60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
The Best Intentions
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 49, more from the prophesies of the Servant of the Lord. “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Our Gospel reading is from John 13. Here we see Peter at his finest, just moments before […]
The Poor
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During Holy Week, we will be reading the Suffering Servant prophecies from Isaiah for our first readings. They are some of the most moving readings ever. Today is the first oracle of the Servant of the Lord from Isaiah 42. In today’s Gospel reading from John 12, Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anoints the […]
A Quick Turn
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Today is one of the most well-attended Mass days of the year. Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday. Outside of Christmas and Easter, more people come to Palm Sunday Mass than any other. Why? Because the Church is giving something away! Free palms for all! I hope that if we see people at Mass today that […]
A Father to Imitate
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph. In our first reading from 2 Samuel, God says that his Son would spring from the line of David. “I will make his royal throne firm forever.” Joseph, though not Jesus’ biological father, was from the line of David. There are two options for a Gospel […]
Belief Through Works
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Jeremiah’s friends abandoned him. In fact, they became his foes. He says, “All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.” How often this happens. We speak the truth, and even our friends (and maybe even family) shy away from us. Keep speaking truth! In the Gospel reading today […]
A Glimpse Into the Trinity
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There are only a very few instances of God changing someone’s name in the Scriptures. Today we see the first of these in Genesis 17. Abram gets a new name. “Your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations.” This is pretty groundbreaking stuff, as Abraham and […]
Trial by Fire
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In today’s first reading from Daniel 3, we see the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego getting thrown into the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had faith. Faith enough to know that when they got thrown into the furnace, God would set them free. In today’s Gospel from John 8, Jesus talks about being […]
The Up-Look
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Today’s first reading from Numbers 21 tells us the story of God sending saraph serpents among the people of Israel, who had become terrible whiners. God then commands Moses to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Whenever someone looked up at the serpent, they would be healed and live. In the […]
Like Father, Like Son
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Today’s first reading from Daniel 13 is very long, and very intriguing. It’s the story of Susanna, who was accused by two ne’er-do-wells of adultery. She was innocent, and Daniel caught the two in their own lies. This story reads like an episode of Perry Mason! In the Gospel reading from John 8, the Pharisees […]
Mercy in the Year of Mercy
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In today’s Gospel passage from John 8, we read the story of the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees bring the woman before Jesus, telling Him that the law says that she must be stoned. They ask Jesus, “What do you say?” And Jesus answers with that most famous reply. “Let he who […]
Wrong Side of the Tracks
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The people were plotting to kill Jeremiah. He was unaware of these plans. After the LORD reveals this to him, Jeremiah cries out for vengeance. “Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!” In today’s Gospel reading from John 7, the people are still trying to […]
Speaking Openly
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Today’s first reading from Wisdom 2 is sinister. The wicked plot to put to death the just one. When you read this, you will instantly be reminded of the passion and death of Jesus. In the Gospel reading from John 7, Jesus continues to teach in the temple area, even though He knew that the […]
Coming to Jesus for Life
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Moses often had to act as an intermediary for his people. They had this quirky habit of turning their backs on God. Sound familiar? In today’s first reading from Exodus 32, Moses pleads with God to not destroy his people for their wickedness. In the Gospel reading from John 5, Jesus says to the Jews, […]
An Unbreakable Bond
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In the Gospel reading today from John 5, Jesus begins to reveal more clearly who He truly is. He says, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” By calling God his own father, He made Himself equal with God. This didn’t sit well with some folks. In the first reading […]
Healing Waters
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Water is a theme in today’s readings. In the first reading from Ezekiel 47, the Angel of the Lord brings Ezekiel to the temple, from which water flows. It starts as a trickle and the further they go from the temple the water grows until it becomes a flowing river, feeding everything around. In the […]
“Heal My Son”
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I hear so often from people whose children no longer go to church or practice the faith. I know it is heartbreaking. More in a moment. In today’s first reading from Isaiah 65, we get a beautiful vision of the future. Check it out! A royal official comes to Jesus asking Jesus to heal his […]
On Blindness and Sight
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Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent. I want to once again reflect on the Gospel for Year A, from John 9. It is the story of a man blind from birth who received his sight from Jesus. The man goes before the Pharisees and they question him about Jesus. When he proclaims that the healing […]
Humility and Pride
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Another beautiful reading from Hosea today for our first reading. Through the prophet, the Lord says, “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” In our Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable with two very interesting characters; one a Pharisee and the other […]
Return
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Jesus was asked, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” (First in importance, not in number.) Do you know His reply? Hint: He said not one commandment, but two. Read His response in today’s Gospel reading from Mark 12. The first line from today’s first reading from Hosea 14 really sums up the theme […]
If Today You Hear His Voice
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Today’s first reading from Jeremiah 7 and the Responsorial Psalm from Psalm 95 are closely linked. More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus is accused of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul. Jesus questions how that could be. Read His response. The Lord says through the prophet Jeremiah, […]
Passing on the Faith
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The observance of God’s laws was of paramount importance to the Israelite people. God gave his laws to Moses, who taught them to and enjoined them on the people. More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus gives the people the same message. “Do not think I have come […]
Of Elephants and Forgiveness
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Today’s first reading from Daniel 3 contains one of the most beautiful and heartfelt prayers in all of Scripture. It is the prayer of Azariah, while he was in the fiery furnace. Take some time today to read it over; to pray the prayer with Azariah. I think you’ll be touched. In the Gospel reading […]
Put Away Pride
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Our first reading today is from 2 Kings 5. It is a story about a man named Naaman. Naaman was not a child of Israel. He was a commander in the army of Aram. He was a Syrian. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 4, Jesus recalls to the people that Naaman, a foreigner, […]
He Knows You
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Many parishes (including mine) will use the readings for Year A in the liturgical cycle today. We do this because our RCIA candidates and catechumens will be going through what is called “scrutinies” over the next three weeks. Today I want to reflect on the Year A Gospel reading from John 4 – the encounter […]
The Way Home
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What a beautiful first reading we have today from Michah 7. The prophet says, “You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” When we confess our sins and receive absolution, God does just that. He wipes the slate clean; He casts all our sins into His ocean of mercy. The Gospel […]
Envy Kills
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Today’s readings feature two stories of envy, one real, the other a parable. In the first reading from Genesis 27 we see the story of Joseph. His father, Israel “loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age.” Naturally, the brothers didn’t much like this. They were filled […]
Better Listen Now
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You’ll see lots of similarities between today’s first reading from Jeremiah 17 and our Responsorial Psalm from Psalm 1. In fact, they look nearly identical. Needless to say, both contain a great message. Today’s Gospel reading is the story of Lazarus and the rich man, from Luke 16. A rich man ignores poor Lazarus his […]
What You’ve Signed On For
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I’m sure you’ve heard the old expression “No good deed goes unpunished.” Ain’t it the truth? Just take a look at the Scriptures. The prophets of old were simply doing what they were told by God to do. It didn’t end well for them. Jeremiah questions God about this in our first reading today from […]
Call No Man Father
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There’s a verse in today’s Gospel reading that anti-Catholics will use to try to refute Catholicism. If you’ve ever heard this objection, I want to help. Here is the chapter in my first book, A Minute in the Church, that covers this objection. I hope you find it helpful! Call No Man Father Why do […]
The Papacy
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. Some might look at that and say, “Boy, you Catholics are really strange! Imagine celebrating a piece of furniture!” That’s not what the feast day is about. Today we celebrate the office of the Papacy. Peter was the first Pope, the Vicar of […]
What We Will Be
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For the Second Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading is the story of the Transfiguration from Luke 9. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on the moutain and is “transfigured before them.” In other words, Jesus took on the appearance of who He truly is, the eternal Son of God. Imagine what this must have […]
Perfect
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I’m always struck by one of the verses in today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 26. “And today the Lord is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own.” I love that phrase, “peculiarly his own.” Have you ever thought of yourself that way? As “peculiarly his own?” If not, […]
The Importance of Relationships
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When we sin, when we do evil, we open ourselves up to punishment. That seems fair, right? Apparently, not everyone thinks so. Check out today’s first reading from Ezekiel 18 for more. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 5, we see the importance of relationships. We all could be closer to God. No matter how […]
A Loving Father
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Jesus came to show us the Father, a father filled with love for his children. More in a moment. In the first reading today from the Book of Esther, we hear Queen Esther pouring her heart out in a beautiful prayer to God. She is asking God for help in a dire situation. In today’s […]
They Repented
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Jonah is the focus of the readings today. The first reading is from the Book of Jonah, chapter 3. Jonah has gone into the city of Nineveh and told them to repent. Word gets to the king, who calls a fast and calls all the people to repentance. They repented of their evil ways, and […]
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
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God’s word always has a purpose, and it will never return to him void, always achieving the end for which he sent it. We hear this in our first reading today from Isaiah 55. In our Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord’s Prayer. It may be the first prayer you […]
Action and Inaction
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In the first reading today from Leviticus 19, the Lord tells Moses to tell the people how to conduct themselves. Though not the Ten Commandments, this reading sounds similar. It ends with the great commandment, the one that Jesus spoke of when asked which is the greatest of the commandments…”You shall love your neighbor as […]
How Satan Tempts
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Today is the First Sunday of Lent. Our Gospel reading is from Luke 4. St. Luke recounts the forty days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before He began His public ministry. While He was in the desert, Satan came to tempt and test him. We must always remember that Jesus, though […]
Seeing the Doctor
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We hear more today about things that are pleasing to God in our first reading from Isaiah 58. The Lord also talks about how we should conduct ourselves on the sabbath. “If you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice – Then you shall delight in the […]
A Pleasing Fast
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In our first reading today from Isaiah 58, we hear what is truly an acceptable form of fasting. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading, the Pharisees ask Jesus why His disciples don’t fast. Jesus replies, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will […]
The Choice
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In our first reading today from Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people what they must do in order to enter the promised land. Obey the commandments of the Lord, love Him, walk in his ways. “Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding […]
Fasting and Abstinence
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Happy Lent! Doesn’t that sound a bit oxymoronic? I mean, we’re not supposed to be happy during Lent, right? Wrong! Lots of people think that Lent is a time when we walk around in sackcloth and ashes. Let’s make sure we all put on a dour face and let everyone know how difficult our fasting […]
Tradition vs. tradition
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In today’s first reading from 1 Kings 8, Solomon stands before the altar in the magnificent temple that he had built and offers up a prayer to God. This is a beautiful prayer, and I encourage you to read it. In our Gospel reading from Mark 7, we hear Jesus comdemning tradition. Catholics believe that […]
No One Left Behind
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Solomon has taken over as king after the death of his father, David. In today’s first reading from 1 Kings 8, we read about the ark of the covenant being brought from the City of David to Jerusalem, where Solomon has built a magnificent temple for the Lord. When they brought the ark into the […]
Following Jesus’ Orders
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Simon Peter and his cohorts were professional fisherman. They had successfully plied their trade for probably their whole lives. Chances are they learned to fish from their fathers. They made a living at it. No one knew the waters or the tricks of the trade better than they. That is why today’s Gospel story from […]
An Understanding Heart
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In today’s first reading from 1 Kings 3, we meet Solomon. Solomon’s father, David, had just died. The son had ascended to the throne of Israel. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Mark 6, we see great crowds coming to find Jesus. “His heart was moved with pity for them, for they […]
Learning From David
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For the past few weeks we have been reading about the life and times of King David. What a fascinating man! Our first reading today is from Sirach 47. It is a brief synopsis of the life of David. The Gospel reading today recounts the beheading of John the Baptist. We can learn much from […]
Reliance on God
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David had a long and adventurous life. In today’s first reading from 1 Kings 2, we read about the death of David. “The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.” Upon his death, his son Solomon was seated on the throne. In […]
Time to Man Up
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In the first reading today from 2 Samuel 24, David is given three choices of how God is going to deal with him. All of them seem untenable. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading, Jesus goes to his native place, but He can perform very few mighty deeds there. Why? A lack of […]
A Promise Kept
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Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Also known as Candlemas, this is the day when candles will be blessed. There will be three readings today. In the first reading from Malachi 3, God says through the prophet, “And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and […]