60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
Loving in Deed and Truth
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In the Gospel reading today from John 1, we see an encounter between Jesus and Nathanael. Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, says to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” This after he had just met Jesus. Be sure to read Jesus’ response. In the first reading today […]
What Are You Looking For?
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Today’s first reading from 1 John 3 can be a difficult one to grasp. St. John writes, “Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning.” We know that we all sin. So do we all belong to the Devil? In a sense we do when we sin. Sin is […]
His Children
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Good Day, Child of God! Are you comfortable with that “title?” I certainly hope so, because that is what you are! So says St. John in our first reading from 1 John 2 and 3. In the Gospel reading from John 1, we hear John the Baptist say words that every priest repeats at every […]
To Remain or Not to Remain?
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More great advice from St. John in today’s first reading from 1 John 2. More on that in a moment. Our Gospel reading for today is from the Gospel of St. John. We see the people asking John the Baptist to identify himself, “Who are you?” He admits that he is not the Christ, only […]
New Year’s Resolutions
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Happy New Year! I’m always excited about a new year. I like to start the new year thinking of all the possibilities that God has in store. Can’t wait to find out what God has up his sleeve for us this year! Rather than talk about the readings specifically today, I want to share some […]
The Word Became Flesh
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For today’s first reading, we are back in 1 John 2. Today St. John writes about the antichrist. Very interesting stuff, especially for those hard core “end-timers.” Those are the people who keep telling us that we are in the end times. Well, 1900 years ago, St. John said the same thing. Read today’s reading. St. […]
Family
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Normally, the Sunday after Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Family. But since this year Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Sunday, the Feast of the Holy Family is transferred to today. There are numerous options for readings today, and all of the readings talk about family and relationships. Click on the link below to […]
The Prayer of Simeon
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Today is the fifth day in the Octave of Christmas. In our first reading from 1 John 2, St. John talks about light and darkness. He writes, “Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.” We need to examine our hearts and accept the light of Christ […]
Our Holy Innocents
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Who are the Holy Innocents? They are the children killed by order of Herod in Bethlehem right after the birth of Christ. We read about this today in the Gospel reading from Matthew 2. Matthew tells us that this fulfilled what had been said through […]
Sprinting to Jesus
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. St. John was the beloved disciple, the author of the fourth Gospel, three letters in the New Testament and the Book of Revelation. Our first reading today is from the beginning of St. John’s first letter. “We proclaim now…our fellowship is with the Father and […]
Feast of St. Stephen
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr. In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, we see the story of Stephen’s martyrdom. And in the Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus tells the disciples, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end […]
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas is here! Christmas is here! I can remember waking up VERY early on Christmas mornings when I was a kid and yelling that out to my brothers and sisters. We would go wake up Mom and Dad, probably much earlier than they would have liked, and attack the presents under the tree with reckless […]
Perpetual Christmas Eve
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Isn’t it odd that Christmas Eve is one of the shortest days of the year? I know – there are 24 hours in every day. But the winter solstice was just a couple of days ago, and in North America, we have one of the shortest amounts of daylight today. I say that it’s odd […]
The Message of John
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Today’s first reading is from Malachi 3. Malachi prophesies about the Lord’s messenger, “the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.” This prophesy is fulfilled in the person of Jesus. But Malachi also prophesies, “Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes…” Jesus told the people that John […]
The Magnificat
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In today’s first reading from 1 Samuel 1, we see Hannah giving up her only son to the service of the Lord. Eli, the priest, had prayed that Hannah might be granted the desire of her heart, a son. After Samuel was born, she gave him to Eli to be brought up to serve the […]
God Sings for You
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You know something cool about the Catholic liturgy? We celebrate parts of the Christmas story throughout the year. Many of the Gospel readings that we are hearing at this time are also used at other times. For instance, today’s Gospel reading from Luke 1 is the same reading for the Feast of the Visitation on […]
Love is With Us
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In today’s first reading from Isaiah 7, we see the prophecy that is at the heart of Christianity. “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” The virgin birth. And the Gospel reading from Luke 1 shows the fulfillment of this […]
Made for a Purpose
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In the first reading today from Judges 13, we see the story of an angel coming to announce the birth of a child. The woman was barren, and the angel told her that this child was “to be consecrated to God from the womb.” He would serve a very special purpose for the Kingdom of […]
Keeping His Promise
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Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Almost time to say Merry Christmas! Yesterday we read the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew 1. We know from that reading that the Messiah would come from the line of David. But why was that so important? Because God had promised David that the Messiah would come from […]
The Family of Jesus
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Well, it is one week before Christmas Eve! Are you feeling it yet? Beginning today, the liturgy begins to unfold the story of Christmas. In the first reading today from Genesis 49, we hear Jacob telling his sons, “The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, while tribute is […]
God of All
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In the Gospel reading today from John 5, Jesus speaks of John the Baptist as “a burning and shining lamp.” He also lets the Jews know that John was a precursor to the One who is to come, Jesus Himself. “But I have testimony greater than John’s.” The first reading today from Isaiah 56 starts […]
He Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
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In our Gospel reading today from Luke 7, Jesus speaks of the role and importance of John the Baptist. “Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom Scripture says: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare the way before you. I tell you, […]
Go and Tell
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The first reading today is from Isaiah 45. God reminds the people through the prophet that He (God) is the only God. “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” “There is no just and saving God but me.” As we well know, the people had a propensity to forget this. In our Gospel […]
Doing and Saying
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In the first reading today from Zephaniah 3, we read about “a remnant…a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord…They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in the mouths a deceitful tongue…” I wonder, would someone recognize us as being part […]
Merciful Mother
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego on a hill in Tepeyac, Mexico, in December of 1531, she declared, “I am your most merciful Mother…I want to show my loving clemency and compassion to those who call upon me in their sorrows.” […]
Rejoice Always
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Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. Today we light the pink, or rose, candle on the Advent wreath. It is called Gaudete Sunday because of the opening antiphon of the Introit Gaudete in Domino semper (Rejoice in the Lord always). The opening words of the second reading from 1 Thessalonians are these, […]
God of Surprises
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Today’s first reading is from the Book of Sirach. The author talks of Elijah, “whose words were a flaming furnace.” Then in the Gospel reading from Matthew 17, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answers and tells them that “Elijah has already come.” But the scribes […]
You Can’t Please Everyone
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God only wants what is best for us. We see this in today’s first reading from Isaiah 48. “I, the Lord, you God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.” God has given us the Church, to teach us truth, and to point us in the […]
The Immaculate Conception
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Remember that, for Catholics, today is a Holy Day of obligation. I hope you will make it a point to attend Mass. Let’s talk briefly today about what the Immaculate Conception is, and isn’t. Probably the most common misconception (no pun intended) that people have is […]
On Eagles’ Wings
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We’re back in Isaiah for our first reading today. The final verse in today’s reading is Isaiah 40:31. I’ll talk about it in a moment. Our Gospel passage today is a short one, from Matthew 11. Jesus tells the people, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you […]
Going After the Stray
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Our first reading today from Isaiah 40 should sound very familiar because you heard it this past Sunday at Mass. (Actually, today’s first reading is a bit longer, as some of the verses are included that were left out on Sunday.) “A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make […]
Faithful Friends
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I don’t know about you, but I so love the Advent readings from the Prophet Isaiah. They are filled with so much beauty and hope. “Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” In the Gospel reading today from Luke 5, we see a healing of a […]
Prepare the Way!
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Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. In the Gospel reading from Mark 1, we read about the ministry of John the Baptist. He is the one about whom the prophet Isaiah wrote, “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ ” That’s really […]
Giving as We Have Received
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More beautiful imagery in our first reading today from Isaiah 30. Once again, we see so much Christ. “The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher.” Wow! Amazing stuff, isn’t […]
The Blind Shall See
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In the first reading today from Isaiah 29, the Lord God says through the prophet: “And out of the gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.” If you had to guess what the Gospel reading would be about, what would your guess be? Jesus giving sight to a blind man? Well, you’re […]
Rock
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When you build a structure, a house or a building, it must have a firm foundation. Otherwise it may fall. The firmest of foundations is rock. This is the “golden thread” that runs through today’s readings. In the first reading from Isaiah 26, we read, “Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an […]
He Ain’t Heavy…
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Today is the feast of St. Andrew. Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. In the first reading from Romans 10, St. Paul asks a number of questions…”How can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” Did you know that the word “apostle” means “one who is […]
Revealing the Father
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 11. “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” This is a prophecy about how the Messiah, Jesus, would descend from the line of David. (Jesse was David’s father.) We’ll see this reading again as we […]
Peace on Earth
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Happy Advent! I trust that all went well for your parish in instituting the new translation of the Roman Missal at Mass on the First Sunday of Advent. Right before we received Communion, we said something new. In fact, you’ll find it in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 8. A centurion says to Jesus, “Lord, […]
The New Translation
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Happy New Year! That may sound a bit odd to some. But to Catholics, it shouldn’t. Today is beginning of a new liturgical year. The First Sunday of Advent. The theme of Advent is summed up in the first words of Jesus from today’s Gospel reading from Mark 13: “Be watchful! Be alert!” Today is […]
Vigilance
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus exhorts the disciples to “Be vigilant at all times.” He talks about not letting “carousing and drunkeness and the anxieties of daily life” get in the way of being prepared for the return of the Lord. Sound advice, no? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I […]
The Son of Man
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In today’s first reading from Daniel 7, we see the term “son of man” first used. This is the phrase that Jesus used more than any other to refer to himself. In the Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Let us […]
Giving Thanks
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Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Happy Thanksgiving! I have a link to today’s readings at the bottom of today’s post. But rather than comment on the readings, I want to take a moment to reflect on Thanksgiving. Did you know that the word Eucharist translates to “thanksgiving?” Isn’t it interesting that, as Catholics, […]
The Handwriting on the Wall
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I think that many people are unaware that many common expressions actually oringinated in the Bible. Today is another example of that. We’ll talk about it in a sec. For our Gospel passage today, we’re back in Luke 21, with Jesus talking about the end of time. I talk often about how Christianity is not […]
The End
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Ever heard the expression “feet of clay?” It means when someone has a fatal flaw. Usually someone admired or thought highly of. We use the expression when someone lets us down. Really, we all have feet of clay. Well…at least I do. Anyway, that expression came from today’s first reading from Daniel 2. Daniel interprets […]
The Blessings of Following God
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Today and for the rest of this week, we’re going to meet and learn about the Prophet Daniel. Today’s first reading is the beginning of the book of Daniel. We’ll talk about him in a moment. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 21, we see the story of the widow’s mite. Jesus witnesses a […]
Our King
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Today the Church celebrates the end of the liturgical year. Fittingly enough, it is the Feast of Christ the King. All of the readings today point to the kingship of Christ. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus talks about what it will be like when He comes in to His Kingdom, and how […]
Wicked
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 20, some Sadducees ask Jesus a trick question regarding the resurrection of the dead. (The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.) Jesus answers the question and in the end affirms our belief in the Communion of Saints when He says, “[God] is not God […]
Hanging On His Words
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In the first reading today from 1 Maccabees 4, we read about the origins of Hannukah. Do you know what that Jewish feast, celebrated to this day, is all about? Read and find out! In the Gospel reading from Luke 19, we see Jesus throwing the merchants out of the temple area. The big shots […]
Your Visitation
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Another great story today from 1 Maccabees. Today we meet Mattathias. Mattathias had had enough of the baloney (trying to be genteel here) that was being shoved down the throats of his people. When he sees a fellow Jew offering sacrifice to a false god, “his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him […]