Category Archives: Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflections

6th day of the Octave before Christmas, Friday, December 22, 2023 1 Sm 1:24-28; (Ps) 1 Sm 2:1,4-7,8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Today we hear Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting in the Magnificat. It is one of the many canticles that are in the Bible, and scholars will tell us, that it is made up of multipleContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-22-24”

2nd Friday in Advent, December 15, 2023 Is 48:17-19, Ps 1: 1-4, 6, Mt 11:16-19 Who do you listen to? And when I ask that question, I am asking about from whom do you receive your teaching, and from whom do you learn what is good and bad? I would imagine it is very difficultContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-15-23”

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8, 2023  Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary spoke these words directly from her heart and soul.  A few minutes earlier, Mary was fullContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-8-23”

34th Friday in Ordinary Time, December 1, 2023 Dn 7:2-14, Dn 3:75-81, Lk21:29-33 Recently, there has been much talk surrounding the “end times.” With all that has or is happening in the world, many people, good Christian people, in fact, are all wondering if the “end times” are near. Well, they are sort of correct.Continue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-1-23”

33rd Friday in Ordinary Time, November 24, 2023Feast of St Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, MartyrsMc 4:36-37, 52-59, 1 Chr 29:10-12, Lk 19:45-48  Can you imagine walking into our church and finding it full of money changers, vendors, and those generally trying to make money off our faith? This is what Jesus walked into whenContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-24-23”

32nd Friday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2023, Feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary Wis 13:1-9, Ps 19:2-5, Lk 17:26-37 A young Christian lady went off to college. As she sat in the cafeteria, she wondered about those around her, what they were like, what they believed, and what they were searching for in life.Continue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-17-23”

31st Friday in Ordinary time, November, 10, 2023 Memorial of St Leo the Great Rom 15:14-21, PS 98:1-4, Lk 16:1-8 “I, myself, am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness.”  I am constantly amazed by St. Paul. His insights into all peoples and their behaviors are masterful. FromContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Homily 11-10-23”

30th Friday in Ordinary Time Rom 9:1-5, Ps 147:12-15, 19-20, Lk 14:1-6 Think about a time in your life when you wished you could do something for somebody you loved. Yet, you knew if you did, it would not help them because they needed to do it themselves. Or, another time where you had toContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection – November 3, 2023”

29th Friday in Ordinary Time, October 27, 2023 Rom 7:18-25a, Ps 119:66, 68, 76-77, 93-94, Lk 12:54-59 Last weekend I had the opportunity to serve at a Mass where around 120 or so young adults were present for a retreat. When we think of young adults, we sometimes mischaracterize them as not being able to manageContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 10-27-23”

28th Friday in Ordinary time, October 20, 2023 Rom 4:1-8; Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11; Lk 12:1-7 We receive another exhortation from Jesus today. Except this one is a little friendlier than the ones we have heard recently. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” By hearing this, we have to assume Jesus was sensing a greatContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 10-20-23”

27th Friday in Ordinary time, October 13, 2023 Jl 1:13-15-2:1-2; Ps 9:2-3, 6, 16, 8-9; Jn 12:13b-32 Division seems to be all around us today. From our own political parties driving a wedge between Americans, to the recent violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict. There seems to be no end to the division. It even transcendsContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection-10-13-23”

26th Friday in Ordinary time, October 6, 2023 Bar 1:13-22; Ps 79:1-5,8-9; Lk 10:13-16 “Justice is with the Lord, our God, and we today are flushed with shame.” Ouch. That is pretty harsh. The prophet Baruch goes on and slams the Israelites for their failure to follow God’s ways. Now in defense of them, theyContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 10-6-23”

Friday, September 29, 2023, Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rev 12:7-12a; Ps 138:1-5; Jn 1:47-51 Today we celebrate the three Archangels the church names by name. The following is information from the Encyclopedia of Saints:  The first is Saint Michael, whose name means, “Who is like God.” HeContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 9-29-23”

24th Friday in Ordinary Time, September 22, 2023 1 Tm 6:2c-12; Ps 49: 6-10, 17-20; Lk 8:1-3 I’ve been studying the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes again lately. It seemed to be the right thing to do, and of course, the teachings are sound. While the Church spends a lot of time discussing the TenContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 9-22-23”

Our Lady of Sorrows, Feast Day, September 15, 2023 1 Tm 1: 1-2, 12-14; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-9, 11; Jn 19:25-27 Today marks the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. It is a day we honor the Virgin Mary of the seven sorrows she endured during Jesus’s life and ultimate crucifixion. They are: TheContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection-Our lady of Sorrows – 9-15-2023”

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, 2023 Mt 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30; Ps 13:6abc; Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 Today is the day we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The following is taken (paraphrased) from a reflection for the day from the Franciscan Media website. While we do not know exactlyContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 9-8-23”

21st Friday in Ordinary time, yr 1 September 1, 2023 1 Thes 4:1-8; Ps 97:1-2,5-6,10-12; Mt 25:1-13 On August 6, 2015, Pope Francis declared today to be the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. It is a time for us to reaffirm our personal vocations to be stewards of creation, and toContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 9-1-23”

Friday, August 25, 2023 20th Week in Ordinary Time Ru 1: 1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22; Ps 146:5-10; Mt 22:34-40 Several years ago, at a friend’s 50th wedding anniversary, an elderly priest (and mutual friend), re-dedicated the couple’s marriage. It is not often you find couples married for 50 years anymore, but knowing this couple forContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 8-25-23”

19th Friday in Ordinary time, yr. 1, August 18, 2023 Jos 24:1-13; Ps 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24; Mt 19:3-12 We have a wonderful story from the prophet, Joshua, today. Joshua recounted all the things God did for His people, from before Abraham, all the way to where the Israelites were in the Promised Land andContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 8-18-23”

18th Friday in Ordinary Time, Feast of St Clare, August 11, 2023 Dt 4:32-40; Ps 77:12-16, 21; Mt 16:24-28 Today is the feast of St. Clare, the foundress of the Order of Saint Clare, an order that developed in the early 1200s and was blessed by Pope Innocent. There are two sets of readings forContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 8-11-23”