Browsing Thoughts from Fr. Bob
Second Sunday of Advent - December 8, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 12/09/24
We hear John the Baptist proclaim today, “Make straight your paths.” How do we do so? John’s primary message throughout the whole region answers that question. We must repent of our sins. Our sins are the obstacles that block the path of the Lord, that make it more difficult ... Read More »
First Sunday of Advent - December 1, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 11/26/24
On this first day of December, this first day of the season of Advent, and this first day of a new liturgical year, we are reminded that our relationship with the Lord can always begin anew. Even as we prepare for the coming of Jesus as an infant on ... Read More »
Christ the King - November 24, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 11/21/24
On the final Sunday of the Church year we celebrate Jesus Christ’s unique role as ruler over the entire universe. He did not become King by conquering other nations, nor by popular acclaim. No, he became King by willingly suffering and dying for our sins and leading us to ... Read More »
33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time - November 17, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 11/12/24
The days are growing shorter. The nights are getting longer. For those few who live above the arctic circle, the sun has disappeared for weeks now and won’t return until March. The first part of the Gospel resonates loudly for them. As terrifying as some of the images are, ... Read More »
32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time - November 10, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 11/07/24
We believe that everything we have ultimately comes from God. God gave us life to begin with, offers us the gift of new life through Christ, and blesses our life everyday. We hope to imitate God’s generosity through our own actions. The readings we hear today offer a lesson ... Read More »
31st Sunday of Ordinary Time - November 3, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 10/31/24
In this month of November, we Catholics remember in a special way all those relatives, friends, and parishioners who have died. In front of the altar we have placed photos of those special people who have passed away, securing the hope that they are, in the words from today’s ... Read More »
30th Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 27, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 10/24/24
It seems throughout history the nation of Israel was threatened, eventually defeated, and the Jewish people sent into exile. This is the background behind Jeremiah’s incredibly hopeful and consoling oracle we hear today. The Lord will bring back the exiles, the strong and the weak, the young and old, ... Read More »
29th Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 20, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 10/17/24
When Jesus asks James and John, “What do you wish me to do for you?” they could have responded some other way. They could have asked him to tell them what they could do for him. They could have asked him how they could prevent him from being put ... Read More »
28th Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 13, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 10/10/24
We come to church in various states of disrepair. Perhaps we are worn down by an exhausting week of work. Perhaps we are trying to cope with family or marital difficulties. Perhaps we have been wracked by grief, or guilt, or despair. The truth is that this is the ... Read More »
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 6, 2024
Posted by Fr Bob Betz on 10/03/24
Especially appropriate on Respect Life Sunday, our first reading reminds us that God brought life to us all. Out of love and empathy for the first human. God created the first woman. God has blessed us with the ability to share in the creation of new life and we ... Read More »