Daily reflections of the Holy Scriptures in each day’s liturgy, radio guests and more!

Love Them?

September 9th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 8, St. Paul talks about knowledge and conscience. “When they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.” This is a great reminder to me that we must have a well-formed conscience. In the Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus says, “Love your enemies and do good to them.”

Love your enemies. Do good to them. Are you kidding me?? As Christians, we know these commands. But that does not make them any easier to follow. After all, our enemies don’t deserve love! And those rats who persecute us don’t deserve our prayers! Right? Well, let’s do a little “deserving check” here. Did Jesus deserve to die for our sins? Are you deserving of God’s love? Do you deserve to be forgiven by those you hurt?

We have to remember that love is a verb. We don’t have to “feel” some sort of emotional love for our enemies. But we do have to love them. We must treat them with respect because they, too, are children of God. They, like us, have feelings and families and hopes and dreams. One of the greatest sins we can commit is to dehumanize someone. And all too often, that is what we do with our enemies. Pray today that God will give us the grace to love, even when we don’t feel like it.

Father, we are so undeserving of your love, and yet you pour it out upon us every moment. Help us today to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. Amen.

Today’s Readings

Mary’s Birthday

September 8th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | 3 Comments »

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary…Mary’s birthday! Now, we don’t really know the exact day, date or year that Mary was born. We really don’t even know where she was born. In fact, we have no certainty at all about the details of Mary’s life before the Annunciation. Some people scoff at that. But the details are not really important. The important thing is that Mary was born, chosen from all time to be the Mother of the Savior.

The Church has always held Mary in the highest regard. Many non-Catholics hold a different view. They see any honor given to Mary as honor taken away from Christ. But this a flawed attitude. The men who began the Reformation, Luther, Calvin and Zwingli, all had a great devotion to Mary. It was only later that those who followed them began to “discredit” Mary. But why?

Mary is considered the first Christian. It was she who consented to bearing the Son of God in her womb. She who opened the door to our salvation. She said “yes” to God at every moment of her life. Should we not only honor but also imitate her? As the mother of Christ, Mary is also the mother of us all. I don’t know about you, but I would feel pretty foolish if I didn’t remember and celebrate my mom’s birthday. How much more so the mother of all Christians?

Father, thank you for the gift of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we celebrate her birth today, we celebrate her example every day. Amen.

Today’s Readings

What You Used to Be

September 7th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | 1 Comment »

In the Gospel reading today from Luke 6, we see that Jesus spent the night in prayer. The next day, He called His disciples and told them that He had chosen Twelve, whom He also named Apostles. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 6, St. Paul talks about judgement, and Christians treating one another unjustly.

St. Paul says, “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the Kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to be.” Isn’t it interesting that Paul makes no delineation between these sins. He doesn’t say that one is any worse than another. All of these grave sins separate us from God.

As I look at St. Paul’s laundry list, it pains me to think that I used to engage in more than a few of those behaviors. But St. Paul also reminds his readers that those are things of the past. That is what you used to be. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. The lure of the old self often sings its siren song. Come on! Once more for old time’s sake! We must resist those temptations, strong though they may be. And the only way we can do that is by relying on the strength supplied by Christ.

Father, you know how easily we can be drawn back into our old ways. Help us to keep our minds fixed on Jesus, as we move toward Him with steely determination. Amen.

Today’s Readings

Our Work

September 6th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

Happy Labor Day! I hope you are taking a day of R&R today. There are plenty of options for readings today. The link that I will provide is actually for Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time. But if you attend Mass today, you may hear different readings for Labor Day. The Gospel reading is from Luke 6, where Jesus talks about “working” on the sabbath. How appropriate.

In these difficult economic times, many people are worried. Those who are unemployed are worried about whether they will find work again. The underemployed worry about making enough to make ends meet. And those with jobs are worried about when the rug may be pulled out from under them. All seemingly legitimate concerns. Until we remember that God has got it all under control. Read Matthew 6: 31-34 to get the picture.

For many, work is life. We find our identity in our work. But we must remember that work is merely a part of the big picture. Important, yes. But it should not be all-consuming. Our work must be dedicated to Christ. No matter what we do for a living, we should always do what we do to glorify God. Because jobs will come and go, but we will be with God forever.

Father, we thank you for the gift of work. We offer up to you all those who are unemployed or underemployed. Help us all to remember to glorify You in our work. Amen.

Today’s Readings

Contingency Plans

September 5th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus speaks about carrying your own cross and following after Him. He then goes on to compare renouncing one’s possessions with building a tower  or going off to battle. Interesting stories, but what did Jesus mean by these? Let me take a stab at it.

Jesus says, “Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?…Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?” Jesus was telling His disciples that they needed to be sure to look into the future; to look at the big picture.

Many people like to “live for today.” My radio show is called Seize the Day. While it is certainly important to live in the present moment, we must always keep our eye on the big picture, too. The choices we make today will help determine that big picture. Heaven or hell. Eternal life or eternity without God. If we remember the big picture, then those decisions we make today will lead us to the end that we choose. So, which will you choose today?

Father, help us to remember the big picture. Help us to make choices today that will ultimately lead us to you. Amen.

Today’s Readings

Scum of All

September 4th, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus is called on the carpet by some Pharisees for picking grain on the sabbath. It was unlawful to “work” on the sabbath. (Of course, in our day and age this seems ridiculous. But they took very seriously the commandment to keep holy the sabbath.) Jesus reminds them about King David and his men unlawfully eating the bread of offering and tells them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

Please be sure and read the first reading from 1 Corinthians 4. It paints a very interesting picture of St. Paul. Paul says, “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands…We have become like the world’s rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment.” Picture for moment in your mind Paul and the Apostles as he describes. Now picture your reaction.

For me, this is not a pretty picture. (My reaction, that is.) It really reminds me to take another look at those who are considered “the scum of all.” The homeless guy standing in the intersection, smelly, dirty, unkempt. Judged by most everyone to be “scum.” I wonder…would I have judged St. Paul the same way? Definitely something to pray about.

Father, you know how quick we are to judge by appearances. Teach us to no longer look at any of your children as “scum.” Give us eyes to see as you see. Amen.

Today’s Readings

Wineskins

September 3rd, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | 1 Comment »

In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 4, St. Paul refers to himself (and Apollos) as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” As should we regard ourselves. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, Jesus talks about putting new wine into old wineskins. Doesn’t work so well.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never used a wineskin. It took me a while and a bit of study to really “get” this saying of Jesus. So here’s the scoop: the “new wine” is the Holy Spirit, or that new life of the Spirit that Christ offers. We are the wineskin. If that new wine of the Spirit is poured into us, and we remain that old wineskin, we will burst! OK, maybe not burst, but we won’t be able to hold that new wine.

When the new wine of the Spirit is poured into us, we must become a “new creation in Christ.” Now, it’s not like we become that fresh wineskin immediately. Though we certainly can, usually it is a process. The more of that new wine we accept, the newer we become. Until eventually we become plump and fattened with the Spirit of God. That’s the goal!

Father, we thank you for pouring out the new wine of your Spirit into us. Help us to accept more and more, as we become that new wineskin, able to hold ever more of your Spirit. Amen.

Today’s Readings

They Followed Him

September 2nd, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 3, St. Paul speaks again of foolishness and wisdom. “If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.” Amen to that!

In the Gospel reading from Luke 5, we see a miraculous catch of fish. After fishing all night and catching nothing, Jesus has the disciples go back out and fish some more. They caught so many fish that their nets were tearing. This stuns the disciples. Simon Peter’s reaction always moves me. His words are how I so often feel. “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” He knew that he was not worthy to be in the presence of Jesus. But Jesus responds, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

The last line of today’s reading says it all. “When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.” Simon Peter and the others did not have to follow Jesus. Simon Peter could have let his feelings of unworthiness overtake him. He could have become dejected and fallen into despair. Oh, I’m not good enough…I’ll never make it as an Apostle. But he didn’t. He knew that Jesus’ strength could overcome his weaknesses. Do you?

Father, we thank you for calling us to be fishers of men. Help us not to dwell on our own weakness, but on the strength of Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Readings

God’s Co-Workers

September 1st, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

Jesus was a very busy guy. We see this in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 4. He heals Simon’s mother-in-law, He heals all the sick in the town and casts out many demons. When He tries to get a moment alone, the people track Him down and try to prevent Him from leaving their town. But Jesus knows that He has a greater mission. Read about it today.

In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 3, St. Paul kind of scolds the people for following Apollos or Paul. He reminds them that they (Apollos and Paul) are just workers in the Lord’s vineyard. He writes, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth…For we are God’s co-workers.”

God’s co-workers. I love that thought. I am privileged to be one of God’s co-workers. Aren’t you? Don’t think for a moment that you aren’t. So many have the false impression that God’s co-workers are priests and deacons and bishops and nuns. That would be only part of the equation. You, too, are one of God’s co-workers. Even if you don’t see it, others do. They look to you for an image of God. So keep up the good work! And don’t be expecting a raise…the pay doesn’t get any better than eternal life!

Father, thank you for allowing us to be your co-workers. We pray that we will be diligent in our work, and that all we do may be pleasing to you. Amen.

Today’s Readings

The Mind of Christ

August 31st, 2010 Posted in :60 Reflections | No Comments »

For the first reading today, we’re back in 1 Corinthians 2. St. Paul speaks much of the Spirit of God here. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 4, we see the word “authority” twice. Jesus “spoke with authority” and “With authority and power he commands the unclean spirits.” Jesus was given all authority by the Father. Does He have authority over your life today?

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.”  St. Paul talks today about the difference in thinking between “the natural man” and “the one who is spiritual.” There is a basic disconnect between the two. As people of the Spirit, we realize that there is a much broader picture than those who are of the world only can see. Our first reading today ends with “But we have the mind of Christ.”

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? First, we cannot know what the mind of Christ is unless we become intimately familiar with Christ Himself. It’s like my wife; she knows what I’m thinking, often before even I do! That’s how we need to be with Christ. Spend time with Him. Read His word. Share your deepest self, and ask Him to share His. As you grow in your relationship, you will more and more possess the mind of Christ.

Father, help us more and more each day to have the mind of Christ. Deepen our relationship with Him, that we may know Him more intimately. Amen.

Today’s Readings

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