All of the prayers assigned to the liturgy – the Eucharist and the breviary – on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus focus on the Christ. The focus makes good sense, since we are trying to remember that God’s love is so infinite as to be unimaginable and so intimate as to be unbearable without the Spirit’s help.
 
On the other hand, the focus on the Heart is meant to make sure we know that Jesus is not only the Christ but is also of Nazareth. He was born of His lady Mother and held by the one she called “your father,” Joseph son of David.
 

When we sin, we know that God cares because we feel guilt. We feel God's displeasure - that's what our guilt really is.

Well, why are we so slow to feel God's pleasure when we do good - when we go about doing His will? ...

This is about Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel. You can find it on line in several places, and you can buy a book-sized copy of it from USCCP at www.usccbpublishing.org – and you’ll want to have a copy of it, I promise you.

Here, I just want to say three things (I think it’s three – let’s see).

On the way from Loyola to the town of Javier - where Francis Xavier was born, baptized, and grew up - we prayed in silence. Being bussed along, securely and in silence, helps a group of pilgrims reach quiet of spirit. We surely did, in that green, steep-hilled countryside.

When we pilgrims got to Loyola, we found ourselves in a deep valley. We couldn't see the Loyola castle: it's encased in a humongous grey building crowned with an equally humongous dome.

We rode our tour bus up to the little church on the hill above Loyola's castle. Inigo used to climb that hill as a boy to pray before his "Lady of Olatz".

A few days ago I celebrated Mass for the twenty or so men in our infirmary. The feast day was that of Guardian Angels...

This is about religion and science. Not in public schools, but in public, in the NYTimes. Some might not find it interesting...

Jesus had sent His disciples out to spread good news. They were to go to a town and discover first whether the Holy Spirit had been busy there

Among the surprises the Lord has dropped on us, the election of a Jesuit as the Bishop of Rome ranks highest. ...