Superior Priest

09May26 (26aE5) Jesus does not merely show us a path—He is the path. In a world chasing success, security, and “more,” Christ redirects us to what truly matters: being with Him. The Christian life is not just about avoiding sin or achieving worldly goals, but about relationship—walking with Christ, trusting Him, and ordering our lives toward eternal life rather than temporary fulfillment.

15Feb26 (26aO6) Jesus raises the bar beyond mere rule-keeping: it is not enough to avoid murder or adultery—disciples are called to transformed hearts. The Christian life is not about minimal sin avoidance, but about choosing life through love of God and neighbor. As Lent approaches, we are invited into the desert not for self-improvement alone, but to reorder our lives through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving so that we run toward Christ and grow in authentic love.

25Jan26 (26aO3) Reflecting on Jesus’ call of the first disciples and the prophecy of light dawning in Galilee, we are reminded that Christ still speaks clearly today through Sacred Scripture. On this Sunday of the Word of God, we are urged to deepen our familiarity with the Bible, recognizing that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. As disciples, we are called not only to hear the Word, but to let it illumine our lives, strengthen our hope, and draw us more fully into following Jesus.

11Jan26 (26Baptism) We reflect on why Baptism is the gateway to the Christian life and why Christ Himself chose to be baptized. Baptism forgives sin, makes us temples of the Holy Spirit, and—most profoundly—adopts us as children of God. Though it fully cleanses us, it does not remove human weakness, which is why confession and the Eucharist continually renew our baptismal life. We are reminded that God freely chose us in Baptism, bound Himself to the sacraments for our salvation, and calls us to live confidently as sons and daughters of the Father.

25Dec25 (25ChristmasEve) We face a broken, anxious world and our own messy lives, and we admit how much we want God to simply fix it all. Christmas shows us something deeper: God doesn’t stay distant or override our freedom—He enters our chaos. In Jesus, God becomes one of us, walking with us in weakness and disorder so we are never alone. JESUS Manifest Infirmity, wondrous Humility, in which all the greatness of God lay hidden: He is both great in the nature of God and small in the form of a servant. But His greatness is not diminished by His smallness, nor His smallness overwhelmed by His greatness. He Himself with the Father and the Holy Spirit precedes all spans of time, but on this day, issuing from His mother, He stepped into the tide of the years. * * * * * He who made man, was made Man; He was given existence by a mother whom He brought into existence. He finds no room in the inn, but He builds a temple for Himself in the hearts of those who believe. Unspeakably wise, He is wisely speechless; filling the world, He lies in a manger. He is wrapped in swaddling clothes, but He gives us a garment of immortality. John the Baptist baptized Christ, the Giver of Baptism, in waters made holy by the One Who was baptized. * * * * * In Him we see our God made visible, and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see. He came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay. Such is the love of our God! Then let us be kindled with love, that we may come to His eternity! By Marie E. Barfknecht (1926-2019)

14Dec25 (25aA3) We sit with the Advent tension of the Christian life: already saved by grace, but not yet fully purified and ready for heaven. Using John the Baptist in prison—who seems to question, “Are you the one who is to come?”—we explore how faith can feel strained when the world still looks broken, and how Jesus answers not with theories but with signs: sight restored, the dead raised, good news preached to the poor. We consider two readings of John’s question—crisis of faith or a final act of humility to push his disciples toward Jesus—and we hear Advent’s practical call: be patient with ourselves and others, stop living on accusation, and learn John’s rule for holiness: “He must increase, and I must decrease.”

30Nov25 (25aA1) We explore what Jesus really means when He tells us to “stay awake” at the start of Advent, moving from tired midwatch and drowsy highway drives to the deeper problem of spiritual sleep. We talk about how Mass, confession, concrete Advent commitments (like a daily Examen), and even liturgical shifts—Ad orientem, the Advent wreath, fiddleback vestments, and simple Latin chants—can act like spiritual caffeine, jolting us back into watchfulness so we’re genuinely ready whenever the Lord comes.