60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
A Life Changing Psalm
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I don’t do this often, but today I want to reflect on our Responsorial Psalm in the Mass. It is Psalm 51, which we use pretty often during Lent. One year for Lent, one of my practices was to pray Psalm 51 every day. There were days when I would literally go through Psalm 51 […]
Choosing Our Eternity
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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 […]
Lent Begins
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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 […]
Call to Holiness
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In the first reading today, St. Peter talks about how the prophets were testifying to Christ. He says that they “were not serving themselves but you.” In the Gospel reading today from Mark 10, Jesus talks about how those who have faith in Him will be repaid. And He says, “But many that are first […]
Faith in the Possible
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For our first reading today, we begin the first letter of St. Peter. Today we hear St. Peter reminding us that we will “suffer through various trials.” But this suffering is not worthless. It will help us to “attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.” Thank God for suffering! Our Gospel reading […]
Seek First the Kingdom
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The Sermon on the Mount is so beautiful, and so challenging. Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 6 starts off with Jesus saying, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” From there, Jesus talks about worrying. That is something I think most people are pretty darn good at. I believe that worry really springs from fear – […]
Sacraments
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Yesterday we talked about the sacrament of marriage and today we read about the sacrament of the anointing of the sick AND Confession! James 5 teaches this very clearly. More on that in a moment. In today’s Gospel from Mark 10, we hear Jesus say, “Let the little children come to me.” Good for us […]
Marriage
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Whew! What a week it has been in the Scriptures! Our first reading today from James 5 has so many lessons for us, about perseverance, judging and the compassion and mercy of the Lord. James also tells us, “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ ” Very important words about Christian integrity. […]
Cutting Out Sin
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Scathing words to the rich today from James 5. Funny thing about wealth, isn’t it? We work so hard to accumulate it here on earth, to the point where it imperils our souls. Yet we can’t take it with us. Harsh words for the richest people in the world. (And I ain’t talking about Bill […]
Today and Tomorrow
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In today’s first reading, St. James talks about tomorrow. Something we need to think about today. So we will. In the Gospel from Mark 9, Jesus says, “For whoever is not against us is for us.” These words of Jesus always remind me of the unity that we have with other Christians. After all, no […]
Submission and Resistance
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Today we’re going to explore a couple of interesting paradoxes in our readings. First from the Gospel reading from Mark 9. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” The world looks at things from a completely opposite view. In order to be […]
Wisdom From Above
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Prayer is so powerful and so important. We see this clearly in our Gospel reading today from Mark 9. Jesus’ disciples try to drive out a demon from someone but are unable. Jesus has to take care of the job himself. When the disciples ask Jesus why they could not cast out the demon, He […]
Of Eyes and Teeth
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We have another controversial Gospel reading today from Matthew 5. Jesus talks about offering no resistance to the one who is evil; about turning the other cheek. The old law said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But Jesus says, “No more!” So what are we to make of this? […]
The Chair of St. Peter
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. It has nothing to do with a piece of furniture. Today we celebrate the office of the Papacy and the authority of the Supreme Pontiff. Peter was the first Pope, the Vicar of Christ. Our first reading today is from 1 Peter 5. […]
Not by Faith Alone
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Today’s first reading from St. James is a treatise on faith and works. St. James says “faith without works is dead.” More on that in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Mark, Jesus tells us that we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. He says those words that should haunt […]
Impartial Christians
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Today’s Gospel reading is Mark’s version of Peter’s great confession of faith, “You are the Christ.” In the first reading today from James 2, James exhorts the reader to “show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” He then goes on to talk about a rich person and […]
Healing in Stages
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We’ve all heard the old axiom, actions speak louder than words. In our first reading today from James 1, St. James reaffirms this. “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.” The word of God must not go in one ear and out the other. We have to put God’s word into […]
God Tempts No One
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In our first reading today from James 1, St. James talks about temptation. This is a subject that comes up at the end of the Lord’s Prayer. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 8, Jesus once again speaks rather cryptically to the disciples. He tells them to “guard against the leaven […]
Bring on the Joy!
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For our first reading today, we begin the Letter of St. James. James is one of those books in the Bible that it would be very good for us to be very familiar with. In the Gospel reading today from Mark 8, the Pharisees come to Jesus demanding a sign be given them. Jesus responds, […]
Choose Good
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Life is all about choices. And eternal life is all about a choice. In the first reading today from Sirach 15, the sacred author says, “If you choose you can keep the commandments. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” The Gospel reading today is from […]
The Corrupting Power of Power
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In the first reading today from 1 Kings 12 and 13, we read about Jeroboam. Jeroboam was one of the kings of Israel. He was not a good guy. More on him in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Mark 8, we read of Jesus feeding four thousand with seven loaves and a few […]
Speaking Plainly
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In today’s first reading from 1 Kings 11, we see the beginning of the splitting up of Israel. Solomon had turned his back and worshipped false gods. God told him that He would divide up the house of Israel, leaving just one tribe to represent the House of David. And the final sentence of today’s […]
Even the Wise Fall
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In our Gospel reading today from Mark 7, a woman comes to Jesus asking Him to heal her daughter. The woman is a Greek, not a child of Israel. At first Jesus refuses, but the woman persists. Jesus grants her request because of her faith and persistence. In the first reading today from 1 Kings […]
Things that Defile
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When I was a kid, my mom always used to use the phrase “The Queen of Sheba” to describe a person (or sometimes a dog) who thought they were all that. Well, in today’s first reading, we meet the real Queen of Sheba. She came to meet King Solomon and test him to see if […]
Asking for Wisdom
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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 […]
The Example of 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 […]
Working Without a Net
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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 […]
They Took Offense
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Taking responsibility seems to be something that has gotten lost these days. I suppose that has always been true in some measure. It seems people, especially leaders, always want to divert attention and deflect blame. It is refreshing to see leaders take responsibility. That’s what happens in today’s first reading from 2 Samuel 24. Check […]
Healing Our Children
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Today’s readings center around children. In the first reading from 2 Samuel 18, we see the tragic story of King David’s son Absalom. Absalom had become his father’s mortal enemy, yet David never considered him such. He always loved him like a son. So when word gets to David that Absalom had been killed, David […]
Going Where Jesus Needs Us
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King David lived such an interesting life. As we have seen, it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns. He had a large share of hardship heaped upon him, some, of course, of his own making. In today’s first reading from 2 Samuel 15 and 16, David’s own son, Absalom, is trying to kill him and wrest […]
Presenting Our Children
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The Jewish people “presented” their children to the Lord in the temple shortly after their birth. In the first reading from Malachi 3, the Lord says, “And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek.” And in the second reading […]
Crime and Punishment
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Jesus cares about every area of our lives – our welfare, our hopes and dreams. Jesus cares. In the Gospel reading today, the disciples question that. They are in a boat when a violent squall comes and crashes waves over the boat. Jesus was sleeping. The disciples wake Him up and ask, “Teacher, do you […]
God at Work
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You’ve heard the old saying, “The Lord works in mysterious ways.” So true. I’m sure you’ve experienced that in your life. More in a moment. In our first reading today, we see the story of King David beginning an adulterous affair with Bathsheba. David gets her pregnant and to cover up his sin, he has […]
Our Measuring Stick
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King David was “a man after God’s own heart.” God had promised him that his kingdom would last forever, through the Messiah which would come from his line. In today’s first reading from 2 Samuel 7, David asks for God’s blessing upon him and his house. In the Gospel reading from Mark 4, Jesus tells […]
Johnny Gospelseed
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In today’s first reading from 2 Samuel, Nathan the prophet gives David a message from the Lord. God promises that from David’s line would come the Messiah. “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.” In the Gospel reading today from Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable […]
Enthusiasm for God
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When it comes to God, the family is pretty large. What do I mean? In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says, “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Let’s pray that we are among that group, and that it will continue to grow. David was a man after God’s […]
Division and Unity
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In the first reading today from 2 Samuel 5, we get a brief synopsis of the timeline of the kingship of David. In the Gospel reading from Mark 3, Jesus is accused of casting demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus’ response talks about how a house divided cannot stand. “If […]
Gone Fishin’
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Part of the first reading today from Isaiah is one that we see during Christmas. And in the second reading from 1 Corinthians 1, St. Paul makes a plea for unity among the believers. In the Gospel reading today fromMatthew 4, we read about the call of the first disciples. Simon and Andrew were brothers, […]
Constant Conversion
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Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. We see the story of Saul’s (Paul’s birth name) conversion in two places in Acts of the Apostles. In chapter 9, the account is told in third person. Luke, the author of Acts, recounts the story. However, in chapter 22 of Acts, St. Paul tells […]
You’re Right, I’m Wrong
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David and Saul had a tumultuous relationship. Saul hated David, and hunted him down to kill him. You would think that David would share this animosity. But not so. More in a sec. Our Gospel reading today is from Mark 3; the listing of the Twelve Apostles. Saul was hunting David down. He steps into […]
The Scourge of Jealousy
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Goliath was dead. You would think that King Saul would be overjoyed that David, one of his own, had slain the Philistine. And he was…for a short time. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Mark 3, Jesus has more run-ins with unclean spirits. Each time He cast them out, he warns them […]
Standing Up for Life
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Today is the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America. A sad day, indeed. At Catholic churches across the United States, today is observed as a day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the […]
God Sees the Heart
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In today’s first reading from 1 Samuel 16, we read about the anointing of David. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 2, Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees about why his disciples are picking grain on the sabbath, something which was prohibited by the law. Jesus tells them, “The […]
The Importance of Obedience
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In the first reading today from 1 Samuel 15, we see a bit of the sneakiness of King Saul. Samuel has to call him out on it. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 2, Jesus talks about pouring new wine into old wineskins. It just doesn’t work. What He means is […]
Call to Holiness
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In the second reading today, we read the introduction of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. He writes “to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Called to be holy. As […]
Call to Holiness
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In the second reading today, we read the introduction of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. He writes “to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Called to be holy. As […]
Is There a Doctor in the House?
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The people of Israel insisted that God give them a king. Despite warnings to the contrary, they persisted. In today’s first reading from 1 Samuel 9, we meet the new king, Saul. In our Gospel reading today from Mark 2, we read about the call of Levi, or Matthew. Levi has Jesus over for dinner. […]
Everyone Else is Doing It!
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You would think that as God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel would enjoy being different, set apart. Uh…not so much. We see this in today’s first reading. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 2, we read the story of four men who bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus. The house […]
God and Defeat
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When we choose to follow God, life ain’t always a bed of roses. I’m sure you’ve experienced this. Challenges still come our way. People we love get sick and die. Certainly there are times where we experience illness, pain, broken relationships, terrible defeats. It’s nothing new. In our first reading today from 1 Samuel 4, […]
Hearing and Listening
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Have you ever heard God speak to you? I believe God speaks to us in many different ways. I’ve talked to a number of people who tell me that God spoke to them audibly. They didn’t just “feel” the voice of God, they literally heard it. I believe that has happened to me once or […]