Living and Loving God,  All life originates from you and is oriented to eternal union with you.  We thank you for each breath and heartbeat that sustains us.    We ask for your help and healing in a nation and state that tragically diminishes the sacredness and dignity of every human life by promoting untimely death, especially among the most vulnerable in the womb.    We pray for their continued protection through legal means, and prayers for the conversion of hearts and min

I wish I remembered the day of my baptism. Why? In this fundamental sacrament of our faith, we experience the awesome mystery of God who has chosen each of us from the very moment of conception to be “a light for the nations” as Isaiah wrote in the first reading. To remember that day would be a “touchstone” when living the life of faith is a struggle. However, even if I did remember that day, there would be no guarantee I would still chose to live the Christian life.

This weekend, Saint John the Baptist bears witness to the Baptism of Jesus. Pope Francis reminded us that "Baptism is the Sacrament on which our very faith is founded, and which grafts us as a living member onto Christ and his Church", and he added: "It is not a formality! It is an act that touches the depths of our existence. A baptized child and an unbaptized child are not the same. A person who is baptized and a person who is not baptized are not the same. We, by Baptism,

What unites us?  Today, we all share something in common.  We encounter it on our way to Church, on our way home, or anywhere we travel.  It’s inescapable this time of year.  I’m talking about road salt.  When serving its purpose, road salt keeps us safe, but it also leaves a residue that clings and spreads.  It’s a recurring struggle, but we have a remedy. That’s water. Water is beneficial, but excessive water or poor quality can lead to illness, damage, or even death.  Wate

As today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord and we end the Christmas season, our life with Christ is not ended. In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we see the mission of the Messiah and ours is.  Jesus lived this mission, and he left it to His Church to continue. This is what we need to be about. We are not baptized into an institution. We die with Christ and rise with him in the waters of baptism to a new life and a new identity. We are baptized into an unending relationsh