The Dialog

By Father John S. Grimm

Readings for July 15, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 7:12-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13

Todays’ first reading is from one of the earliest of the prophetic books, the Book of Amos. Dating from the 8^th century B.C., the book of Amos concerns the era when the Jewish kingdom of King David is divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom called Israel, and the southern kingdom called Judah.

Amos is from Judah, the southern kingdom, but is sent by God to preach in the northern kingdom, Israel. This explains why Amaziah, priest of the north’s holiest place in Bethel, demands that Amos go back where he came from.  Amaziah detests the content of Amos’ prophesies; Amos condemns in no uncertain terms Israel’s religious infidelity and social injustice.  Specifically, Amos accuses the Israelites of abandoning authentic worship of the Lord because they have set up their own temple in Bethel, which is in Israel, and no longer worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. And even worse, the Israelites have enthroned an idol in the form of a golden calf in their temple in Bethel, thus violating the First Commandment, “Thou shall have no foreign gods among you.”  Read more »

By Mike Lang

Vocations: Priest feels his vocation was helped by his time teaching future priests

Staff reporter

NEW CASTLE — Father John Grimm enjoyed his time mentoring and teaching future priests in northern New Jersey, but he was happy to return to parish work last summer as administrator at Holy Spirit Parish in New Castle.

Since 2007, Father Grimm had been on the faculty at Immaculate Conception Seminary, which is part of Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. An assistant professor of moral theology, he primarily taught seminarians, but there were some lay graduate students in his classes and, in his second year there, he taught an undergraduate course.

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By Father John S. Grimm

Readings for December 4

Second Sunday in Advent

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14;  Mark 1:1-8

Today’s Gospel describes the ministry of St. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Jesus will later describe John as a “light, which burned brightly.” Jesus Christ is himself the light of the world, which the darkness can never overcome. While there are many things to be concerned about in our modern world, Advent is a season of hope, as we prepare for the birth of the savior, the source of all our hope. This hope is not blind optimism, but something much deeper and stronger, the theological virtue of hope.

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