Reflections
These reflections are originally published in the weekly newsletter, the Net.
All reflections written by Fr. Bill Garrison and Fr. Hart Roussel will be archived here.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to read previous entries.
Prepare the way of the Lord
Prepare the way of the Lord: From the wilderness, John invites us to shape and participate in a world rooted in mercy. God is faithful to his promises, John reminds the people and rulers of his day, return to him and know mercy. Today, John’s message to us is the same, mercy transforms individuals, and it is individuals remembering mercy who transform communities. Are we prepared for a world shaped by mercy? Jesus was.
Servant Leadership
"If you want to be the greatest you must be the servant of all." These words echo in our ears long after Jesus says them. They do because we know he is right. This is what he asks of us in leadership. It is also what we would be wise to look for in those we choose to follow. It's an easy formula...
Only One of Me and You
God loves all of us. Personally I never get tired of remembering that. I hope you feel the same. Life can be hard from time to time and remembering God's love for me helps a lot. So why does God love me? Why does God love you? It seems an amazing fact considering all the people in the world; all...
Servant of All
What makes a great leader? How does one develop the ability to be a leader of people? What do you think? Jesus gives what today would be very unpopular advice this coming Sunday in our gospel lesson. He suggests that if you want to be the greatest you might consider being the servant to all. How...
“Even the dogs under the table”
Often in life, we find ourselves on the outside looking in and wondering if we belong. The account of the Gentile woman of Syrophoenician origin in Mark’s gospel is one of the starkest images of inclusion in the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus in all of the Christian scripture. Even Jesus seems...
Can We Stay the Course?
For the prior four weeks we have heard Jesus speaking in a very long monologue. We have learned a lot in the meantime. This coming Sunday we will learn the response to what he had to say. Scripture often paints things in black and white with little room for gray. I think this is one of those...
Food for the Journey
With what do we fill our hearts? What strengthens us when our journey of discipleship becomes difficult? When loving our neighbors, and ourselves, seems an overwhelming challenge? As we spend August with the Gospel of John’s bread of life discourse, Jesus offers an answer as simple as it is...
The Work of God
The gospel for this coming Sunday has a pearl within it that informs our lives personally and as a community. All of us get caught up in our everyday lives, and for many of us, the "work of the church". Frankly getting caught up in the work of our everyday lives is understandable. It's what our...
Being a Prophet
The lessons this week remind me of a quote from St. Oscar Romero, “Wherever there is a baptised person, there also is the Church; there also is a prophet; there is someone who in the name of the truth illuminates the lies of the earth”. The stories of Amos and John the Baptist tell us that it is...
In the Boat With Jesus
"Were you afraid? Do you have no faith?" These are the words of Jesus as he sleeps while the torrent rages around the boat. Do you ever feel like that? Life is a mess and getting worse and where is Jesus? Is he sleeping? You could use a little help. It's feeling lonely and scary. Let's think about...
The Kingdom of God
Understanding the idea of the Kingdom of God can be illusive. Jesus said he came into the world to proclaim it. He, being an outstanding teacher, chose to use parables to attempt to get his points across. We will encounter a couple this Sunday. My understanding, for a simplistic explanation, is...