The Danger of Attachment
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In the first reading from Ezekiel 24, God takes Ezekiel’s wife from him; she dies. But even before this happens, God tells Ezekiel not to weep and mourn when God...
Not-So-Instant Gratification
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 15, we see a model of persistence. A Canaanite woman comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal her daughter. Jesus ignores her. After...
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because it falls on a Saturday, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation in the USA. There...
Captivated
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 19 is Jesus' teaching on marriage. It was difficult to hear then, and is still difficult for so many to hear today. In our first...
You Are a Sign
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18 is the story of Peter asking Jesus how many times he must forgive. Do you know how many? In the first reading from Ezekiel...
Gathered in His Name
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In today’s first reading from Ezekiel 9 an d 10, we see a scene reminiscent of the Passover. God has the faithful marked with a sign. Only they will be...
Feast on the Word
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 18, Jesus asks a question about a man who has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray. Jesus says, “Will he...
A Life of Service
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence was a deacon and a martyr. Our prayers go out today and every day to all the faithful deacons of...
On Courage
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Today's Gospel reading is one that we've heard recently from Matthew 14. It's the story of Jesus walking on the water and inviting Peter to do the same. As the...
Faith to Move Mountains
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In the first reading today, God tells the prophet Habakkuk to write down a vision. Then He encourages the people to wait for the vision to be fulfilled. “If it...
Profit
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 16, Jesus asks a couple of questions. “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or...
Listen to Him
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Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In the first reading from Daniel 7, Daniel sees in a vision “One like a Son of man coming…his kingship...
Not No Forever
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God is always ready to give his people another chance. When his people turned their backs on him, he allowed them to suffer the consequences. But in today’s first reading...
Not What Goes In, But What Comes Out
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Today in Jeremiah 30, we see the old “bad news good news” scenario. God tells Jeremiah to write down a summation of the past, present and future. The bad news...
One Word Instruction
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 14, Jesus is walking on the water. What would you think if you were out in a boat and you saw someone walking toward...
Feeding of the Multitude and the Eucharist
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 14, Jesus feeds the multitude. (Five thousand men, not counting women and children.) The disciples wanted Him to dismiss the people so that...
A Marriage Reflection
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I'm going outside of my normal format today and instead of reflecting on the daily Scriptures, I want to share a marriage reflection. I hope you'll indulge me. Today, August...
On Rejection
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In both of our readings today, we see and hear that prophets get rejected. In Jeremiah 26, our first reading, we see Jeremiah saying everything that God tells him to say....
A Malleable Heart
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In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 13, we hear the last of Jesus' parables from this chapter. In the first reading from Jeremiah, the LORD tells Jeremiah to go...
A Holy Family
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Normally, when Catholics think of the phrase Holy Family, we think of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - The Holy Family. But today we celebrate the feast of A Holy Family...
Questions for God
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds in the field. Today's first reading from Jeremiah 14 features a number of questions. The people...
Good For Nothing
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Today’s first reading from Jeremiah 13 seems a very odd tale at first. God tells Jeremiah to go buy a loincloth, then go hide it, then go get it again....
What is Heaven Worth?
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells two very brief parables about what the Kingdom of heaven is like. (If you get the longer form of the reading,...
Drinking the Chalice of Christ
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Today is the Feast of St. James. There were two Apostles named James. They’re referred to as James the Greater and James the Lesser. The only reason is that James...
An Amazing ROI
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the Parable of the Sower. It is one that is very near to my heart, as it sparked my Seeds of...
The Faith of Youth
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Jesus' disciples asked why He spoke to the crowds in parables. He answers them in today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13. In the first reading from Jeremiah 2, the LORD...
Mary Magdalene and You
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Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. There are different options for the first reading, so I’ll let you read them and mull them over yourself. You can choose...
The Ocean of Mercy
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 12, Jesus is told that his mother and his brothers are outside the house wanting to speak to Him. Jesus says, “Whoever does...
God's Requirements
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Ask people the question: What does God require of you? I’m sure you’ll get plenty of answers. More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from Matthew...
Shine Like the Sun
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds in the field. Jesus makes it clear that the wheat and weeds would grow together. But...
Evil Doesn't Pay
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In our first reading today from Micah 2, we see once again what God has planned for those who plan iniquity. The responsorial Psalm mirrors this. In our Gospel reading,...
Mercy on Oneself
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In the first reading today from Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah is on his death bed. He cries and prays, and the LORD answers his prayer and the prophet Isaiah informs...
Being Teachable
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In our first reading today from Isaiah 26, we see about our profession as Christians a belief in the resurrection of the body. Centuries before Jesus came, the LORD said...
Be An Instrument
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It is important for us in our Christian walk to be childlike. Jesus speaks of why this is important in our Gospel reading from Matthew 11. In the first reading...
Firm Faith
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In today's first reading from Isaiah 7, Ahaz, king of Judah, is told by the Lord through Isaiah that the attack on Judah would not be successful; the Lord would...
The Soil Test
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the sower. When I read about the different kinds of soil in this parable, I think to myself...
Enduring Through Hate
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In today's first reading from Hosea 14, we read some of the most tender words given by the LORD. "I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love...
God is the Healer
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the Twelve with their instructions. For the first reading, we're back in Hosea, chapter 11. Yet it was I who...
Fear of the Lord
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In the first reading today from Hosea 10, we read, "Since they do not fear the LORD, what can the king do for them?" It's a rhetorical question, of course....
The Law of Sowing and Reaping
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In today's first reading from Hosea 8, we read this: "When they sow the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind." Perhaps you've heard the old expression, "You reap what you...
Jesus' Healing Touch
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Today in the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we see two miracle healings. The two are similar, yet very different. And we can learn lessons from both of them. A...
Being Yoked to Jesus
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 11, we hear a familiar saying of Jesus. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest....
America the Beautiful
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Happy Independence Day! Imagine it - 250 years of the American experiment. Hard to believe we've been around for that long. Even though this great nation has its flaws, warts...
Awesome Thomas
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Today is the Feast of St. Thomas. That’s right, Doubting Thomas. That story is our Gospel reading. More on that in a moment. Our first reading today from Ephesians talks...
An Unlikely Prophet
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Amos was an unlikely prophet. Take a look at the first reading today and you’ll see what I mean. He was, like most all the prophets, quite unpopular, too. More...
Good and Evil
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 8 is the story of Jesus casting demons out of two men and into a herd of swine. The people of the town were none...
O You of Little Faith
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We know that God is a loving Father. Jesus came to show us that. But even loving fathers punish their children when punishment is merited. In today’s first reading from...
Two Giants of the Faith
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Today the Church celebrates two giants of the faith. It is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Interesting, isn’t it? You would think that, given the importance of each,...
Jesus Over All
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus finishes His instructions as He sends out the Twelve. He says, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy...
I am Not Worthy
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Today’s first reading is from Lamentations. It is a sad, depressing read. After reading over the last few days about the diaspora and the Babylonian exile, this is a cry...