Jesus was the architect and the cornerstone of an entirely new temple. This is not a temple made of stone, a temporary man-made edifice that will ultimately crumble to the ground. It is an eternal temple that is made of the likes of us. It depends not on sound structural engineering, but rather on relationships and community.   more...

The story is told of Mother Teresa that she one day approached her superiors in Calcutta and said, “I have three pennies and a dream from God to start a school for the poor.” Her superiors gently chided her and said to her, “You can’t build a school with three pennies…you can’t do anything with three pennies.” Mother Teresa responded, “I know, but with God and three pennies I can do anything.”   more...