60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
Responding to Our Consecration
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We hear Paul finishing his farewell address to the Church in Ephesus in today’s first reading from Acts. Interestingly, Paul recounts words of Jesus that do not appear in any of the four Gospels. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” In his address, Paul talks about “all who are consecrated.” And in […]
Your Ministry
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Sometimes we can get our priorities a bit out of whack, wouldn’t you say? I’m sure there was a time in St. Paul’s life when that was true. But in today’s first reading from Acts 20, he talks about what is really important. More on that in a moment. For the Gospel today, we’re back […]
Debates and Arguments
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St. Paul was a very persuasive guy. Time and again he persuaded people about Jesus being the Christ of God. They weren’t persuaded by St. Paul, but in today’s Gospel reading from John 16 we hear the Apostles saying to Jesus, “We believe that you came from God.” Today we see Paul in Ephesus, in […]
A Prayer for Unity
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We call the “Our Father” The Lord’s Prayer. And rightly so, since it is the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. But down through the ages, theologians have also thought of today’s Gospel reading from John 17 as The Lord’s Prayer. This is Jesus’ great prayer to the Father for unity among believers. “Father, […]
Scripture and Evangelizing
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In our Gospel reading today from John 16, Jesus again speaks about asking the Father in the name of Jesus. He promises the disciples that “the hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father.” In the first reading today, we meet […]
Grief Will Become Joy
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OK, a bit of goofiness to start us off today…at the end of our first reading, we read that Paul had his head shaved because he had taken a vow. I seriously considered doing a reflection on Paul’s shaved head. (Of course, on the importance of keeping vows.) Oh, well…maybe some other time. At the […]
Ascension Thursday
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension. In most dioceses around the country, today is not a Holy Day of obligation. For most, this feast will be celebrated this Sunday. If you are in a diocese or archdiocese in New York, Boston, Hartford, Newark, Philadelphia or the state of Nebraska, then today is […]
God is Always Near
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Today in our first reading from Acts 17, we see Paul giving one of his great speeches, this time to the Greeks in the Areopagus. More on his message in a moment. In the Gospel reading from John 16, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit, telling the Apostles, “But when he comes, the Spirit of […]
Our “Duh” Moments
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Today is the Feast of Saints Philip and James. They were both Apostles. Philip was from Bethsaida, and a fisherman. This James (there were two Apostles by that name) was a cousin of Jesus and is referred to as James the Lesser – not because he was less important that James the son of Zebedee, […]
When Things are Upside Down
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We live in a rapidly changing world, don’t we? Ever feel like things are completely topsy-turvy, upside down? More on that in a moment. In our first reading today from Acts 16, we meet a woman named Lydia, whose heart God opened. In today’s Gospel reading from John 15-16, Jesus continues telling His disciples of […]
Keeping Jesus’ Word
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In our Gospel reading today from John 14, Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word…whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” I want to think today about that notion of keeping Jesus’ words. Do you love Jesus? Of course you do! So do I. Yet I see this saying of […]
The World Hates You
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A comforting headline today, huh? Jesus spoke often about love. It’s kind of what He was all about. But today we hear Him speak of hate. And not just generically, but very specifically. He tells the disciples, “Because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the […]
No Greater Love
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For the Gospel reading today, we’re back in John 15, where Jesus says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Laying down one’s life. Usually when we think of this, we think of some really heroic […]
Complete Joy
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In today’s first reading from Acts 15, we see that the early Church was hierarchical. There was a dispute about whether the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic laws in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas knew that this was not a matter that could be settled on a local level. […]
Of Vines and Branches
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In today’s Gospel reading from John 15, we hear Jesus say, “I am the vine, you are the branches.”This gives us a good opportunity to meditate a bit today on botany, and how well this saying of Jesus relates to us. Have you ever tended plants, particularly vines? They are interesting. You can hack away […]
The Peace of Christ
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In the first reading today from Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas tell the people, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” This is a message that is not very popular. Therefore, many today want to avoid this part of the message. They want to paint Christianity as […]
Feast of St. Mark
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Today is the Feast of St. Mark, the author of one of the Gospel accounts. The first reading is from 1 Peter 5, where St. Peter mentions “Mark, my son.” The Gospel reading is from Mark 16 and contains Mark’s version of the great commission. Mark is not believed to have been the biological son […]
How to Love One Another
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In the Gospel reading today from John 13, Judas has just left the upper room. Jesus says to the Eleven, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” Seems pretty simple, doesn’t it. The new commandment, wrapped up in three words. Love […]
Greater Works
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In the first reading today from Acts 13, we see more of the adventures of Paul and Barnabas. After riling up some of the Jews, they (the Jews) stirred up a persecution against the two, and they were tossed out of that territory. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet and moved on. […]
Of Troubled Hearts
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In the first reading from Acts 13 today, Paul continues his message of salvation through Jesus in the temple at Antioch. In the Gospel reading today, we’re in John 14, at the Last Supper. Jesus tells the Apostles, “Where I am going, you know the way.” Confused, Thomas says, “Master, we do not know where […]
Speaking Positive Words
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Paul is in the synagogue in Antioch in today’s first reading. The synagogue officials ask if he has a word of exhortation for the people. In the Gospel from John 13, we hear Jesus saying, “Whoever receives the one I send receives me.” I was intrigued by the invitation given to Paul in today’s reading […]
Set Apart
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In our first reading today from Acts, we see Barnabas and Saul being “set apart” by the Holy Spirit and sent out to proclaim the Word of God. In the Gospel reading today from John 12, Jesus says, “I came into the world as light,” and “I did not come to condemn the world but […]
They’ll Know We are Christians
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In Acts 11 today, we see the story of a growing Church. People in great numbers are turning to the Lord. Barnabas brings Saul with him to Antioch, and they stay there for a whole year, preaching and teaching. Acts 11:26 tells us “it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.” In […]
Hindering God
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In today’s Gospel reading from John 10, we hear Jesus say, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” What is the abundant life about which Jesus speaks? Too often we think of abundance as money or possessions. WRONG! In fact, those things can actually lead away from the abundant […]
The Voice of the Shepherd
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In today’s Gospel reading from John 10, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Let’s talk sheep. On a recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I learned a bit about sheep. Being a city boy all my life, I never spent any time with sheep and sometimes didn’t […]
Do You Also Want to Leave?
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In the first reading today from Acts 9, we see a blossoming Church. It is growing rapidly, even with the great persecution she was suffering. Peter raises a woman from the dead, and because of that, many came to believe. In the Gospel reading today, we finish up in John 6. After Jesus talked about […]
Literally?
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Today’s first reading from Acts 9 tells us about the conversion of St. Paul. It’s a story that is always worth reading and reflecting on. Today I want to reflect on the Gospel reading from John 6. Today’s Gospel is at the heart of Catholic theology on the Eucharist. We hear Jesus saying, “Unless you eat the […]
Listening and Learning
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A very interesting story in our first reading today from Acts 8. The Holy Spirit sends Philip, one of the newly ordained deacons, to interpret the Scriptures for an Ethiopian eunuch. After this, the eunuch says, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” Philip baptizes him, then disappears. This passage always […]
I Will Raise You Up
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In the first reading from Acts 8 today, we read about Saul persecuting the Church. Because of the persecution happening in Jerusalem, all but the Apostles left there. We read about the bold preaching and healing ministry of Philip. We’re back in John 6 for the Gospel reading today. Jesus says, “Everyone who sees the […]
Man of Mercy
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Stephen was about to breathe his last. Do you know what his final words were? We shall see. In today’s Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus first utters the words, “I am the bread of life.” We’ll go much deeper in the coming days. After the kangaroo court convicted Stephen of blasphemy, they threw him […]
The Face of an Angel
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In today’s first reading from Acts 6, we read about the persecution of Stephen. In the Gospel, we continue in John 6. Today’s passage is the beginning of the Bread of Life discourse. The people come looking for Jesus after He had fed the multitude. Stephen had been hauled before the Sanhedrin, the high court […]
Primacy of Peter
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The second half of today’s Gospel reading from John 21 is, I think, one of the the most moving scenes in the New Testament. After the resurrection, Jesus and Simon Peter are on the beach. They just finished breakfast when Jesus turns to Simon Peter and says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me […]
The Vocation of Deacon
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For today’s Gospel reading, we’re back in John 6. The disciples are out on a boat when they see Jesus walking toward them on the water. It was dark and naturally the disciples had never seen anything like this before, so they were afraid. But Jesus calms their fears, saying, “It is I. Do not […]
Letting Go and Letting God
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In our Gospel reading today, we begin a journey through John 6. Later in the chapter we will be reading and reflecting on the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus’ principle teaching on the Eucharist. But at the beginning of John 6, we read today about a miraculous feeding of the multitudes. Coincidence? I think not. […]
Obedience to God
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There is a theme today in the readings: obedience. We hear Peter and the Apostles talk about it in the first reading from Acts 5. And in the Gospel reading from John 3 we read, “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life.” Peter and the Apostles are dragged before the Sanhedrin, the high court […]
Follow the Light
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What a cool story today from Acts 5. The Apostles once again get thrown into the hoosegow when, in the middle of the night, an angel comes and opens the doors to the prison and lets them out. This is getting to be something of a pattern for these guys! Our Gospel reading for today […]
One Heart and Mind
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In today’s first reading from Acts 4, we get a glimpse of the first Christian community. We’ll talk more about that in a sec. In the Gospel reading from John 3, we see part of the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel, and yet he did not understand what Jesus […]
She Said YES!
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. Normally the feast is celebrated March 25, nine months before Christmas. But because March 25 was Good Friday, the feast is transferred to today. In the first reading we see that famous prophecy from Isaiah 7…”the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall […]
God’s Mercy
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Today, the second Sunday of Easter, is Divine Mercy Sunday. So, rather than do a reflection on the daily Scriptures (I’ll trust you to do that on your own!), I thought we could take just a moment to reflect on God’s mercy. If you do a search of the Scriptures, you will find hundreds of […]
Ordinary Guys
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In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 16, we hear Mark’s version of Jesus’ great commission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Words to live by. Here is how the first reading today starts from Acts 4: “Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, […]
Doing the Ridiculous
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Our salvation has a name. That name is Jesus. In today’s first reading from Acts 4, St. Peter makes that message very clear to the authorities who were questioning him. “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to […]
Ignorance and Conversion
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You’ve heard the old expression “Ignorance is bliss.” I suppose that’s true in a sense. In the first reading today from Acts 3, St. Peter refers to the people’s ignorance. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 24, we read about what happened right after the experience of the disciples […]
The Most You Can Do
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Another great story from Acts 3 for our first reading today. We’ll talk about that in a moment. The Gospel reading from Luke 24 is one of the most interesting stories in the New Testament. It is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. After spending time with Jesus and not […]
Called By Name
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In today’s first reading from Acts 2, we hear more of what happened on the day of Pentecost. Peter tells the people, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is a […]
Be Not Afraid
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Happy Easter! I know, I know…Easter was yesterday. That is so old news. But it isn’t! The Church celebrates Easter for fifty days! Wish someone a Happy Easter today. See what kind of look you get, then explain to them that the celebration didn’t end yesterday. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 28, we read […]
Our Triumphant Holy Day
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Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia! Our triumphant Holy Day! Alleluia! Today we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. This is the greatest day of the Church year. The day that sin and death were defeated, put in their place. Even death could not hold the Son of God. And this is what the Good […]
Welcome Home!
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Another long Lenten journey has come to a close. Tonight we celebrate the great Easter Vigil. Over 100,000 people will be welcomed into the Catholic Church around America. Wow! What an exciting moment. I know it is one that will never be forgotten for the many catechumens and candidates who will be welcomed into full […]
You Were There
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Today is the one day of the year when there is no Mass celebrated. The commemoration of Good Friday is the most solemn day of the year. The readings for the Good Friday liturgy are so moving. In the first reading from Isaiah 52, we see prophesied that which Jesus would endure on this day. […]
Washing Feet
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Lent is over today. We begin tonight the Sacred Triduum. It is one long liturgical celebration that encompasses Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. I hope you will make it to church for all of the services. Tonight’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper is one of the most moving liturgies of the Church year. […]
The Betrayer
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When we think of the brutality that Jesus suffered for us, we can see that this was all foretold in today’s first reading from Isaiah 50. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.” He did […]