60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
Using Your Gift
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Today in Acts 4, the Sanhedrin comes to the conclusion that something astonishing happened through Peter and John. But just to be safe, they tell them not to ever again speak of the name of Jesus. Uh…not so much. Peter responds with, “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen […]
The Name of our Salvation
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In Acts 4 today, we pick up the story of Peter and John right after the healing of the crippled beggar. More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from John 21, the disciples are out fishing. Remember, these guys were professional fishermen. After catching nothing all night, they see Jesus, who […]
People of the Word
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Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies. Again and again he said, “So that the Scriptures may be fulfilled…” In today’s first reading from Acts 3, St. Peter quotes the Old Testament Scriptures twice. He goes on to say, “Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these […]
What I Have I Give You
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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 […]
Participating in Our Salvation
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Back we go to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 today. When the people heard about salvation through Christ Jesus, they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading today, we’re in John 20, reading about St. John’s post-resurrection […]
Have No Fear
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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 […]
Passing Along Easter Joy
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Well, we made it! All the way through Lent, through the cross and now onto the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. Praise God! Every year on Easter one of my most fervent prayers is for the people who only go to church once or twice a year. As I have said before, I […]
Waiting
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Holy Saturday is an interesting day. It reminds me of waiting in the doctor’s office waiting room after you have had some tests run. You’re kind of in a state of limbo. Hopeful that the results will come back good, but still having that creeping sense of doubt. I suppose this is what Jesus’ disciples […]
Were You 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 the 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 Judas in Me
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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 […]
Peter’s Fall (and Subsequent Rise)
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The story of Jesus is called “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” I think that Holy Week is maybe the neatest part of the story. And today’s Gospel reading is one of the reasons. In our first reading today we’re back in Isaiah, today chapter 49, hearing more about the The Servant of the Lord. “I […]
Healing Our Wounds
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Monday of Holy Week. For the next few days, our first readings will be from Isaiah, the prophesies of the Servant of the Lord. We’ll talk about today’s reading in a moment. The Gospel reading today is from John 12. Jesus goes to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary anoints his feet with […]
Palm Sunday
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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 […]
Dying for Others
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As we approach Palm Sunday, the story of the final week of Jesus’ life unfolds. In the first reading from Ezekiel 37, the prophet speaks of the return of the Davidic Kingdom. Of course, Jesus came to fulfill the Davidic Kingdom in a perfect way. In the Gospel reading from John 11, Caiaphas, the high […]
Doing the Father’s Work
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In today’s first reading from Jeremiah 20, we hear the people plotting against Jeremiah. But they will not be victorious; they will not have their way. Jeremiah says, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph…Praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of […]
Covenant
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In today’s first reading from Genesis 17, we see a watershed moment in salvation history. Abram has his name changed to Abraham, and God makes a covenant with him. And in the Gospel reading, Jesus says, “Before Abraham came to be, I AM.” In saying this, He intimated to the people that He was the […]
Free Indeed
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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 […]
Look Up and Live
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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 […]
The First Christian
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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Traditionally this is celebrated on March 25, 9 months before Christmas. But because March 25 fell on a Sunday, the Solemnity has been moved to today. The readings today all point toward Mary’s fiat, which we see in Luke 1, “Behold, I am the […]
Dying to Produce Fruit
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In our Gospel reading today from John 12, Jesus teaches us about wheat. “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” So, what does a grain of wheat falling to the […]
A Different Message
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Another ominous reading for our first reading today, this time from Jeremiah 11. As we draw closer to Holy Week and Good Friday, we begin to see the readings get darker. In the Gospel reading from John 7, the people continue to conjecture from where the Christ would come. “The Christ will not come from […]
Close to the Brokenhearted
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An eerie first reading today from Wisdom 2. It describes the things that Jesus went through to a tee. Be sure to read it and see if you don’t shake your head in amazement knowing that this was written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. The Gospel reading today is from John 7, […]
God’s Approval
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In today’s first reading from Exodus 32, Moses has a little heart-to-heart with God, asking Him to relent from destroying His people. And God relented. A wonderful statement on the power of prayer. And in the Gospel reading from John 5, Jesus talks about accepting praise. He says, “I do not accept human praise.” And […]
The Father and The Son
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“Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?” Seems like a rhetorical question, doesn’t it? This is the question that the Lord asks through the prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading. God lets us know that it is not purely rhetorical. He says, “Even should she forget, I […]
Being Well or Staying Sick
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Water is a theme that runs through our two readings today. In the first reading from Ezekiel 47, the Angel of the Lord shows Ezekiel a trickle of water flowing out from the temple. The farther they get from the temple, the greater the flow, until the water becomes a large river, teeming with abundant […]
The Perfect Father
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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 […]
John 3:16
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The Gospel reading for Year B (remember, your church may use the readings for Year A if you have RCIA) is from John 3. It contains perhaps the most well known verse in all of Scripture. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who […]
Pride
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We’re back in Hosea for our first reading today. We see a verse from Hosea that is quoted a few times in the New Testament. “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” It would do us well to learn the meaning of those words. In […]
Loving God, Loving People
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Today’s first reading from Hosea 14 contains some of the most beautiful imagery in Scripture. It shows us God’s loving heart for his people. Even though they had turned away, He will welcome them back, if they just ask for His forgiveness. “I will heal their defection, says the Lord, I will love them freely.” […]
Are You With Jesus?
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The words of the prophet Jeremiah from today’s first reading should sound an alarm for us today. “This is the nation that does not listen to the voice of the Lord, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.” Jeremiah wrote this about the nation of Israel […]
Obey and Teach
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So many people look at Christianity, and especially Catholicism, as a religion of rules and regulations. You know, Thou Shalt Not this and that. Like it or not, God has rules. Unfortunately, too many people want to interpret God’s rules to fit their own beliefs. Sorry…doesn’t work that way. Both of our readings today talk […]
“Feeling” Forgiveness
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Our first reading today is one of the most beautiful prayers in all of Scripture. It is the prayer of Azariah in the fiery furnace from Daniel 3. He says to the Lord, “…as we follow you unreservedly…And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you.” In the Gospel reading from […]
The Hometown Prophet
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What a fascinating story we see in our first reading from 2 Kings 5. Naaman the Syrian, a respected military man, was a leper. He asks the king of Israel to heal him, but he can’t. So the prophet Elisha volunteers to heal him. Naaman doesn’t like what Elisha tells him, but does it anyway, […]
Ready for a Break Down?
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At my parish, we use the readings for Year A at today’s Mass. Our RCIA candidates and catechumens will be undergoing their scrutinies. It’s always very moving. The Gospel reading is from John 4, the story of the woman at the well. Jesus meets up with a Samaritan woman at a well. Two unusual things […]
The Story of the Prodigal Son
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Some beautiful imagery in today’s first reading from Micah 7. We see that God “delights in clemency…will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” Then Psalm 103 reminds us that “The Lord is kind and merciful.” And speaking of kindness and mercy, our Gospel reading is from Luke 15, the story of […]
Producing Fruit for the Kingdom
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In the first reading today from Genesis 37, we see part of the story of Joseph. Joseph was the favorite son of Israel, the child of his old age. The brothers were jealous of him. They plotted to kill him, but wound up “only” selling him into slavery. Joseph’s is a fascinating story. You should […]
Can’t Take It With You
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus tells the Pharisees a story about a beggar named Lazarus and a rich man. Both of them die and wind up in opposite places. More on that in a moment. In our first reading from Jeremiah 17, the Lord curses the man who trusts in human beings, […]
Servant of All
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Jeremiah was one of those prophets who had a really tough go of things. As we see in today’s first reading from Jeremiah 18, the people were plotting against him. They were “carefully noting his every word.” Even though Jeremiah went before the Lord to stick up for them. Now this. No good deed goes […]
Practicing What You Preach
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God is always ready to make things right. We are the ones who mess up, who walk away from God. Yet God is always waiting to welcome us back with open arms. Here is what the Lord says in the first reading today from Isaiah 1: “Come now, let us set things right, says the […]
God’s Generosity
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Isnt’ God good? When you think about it, God is so much more merciful than we deserve. We get a great sense of this in today’s first reading from Daniel 9. Listen to the first few words of each sentence in today’s passage: “You who keep your merciful covenant…We have sinned…We have not obeyed…We are […]
Lent: A Time of Transfiguration
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Today’s Gospel reading is Mark’s version of the Transfiguration. This is when Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to the top of the mountain (the very same mountain that we read about in the first reading) and reveals His heavenly glory. Moses and Elijah appear with him. And a voice comes from a cloud […]
Feeling Love
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In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 26, agreements are made. The people make an agreement with God, to walk in his ways, obey his commandments and hearken to his voice. And God makes an agreement with the people, that they will be “peculiarly his own.” In the Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus says, “But […]
Breaking Our Addiction to Sin
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Our first reading today is from Ezekiel 18. In it, God makes it known that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Why? More in a moment. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 5, Jesus tells us that we must mend our relationships with our brothers (and sisters) before we go […]
God: Last Resort or First?
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Our first reading today is from the Book of Esther. Esther had the weight, and fate, of a nation on her shoulders. She knew that she was the last hope of her people. If she could not come up with the right words, her people would be destroyed. So what did she do? She prayed! […]
The Sign of Jonah
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Most people know the story of Jonah. At least, they know part of it; they know the part where he gets swallowed by a big fish. But what about the other part of Jonah’s story? Are you familiar with it? Jesus mentions it in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11. Jonah was sent to the […]
The Purpose of God’s Word
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What a beautiful reading today from Isaiah 55. We’ll talk about it in a moment. Our Gospel reading today from Matthew 6 is where Jesus teaches his disciples to pray. He teaches them the “Our Father.” But that’s not the end of the story. Immediately after the prayer, Jesus tells them, “If you forgive men […]
The Invisible Least
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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 […]
Satan’s Temptations
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Today is the First Sunday of Lent. Our Gospel reading is fromMark 1. St. Mark 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. St. Mark’s version is very short, but we […]
Paging Dr. Jesus
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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 […]