Category: Seeing with Jesus’ Eyes

On
Fr. Donald Lange

Thank God for blessings seen and not yet seen

Thanksgiving’s roots go back to the Pilgrims. After a long hard year during which more than half died from scurvy or exposure to the elements, survivors held a feast of thanksgiving during which they shared their blessings with Indian friends.

The Pilgrims thanked God that enough of them survived to start a new life for themselves and their descendants. As the colonies grew more prosperous, however, people tended to forget about Thanksgiving. Consequently, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically, if at all.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Labor Day invites us to reflect on our work

Labor Day has become a day of parades, picnics, and political speeches. Many see this day as a celebration of summer’s end, the beginning of school, and one more chance to relax before fall’s busyness. Labor Day did not begin with this intention.

On September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day celebration and parade in the United States were held in New York City. Thousands of workers marched in a parade up Broadway carrying banners that read: “EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, EIGHT HOURS FOR REST, EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION.” It became a federal holiday in 1894.

Reflecting on dignity of work

In 1891, in his ground-breaking encyclical Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII outlined the rights of workers to a fair wage, safe working conditions, and formation of labor unions, while affirming the rights of property and free enterprise.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Mary’s assumption invites us to follow her

On August 15, we celebrate Mary’s assumption into heaven.

In no. 966 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.”

Shows us how to love

Mary’s assumption can motivate us to reflect upon events that led to her being assumed into heaven as a reward for her faithfulness.

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Fr. Donald Lange

July 4 invites us to reflect on freedom

Independence Day is an American federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Studying the Declaration of Independence can motivate us to reflect upon the meaning of freedom and independence.

Dependence on God

We Catholics believe that our independence and freedom are rooted in our dependence upon God. Our dependence upon God is clearly stated in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Jesus’ resurrection is at the heart of our faith

On Easter, we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ resurrection. His resurrection is the heart of our faith.

In 1 Corinthians 15:14, St. Paul teaches, “If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is in vain and our faith empty.”

Jesus’ kingdom

Like many Jews who suffered from messiah fever, on Holy Thursday, deep down, the apostles may still have had lingering hopes that Christ was a political messiah who would conquer the hated Roman occupiers and establish his earthly kingdom.

Despite three years of on-the-job training, the apostles often failed to fully understand that Christ’s kingdom was a kingdom of justice, love, and peace and not of power and violence.

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