From the heart of Deacon Doug.
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, Luke 14: 25-33, Jesus is traveling with a crowd, and he tells them that if they want to be his disciple, but do so without hating their family, they cannot be his disciple. This statement sounds shocking and seems to be Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today is the Third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday. It is the day we light the pink candle on our Advent Wreath. It’s a day for rejoicing because the birth of Jesus is near. John the Baptist tells the people of his day to rejoice also because, Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Though Franciscan missionaries had been laboring in Mexico for twenty years, they had made little progress. Within ten years of the appearance of Mary to Juan Diego practically the entire Mexican people, nine million strong, had converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe proved to Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today Matthew 11:16-19, Jesus is accused of being a glutton and a drunkard, and hanging out with sinners. Jesus was being judged by people that obviously didn’t understand his mission on earth. What was meant to be an insult, was really an affirmation of Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org One of God’s greatest gifts to the people of Israel in the past had been freedom. As a result they believed that the trade mark of the long-awaited Messiah would also be freedom. When John the Baptist quoted the prophet Isaiah, “prepare the way of the Lord, Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org One of the first passages I memorized in my youth was today‘s Gospel passage when Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest!” We all have many inescapable burdens in life. It’s how we deal with our burdens that Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today is the great feast day of The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. I would have to say however that Mary may not be thrilled with us honoring her this way. She said to Elizabeth, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, a group of men go to great lengths to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. They can’t get into the door of the house where Jesus is because of the crowd, so they drop him down through the roof to meet Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org John the Baptist is often called the precursor or forerunner of Christ because he prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. John invites sinners to repent knowing that sin kept people far from God. So he offered them the only remedy to help them receive Jesus Read more
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In Advent I look to the day when the Lord will come again, not as an infant in Bethlehem, but in power and glory. All of history will come to an end and the reign of God will be fulfilled. When the Jews heard Read more