Conceived Without Sin
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Remember that, for Catholics, today is a Holy Day of obligation. I hope you will make it a point to attend...
Surviving the Storms
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The theme of today's readings is a strong house. In the first reading from Isaiah 26, it is referred to in the context of a city and a nation. And...
On This Mountain
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Mountains are a big deal. (See what I did there?) Scripture is filled with stories from and references to mountains. That's a theme in today's readings. In the first reading...
Childlike
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Today’s first reading from Isaiah 11 starts with what should be a familiar prophesy. “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse…” Jesse was King David’s...
Subject to Authority
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 8 contains a line that every Catholic should be familiar with. They are the words of a centurion who asked Jesus to heal a servant...
The Jesus Window
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Happy New Year! No, it's not January 1, but it is the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year. And no matter what year it is,...
The Dreaded Rut
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Today is the last day of the Church year. Tomorrow begins a brand new liturgical year with the season of Advent. In our Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus has...
His Words Live On
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” And so it has been. Seasons come and go. Rulers...
A Fishing Brother
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Andrew. Andrew was an Apostle, the brother of Simon Peter. The word “apostle” means “one who is sent.” In the first reading today...
The White Envelope
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The White Envelope by Nancy Gavin Editor’s Note: This is a true story that is provided to us by the family of the author. Even though Nancy passed away two...
Wisdom in Speaking
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Christianity has to be from God. Why do I say this? Because Jesus told His disciples again and again what they were in for. “They will seize and persecute you,...
The End is Near!
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Ever heard the expression “feet of clay?” It means when someone has a fatal flaw. Usually someone admired or thought highly of. We use the expression when someone lets us...
No Pain, No Gain
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In the first reading today, we read the beginning of the Book of the Prophet Daniel. Daniel was a gifted young man, and faithful to God. For that, God blessed...
The Perfect King
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Today the Church celebrates the end of the liturgical year. Fittingly enough, it is the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or more commonly referred to...
Life After the Resurrection
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In the Gospel from Luke 20, some Saducees, who don’t believe in the resurrection of the body, throw a trick question at Jesus about who a woman would be married...
A House of Prayer
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In the first reading today from 1 Maccabees 4, we read about the origins of Hanukkah. Do you know what that Jewish feast, celebrated to this day, is all about?...
Gratitude
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Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day when Americans give thanks to God for all their blessings. I suspect you're like me and have received more blessings than you could possibly...
A Mother's Courage
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In our first reading today from 2 Maccabees 7, we meet yet another fascinating character. She is a mother who exhibits amazing faith and bravery. Some may think otherwise, but...
An Old Man Leads the Way
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In today’s readings, we meet two great characters of the Bible! The first is one who is probably very little known, the other very well known, especially with kids. He...
A Really Big Deal
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Our first readings this week will be from 1 and 2 Maccabees. We'll meet some amazing heroes of the faith, from whom we can learn much. Today's Gospel reading from...
Using Your Talents
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In the Gospel from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a man going on a trip and giving his servants some talents (money). When the master returns, he wants...
Pestering God?
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge. A widow comes to him seeking a judgment, but he refuses. The widow, however, kept...
Seeing God in Beauty
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus talks about what things would be like on the day of His return. The first Christians were convinced that that day was...
Pursuing Wisdom
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Our first reading today is again from the Book of Wisdom. What an amazing book! In it, Wisdom is always referred to as a female personal pronoun, she. More in...
The Dangers of Power
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Today's Gospel reading is the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. Yet, only one returned to give thanks. In our first reading from Wisdom 6, we hear a warning for...
Where's My Trophy?
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Today’s first reading from Wisdom 2 and 3 is one that we recently heard – on All Souls’ Day. It is one that those of us who have lost loved...
Of Wisdom and Millstones
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For the first reading today, we begin a quick trip through the Book of Wisdom. In the Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus talks about sin, causing others to sin,...
Thinking Long Term
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about 10 virgins getting ready to go to a wedding feast. Five were wise - they brought extra oil...
Who (or What) Will You Serve?
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus talks about how it is impossible to serve two masters. “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and...
What Christ Accomplishes Through You
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 16 is Jesus' parable about the dishonest steward. In the parable, the master commends the steward, not for his dishonesty, but for his prudence in...
God's Temple
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. the Lateran Basilica was erected by Constantine. It is known as the mother church of Christendom. We...
The Act of Letting Go
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I love Romans 13:8, the opening line in today’s first reading: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”...
How to Live Like a Christian
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Today's first reading from Romans 12 is really a blueprint for living the Christian life. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable...
Eternal Repayment
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In the first reading today from Romans 11, St. Paul says, “For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.” That may sound a bit odd....
Practicing What You Preach
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Most folks don't like the idea of being preachy. Being preached to can bring up some pretty negative emotions. But do you preach? Let's explore that. In the Gospel reading...
Seeking the Lowest Place
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 14, Jesus is eating at the home of a leading Pharisee. He tells a parable about a guy who, when invited to a...
A Higher Law
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St. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was a Jew, a learned Pharisee. It broke his heart that so many of his own people refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. He...
Praying for Our Beloved Dead
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Today we celebrate All Souls' Day. On this feast (and throughout the month of November) we pray for the souls of the faithful departed. To many non-Catholic Christians, this seems...
All Saints
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Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. For the past 25 years, whenever this day falls on a weekday, I have a tradition of calling everyone with whom I speak...
Glorious Freedom
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We hear a couple of short parables in the Gospel reading today from Luke 13. Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast. Do you remember...
Daddy!
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What an awesome reading today from Romans 8. St. Paul talks about us being sons and daughters of God. More on that in a sec. In the Gospel reading from...
Loving Your Neighbor
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” His answer may have surprised some. When Jesus is asked about...
Saints Simon and Jude
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. The readings are typical for the feast of Apostles - the first reading from Ephesians 2 and the...
Good vs. Evil
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There is a constant battle of good versus evil. It happens in the world - we see it every day - and in our own lives. St. Paul wrote about...
Wages and Gifts
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We call Jesus the Prince of Peace. In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus says, "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No,...
Entrusted with Much (and More)
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Perhaps St. Paul’s words in today’s first reading from Romans 6 are ones we should read every day, or even commit to memory. “For sin is not to have any...
Grace Overflows
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In today’s first reading from Romans 5, St. Paul talks about sin and grace. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus tells his...
Love is the Answer
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In our Gospel reading today, Jesus has an encounter with a man which prompts Him to warn the gathered crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one...
It's All God's
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked by some Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes. They try to trip Him up by asking, “Is it lawful to...
Letting the Spirit Speak
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We’re back in Romans 4 for the first reading today. Paul continues to talk about faith and again uses the model of faith as an example, Abraham. In the Gospel...