Brian Mullins is a permanent deacon in the Rockford Diocese who has been assigned by his Bishop to Saint Catherine of Genoa Parish in Genoa, Illinois.
Paul, in our first reading from Ephesians, talks about God’s plan for salvation. Paul says that while other generations did not know it, it “has now been revealed.” That’s important. God’s plan for us is not an accident. While we have to have backup plans, God isn’t likeContinue Reading
Jesus, today in the Gospel, reprimands his contemporaries for their lack of faith. The problem isn’t that they seek a sign, but their motive and lack of understanding of that sign. They were gathering because they wanted a show—more flashy “magic” and excitement. Jesus tells them they will have noContinue Reading
There are two fundamental aspects of God that our readings point out today. The first one is God’s infinite mercy. The excerpt from the book of Isaiah uses the beautiful imagery of wiping away tears from every face. How could we not be moved by this vision of theContinue Reading
Today is the feast day of Saint Therese. When she was just fourteen years old at Christmas, she encountered Jesus in such a powerful way that it changed her life. She entered a convent at only 15 years old and began to live a simple life. She believed that whatContinue Reading
The first reading from this morning reminds us that spiritual battle is real. In it, we see the scene from the book of Revelation in which Michael leads the armies of God’s angels to fight the devil and his demons. I want to talk about Saint Michael, Gabriel, and RaphaelContinue Reading
Obedience. Obedience is a word that many people do not want to hear in the modern world. Yesterday, as my brothers and I were being ordained as Deacons, we knelt down before the Bishop and made a promise of obedience. Many people would balk at that. Being a Deacon thoughContinue Reading
A famous poet once wrote the following lines: “See the mountains kiss high heaven And the waves clasp one another; No sister-flower would be forgiven If it disdained its brother; And the sunlight clasps the earth And the moonbeams kiss the sea: What is all this sweet work worth IfContinue Reading