They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

• Mark 8:22-26

A year ago, I started 2020 with a post about “How Is Your Vision?”  You know, playing on the concept of the year being 2020 (20:20 vision?).  I wrote in a Christmas letter to some friends last month that we had been 2020ed.  Funny, no not…

If there was ever a year I was ready to turn the page on, it was 2020. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. COVID-19 knocked us off our feet early on, and we’re still in the grip of it. Within weeks or even days, we had to adapt and rethink the way we do just about everything, from greeting each other to studying to working to celebrating our faith.

As humans tend to do, we got the hang of all that. What was harder to deal with were the many losses – of our loved ones, our communities, our routines, our comforts. Amazingly, we found ways to gather, shop, share stories, worship together and support each other as best we could.

We all have our stories about 2020. Not all of them are unhappy ones, thankfully. We’ll be unpacking them for years. But for now, for this moment…

Homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. It reminds us of the importance and the honor that we give to Mary as Catholics. I’m sure most of us here today have been asked at least once why Catholics give the Blessed Mother such an important place in the Church. The simple answer is that she said yes. She said yes to the invitation from the Father to be the bearer of Christ, to be the bearer of God himself.

The title “Mother of God” is from the Greek “Theotokos,” meaning “God-bearer.” It is through this celebration, which finds its origins in discussions that took place at the Council of Ephesus in 431, that the church reminds us of Mary’s unique role in God’s plan of salvation. Without Mary’s fiat, without her “yes,” Jesus would…