From the heart of Deacon Doug.
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, Matthew 6:19-23, we hear Jesus say, “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon”. Mammon is an Aramaic word for wealth or property. Jesus is telling his disciples that they cannot give their complete allegiance both to God and Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, Matthew 5:38-42, we hear Jesus say, “when someone strikes you on the cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If someone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well”. This kind of talk was Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today Jesus talked about a tiny mustard seed that grows into one of the largest of all bushes. We know that for a seed to grow it needs water, oxygen and sunlight. A few years ago during the excavation of an Egyptian Pharaoh, they found ancient seeds Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today Sheila and I have been married for 56 years. Thinking back over all those years, there’s a lot to ponder. I often mention on Cursillo that various scripture readings cause me to ponder. Well, what does it mean to ponder? To ponder means to sit quietly Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, John 19:31-37, as Jesus hung on the cross, it was customary for the soldiers to break the legs of those crucified to hasten their death. But they did not break Jesus’ legs, fulfilling the prophecy that “not a bone of it will Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org When a man and a woman come together in marriage two things happen as we read in the book of Genesis 2:24. First, the man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife. Second, the two of them become one body. It’s sort of like Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Imagine how surprised people were to hear Jesus say; “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” They must have felt he was talking to the wrong crowd. After all, they were farmers, fishermen, and carpenters. They were not scholars and lawyers or Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Our gospel today, Matthew 5:1-12, is from the famous Beatitudes declared by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus opens with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. This statement is misunderstood by many. Poor in spirit doesn’t mean Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today is the feast of Corpus Christi. As we receive Jesus in the Eucharist today, we need to thank him that we are Catholic and for this incredible gift of his Body and Blood. We need to thank him that he has bound himself to us in Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org The widow in our Gospel today gave all that she had to live on and not from her surplus wealth. It makes us stop and think about how we give. Many times we feel like we are just barely making ends meet and that keeps us from Read more