Occupied Minds
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Today's first reading from Philippians 3 is so appropriate for Americans, given the state of our nation. St. Paul starts out by talking about people who "conduct themselves as enemies...
Come Back! I'm Right Here!
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As Christians, we know that our confidence can be found in God alone. When we have confidence in our flesh, we are in big trouble. Because the flesh will always...
Hating Your Family
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In the first reading today from Philippians 2, St. Paul says to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” He then goes on to say, “Do everything without grumbling...
Where is Your Priority?
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“At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That’s...
All Souls' Day
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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 Holy Men and Women, Pray for Us
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Today is the Solemnity of All Saints. Since it falls on Sunday this year, it takes precedence over the usual Sunday liturgy. As Catholics, we profess our belief in the...
Look for the Lowest Place
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In the first reading from Philippians 1, St. Paul struggles with whether he would rather stick around on earth or go home to be with the Lord. Not a true...
A Work in Progress
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In today’s Gospel reading, we see another case of Jesus taking on the controversial topic of “working” on the sabbath. Is it okay to do good on the sabbath, to...
The Armor of God
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In today’s first reading from Ephesians 6, St. Paul tells us to “put on the armor of God.” He goes on to explain just what that is. More in a...
Every Saint has a Past...
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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...
It's Not 50-50
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus tells two short parables about the Kingdom of God. The first compares the Kingdom to a mustard seed, the other to yeast....
A Wrathful God?
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue on the sabbath. Read what ensues. In our first reading from Ephesians 4 and 5, St....
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...
Your Choice in Death
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 13, some people tell Jesus about some Jews who had been killed by Pilate. Jesus’ response is telling. “Do you think that because these...
Interpreting the Times
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In our first reading today from Ephesians 4, St. Paul urges his readers to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness,...
To Know the Love of Christ
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Jesus is something of a paradox. While we know He is the Prince of Peace, He says in today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, "Do you think that I have...
Expectations of a Loving Father
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus tells a parable of two servants, one faithful, the other unfaithful. Have you ever wondered what God expects of you? Dumb question,...
No Longer Strangers
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We’re back in Ephesians 2 for our first reading today. St. Paul addresses the people as “you who once were far off,” and “you who were far off.” Notice that...
Eat, Drink and Be Merry!
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus tells the crowd a parable. But he prefaces it with this: "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may...
Give to Caesar...
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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...
The Unforgiveable Sin
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No one is beyond God's mercy, right? Then what is Jesus talking about in today's Gospel reading from Luke 12 about a sin that will not be forgiven? Jesus said,...
Now That's Love
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The old existential question persists – Why are we here? Actually, St. Paul gives the answer to that question in our first reading from Ephesians 1. “…so that we might...
Lavished Grace
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The scribes and Pharisees were, for the most part, no fans of Jesus. Small wonder after the tongue-lashing they got from Him. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, we...
The Fruit of the Spirit
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Jesus was never one to mince words. We see this again today in the Gospel reading from Luke 11, where He is pronouncing woes on the Pharisees. When a scholar...
Spirit Repair Work
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God doesn’t care about anyone’s background. You don’t have to have any kind of “pedigree” to give your life to Christ. St. Paul puts it like this in today’s first...
Freedom and Slavery
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus says, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of...
All are Invited
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus tells a parable to the chief priests and elders of the people about a king who has a wedding feast. The first...
"Wearing" Christ
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In today’s first reading from Galatians 3, St. Paul says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Did you realize that’s what happened...
Being Fully Armed
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus is accused of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul. He then talks about how a kingdom divided against itself cannot...
Stupid
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Today's first reading from Galatians 3 starts with a bang. "O stupid Galatians!" And shortly thereafter, "Are you so stupid?" In our Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus tells us...
Our Lady of the Rosary
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Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. In light of that, I'd like to reflect on the beautiful prayer that is the Rosary. For many years, I...
Hurry Up and Wait
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St. Paul was a convert to the faith, called by Christ Jesus. In today's first reading from Galatians 1, we hear an interesting part of his story. Paul spent three...
Being a People Pleaser
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In the first reading today, we begin a journey through St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians. The Gospel reading from Luke 10 is a story that I hope is familiar...
The Cornerstone
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a parable to the chief priests and elders about a landowner who owned a vineyard. When the time came to harvest,...
Faithfulness's Reward
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This week we have read from the Book of Job for our first readings. Today we hear the end of the story. Throughout all his trials, which were more than...
An Angel Just for You
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Did you know that you have your very own angel? You do! Today the Church celebrates the Feast of The Holy Guardian Angels. In the first reading from Exodus 23,...
Peace to this Household
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples to go in pairs and visit every town He intended to visit. He gives them instructions on what...
Hand to the Plow
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 9, we hear what can be a rather disconcerting saying of Jesus. A guy says he will follow Jesus, but first he wants to...
Be An Angel
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael – the Archangels. We truly celebrate all of the Holy Angels. Our readings reflect that. We have two options...
The Lord Giveth, and the Lord Taketh Away
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For our first reading today, we’re in the first chapter of the book of Job, Job 1:6-22. Job is the most faith-filled man on the earth. In fact, the Lord...
Changing Your Mind
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a story about a man who had two sons. He asked both to go work in the vineyard. The first said,...
Youth is Fleeting
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 9, the disciples do not understand something that Jesus says. Even though they didn’t get it, they were afraid to ask Him about...
This, Too, Shall Pass
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Today’s first reading is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.” If you’re a baby boomer like me,...
Vanity of Vanities
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In the first reading today, we begin the book of Ecclesiastes. The book is something of a study in the futility of life here on earth. More in a moment....
Two Things I Ask
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If you could ask God for just two things, what would they be? Solomon does just that today in our first reading from Proverbs 30. And in the Gospel from...
Proverbs
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Today's first reading is from Proverbs 21. The Gospel reading is from Luke 8, where Jesus describes who His mother and brothers are. "My mother and my brothers are those...
He Got the Right Guy
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew. Matthew penned the first Gospel. His Jewish name was Levi. (We find this in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.) He is...
His Ways are not Our Ways
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If you're not a fan of the liturgy, you should be. Here's what I mean (in just a small part). The Sunday readings are always connected, especially the first reading...
Sowing the Word
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Today's Gospel is from Luke 8, the parable of the sower. A sower goes out to sow some seed and it falls in many different places. Some falls on the...
Women Following Jesus
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1 Corinthians 15 is St. Paul’s treatise on the resurrection of the body. We read some of this today in our first reading. “If there is no resurrection of the...