Jesus in the House-Gospel Reflections on Christ Presence in the Home
by Allan F. Wright
Excellent for Families, Small Groups-Complete with Prayers, Quotes, Reflection Questions and Chapter Challenges at the end of each chapter to put these lessons into practice today!
Available this January 2007 from St. Anthony Messenger Press

At Home with Jesus

So much of Jesus' ministry took place in the homes and houses of his first disciples and the inhabitants of the Holy Land. 99 times the word house is used by the Gospel writers and home is mentioned about 30 times. How different would our homes be if Jesus was present through word and deed. Our homes still need his teaching, forgiving, healing and meals shared around the table. Faith, after all, is often more caught than taught. From Mary's magnificat proclaimed in the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth to the disciples eyes being opened around a table in Emmaus the home plays a significant role throughout the Gospels stories. How is Christ present in your home? Is he a welcome guest? It may be a good idea to listen to the Gospels stories with an ear for the events that take place in the home and as a family consider how that may impact your family. When Jesus touched a person he touched a family. Let us not forget that even those little things we do for others not only impact them but also their family.

From UC to the MC's

I was recently asked by the Provincial for the Contemplative Order of the Missionaries of Charity in Plainfield, NJ, Sr. Assunta MC, to help teach the Sister's Scripture and to lead them in a study of St. Paul's letter to the Romans. She had asked me after my wife and two and a half year old daughter went to their humble house in a poorer section of Plainfield for Adoration, Rosary and evening prayer. The service was, and is, beautiful in it's simplicity as we continue to make it over their on a weekly basis. I find it both a privilege and somewhat amusing that I have found myself teaching such Holy and committed Religious sisters. I currently teach at Assumption College for Sisters on Mondays and find myself in a classroom teaching Sisters from Africa, mostly Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, and they and the Sisters of Christian Charity are wonderful. In the midst of teaching these Holy women I find my ‘real’ job is teaching at a Catholic High School where I’ve been for 20 years. It has caused me to reflect on the Holiness of my students and what a privilege it is to be able to share the good news with them as well. While it is an honor to be of some help to the Sisters it is equally an honor to try to impact young men and women who will go out into the world and hopefully take the message of Christ into the workplace and more importantly into their families. While the questions are a little different from high school students and they may be at a different place in their lives in contrast to the Religious Sisters, they are equally loved by God and deserve the best I can offer.