Royal Doors

Feb

13

2017

Mark 11:1-11- Donkeys

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Have you ever seen the cross on the back of a donkey? The Nubian burro is the species that carried our Lord into Jerusalem, and also most likely carried Him in the womb of His mother on their trip to Bethlehem. These donkeys each have a unique darker "shadow of the cross" on their backs whose size and shape are unique to each animal. In some cases they are even used as a form of identification in their registration papers! The donkey is a humble animal. Our Lord did not ride into Jerusalem on a war…

Feb

12

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Luke 15:11-32- Running out to Meet Him

FaithForgiveness, prodigal son

Glory be to Jesus Christ! When was the last time you felt overjoyed enough to run out to meet someone? Running was something that grown men did not do in Jesus' time (unless they were athletes of course.) When we hear of grown men running in the Gospels we are meant as readers to roll our eyes in response to the silliness. The parable of the Prodigal Son shows the love of the Father for us in such a deep way that it is sometimes referred to as "The Gospel within the Gospel." This story has been one which has…

Feb

10

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 14:3-9- Antisocial

Faithgiving, poor, Social gospel

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Have you ever heard of "The Social Gospel Movement" of the early 20th Century? Although it had some very good things to remind us of (the corporal works of mercy are really good after all!) it essentially tried to teach the message that Christ would not come back until poverty was eliminated here on earth. In fact, what ultimately happened was the blur between this world and the next. Heaven on earth through human effort. This, brothers and sisters was never the Gospel. Christ fed many people when He multiplied the loaves and the fishes- but…

Feb

09

2017

By Fr. Michael Winn

UGCC Catechism Excerpts for Bulletins

Faith

Here's a great resource for catechetical programs and parish bulletins - the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat (Parma, Ohio) has been publishing excerpts of the Catechism in a bulletin format. And they are all available to you. Visit here to see more.

Feb

09

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 13:31-14:2- Hypothermic World

Faithawake, sleep, Vigilance

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Did you ever take first aid training? When I was younger I was a lifeguard and swim instructor and one of the most prevalent worries that we were trained to be on guard against was hypothermia. As your body gets colder your internal body temperature can't be regulated and there is a great danger of falling asleep. In many cases this is the most dangerous time as it is very possible to slip silently into a sleep which many do not wake from. In treating a hypothermic victim it is essential to keep them awake.…

Feb

08

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 13:24-31- “Ill be Back!”

Faithjudge, second coming, terminator

Glory be to Jesus Christ! "I'll be back." This phrase as made popular by the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The Terminator (and even more in the second movie, called "Judgement Day" no less.) The story promises a dystopoian future and a war with evil machines sent to kill the small remaining society of people. People love "end of the world" movies, books, stories, you name it. It is part of the human condition to realize that there is an end to which we are headed, that life on this planet is vectorial- it has a purpose or destination. In the Gospel…

Feb

07

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 13:14-23- I Warned You!

Faithbeatitudes, commandments, prophesy, warning

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Any parent knows how important it is to keep children safe through warning them of the dangers that surround them. In our world today there exists a type of sentiment that "children shouldn't be tied down and should be free to do as they wish." Indeed, our God is a God of freedom- just look at the freedom of Adam and Eve in the Garden. God does not force anyone. Yet, we cannot say that God does not warn us. He warns us because He loves us. Throughout the periods of captivity God's people faced…

Feb

06

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

The Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee- You Can’t Fake Out God!

Faithhumility, pride, reality publican and pharisee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZETelHK52M

Feb

06

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 13:9-13- I Have Run the Race!

Faithendurace, faithfulness, persecution, preaching, race

Glory be to Jesus Christ! What did you prefer to run in track? Were you a hurdle jumper, a sprinter or a long distance runner? In our reading today the Lord outlines the difficulties that His disciples will face trying to preach the Gospel to the world. Not only those in the synagogues, but members of their own families will betray them to death. Yet, in the midst of this troubling news He tells them not to worry or be anxious, because through their endurance and faithfulness to the end they will be saved. He tells them to keep their…

Feb

05

2017

By Respected Author

Meditation on the Prayer of St. Ephrem | Jim Forest

PrayerPrayer, Prayer of St. Ephrem

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust for power and idle talk. But give to me, your servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love. O Lord and King, grant to me to see my own faults and not to condemn my brother and sister. For you are blessed unto the ages of ages. Reflect on the prayer phrase by phrase and let it question you. “O Lord and Master of my life...” Who is Lord and master of my life? Me? God? The ideas, slogans, and choices of people…