Gospel Meditation
Tercer domingo de Adviento-Mateo 11:2-11
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 12/12/25
When I was 11, I was riding my bike on a Friday night in Scottsdale, Arizona. I saw giant spotlights swirling in the sky. Somethingamazing had to be happening. I pedaled after them with excitement. Sweaty and tired, I arrived, only to find a used car lot. Bright lights, ... Read More »
Second Sunday of Advent—Matthew 3:1-12
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 12/06/25
This week we hear that John the Baptist is out in the wilderness eating “locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6). It’s not just a strangehistorical detail. It’s a symbolic expression of a healthy spiritual diet. The path to Christ includes both the hard and the beautiful, the gritty and ... Read More »
Luke 23:35-43
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 11/21/25
Luke 23:35-43
Not long ago, I was called to a hospital to anoint a woman in her early 80s. She was dying, and visibly in pain. But what struck me most wasn’t her suffering — it was the atmosphere in the room. She had eight children and 30 foster ... Read More »
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time—Luke 21:5-19
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 11/14/25
When I was a kid growing up in New England, I’d occasionally go on a whale watch. Once we went out with calm waters and clear skies. But on the way back in, the sea got rough. I was just a kid, and I remember thinking we should turn ... Read More »
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica—John 2:13-22
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 11/08/25
When I was 22, I entered St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time. It floored me. I could hardly take it in, its grandeur, majestic arches, vibrant colors, and the light that danced through its high windows. Somehow, amidst such splendor, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging, as ... Read More »
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time—Luke 17:11-19
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 10/10/25
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time—Luke 17:11-19
Dorothy Day, the great Catholic activist, doubted God’s existence, at least in her early adult years. But something changed when, after giving birth to her daughter, she experienced an overwhelming gratitude. She later described how, as she held her daughter, the only appropriate ... Read More »
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time—Luke 17:5-10
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 10/03/25
A priest friend of mine received a call from a family whose elderly mother was dying. Within thirty minutes, he was at her bedside, offering the consolation of the sacraments, anointing her with the oil of the sick, and commending her soul to God. She passed not long after, ... Read More »
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 9/27/25
I am embarrassed to admit that I frequently find myself dining and socializing with people who have millions and sometimes billions of dollars. I’ve eaten more caviar, lobster and wagyu steak than most people on the planet. I justify it by saying it’s part of my job. But I ... Read More »
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross John 3:13-17
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 9/12/25
The Exaltation of the Holy CrossJohn 3:13-17
One of my favorite movies is the 1991 comedy What About Bob? Bill Murray plays a troubled, paranoid hypochondriac named Bob Wiley who innocently but annoyingly hounds Dr. Leo Marvin, played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob is paralyzed by his fear of, well, ... Read More »
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Luke 14:1, 7-14
Posted by Nancy Carrizales on 8/29/25
Once I was invited to a group meeting with Pope Francis. Entering the room, I paused, eyeing the seats next to the Pope’s fancy chair. Someone saw my paralysis and invited me to sit in the seat farthest from what I wanted. Hiding my disappointment, I sat. We waited. ... Read More »