These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
When the LORD smelled the sweet odor, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Gen 8:6-13, 20-22)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021925.cfm
“As long as the earth lasts” implies that one day, in God’s good time, the earth simply won’t be. As my Mexican madrecita once commented about God saving the animals on the Ark, “But why did God save the scorpions?” A very good question . . . and maybe one day God will give us the answer.
Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just. Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair. (Gen 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021825.cfm
The story of Noah and all the animals on the Ark is a story of universal salvation that everyone can understand.
Then the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:1-15, 25)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021725.cfm
When we allow billionaires to shut down government feeding programs and assistance for the world’s poor, the Lord God just might have a few questions for all of us.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: Blessed are you who are poor . . . But woe to you who are rich. (Lk 6:17, 20-26)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm
Some Catholics and others criticized Pope Francis for his recent letter to the United States bishops (read the pope’s letter: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2025/documents/20250210-lettera-vescovi-usa.html). Well, if they have a problem with Pope Francis, what are they going to do with Jesus? Our Jesus is much more radical and asks much more of us than we have ever imagined.
The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living. (Gen 3:9-24)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021525.cfm
There was an old song about the Sunday School: “Adam was the first man, Eve was his wife. They lived in a garden and things were pretty nice. Eve ate the apple, and Adam did the same. Got kicked outta the garden, and they started raising Cain!” The ancient Fathers and Mothers of the church always pointed out the connection between the woman’s name Eve (Eva in Latin) with the first words of the Angel to Mary, Ave (Hail).
