Homeless Catholic Community

With little thought, we readily slide into alternatives. The road ahead has traffic stopped, so we take an alternate route. But God has no backup plan. There is only plan ‘A,’ and that one plan holds fast forever.

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Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

You have been added to a list of individuals who attend the Wednesday Morning Prayer Group in Woodland Park, Colorado, as well as friends and writers who contribute reflections to the Homeless Catholic website and ministry, or those who wish to receive copies of our presentations from any of our reflection authors. The Homeless Catholic website includes reflections from John Pearring, Steve Hall, Steve Leininger, Lou Occhi, Tim Trainor, Norm McGraw, Ron Bruni, Steve Hessman, John Silvia, and Margit McCarthy.

There is only plan ‘A’

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 10 May 2026 13:36:07 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter
Acts 14:19-28
John 14:27-31

At some time in your life, probably when you were young, you held a gyroscope in your hand. You wrapped the string around the center post, gave that string a hard pull, and the caged wheel would rapidly spin. You set it on a pointed cone or on a string-held taunt, and it would hold fast to the plane of the spinning wheel until that wheel lost its momentum. If you held that spinning wheel in your hand, you could feel resistance if you tried to turn it.

Motorcycle stability operates on the same principle. The Spinning wheels resist changes in orientation due to angular momentum, helping keep the bike upright. The cyclist can feel it particularly in cornering.

Change the image: Sometimes during World War II, bomber pilots were scoffed at for reporting making less than expected headway after hours of flying. The laughter and criticism stopped only when the jet stream was discovered.

Image by Dominick Vietor

Change again: The smaller and lighter the boat in the river, the more cautiously must the boat’s operator guide the boat from current to shore. Why? Because the strength of the current will more readily capsize a lightweight boat, particularly one that sits low in the water.

With these images in mind, let’s look at today’s Scripture. In the opening verses, we find Paul being stoned by Jews from Antioch and Iconium. No matter that no reason is offered in the text for the stoning, we know the reason: it is the logic of the gyroscope and the reasoning of the jet stream. The Jews who opposed Paul and stoned him were spinning through life in a particular manner and resisted any effort to change. Nevertheless, Paul and his companions “made a considerable number of disciples,” and were pragmatic about the momentum of the times, the strong headwinds of the culture, and the flow of the current: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.”

When we move on to the Gospel, we find that Jesus, too, was pragmatic: “the ruler of the world is coming.” The spinning has not stopped. The headwinds have not diminished. The current has not ceased to flow. These are the facts that will make it “necessary for us (the disciples) to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.”

But even before this reminder of what lies ahead, Jesus promises peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” If only for brief periods, the world may give us peace from international or national conflict, peace within our communities and families, peace from trials and tribulations, or peace from other forms of conflict. But these never last; they are always short-lived, like a drop of water cast onto a hot skillet. No, the peace of Christ is different; it is the peace of knowing that, no matter what seems to prevail, someone I can trust is in charge of it all. That is why the Father reminds us through Paul: “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?” (Romans 8:31-32)

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:9-11)

When this reflection first began to take shape, Jesus’ words regarding peace were at the forefront, and the image of the river current came to mind. It seems that God’s eternal plan, plan ‘A’ if you will, absolutely resists modification. It is THE plan, the one and only plan, and it inevitably moves toward fulfillment without the slightest of sidetracks. We pray for that fulfillment regularly when we pray “thy Kingdom come.” The Our Father was never intended to be a passive prayer, as if floating downriver on the current was sufficient. It was and is a prayer of action, a prayer of taking up the paddle of the canoe, of actively resisting any alternative force that would turn us aside. But in taking up the paddle, we must be careful, for when we do so, we also take on the possibility of moving out of the current and leaving the plan.

The flow of the water may carry us toward one bank or another, past rocks or sunken trees, and even through turbulence. It may move fast; it may be slow.

Nevertheless, residing in the current provides the kind of peace that the world cannot give. This is the peace that Jesus has promised.

Go with the flow.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 4/28/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 03 May 2026 14:44:38 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Steve Hessman: Hear, listen, believe, and follow

Steve Hall: ‘Redemption is in Christ Jesus

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Embarrassing reveal of Paul’s sins

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Lou Occhi: They would not always have him

Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

Norm McGraw: A spiritual ‘Hi’ for everyone

Ron Bruni: When loving God becomes natural

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Steve Hessman & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Hear, listen, believe, and follow

His detractors wanted an answer that they could use against Him

By Steve Hessman

Image by Robert Cheaib

Click here to read Steve Hessman’s reflection from April 28, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

We are making up our minds about what they are saying even before they finish. That’s the nature of the world we live in. And this is why it is more important than ever to spend quiet time with Jesus and listen to Him with an open mind and an open heart. Not to listen for what we expect Him to say, but simply to listen. Let our minds be changed. Let our hearts be changed.

More …

Steve Hessman’s reflections: “Amen, Amen. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24

Redemption is in Christ Jesus

His willingness to die so we could have eternal life

By Steve Hall

Image by Myriams-Fotos

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from April 28, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

In the Book of Acts, we hear that a ‘great number’ or a ‘large number’ came to believe. The incident piqued my curiosity — not because people scattered in the face of persecution, nor because their message was received, but because it made me wonder what they actually said to those they met. Acts tells us in nonspecific terms that they were “preaching the word.” The details are not listed. So, what were they preaching?

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

Are you receiving the daily Catholic Nutshell News?

You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

Hear, listen, believe and follow

Steve Hessman — Sun, 03 May 2026 14:36:33 GMT

By Steve Hessman

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Acts 11:19-26
John 10:22-30

The first reading and the Gospel both offer material for interesting reflections; I chose the Gospel.

The setting for today’s Gospel is the Temple. Jesus is in the Portico of Solomon, and several Jews gathered around Him and asked: “How long will you keep us in suspense? Tell us who you are! Are you the Christ?” They really wanted to hear Jesus say: “Yes, I am the Christ.” They wanted an answer that they could use against Him.

However, Jesus did not play their game. Rather, he said to them, “I have already told you who I am! And you refuse to believe me.” Jesus then tells these unbelieving Jews that His “sheep” not only hear His voice, but also listen to His voice. His sheep trust Him, and they follow Him. He promises to protect His sheep from harm and give them eternal life!

Image by Myriams-Fotos

Jesus affirms that His Father is greater than anyone. And no one has the ability to take His sheep out of the Father’s hand. Jesus ends with the simple yet powerful statement: “The Father and I are one.” How did the Jews react to Jesus’ words? It is clear that these Jews were not open to Jesus’ message.

How do we fit in this scene? “My sheep hear my voice: I know them, and they follow me.” Ideally, that would be true. But is it?

We live in a very noisy world filled with all kinds of different voices, all competing for our attention. And it seems difficult, in the midst of all this noise, to hear the voice of our Shepherd.

The first reason why we sometimes miss hearing Jesus’ voice is that He is not saying what we expect. It’s challenging these days to listen to anyone or anything with an open mind. As soon as anyone speaks to us, on social media or anywhere else, we are listening for their agenda, or for evidence of how they view the world. We are making up our minds about what they are saying even before they finish. That’s the nature of the world we live in. And this is why it is more important than ever to spend quiet time with Jesus and listen to Him with an open mind and an open heart. Not to listen for what we expect Him to say, but simply to listen. Let our minds be changed. Let our hearts be changed.

The second reason we sometimes miss hearing Jesus’ voice is that we are sometimes too ashamed to listen. Our sin and guilt cause us to feel unworthy of Jesus speaking to us, so we fail to hear Him. In Genesis 3:8-10, we see this happen with Adam and Eve, after they committed the original sin.

“When they heard the sound of the LORD God walking about in the garden at the breezy time of the day,* the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. The LORD God then called to the man and asked him: Where are you? He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid.”

That can happen to us, too. Our sin can cause us to feel ashamed, and we can miss hearing His voice calling us.

The third reason we might miss hearing Jesus’ voice is that he is saying something to us that we don’t want to hear.

Remember Jonah? “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, “Go at once to Nineveh …” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”

Taken in part from Pastoral Ponderings by James Laurence, Bishop Robert Barron gives this advice:

“How to Hear Jesus’ Voice”

“How wonderful and strange that Christianity is not a set of ideas. It’s not a philosophy or an ideology. It’s a relationship with someone who has a voice. The first disciples were privileged to hear the voice of the historical Jesus, with its very particular tonality and texture.

But we can hear His voice too, in our own way, when we hear the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass. At Mass, Catholics don’t just read the Bible; we hear the Bible. We hear the voice of Jesus, too, when the bishops and the popes speak. We can also hear the voice of Jesus in our conscience, which Newman called “the aboriginal vicar of Christ in the soul”. We can hear the voice of Jesus in good spiritual friends as well, in those people who comfort us and challenge us, and keep calling us to higher ideals, and encourage us when we fall. And we listen to Jesus because He is leading us to a renewed and transformed life on high with God.”

I would add that this Old Men’s Group serves well by encouraging and challenging one another, being the voice of Jesus to one another.

In the last verse of today’s Gospel, “The Father and I are one,” these last few paragraphs are part of a reflection in the Navarre Bible. Jesus’ statement is a clear declaration of His divinity. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus makes multiple declarations about His unique relationship with the Father, often using the phrase, “I and the Father are one.”

The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one in essence but exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Jesus says, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” He is emphasizing this unity of essence. The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in Col. 1:15, where he describes Jesus as “the image of the invisible God.”

Church fathers and theologians have long grappled with the implications of Jesus’ statement. The Nicene Creed, formulated in 325 AD, was a response to various heresies that questioned the divinity of Jesus and His relationship with the Father. The Creed affirms that Jesus is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father….(and) the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.” This creed encapsulates the orthodox Christian belief that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three separate persons but one God.

Understanding Jesus’ reason for revealing, “The Father and I are one,” has significant implications for our faith and daily lives. First, it assures us of the reliability and trustworthiness of Jesus’ teachings. Since Jesus is the exact representation of the Father, we can trust that His words and actions are a perfect reflection of God’s will and character.

Second, this understanding deepens our relationship with God. Knowing that Jesus is the revelation of the Father helps us to see the love, compassion, and grace of God the Father more clearly. It encourages us to draw near to Him, confident that He understands our struggles and has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Himself through Jesus.

Finally, this truth calls us to a life of imitation and submission. As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His character in our lives. Just as Jesus revealed the Father through His words and actions, we are called to reveal Jesus to the world through our love, compassion, and righteousness. Amen.

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Redemption is in Christ Jesus

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 03 May 2026 14:36:00 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Acts 11:19-26
John 10:22-30

“Those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews. There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well.”

Later in this passage, we hear that a ‘great number’ or a ‘large number’ came to believe. The incident piqued my curiosity — not because people scattered in the face of persecution, nor because their message was received, but because it made me wonder what they actually said to those they met.

Acts tells us in nonspecific terms that they were “preaching the word.” The details are not listed. So, what were they preaching?

Image by Robert Cheaib

I suppose peace is a possibility — world peace, national peace, community peace, domestic peace, inner peace? But that probably would have gone nowhere if their audience simply considered their life circumstances. Yes, there was the Pax Romana (Peace of the Roman Empire), but that was just another way of acknowledging that Roman power prevented those under its control from fighting one another. War wasted the money and resources that were supposed to go to Rome.

You might guess that they preached caring for the widow and the orphan, but that message had been inadequately received (and commonly ignored) since it was first introduced.

Justice? Was Justice the word they preached? Doubt it. Sure, Justice was seen as one of the hallmarks of the coming messiah, but there was little these immigrants from Israel could do to effect its actual practice in the Roman world.

How about preaching social equality? That’s probably the most laughable of the suggestions offered. The empire was a social world where slaves were common, where there were the elite and the scum, where authority rested with the rich and powerful, where there was among the populace a “top” and a “bottom” with practically nothing in between.

Do I get points for telling you something new? Probably not.

We have a good idea of what these early Christians preached, what message they brought to others. We know this from the preaching of both Peter and Paul, as recorded in the Scriptures.

“Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus… “ (Romans 3:23-24)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

It is this message, of course, that these migrating Jews brought with them and proclaimed in their new communities. Nothing new here! Why the fuss?

The issue before us is the result of two thousand years of cultural evolution, and it is pernicious if overlooked. Pernicious because it subtly undermines the foundational truth of our faith.

It is well and good to exhort people to peace. A just society is one we should all strive for. The pursuit of social justice is an endeavor all should work for. The elimination of world hunger is also a goal within reach, yet it seems evermore elusive.

But why do I say these things as if they are self-evident norms? They are not universally accepted truths, and some Western philosophers suggest better alternatives.

Nietzsche proposed that the will to power should be in control. Darwin would suggest the survival of the fittest. Jean Paul Sartre told us that the self should guide all. Among these and other philosophers, Marx would offer complete, absolute, total, and comprehensive equality.

It is interesting to note that all of these have their beginning and their end in our humanity. So too is it possible for the pursuit of justice, peace, social equality, and the like. These, too, can have their beginning and their end in our humanity, and that’s a matter of some concern. For if our humanity is the foundation, then the ‘good’ can quickly change. And that pernicious issue previously referred to is already unfolding. It is this: Christianity may well survive even if there are no Christians.

In a subtle way, the consequences of the Christian Faith have themselves become their own reason for being. When those early Christians left Jerusalem for other towns and cities, they preached the gospel of God becoming man, of His love for mankind, His proclamation of the forgiveness of sin, and His willingness to die so we could have eternal life. All else followed from this foundational truth. God loves us; therefore, we should love one another. We do so, not because it is the human thing to do, but because it is the God-like thing to do.

If we forget that, then Christianity may well survive even if there are no Christians. Then mankind will discover that, in its distortion, it is not Christianity after all.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 4/21/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:02:08 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

John Pearring: Embarrassing reveal of Paul’s sins

Older Reflections:

Steve Hall: ‘You must be born from above’

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Lou Occhi: They would not always have him

Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

Norm McGraw: A spiritual ‘Hi’ for everyone

Ron Bruni: When loving God becomes natural

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflection from John Pearring

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, April 21, 2026

The embarrassing reveal of Paul’s sins

How God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness brought Paul, Thomas, & Peter back to him

By John Pearring

Image by to Ketut Subiyanto

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from April 21, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The sinner’s lament is answered by the saint’s plea, because the sinner is he or she who becomes a saint. This is an important issue for Catholics — despite their holiness, the saints were human and capable of failure. The grace, mercy, and forgiveness of God led to their forgiveness.

More …

John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Are you receiving the daily Catholic Nutshell News?

You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

The embarrassing reveal of Paul's sins

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:52:59 GMT

By John Pearring

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
Acts 7:51—8:1a
John 6:35ab

St. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, was likely mentored by St. Paul. The very same St. Paul that used to be Saul and audienced — with some sense of pride and certainly with his approval — the martyrdom of St. Stephen.

How do we know this? Because Luke wrote about it in the book of Acts. Paul (Saul) knew St. Stephen, and applauded his death. Luke knew Paul well and interviewed him for the Book of Acts. Imagine the conversation, after Paul’s conversion, when Luke must have whispered to Paul. “Uh, what were you thinking?”

“Well, Luke, the rumors are true,” Paul might have said to Luke. “I’m the self-same murderer of Christians that is now an apostle of the risen Christ.”

Can you see Luke holding text in his hand, and worriedly asking, “Well, I’ve written the account as you confirmed it, Paul. Are you sure you want me to publish this?” He handed it to Paul, who read it out loud.

The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”;
and when he said this, he fell asleep.
Now Saul was consenting to his execution.

Paul surely paused for a bit, scratching his forehead, and might have said, “It sounds a lot worse when you write it down.”

Image by to Ketut Subiyanto

Imagine Peter and Thomas standing nearby. They had been privy to Luke’s hankering for details. They may even have reviewed Luke's report on Stephen’s speech and death. Would Thomas have spoken up first? “Paul, John convinced me an honest portrayal of my insolence and doubt was important. Everyone else left me alone, but I think John’s got the goods on me. You should take it like a man, Paul.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that,” admitted Paul, “but my transgressions are a lot worse. Criminey.” Everyone certainly nodded in agreement.

“Yes, but look at the embarrassment of my cowardice,” Peter might have piped up. “For goodness sake, Paul. I’ve looked the fool, and the traitor! Matthew and that fellow Mark have been writing about me. They even bring up the fine details about me sitting by the fire. Sheesh. I don’t imagine that Luke, or John would hold back, now that everyone knows my faux pas.”

“OK, then,” Luke might have said, meekly shrugging his shoulders, “I’ve messed up, too,” though he assuredly didn’t think anything he did was akin to murder. The silence went on a bit too long. Luke broke the chill with, “Remember, though. Stephen said it best: ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’”

Enough of that.

The sinner’s lament is answered by the saint’s plea, because the sinner is he or she who becomes a saint. This is an important issue for Catholics — despite their holiness, the saints were human and capable of failure. The grace and mercy of God led to their forgiveness.

That’s not the important part, though. God’s grace and mercy are ‘necessary’ for us to become saints. Failures do not deny a person’s sanctity. They are required steps toward a growing and eventual total submission to the love of God.

St. Stephen identified the battle we undergo in that submission as a refusal to follow the leading and promptings from the Holy Spirit. “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit …” He’s harsh, but hey, they were holding stones in their hands. Stephen’s lashing out is not a condemnation. He knew their bullheaded natures could still result in an awakening. His murder would have reverberations.

How, though, are we to know what the Spirit wants? That’s not an easy question to answer, but it is a vital one to solve. We begin by focusing on God and not our own calculations. Set aside all the noise coming at us from those who are not listening to the Holy Spirit. You can tell who they are. They are handing us stones to throw at the person who is submitting to the word of God. Translate “stone” for any weapon, including insults, lies, and defamation, as well as guns and rifles.

Stephen doesn’t give us much wiggle room regarding the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He said, “You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.”

Image by Bernd

His introduction of angels speaks of God’s breadth of communication methods. Angels don’t seem to be an acceptable, modern method of God speaking to us. But consider all that God does to help us understand that, in our failures, he fights to offer us an eternal relationship with him, rather than the short-sighted mob mentality, deviants, and selfish options marketed as desirable options. The presence of evil spirits is actually proof that angels exist.

Angels prod us, in the same vein as they spoke to the prophets, to Mary and Joseph, to Mary Magdalene at the tomb, and so many other places in scripture. The overarching point about the angelic realm is that God created innumerable, unimaginable ways for us to know him, including through creatures beyond our cosmic boundaries. The great lengths he’ll go to, not just to get our attention, but to draw us to him. To make us his sons and daughters, his friends, and his compatriots in missions he’s designed specifically for us.

He allows the experience of pain, poor choices, and even ignoring him, so that we know the difference between true joy, glory, and forgiveness and the degenerate results of ungodly behavior. It’s a bizarre reality that ugliness sends us running into his arms, but God knows what he is doing.

In addition to his Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, which we must willingly allow or the Spirit will not enter our hearts; and, in addition to the Father who has also put into our hearts the notion of right and wrong and the love of us that no other creature can match, which we can accept or reject; and, in addition to the friendship, kinship, and leadership provided to us by Jesus Christ, whom we can ignore for other friendships; God also provides us with angelic personages to assist us in accepting God in so many ways. Do we reject the angels, too?

What else must God orchestrate for us? Miracles? OK, he does that. Change our very DNA, our spiritual makeup, with the Eucharist? Check, he does that. Give us the Church, stewards of the truth that dates back to the results of three years of ministry and confirmed at Pentecost? Yes, he did that too. Leave a written word, compiled by authors compelled to communicate the truth for all of history. Check, check, check, and check.

There is a tragedy in our misuse of all that God does for us, and that is our more ready willingness to sin. Acts tells us that Stephen gave the speech that led to his death, “to the people, the elders, and the scribes.” No one is left out in their complicity with Stephen’s murder. It’s surely at Saul’s behest, and the anger of those he seemed to condemn, but the stones were thrown by those whom Stephen called “just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one …”

In John’s gospel, he writes in chapter six, “The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?” Jesus referenced their example of God’s manna miracle in the desert, “the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Each of us hears what we are willing to hear.

Drop the stones.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 4/14/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:13:49 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Ron Bruni: When loving God becomes natural

John Pearring: Nicodemus: A first-century saint

Steve Hall: ‘You must be born from above’

Older Reflections:

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Lou Occhi: They would not always have him

Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

Norm McGraw: A spiritual ‘Hi’ for everyone

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Ron Bruni, John Pearring, & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, April 14, 2026

When loving God becomes natural

Let Christ be our Lord, and form us anew, from the inside

By Ron Bruni

Image by Chesna

Click here to read Ron Bruni’s reflection from April 14, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

When “born from above,” a transformation occurs. We don’t crave the things we used to crave. Sin doesn’t have the same taste, we don’t want what we knew before. Love for God becomes natural, not forced, because you realize life without Him is unnatural. This is what it means to let Christ reign. When we surrender our need to be in control and let Christ be Lord, then we experience transformation.

More …

Ron Bruni’s reflections: “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you clearly about the Father.” (John 16:25)

Nicodemus: A first-century saint

For all who seek to follow Christ faithfully and boldly

By John Pearring

Image by Copilot

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from April 14, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The criteria for designating a 1st Century saint usually begin with martyrdom, followed by records of a personal association with Jesus and a courageous act in defense of Jesus, the Church, or the apostolic community. In a sense, Nicodemus qualified for all four.

More …

John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

‘You must be born from above’

God has made him both Lord and Christ

By Steve Hall

Image by Pexels

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from April 14, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The very fact that I am a self-conscious individual necessitates that I have choices. This way or that? Up or down? Right or left? A “yes” always implies a “no.” Simple? Sure! And the persistent presence of that “no” is implied by the facts of consciousness and individuality. The inheritance of these characteristics plays a significant role in understanding the Gospel reading of the day.

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

Are you receiving the daily Catholic Nutshell News?

You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

When love for God becomes natural

Ron Bruni — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:50:41 GMT

By Ron Bruni

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7-15

The readings for this week were taken from the Acts of the Apostles, Psalm 93, and John’s Gospel. Apparently, the unifying theme through all three readings is that God’s reign brings about new birth in a new community.

As I was meditating on these scripture passages, I thought about how who we are right now is not our ultimate expression. When our God grants new birth through his son, Jesus, we become new, transformed people who display characteristics of his kingdom here on Earth.

Image by Chesna

The reading from Acts shows us what a Christian community should look like. They are united, giving, led by the Spirit, and concerned with serving others. There is a man named Barnabas who is selling a piece of property he owns. His name means “son of encouragement.” Instead of keeping his profit, he gives the entire amount to the community. Barnabas becomes an example of encouragement through generosity and selflessness.

We see more than friendship here; we see unity in the Spirit, where people truly care for one another. Moreover, this carries over into how faith impacts our daily interactions with others. People become one in heart and mind. They no longer cling to their possessions; instead, they live lives of radical generosity and community. They don’t force this kind of behavior on one another because their hearts have changed.

Psalm 93 states that the Lord reigns; he is mighty, he is forever, and he will prevail over the chaos — a strong, direct statement that serves as our baseline, clearly affirming that God is in control. Our fears and circumstances do not reign over us.

The gospel reading from John’s third chapter reveals the heart of our message for today. Imagine the situation, if you will. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which is like a hard-line religious teacher. He was also a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. He was educated, esteemed, and religious, and looked “right” on the outside. Nicodemus had heard about this man, Jesus, and wanted to know more about him. He decided to visit Jesus at night so he would not shame himself before the other members of the Sanhedrin.

Nicodemus begins by telling Jesus that he knows He is from God, and it seems like he is eager to hear what Jesus has to say. Jesus tells Nicodemus, “You must be born from above.”

Nicodemus was confused by this because he was thinking in physical terms. Jesus then explains that we need to be born of the Spirit, not of the flesh. In other words, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that religion isn’t enough; you need to have a new life. Nicodemus had a position but needed purpose; he had knowledge but needed wisdom; he had religion, but needed a relationship. Basically, you can be good, educated, and religious but still spiritually dead inside!

So, where does this leave us today? We need life. Something that doesn’t just make us do better but makes us desire to be better. Jesus brings a spiritual birth that changes us from the inside out. When we are born “from above” or born again, God does in us what we could never do for ourselves, and we live evidence of a life we didn’t create.

I love a good metaphor, so here is one for you. Imagine a caterpillar crawling along on a branch. It spends its life eating leaves on this branch, living to satisfy its appetite. It can’t get off the branch; it’s bound to it. Many times, this is life before we are born again. We are alive, but spiritually we may be stagnated. We are driven by our appetites. Money, success, approval, comfort, control. We usually can’t live above it.

Nicodemus wasn’t sinful by our standards. He was, however, bound to living a natural life in his profession. While the caterpillar is busy crawling along, eating whatever it can find, it begins wrapping itself in a cocoon. When it’s in that cocoon, it doesn’t just improve its life; It transforms into something totally different.

We try to better ourselves daily by trying harder, white-knuckling it, changing habits and behaviors. We try to be better caterpillars. But Jesus never said, “Try harder.” He said, “You must be born from above.” God doesn’t teach a caterpillar how to live on a branch; He transforms them into something new. You can’t crawl on a branch and fly at the same time. When the caterpillar enters that cocoon, it stops trying to survive by itself. That, my friends, is surrender.

On the outside, the caterpillar seems lifeless, but on the inside, God is making radical changes that will alter its existence from now on. In an analogous way, we too undergo “radical changes” when we are “born from above.” That will alter our lives forever. When this transformation occurs, we don’t crave the things we used to crave. Sin doesn’t have the same taste, we don’t want what we knew before. Love for God becomes natural, not forced, because you realize life without Him is unnatural. This is what it means to let Christ reign. When we surrender our need to be in control and let Christ be Lord, then we experience transformation.

I researched how other denominations defined “born again” and I found that whether you attend church in a majestic cathedral, in a humble country chapel, or at home in your seat cushioned living room alone, what we believe at the heart of Christianity doesn’t change — to be born again is to allow God to make you new, starting on the inside.

It’s not about how you worship but how you have been worshiped over by God. It is not confined to a singular moment, method, or formula either. Some are born again in a sudden realization, like a lightbulb flipping on. Others slowly mature like the rising sun peeking over the horizon. But in every case, something authentic shifts.

Though different Christian traditions express it in various ways, they all point to the same fundamental transformation. Being born again is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. Regardless of our denomination, we know it by its fruit.

Just like a caterpillar does not just grow wings and become a butterfly, our lives are changed on the inside out, not from the outside in. And just as no two butterflies come out of their cocoon in the same way or at the same time, no two Christians work out their faith identically. But we can all agree where it starts: With God changing our hearts.

To be born again is not about trying harder to be religious. It’s about wanting more of life. Life comes only when we stop trying to bootstrap ourselves and receive it from the One who gave it all for us. And maybe that is the invitation extended to each of us, regardless of where we were born or what church we stand under.

Maybe growing into who we were meant to be has less to do with trying. Maybe it has more to do with learning to let God be God, day by day. Stop trying harder. Allow ourselves to be made new.

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'You must be born from above'

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:49:53 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7-15

Generally speaking, a child’s first words are considered a momentous occasion, and “Mama” and “Dada” in some form or another usually head the list of first words. But sooner or later, the child recognizes his long-standing inheritance from Adam and Eve, and the word “No” comes into play. It has to. The very fact that I am a self-conscious individual necessitates that I have choices.

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This way or that? Up or down? Right or left? A “yes” always implies a “no.” Simple? Sure! And the persistent presence of that “no” is implied by the facts of consciousness and individuality. The inheritance of these characteristics plays a significant role in understanding the Gospel reading of the day.

‘You must be born from above.’

The details of this assertion are spelled out in the preceding verses.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3, 5-6)

From birth or before, we are aware that every child is one-of-a-kind. The individual is celebrated. Like The Little Prince, we glory in being unique in all the world. But along with the possibility of choosing — a product of individuality, consciousness, and self-awareness — comes the possibility of choosing poorly. We all know it because we have all done it —i.e., chosen poorly. Furthermore, we consistently associate those poor choices with youth or the persistence of youthful characteristics. We identify young adults (or even older adults) who manifest these juvenile traits as “unrealistic,” “not having enough real-life experience,” or even as “never having grown up.” Conversely, we also see the young person making wise choices, described as “old for his age.” Maturation is understood as the development of the ability to make wise choices.

While this is true, there is also something missing. Something we instinctively know, but also something which misses our conscious attention. What is it? It is the fact that both the “yes” and the “no” that we so casually use comprise the essence of our human nature. In order to choose, we must be conscious of the world, conscious of ourselves, and conscious of our “place” in the world. That is, we must be aware that we are distinct beings within the world.

Why is this important? It is through the choices that we decide how we will interact with our surroundings. Animal choices are based on the essentials for survival, but little more. That is true for birds finding a place to build a nest. That is true for the horse that jumps a barrier to eat the greener grass on the other side. That is true for the bear seeking a safe place to hibernate. Man builds his nest where he chooses; he raises his own “greener grass” in the place where he lives; he assesses the dangers in his surroundings and creates his own obstacles to danger. And … In a creative way, he goes beyond those basics to design the world he wants.

That’s why Jesus would say: “Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Having been “born of the flesh,” we are endowed with the power to deal with the physical world, but that power is limited. It is limited even in the physical world, but even more so in the spiritual. There is, for example, a natural moral law, but we know it imperfectly. And even in the physical world, there is a “best,” “correct,” or “most productive” way to do things, but we often choose poorly.

That limitation is overcome by the one who is born anew, the one who has been “born of water and the Spirit.” At birth, we are transformed from inert matter into a being with physical life. In being born anew of water and the Spirit, we are transformed from a being with physical life to a being with divine life. It is in this state of having divine life — and only in this state — that it is possible to consistently align our “yes” and our “no” with the eternal “yes” and “no” of the Father.

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Nicodemus: A first century saint

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:30:00 GMT

By John Pearring

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7-15

It’s very likely that the first St. Nick was not St. Nicholas, the 4th-century Greek bishop and precursor to our two-century-old Santa Claus personality. Rather, the inquisitive, practical Pharisee, Nicodemus, might be called our first St. Nick.

The two saintly men, however, are similar to us in legendary status. Yet while traditions and myths surround St. Nicholas, we know little of Nicodemus beyond what is found in scripture. (That, however, means everything!)

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As icons, they have been discussed and studied for centuries. Both men were from wealthy backgrounds, looked up to by their peers, and landed in the hallway of legendary Christians. We imagine them as icons, but while St. Nicholas became a patron saint of everything from toymakers to sailors (a list citing 20 different patronages), St. Nicodemus has no formal patron identification. None.

It seems an odd status for a famous saint, but not uncommon for a saint’s bench behind the big names. Instead, Nicodemus is known for his close relationship with Jesus, as proof that Jesus associated with the elite Pharisee community. The idyllic notion that Jesus only accompanied the poor and the diseased falls apart under the scriptural recognition of his affiliations with military Romans, the wealthy, and the Jewish hierarchy. Nicodemus opens theology to a broad-minded incarnated God.

Nicodemus, and likely many other Jewish leaders, were moved by Jesus’ teaching and his miracles. Nicodemus was ultimately convinced, as revealed in scripture, a man primed for sainthood.

Within the first five centuries of the Church, the practice of declaring saints shifted from popular acclamation to a more detailed process. The first saints were identified from a mix of Christ and apostolic credentials, especially when supported by scriptural records and nods from Church Fathers. The process was not formal. Historians note that the early saints were named by both God and the people (vox Dei and vox populi).

By the time of St. Nicholas, vox populi would build a “cult” around someone to be named a saint. Next, a bishop must name, decree, and then declare a person a saint. Folks from a Catholic community would request a formal decree of sainthood, then the pastor would approach the bishop. A biography and records of the person’s death were required. In most cases, remains (relics) were provided.

Martyrdom was, and still is, the common qualifier. Over time, confirming martyrdom required an appointed, dedicated body to conduct more rigorous investigations among a larger body of witnesses. By the 10th Century, a declaration went further — a papal acclamation.

The status of Nicodemus’ sainthood falls into the earliest of processes. Scripture told the story. He was also likely martyred because, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, his relics were discovered along with those of Stephen, the first saint; Gamaliel (the revered teacher of St. Paul); and Saint Abibas (a son of Gamaliel). All four were declared martyrs.

Besides being Jesus' debating partner during a nighttime escapade (John 3:1-21), Nicodemus defended Jesus at the Sanhedrin (John 7:50-52). Most lovely, however, was his assistance with Saint Joseph of Arimathea at the preparation of Jesus’ body in Joseph’s tomb (John 19:38-42).

Nicodemus has been honored in poetry, artwork, and tales over two millennia. He’s been portrayed in movies, Christian television series, and on the radio.

A website called Saint for a Minute describes Nicodemus’ impact. “While he does not have a specific patronage assigned to him, his life serves as an inspiration to all who seek to follow Christ faithfully and boldly. Saint Nicodemus’ story is one of courage, faith, and a willingness to stand up for what is right. His secret discipleship, nocturnal meetings with Jesus, and defense of Christ’s rights showcase his unwavering commitment to the truth. May Saint Nicodemus inspire us to be bold in our faith and unyielding in our pursuit of justice.”

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 4/7/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:36:01 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Norm McGraw: A spiritual ‘Hi’ for everyone

Steve Hall: Folks, don’t get distracted

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Why God as one of us?

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Lou Occhi: They would not always have him

Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

Ron Bruni: Trials, not temptations from God

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Norm McGraw & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, April 7, 2026

A spiritual ‘Hi’ for everyone

Salvation is for everyone, even for those who do not yet believe

By Norm McGraw

Image by Helmut H. Kroiss

Click here to read Norm McGraw’s reflection from April 7, 2025. Here’s an excerpt:

Not only is the spiritual “hi” we experience Easter week for everyone. God wishes that a profound connection with Him will strengthen every day in our lives. Then we will realize the truth in the words of Psalm 33 (included in Tuesday’s reading): “The earth is full of the goodness of God.”

More …

Norm McGraw’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Folks, don’t get distracted

God has made him both Lord and Christ

By Steve Hall

Image by Gerd Altmann

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from April 7, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

People with a message to share will repeat it over and over again as their audience changes. And Peter’s message was both clear and concise. “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

A spiritual 'Hi' for everyone

Norman Joseph McGraw — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:13:40 GMT

By Norm McGraw

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Tuesday’s readings during Easter week still reflect the spiritual, emotional, and physical fallout from Jesus Christ being crucified, dying, conquering death, and then being resurrected for our sins as well as for all humanity, past, present, and future. Salvation is for everyone, even for those who do not yet believe.

According to established research, nearly 70% of Americans celebrate Easter. More than half of them who celebrate see it as a religious holiday. Even some who view it as a secular holiday attend church. With these facts in mind, I thought it would be interesting to ask three of my close friends who don’t go to church what Easter means to them.

Image by Helmut H. Kroiss

I have asked theological or philosophical questions of two of these individuals in previous reflections. One is an agnostic. Another was raised by a father who was of the Jewish faith and a mother who was Catholic. The third, someone I haven’t interviewed for my reflections before, believes in Buddhism. All three I have known for a long time. All three are familiar with at least some sections of the Bible.

From a secular viewpoint, my agnostic friend sees Easter as an “overlay” of a pagan holiday about the rites of spring that goes all the way back to the times of ancient Persia. Coinciding with the vernal (spring) equinox of planting the harvest, Easter is a time of renewal. Religiously, he feels that Easter presents a spiritual renewal of man. Thus, the holiday is a positive experience for him.

My Buddhist friend remembered Easter as a day of peace and love when he was a Catholic. Although Buddhism doesn’t have a holiday to commemorate the death and resurrection of a deity, it does focus on the “awakening” or “enlightenment” of the self as practiced by Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). Moreover, some followers believe in reincarnation as part of the “rebirth” of the self.

My friend, with a Jewish father and a Catholic mother, found that being raised with parents of different faiths was a mixed blessing. Even though her father was tolerant of her mother’s Catholic faith, my friend didn’t learn much about Christianity. But she did learn about God’s presence in her life from both parents. As she grew up, her viewpoint evolved into viewing Easter as celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was crucified and was resurrected, which acknowledges to us life after death. If we follow his teachings, after death our souls will ascend to heaven.

Tuesday’s readings reflect some of the friends’ ideas. However, for us, Easter is more than a spiritual renewal, as my agnostic friend views it. It is salvation from our sins. As noted in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Simon Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Later, continuing, he says: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism symbolizes purification or regeneration as we are admitted to the Church. We are, in a sense, “reborn,” as my agnostic and Buddhist friends imply, but for us, our rebirth during Easter is different than theirs.

For us, Easter celebrates more than the resurrection of Christ as recounted in Tuesday’s gospel reading from the 20th chapter of John, where Mary Magdalene meets Jesus after he has risen.

Easter also celebrates Jesus’ conquering both sin and death, as my friend with both Jewish and Christian backgrounds commented. The Victimae paschali laudes in Tuesday’s Mass reaffirms this: “Christians, to the Paschal Victim, offer your thankful praises! A lamb the sheep redeems; reconciles sinners to the Father. Death and life contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.”

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Folks, don't get distracted

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:10:54 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Peter’s speech to the people on the day of Pentecost may well have been missed by Luke; so you might wonder how he could have recorded it in the book we call The Acts of the Apostles. The most probable answer is simple. People with a message to share will repeat it over and over again as their audience changes. And Peter’s message was both clear and concise:

“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Image by Gerd Altmann

Obviously, that’s not the totality of what Peter had to say. A bit of explanation, elaboration, and detail would have been included, but the core of his message would remain the same.

“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

So I have to ask: is that the heart of our message today?

When you read or hear of the Church being active in the present day, the account presented will most likely center on ritual practice, doctrinal teaching, moral issues, social practices, and the like. As a consequence, I am led to wonder if we are being distracted by the teachings of our own faith. The problem is that none of these issues is an important religious matter in and of itself. Why? Because they are consequences of one singular truth:

“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Discussions (or arguments) on religious matters are varied. Non-believers will often indicate by their statements that they are troubled by such things as the “contradictions” in Scripture, the similarity across religions of certain moral elements, the behavior of believers, the “archaic” nature of ritual, the dissonance between moral teaching and “reality.” These are secondary.

Peter had it right. Ritual practice, doctrinal teaching, moral issues, and social practices — none of these were the heart of the matter. All else would flow from that one truth which Peter so boldly proclaimed. Sure! But in fact, there is only one place to start, only one reality that can change hearts, only one truth that can stand alone as an anchor for all that logically follows from it.

“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

We know this is true, so why does the world associate us with consequences that only make sense in its light?

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 3/30/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:46:17 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Lou Occhi: They would not always have him

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Why God as one of us?

Steve Hall: ‘Do you want to be well?’

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

Norm McGraw: ‘All in’ with God

Ron Bruni: Trials, not temptations from God

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

The OMG reflections from Lou Occhi & John Silvia

Inspired by Mass readings from Monday, March 30, 2026 (& Good Friday)

They would not always have him

In pouring the oil on Jesus, Mary anointed him for burial

By Lou Occhi

Image by pau_noia0

Click here to read Lou Occhi’s reflection from March 30, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

“The lord is my salvation, my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27). The verse tells us that there’s no need to be afraid. Even when evildoers come at me, or an army of camp encamp against me. Even then, I will trust in the Lord and that I shall see the bounty of the lord in the land of the living.

More …

Lou Occhi’s reflections: “The Almighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.” (The Magnificat)

A Kiss of Betrayal or a Kiss of Love

Choose Veneration or Betrayal - (Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion)

By John Silvia

Image by Bryan Welborn

Click here to read John Silvia’s reflection from April 3, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Good Friday is upon us. As I spent a couple of hours sitting with Jesus at the Altar of Repose tonight, I was reading from the Diary of St. Faustina, and a thought came to me, and I wanted to share it with you all. The power of the mouth.

More …

John Silvia’s reflections: Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Frank & Ralph, Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

They would not always have him

Louis Occhi — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:17:35 GMT

By Lou Occhi

“The lord is my salvation, my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27). The verse tells us that there’s no need to be afraid. Even when evildoers come at me, or an army of camp encamp against me. Even then, I will trust in the Lord and that I shall see the bounty of the lord in the land of the living.

Monday of Holy Week
Isaiah 42:1-7
John 12:1-11

Today's readings set the scene for the approaching suffering and crucifixion of Jesus. Isaiah reveals the Lord’s pride in his chosen one in whom he has put his spirit.

He will not cry out, nor shout, nor make his voice heard in the street.

He shall not break a bruised reed nor quench a smoldering wick. Until he establishes justice on earth. The Lord has set him as a covenant of the people. He will be a light to the nations. He will not fail or be discouraged until he has brought justice to the earth. (Isaiah 42:2-4)

The Psalm’s responsorial verse from Psalm 27 is, “The lord is my salvation, my light and my salvation.” The verses tell us that there’s no need to be afraid. Even when evildoers come at me, or an army of camp encamp against me. Even then, I will trust in the Lord and that I shall see the bounty of the lord in the land of the living.

This is what Jesus felt and did as he faced his coming passion and crucifixion.

The Gospel of John recounts Jesus’ visit with Lazarus in Bethany. In it, Martha is busy serving Jesus and the other guests. Mary, Lazarus’ sister, brings in a liter of aromatic nard. Nard is an oil from a plant that grows in the Himalayas, China, and India.

Needless to say, it’s rather expensive.

She then anoints Jesus’ feet with the oil and dries them with her hair. Judas is shocked at the waste for two reasons. It could have been sold for money, and the money given to the poor. He could have skimmed some for himself.

Jesus silences Judas and tells him that Mary anticipated anointing Jesus’ body for burial.

In the gospels, there were three other events similar to this. In Matthew, a woman goes into the house of Simon the leper while Jesus is there. She anoints Jesus here with expensive oil. The disciples thought the oil should have been sold and the money given to the poor.

In Mark, there’s a similar account to that in Matthew.

Finally, in Luke, we have a more detailed story in the house of Simon. Jesus is dining with a Pharisee. A woman of the city walks in. Weeping, she wipes Jesus’ feet with her tears. Dried them with her hair, and kissed his feet. Then she anointed his feet with expensive oil.

Simon thought that if this man were truly a prophet, he would have known the woman was a sinner. Jesus, knowing what Simon is thinking, tells Simon that when he entered the house, no water was offered to wash his feet. But she washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed his feet with oil. And, she has not ceased kissing his feet. Jesus then tells the woman that her faith has saved her. And her sins are forgiven.

There’s one thing that we need to clarify at this point. Mary, Lazarus’ sister, is not the same woman as the one mentioned in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, despite the similarities of the stories.

At this time in Hebrew history, Jesus, as a guest, would be provided with water to wash his feet. In elegant settings, a servant would wash the feet of the guest. When Jesus washed the apostles’ feet, he was simply taking the job that a servant would normally do.

The stories of Matthew, Mark, and John have one key similarity. All three refer to Jesus’ burial and to the fact that they would always have the poor with them, but they would not always have him. He tells them that.

Image by pau_noia0

Shortly after the stories of the anointing, Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem on a donkey that had never been ridden before. This fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. The king arrives triumphantly on a donkey, a colt, the foal of the donkey.

Judas was elated over the reception of Jesus, fulfilling the prophecy. The chief priest decided to try to meet with Jesus privately in order to have him killed. They knew Judas and approached him to arrange the meeting. I imagine they told Judas that they just wanted to talk to Jesus. And it would get him thirty pieces of silver for his help.

They wanted to have this meeting when there would not be a crowd. Ultimately, Judas made a personal decision to betray Jesus. Although I am not sure he fully understood the impact of his action or Caiaphas's intent.

The Passover meal was a perfect setting for the betrayal. Jesus would be with his apostles at the meal. After the meal, they would go to the Garden of Gethsemane outside of Jerusalem to pray. Only his apostles would be with him.

Judas had made a deal with the chief priest that for thirty pieces of silver, he would lead them to Jesus. And identify him with a kiss. Jesus led the soldiers to Jesus, and they arrested him. Jesus was brought to the chief priest. It’s quite possible that Judas did not suspect the chief priest wanted to find a reason to have Jesus crucified, because when Judas saw what was happening, he threw his thirty pieces of silver to the ground and announced that they had put the blood of an innocent man on his hands.

Judas went out and hanged himself out of guilt.

And so the passion begins.

There are many lessons to be taken from these readings. Most of them are obvious. Jesus’ generosity in forgiving sins is paramount. He forgave the woman of the city of her sins. He forgave Peter for denying him three times.

What is important for us to realize is that Jesus would have forgiven Judas if he had simply asked. After all, Jesus forgave the thief on the cross. The thief merely asked to be remembered when Jesus came into his kingdom.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is from the first reading, the first reading, and the song we opened our talk with. Both foreshadowed Jesus’ passion and death.

In our lifetimes, we will have many great times. Will also have many difficult times. There will be deaths of loved ones, and times when we must go to war or have children who go to war. Illnesses cause much sorrow and pain. The list is too long to enumerate.

For the wonderful moments, and even the awful ones, we need to give thanks to God, for they are gifts.

In times of distress, as Isaiah stressed in the Psalm, we must have faith and trust in our Lord regardless of the severity of the difficulties. And the threats we face in our lifetime.

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Saint Thomas Aquinas Explains the Bronze Serpent

Tim Trainor — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:04:00 GMT

By Tim Trainor

“He shows the manner of the passion when He, Jesus, says, so must the Son of Man be lifted up: and this refers to the lifting up of Him on the cross. So when it says, The Son of Man must be lifted up, it also says this to indicate the manner of his death.”

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Numbers 21:4-9
John 8:21-30

Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, picks up on some subtle yet very relevant details mentioned in our first reading from Numbers 21 about the Bronze Serpent, which I wish to explore with you this morning. In this Commentary, he cites 3 instances in which Jesus refers to Himself as being ‘lifted up’ in fulfillment of this Old Testament event via typological analogy.

Microsofst Copilot AI of Moses' bronze serpent

By way of review: Typology in religion is a method of biblical interpretation where persons, events, or institutions (types) in the Old Testament are viewed as divinely intended patterns that foreshadow or prefigure greater realities (anti-types) in the New Testament, specifically centered on Jesus Christ or the Church. It links the two testaments, viewing Old Testament history as a “shadow” of the New Testament’s “realities.”

Aquinas’ first citation of this ‘lifting up’ type of event, and the most detailed one, occurs when he examines John 3:14. He states: “[Jesus] takes the symbol from the old law (the serpent), in order to adapt it to help Nicodemus understand what Jesus ’ mission was. He, Jesus, says, Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert…” This refers to Numbers (21:5) when the Lord God, faced with the Jewish people saying, “We are sick of this useless food, sent serpents to punish them; and when the people came to Moses and he interceded with the Lord who then commanded that for a remedy, they make a serpent of bronze; and this was to serve both as a remedy against those serpents - and - as a symbol of the Lord’s passion.” He, God saw, per Aquinas, this ‘temporal’ [or in my own words ‘temporary’] punishment – the sending of serpents, was designed to correct their wayward behavior and re-orient them, and centuries later us, by example, back towards God!

As you may recall, Saint Thomas Aquinas lived from 1225 to 1274 and was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian known as the “Angelic Doctor,” who famously synthesized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology. As a major scholastic thinker, he argued that faith and reason are complementary, notably in his masterwork, Summa Theologica.

With that as an introduction, here are the details of Aquinas’ logic, plus some of my own much poorer offerings, which I would like us to explore this morning.

I believe that much of Aquinas’ first ‘lifting up’ citation’s discussion and teaching points used early on in his John 3:14 comments apply equally to our John chapter 8 reading this morning. So let’s start by taking a close look at what Aquinas has to say about Jesus’ nighttime meeting with Nicodemus in John 3:14 and His first use of the ‘lifted up’ symbol in His conversation to help Nicodemus understand His mission.

Aquinas begins: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, referring to Numbers (21:5), when the Lord, faced with the Jewish people who were saying, We are sick of this useless food, and He, God, sent serpents to punish them; and the people subsequently came to Moses asking him to intercede with the Lord. The Lord commanded that, for a remedy, they make a serpent of bronze; and this was to serve both as a remedy against those serpents and as a symbol of the Lord’s passion [Aquinas’ word, but mine is: anger]! Hence [Aquinas says] it, [this bronze serpent] was lifted up as a sign (see NM 21:9).”

He goes on: “Now it is characteristic of serpents that they are poisonous, but not so the serpent ‘of bronze’, although it was a symbol of a poisonous serpent. So, too, Christ did not have sin, which is also a poison: Sin, when it is fully developed, brings forth deaths (As 1:15) but Jesus had only the likeness of sin as it says: God sent his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom 8:3). And thus Christ had the effect of the serpent against this insurgence of inflamed concupiscences.”

How about that phrase from Aquinas to describe/give us a word picture of mankind’s ever-present sin problem: Insurgence of inflamed concupiscences! What a mouthful of descriptive 13th-century talk!

But don’t let his language cause you to miss the very important point Aquinas makes here: Jesus is the permanent/eternal solution to our sin problem!

Aquinas continues on: “He shows the manner of the passion when He, Jesus, says, so must the Son of Man be lifted up: and this refers to the lifting up of Him on the cross. So when it says, The Son of Man must be lifted up, it also says this to indicate the manner of his death.”

He willed to die lifted up, first of all, to cleanse the heavens: for since he had [please note: the past tense here] cleansed the things on earth by the sanctity of his life, the things of the air were left to be [future tense] cleansed by His death: through Him He should reconcile all things to Himself, whether on earth or in the heavens, making peace through His blood (Col 1:20). Secondly, to triumph over the demons who prepare for war in the air: the prince of the power of the air (Mph 2:2). Thirdly, He wished to die lifted up to draw our hearts to Himself: [Because] if I am lifted up from the earth, [I]will draw all to myself. (John 12:32, from our reading)

And fourthly, because in the death of the cross He was lifted up in the sense that there He triumphed over his enemies; so it is not called a death, but ‘a lifting up’: He will drink from the stream on the way, therefore He will lift up His head (quoting from PS 109:7).

Fifthly, He willed to die lifted up because the cross was the reason for His being lifted up, i.e., exalted: He became obedient to the Father even to death, the death of the cross; on account of which God has exalted him (per Phil 2:8).

Now, Aquinas reasons, the fruit of Christ’s passion is eternal life; hence He [Jesus] says, so that everyone who believes in Him, [by] performing good works, may not be lost, but have eternal life. And this fruit corresponds to the fruit of the symbolic serpent. For whoever looked upon the serpent of bronze was freed from poison, and his life was preserved. But, [in contrast] he who looks upon the lifted up Son of Man, and believes in the crucified Christ, he is freed from poison and sin: “Whoever believes in Me will never die”, and is preserved for eternal life. But these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that believing, you may have [eternal] life in His name (John 20:31).”

All the foregoing quoted text was said by Saint Thomas Aquinas!

Lastly, I noticed that the Communion Antiphon for today’s Mass is from John 12:32: When I am lifted from earth, I will draw all to Myself, says the Lord.

This scripture quote is the last of the 3 of Aquinas’ ‘lifted up’ citations in his Commentary. Coincidence that it is used in today’s Mass? I think not!

In closing, I believe that Saint Thomas Aquinas, this morning, is advising each of us to draw from our 3 Mass readings this morning the ability to see any and all the Temporal or temporary Punishments — the sending of ‘serpents’, for example into our lives — that we experience as something designed to correct our wayward behavior and re-orient us back towards God.

Eternal punishment, however, is something quite different. It is something that we choose when we remain in a state of sin until death.

Fortunately, for us, Christ has removed the eternal penalty if only we turn to Him and have faith in everything that He has delivered to us through His teachings, per Mark 10:52.

In closing, per Aquinas: Jesus, the God-man, is “Our Eternal Solution” because: If Jesus were only just another man alone, He could not have bridged the infinite, sin-caused chasm between God and man.

Therefore, if He were only the spiritual God, Aquinas reasons, He would not have been able to give us the physical example of selfless love to the point of bodily death.

But by being both God and man, Jesus made God immediately available to us and gave us a living, breathing, physical example of how to live and love!

So, the next time you look at a crucifix (especially during this Easter), reflect on the lengths that Jesus was willing to go out of love for each of us and that Jesus allowed Himself to be killed in order to give each of us the ability to live forever with Him!

Thus, the serpent on the pole was only a temporary fix for a temporary problem.

Whereas, Jesus Christ lifted up in crucifixion is the eternal fix for our otherwise inescapable sin problem. Or, as Saint Thomas Aquinas would say it, Jesus Christ is our eternal: ‘Insurgence of inflamed concupiscences’ solution!

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 3/24/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:20:20 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

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Tim Trainor: Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

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Steve Hall: ‘Do you want to be well?’

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Lou Occhi: The plan for each of us

Norm McGraw: ‘All in’ with God

Ron Bruni: Trials, not temptations from God

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

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The OMG reflections from Tim Trainor & John Pearring

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Aquinas explains the bronze serpent

The serpent on the pole was only a temporary fix for a temporary problem

By Tim Trainor

Microsofst Copilot AI of Moses' bronze serpent

Click here to read Tim Trainor’s reflection from March 24, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

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Tim Trainor’s reflections: He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. (Luke 5:27)

Why did God decide to be one of us?

He planned all along to be among us, as shepherd, kin, king, victim, and redeemer.

By John Pearring

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1880)

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from March 24, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Why didn’t Jesus come as the King of the world among a powerful nation, and an exceptional throng of people that could influence a worldly empire, instead of riding upon a donkey? Perhaps the plan was to evolve differently, but the tribal people of God’s choosing weren’t up to that more expected, international, and glorious setting. The sorry story of a failed people and the violent death of their Messiah, though, sets up the background for what happened next. Death has been conquered.

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John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

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Why did God decide to be one of us?

John Francis Pearring — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:03:00 GMT

By John Pearring

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Numbers 21:4-9
John 8:21-30

Why does scripture present us with God as Jesus, the Christ? An all-powerful and mighty God, a Father of us all, who made the universe and everything in it, isn’t enough? It’s logical, too, that the Spirit of God travels through the wind and whispers into our ears all that the Father wants us to do and accomplish. Isn’t that enough?

As odd as it is, no, that’s not enough.

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1880)

It’s not so much that something is wrong with the reality of a God who created everything and lives with us all in his Spirit. God wants more than recognition. He wants to be among us in the flesh, to live and die as we do — humiliated, ravaged in age or some other horror. He wasn’t a contrived revelation or a creative addition to the universe. He is the true holy manifestation, a materialized person of the Father and the Holy Spirit who pre-existed creation itself.

The cosmic divinity of God is above my pay grade. Let’s just land on this: God decided all along (or, whatever you call “before time”) that he wanted to be one of us, among us, as shepherd, kin, king, victim, and redeemer.

“The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”

God the Father and the Holy Spirit didn’t tack on a holy human trope, a puppet to delight us. This Jesus is an essential, existential character of God, tied to the sails of the Holy Spirit, and the engine of the Father, as a ship on wild waters. (Metaphors are less logical the more you review them.)

Jesus is our human and divine Lord. We must believe and follow a flesh and bones being like us, not for a season, a term, or an age, but for all eternity.

Not to skip over the fact that this reality came from the words and teaching of Jesus. It’s important to show the receipts, credentials, and provenance of this Trinitatian God. He clearly defined the person of God as Father, and the Spirit of God as Holy. No one else told us this, based on human calculations and concoctions. It sounds silly to attribute this to a notion made up by Moses or St. Paul, two fellas from over town.

In addition, the earthly manifestations of God had already been revealed in pillars of fire and cloud, a burning bush, and in incredible displays of warfare and miraculous rescues. Angels, too, announced God’s presence. They weren’t aliens from another planet, but “pre-time” (a waffly dating) creatures. God also spoke to prophets and called himself “I Am.”

From the earliest records of the Hebrew scriptures, the Messiah, the Christ, was foretold. But the shocking reality that Jesus was among the singular God, revealed in a trinity of persons, was not articulated until Christ himself claimed, “I am.” Until he said it, no one knew the assurance of Jesus’ divinity.

“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM …”

Unlike the God of fire and cloud, whose voice dropped people to their knees, spread the waters to free people, and drowned armies, Jesus healed outcasts and cured peasants. Unlike his Holy Spirit, who touched every living thing not just over the eons and around the globe, but throughout the universe, this Jesus bar Joseph led a regionally bounded and lackluster life growing up as a carpenter’s stepson. After 30 years of an ignominious existence, Jesus revealed his divinity and asserted his Lordship by spending a mere three years on a mission with a blue-collar band of unexceptional people in a place the size of a few Colorado counties.

This Jesus amazed and rankled a tiny portion of one tiny planet among bazzilions (innumerable billions) of interstellar environs. Basically, a place the size of a molecule on a gnat’s whisker. Jesus Christ ruffled the religious leaders of an odd-looking, ritual-obsessed, and politically and militarily failed small community of tribal origin. He didn’t conquer Rome. He was conquered and killed by an annoying, unruly people who no longer had land of their own, and their leaders had severely restricted powers.

The Jews were the conquered remnant of a dozen nomadic tribes. An unfortunate disintegration of the wealthiest ruler in ancient history, to be fair, but a testament to Jesus’ divine arrival among a weakened people held under the thumb of two pompous overlords — the Pharisees and the Romans.

Jesus’ interactions and miraculous activities took place under an unimportant umbrella in a concealed corner of one empire. During his lifetime, his efforts intrigued only a couple of local Roman officials curious about his parochial celebrity. Without much consideration and less legal weight, the local Roman landlords acquiesced to unreasonable clerics and a protesting horde of their supporters. They crucified Jesus like a common criminal, mocked as a King of not just Jews, but also the Romans and Greeks. His murder was assumed to be another annoying and forgotten execution.

Why didn’t Jesus come as the King of the world among a powerful nation, and an exceptional throng of people that could influence a worldly empire, instead of riding upon a donkey? The plan was meant to evolve differently, but the tribal people of God’s choosing weren’t up to the task. This story of a people of history selected to be the beacon of the God of the universe tells us they were unprepared to convince anyone that Jesus was the Lord of the universe or that he sat upon a throne as the second person of the Holy Trinity. The sorry tale of a failed people and the violent death of their Messiah, though, sets up the background for what happened next.

Because he was God, assisted in both influence and indwelling by the Holy Spirit, Jesus placed himself, as we should be, under the guidance and order of the Father. He did this with a dramatic and epic reveal.

Jesus then rose from the dead. Resurrection is our future.

His prophecy and promise during his missionary life came to fulfillment. This is all that matters to a world of evidentiary truth. Show me that this man is Lord, say the interpreters of history, and ardent study with the gift of faith will do just that.

To rise from the dead as a resurrected being with capabilities and powers that astound science stamps a divine seal on the conqueror of death. The risen Jesus countermands a decaying premise of creation’s design. Jesus turned upside down, or rather upside right, the foundation of creation. He rose so that everyone, for all time, will have a marker that distinguishes Jesus from any other man by exposing a better eventuality.

The original and only logical expectation of a holy creator is that all creation will have eternal life. To deny that, in the face of Jesus’ revolutionary exclamation of life forever under his tutelage, relegates us to a doomed, deadly end, left with eternal existence, but without the feasting and beatific vision.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

The simple truth of Jesus as Lord, shown in the dusty countryside of Jerusalem, is told today in the same parochial and insignificant fashion. We humans, in our leadership and worldview, remain a failed partner with Jesus, the Father of us all, and the Holy Spirit who yearns to live in us.

Regardless of the concentration upon the glorious Vatican compound and the remarkable cathedrals that dot every city on the globe, the truth of Jesus as Lord, as the risen Son of God, is primarily told on the streets, in the neighborhoods, on automobile bumpers, and in the common gathering places of the world. The vast majority of Christian testimony takes place beneath and outside the pantheons of government councils, executive boardrooms, and mansions of the wealthy.

And still, the testimony powerfully transforms the population.

We bless our meals in the name of the God who lives, offering up our thanks to “Christ our Lord, Amen.” We discuss our families and mention the ones that are sick, upset, lost, anxious, and maybe dying. We casually and sincerely add all these people to our prayers, mouthing “We pray to the Lord” and “Lord hear our prayer,” while we drink coffee and tea and enjoy each other’s company.

We are witnesses, testifying among each other, and in public. “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” In almost all such cases of shared faith, restaurant managers and serving staff, others around us on the beach, and those who hear us on the subway, all bow their hearts, encouraging us to be faithful.

Our thinking and attention must be formed and focused toward a singular relationship to one man, scripture tells us. We gather in faith, hold hands in prayer, and object to Jesus' insults by changing the reception on our radios, the channels on our televisions, and the images on our phones. The airwaves and digital spaces offer plenty of faithful options and opportunities. We have even chosen to teach our children at home when no other choices exist. The effect of eternal life is unstoppable.

So, many of us wear crosses to remind us, some attached to rosaries, and others hanging from our rear-view mirrors. Our churches display the cross of the man, and we enter in packs and droves to make our statement with our feet. Our churches are everywhere, whether common in their space or glorious in their steeples.

While many of us may struggle to grasp that an all-powerful and loving God exists, the seemingly complicated story of an obscure birth, life, and death has morphed into a perfectly good notion of the almighty that has crashed through the barrier of the invisible. We shake each other’s hands at our services and claim the Spirit’s urging. “Christ be with you.”

When someone curses, “Jesus Christ,” we murmur the added words and finish their sentence with, “is Lord.” When we see old friends, and they exclaim their shock at seeing us, “Jesus Christ, it’s you!” We answer, “No. It’s just me, John. But thanks for seeing him in me.”

God insists that the basis for everything we should believe rests on this single, central, recurring statement: Jesus is Lord. He’s the Lord of me, he’s the Lord of all. Lordy, Lordy, Lordy.

We are told that at the core of our being, in our heart, our acceptance must be resolute and confident enough to confess that belief out loud, and the simplest expressions are the ones that course through society where two or three are gathered.

We do this because “Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

(Oh, and Jesus is returning, likely in the international and glorious visage that we think is more appropriate. However, the “how” will be just as unexpected.)

[A rewrite of my OMG reflection from 11-30-16]

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 3/17/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:03:31 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Steve Leininger: Who was Ezekiel?

Steve Hall: ‘Do you want to be well?’

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Blink & breathe God’s forgiveness

Lou Occhi: The plan for each of us

Tim Trainor: Mary is on the ‘inside’

Norm McGraw: ‘All in’ with God

Ron Bruni: Trials, not temptations from God

Steve Hessman: Are Covenants important today?

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: In honor of my father, Dave Silvia

The OMG reflections from Steve Leininger & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Who was Ezekiel?

A vision, a miracle, and a Sabbath

By Steve Leininger

Image by yinet gomez

Click here to read Steve Leininger’s reflection from March 17, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The prophet Ezekiel is shown a vision of water flowing from the temple, which represents God’s presence and blessing. The water begins as a trickle and deepens as it flows eastward, eventually becoming a mighty river. This imagery is rich with symbolism, reflecting themes of life, healing, and divine provision. God’s influence starts as a trickle of water and, as we journey, it widens and deepens.

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Steve Leininger’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

‘Do you want to be well?’

Jesus isn’t prone to asking dumb questions

By Steve Hall

Image by Usman Yousaf

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from March 17, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Our readings for today tell two stories, stories of cups being full and stories of cups being empty. Actually, we hear of both full and empty in each story. Throughout life, we all share in highs and lows — the cup that overflows and the cup that seems bottomless in its emptiness.

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Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)