“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” (Mk 4:30-32) The people listening to the parables of Jesus didn’t always understand the meanings of His parables, but they surely understood agriculture. A farmer can work as hard as he wants, but he can’t “make” a seed grow into a plant. All the farmer can do is create the best environment for growth by planting in good soil and watering. In the end of the day God causes the growth to occur. So when Jesus is describing the Kingdom of God, … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2024
Msgr. Nalty’s Pilgrimage in Paris at St Etienne du Mont Church
The Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church is a Gothic sanctuary located at Place Sainte-Geneviève next to the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement. Built between 1492 and 1626, the sanctuary was intended to accommodate the growth of the neighboring abbey of St. Geneviève and the parish of St. Étienne. The impressive façade is made up of three superimposed Renaissance pediments flanked by the soaring belfry from the 16th century. In particular the rood screen (jubé, probably by Pierre Beaucorps in 1530) crossing the nave like a bridge with spiral staircases on either side is an unique feature of the church, being the only rood screen which survived in Paris. Most of the church’s stained-glass windows date between the 16th and 17th centuries and those from the ambulatory and chancel are of … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – June 9, 2024
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.” Mk 3:23-26) Today’s Gospel tells us that the devil is not divided. In the earlier part of Mark’s third chapter, Jesus had been curing people and performing exorcisms, and He had incurred the wrath of the Pharisees by curing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. Mark specifically tells us that “[t]he Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.” So several of Jesus’ relatives came to … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – June 2, 2024
While they were eating, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” (Mk 14:22-24) Today’s Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (“Corpus Christi” in Latin) is a fairly recent addition to the Church calendar, dating from only the 13th century. We know that the Body and Blood of Christ are present at every Mass, but this special feast to honor the Body and Blood of Christ owes its existence to the petitions of a Belgium nun named Juliana of Liège from the 13th century. From a young age, Juliana had a great love for the Blessed Sacrament and longed for a special … [Read more...]
