From the heart of Deacon Doug.
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Jesus and his disciples are once again scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating grain from the fields, but for doing it on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the scriptures that human need takes precedence over ritual Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Our Gospel today from Matthew 19:16-22 is the story of the rich young man. The man asks Jesus what he has to do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell what he has, give the money to the poor and then follow him. We know that Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org I have been privileged to have been to Cana five times. Each time Sheila and I have had our marriage blessed. As I reflect upon this today, I ask God to bless all of your marriages and smooth the challenges we all will eventually face. Mary today Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org When Jesus called his apostles to follow him, such as Levi in today’s gospel, he didn’t give them time to turn in a two weeks notice at work as they quit their jobs. When someone wanted to follow Jesus but needed to bury their father first, Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today Mark 2:1-12, a group of men 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 from the roof to meet Jesus, and he Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Under Jewish law a person who had leprosy could not approach another person without warning them he was coming. Lepers were outcasts of society. They were driven from their homes and left to fend for themselves. Therefore when the leper approached Jesus in today’s gospel he Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org After a full day of healing the sick and driving out demons, Jesus rested. Very early the next morning before dawn, he went off to pray. For Jesus there was a balance between his Apostolic Action and his Piety or prayer life. He was never too busy to Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org The Gospel today said that Jesus spoke with “authority”. Do we act like we believe that ? Do we believe that God’s word has the power to set us free and transform our lives ? Jesus spoke with authority like no one had spoken before. His authority was Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org In our gospel today, Mark 1:14-20, Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee where he sees Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, where he calls them to “come after me, and I will make you fishers of men”. They all immediately left everything behind to Read more…
Orange County Cursillo | communications@occursillo.org | occursillo.org Today we end the Christmas season and begin Ordinary Time with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. All four gospels describe his baptism by John as a powerful experience of God’s love and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon him. When Jesus returned home from Read more…