60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
Great Calm With Jesus
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In the first reading today from Genesis 19, we read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Because of their wickedness, God had his sights set on them. But Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was in the region. Abraham asked that Lot be spared. So angels came and told Lot to get out of Dodge! They said […]
Dealing with God
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In our first reading today from Genesis 18, we see an amazing story of Abraham negotiating with God. In the Gospel reading, we read about two interesting encounters that Jesus has with some of his disciples. To both, Jesus talks about the cost of following Him. God was sick of all the wickedness that He […]
Full Speed Ahead!
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In our first reading today from 1 Kings 19, Elijah appoints Elisha to be his successor and attendant. Elisha says, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” In the Gospel reading, three people all tell Jesus that they want to follow Him. And Jesus tells them all about […]
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Interesting, isn’t it? You would think that, given the importance of each, they would both have their own feast day. I mean, after all, Peter was the first Pope, the one who got the keys to the Kingdom. (See today’s Gospel reading.) And Paul […]
God’s Perfect Timing
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In our first reading today from Genesis 17, God tells Abraham that his wife Sarai (now Sarah), would have a son – at the age of ninety! In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 8, as Jesus comes down from giving the Sermon on the Mount, He is approached by a leper. The leper asks […]
Saying, “Lord, Lord”
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So many parts of the Old Testament are downright soap opera-esque. This is certainly the case with today’s first reading from Genesis 16. At the request of his wife, Sarai, Abram bears a child with her maid, Hagar. As one might imagine, this doesn’t end well. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 7, Jesus […]
The Making of a Covenant
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In the first reading today from Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abram. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus talks about false prophets and how you can recognize them. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit…So by their fruits you will know them.” Always […]
Pearls Before Swine
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In our first reading today we find ourselves back in the Book of Genesis, reading about Abram and Lot. For our Gospel reading, we’re back in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7.What I want to reflect on today will be difficult for some to hear, and will certainly put some people off. Please […]
Mission Focused
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Today the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. In the first reading from Isaiah 49, we see prophesies that certainly pertain to the life of John the Baptist. In the second reading from Acts 13, St. Paul tells of how John heralded the coming of the Lord Jesus. And the Gospel reading from […]
Our Daily Cross
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In our Gospel reading today, we hear Jesus saying, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” This always reminds me of a story. A woman came to Jesus and said, “Lord, I cannot carry the cross you have given me any longer. […]
Of Thorns and Grace
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In the first reading today from 2 Corinthians 12, St. Paul says that he has been given “a thorn in the flesh.” Now, he never says what exactly that is. I generally think that this may be a predisposition to a particular sin. One of those things that you just can’t seem to get rid […]
Sound Eyes
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What do you boast about? I’m sure you don’t boast, and if you do, it is probably about your kids, grandkids or something or someone other than yourself. But would you ever boast about your weaknesses. Most people probably wouldn’t. But St. Paul did. Check it out in today’s first reading from 2 Corinthians 11. […]
Praying for God’s Will
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St. Paul preached the truth. And he was concerned when the people he taught began accepting messages that deviated from the truth. He addresses this in today’s first reading from 2 Corinthians 11. Our Gospel reading is from Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. We know it as the Lord’s Prayer, or […]
Cheerful Giving
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Our Gospel reading today is the same one we read on Ash Wednesday. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Always lessons that we need to be reminded of. In the first reading today from 2 Corinthians 9, St. Paul says, “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for […]
Practice Makes Perfect
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Poverty and generosity seem like they should be worlds apart. After all, if someone is living in poverty, how can they be generous? They have so little to begin with. Actually, poverty and generosity work hand in glove. If we’re in tune with God, there is truly a cause and effect relationship. Our poverty actually […]
Turning the Other Cheek
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When is the best time for someone to turn to the Lord? To give their life to Jesus? The answer is NOW! St. Paul says as much in our first reading today from 2 Corinthians 6. “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” If you’re hesitating in any […]
Happy Father’s Day!
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I’ll diverge a bit from my normal format today – for a very special reason. Today is Father’s Day. You can still read the daily readings and reflect on them. I’d like to share some thoughts today on fatherhood. Unfortunately, fatherhood has been much maligned of late. If you look at pop culture today, TV, […]
A No Spin Life
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In many of his letters, St. Paul was big on the death of Christ, and our participation in that death. Our first reading today echoes this. “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” A great […]
The Need for Radical Surgery
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What an awesome first reading today from 2 Corinthians 4. “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persectued, but not abondoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” This kind of language from St. Paul always gets me fired up! The world can kick us and beat us and […]
Anger
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Today is the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua. St. Anthony is known as the patron of lost items. We ask for his intercession when we have lost something and can’t find it. Maybe you’ve heard, or even prayed, this little prayer before: Tony, Tony turn around, something’s lost and can’t be found. In our […]
Qualifying the Called
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Some people think that the New Testament is far removed from the Old Testament, that Jesus came to do away with everything in the old law and replace it. Funny, Jesus says just the opposite. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 5, He says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law […]
This Little Light of Mine
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Today is the feast of St. Barnabas. Barnabas means “son of encouragement.” Let’s be encouragers like Barnabas! In the Gospel reading for Tuesday of the tenth week of Ordinary Time, we continue with the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5. We hear Jesus say, “You are the light of the world…your light must shine […]
Sharing in the Encouragement
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Such a bounty of things to reflect on today! In the first reading, we begin a journey through 2 Corinthians. At the same time, our Gospel readings will be from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. Wow! The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for […]
An Unexpected Miracle
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The Bible is God’s word. In today’s second reading from Galatians 1, St. Paul says the gospel that he preached was not of human origin, that it came from a revelation of Jesus Christ. Then he (Paul) wrote it down. We see a very interesting story in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 7. Jesus comes […]
A Mother’s Heart
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is appropriate that we celebrate the heart of His mother the following day. Our Gospel reading today is from Luke 2, the story of the finding of the child Jesus in the […]
A Heart for You
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Today is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the first reading from Ezekiel 34, God uses the imagery of a shepherd. “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God.” We see this very same imagery in the Gospel reading from Luke 15. Jesus […]
A Marriage Made in Heaven
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In our Gospel reading today from Mark 12, Jesus is asked, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” His answer may have surprised His hearers. Do you know what His answer was? Read Mark 12:28-34 to find out! Today’s first reading from Tobit 6-8 is the story of the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah. […]
God of the Living
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In today’s first reading from Tobit 3, we’re introduced to one of the archangels, Raphael. God hears the prayers of Tobit and Sarah, and sends Raphael to carry out His will. In the Gospel reading from Mark 12, some Saducees come to Jesus with yet another trick question. They pose to him a scenario where […]
Character
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In the first reading today from Tobit 2, we see Tobit go through some real hardship in his life. He loses his sight for four years. How would this effect you? In a moment, we’ll talk about how it effected Tobit. The Gospel passage today is from Mark 12. Jesus is asked about whether it […]
Courage To Do The Right Thing
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Our first reading today is the beginning of the book of Tobit. This is one of those books that is found in the Catholic Bible, but not in a Protestant one. (Unless it contained the Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books.) We’ll talk about today’s story in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 12, Jesus […]
The Body and Blood of Christ
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. The readings for today all point toward the Eucharist in an interesting way. In the first reading from Genesis 14, we see the brief story of Melchizedek, the priest/king who was a type of Christ. What did Melchizedek bring as […]
By What Authority?
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Do you pray for wisdom? I hope so. When we pray for wisdom, we will receive it. (Usually in small doses, at least in my case.) Today’s first reading from Sirach 51 tells of the benefits of praying for wisdom. In the Gospel reading today from Mark 11, the chief priests, the scribes and the […]
Open Home, Open Heart
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Today is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We recall when Mary, who was pregnant with the Lord Jesus, went to stay with her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. There are two options for a first reading. I recommend that you read them both. You’ll be glad […]
Jesus is Calling!
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In the first reading today from Sirach 42, the sacred author does something that we should do always. He recalls the great things that God has done. In the Gospel reading today from Mark 10, Jesus has an encounter with Bartimaeus, a blind man. Bartimaeus, a street beggar, begins crying out, “Son of David, have […]
Life as a Ransom
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Today’s first reading from Sirach 36 is a beautiful prayer. Don’t miss it! In the Gospel reading today from Mark 10, James and John come to Jesus and ask that they be able to sit at his right and his left in his glory. After a bit of bickering, Jesus tells the Apostles, “Whoever wishes to […]
Your Spiritual ROI
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The golden thread that runs through today’s readings could probably be summed up in this phrase: God will not be outdone in generosity. In the first reading from Sirach 35, we read “Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. For the Lord is one who always […]
Remembering the Heroes
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I’m going to deviate a bit from our normal format today. I’ve still got the link for today’s readings at the bottom of this post. And, of course, I encourage you to read them. There is, as always, much richness. I want to take a moment to ruminate on the holiday that we celebrate in […]
Trinity Sunday
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; three Persons, one God. The readings today reflect that. The first reading from Proverbs we see an inkling of the Trinity: “When the Lord established the heavens I was there…” And our Gospel reading is from John 16, where Jesus talks about the Father and […]
Children and Jesus
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In the first reading today from Sirach 17, we get kind of a short history of man. We see that God “put the fear of himself upon their hearts.” In essence, God has set into our DNA the knowledge that there is a God, and that we ain’t Him. Unfortunately, that message seems to get […]
True Friendship
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 10, Jesus teaches about marriage. The Catholic Church has always held fast to these teachings. Sure, they are difficult. But they come from Christ Jesus Himself. I hope that you will join me in praying for marriages daily. Marriage is under attack on so many fronts. Pray that […]
Today’s Conversion
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 9, Jesus lets us know how dangerous it is to lead others into sin. “It would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” While we must strive for our own holiness, it is also incumbent […]
Wisdom
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Wisdom is an interesting concept. In our first reading today from Sirach 4 we get a brief primer on Wisdom. (Note the capital letter. The sacred author speaks of Wisdom as a personal pronoun, “her.”) In the Gospel reading from Mark 9, John tells Jesus that the disciples tried to prevent someone from driving out […]
Trust is Rewarded
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 9, Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. When Jesus asks them what they are arguing about, they go silent. No doubt they were embarrassed to admit to Jesus that they were probably stating their cases as to why they were the greatest. Jesus clears up […]
The Power of Prayer
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Welcome back to Ordinary Time! Lent is a distant memory and the Easter season is done. For the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be going through the Book of Sirach for our first readings. This is a book that you won’t find in a Protestant bible unless it contains the Apochrypha, or deuterocanonical […]
Life in the Spirit
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Happy Pentecost! It has been fifty days since Easter. On this day we commemorate the sending of the Holy Spirit into the world. Today is considered the birthday of the Church. Praise God! There are two options for a second reading today, one from 1 Corinthians 12 and one from Romans. In each of them, […]
Following Jesus
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In Acts 28 today, we see Paul continuing in his ministry, even while in custody. Oh, that we could all have the evangelistic spirit of St. Paul! In the Gospel reading from John 21, Peter sees John coming toward him and Jesus and asks Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus’ reply is interesting. Jesus tells […]
Jesus’ Question to You
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In the first reading today from Acts 25, Paul is in Caesarea awaiting trial. He is asked if he wants to go to Jerusalem to have his case heard. Paul declines, knowing that God is sending him to Rome. So Paul appeals his case to the Emperor. Our Gospel reading is from John 21, one […]
God’s Love in Us
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St. Paul found himself in the midst of an awful lot of difficult situations, ones that most of us could not even comprehend. In today’s first reading from Acts 22 and 23, Paul finds himself in front of the Sanhedrin. He makes a comment that riles up the crowd so much that the commander of […]
Wolves Will Come
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St. Paul finishes up his farewell speech to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus in today’s first reading from Acts 20. After he is done, there were many tears, for they knew that they would never see him again. In the Gospel reading from John 17, Jesus asks the father to “consecrate them (the […]
The History of Apostolic Succession
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Matthias. The two readings are ones that we have already had during the Easter season. The Gospel is from John 15, where Jesus says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” […]