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.
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 the people that have ever lived and are alive today. But it’s an easy answer as to why. Each of us is the only one of us God has. There isn’t a substitute. We are it. Think about that.
But That Isn’t Fair!
In the gospel this week, we find a landowner hiring people all day long to work in His vineyard. The rub comes at the end of the day when everyone gets paid the same amount. The people hired first think they should get more since they worked all day. We aren't sure how the ones who came last feel,...
The Value of Forgiveness
In the gospel this week, Jesus tells us that a King forgave a man the equivalent of $10,500,000,000 just because the man asked for mercy. Then that same man wouldn't forgive another person a debt of $20,000, even though the person begged. Both of these totals are in today's terms for easy...
Wherever Two or Three are Gathered in My Name
This week's gospel is a practical one with some good advice. Every once in a while, we study one of these down to earth bits of counsel from Jesus, another how-to if you will. This week Jesus is talking about relationships and how to encounter each other when someone may have done something they...
Our God Makes No Sense
In this coming Sunday's gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that he will die a horrible death and then rise from the dead three days later. The evening before, as we covered last Sunday's gospel, He asked them who they say he is, and Peter responded that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus...
Who Do You Say That I Am?
In the gospel this week, Jesus asks this question. It's an important one don't you think? And, I submit, it isn't always easy to answer. We come to church most Sundays. If asked, we tell people we are Christians. So let me present you with a scenario and I would like to challenge you for an...
What Comes Out of Our Mouths
This week's gospel could not be any more appropriate. There are two stories and they work together beautifully. In the first story, the Pharisees are remarking that Jesus and his disciples have some bad habits. They eat with people they shouldn't, and don't always wash their hands before they...
Walking on the Water
In the gospel for this coming Sunday, Jesus walks on the water. Then Peter tries to do the same thing and begins to sink. He has lost confidence. Jesus then reaches down and saves him, pulling him up. It's an interesting story. How does it translate to the 21st century?. The first thing that hits...
The Transfiguration
The gospel this week is a famous one. Jesus meets Moses and Elijah on a mountain. He is accompanied on his journey by Peter. John and James. It's quite a story. Jesus' appearance changed. His face glowed and his clothes became dazzling white, a color impossible to achieve at that time in history....
In the Kingdom of God
Jesus came into the world to talk about The Kingdom of God. He used parables to attempt to describe it in a way we might understand, if we were willing to listen. The parables grouped together for this coming Sunday do an especially good job of describing one aspect of the Kingdom I think. All the...
Weeds among the Wheat
The gospel this week is quite well known. There are weeds among the growing wheat. Jesus is asked what to do about them. Should they be pulled out? His answer is to let them grow together, and when it comes time to harvest the wheat, the weeds will be separated and only the wheat will be kept. Now...