An Old Man Leads the Way
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In today’s readings, we meet two great characters of the Bible! The first is one who is probably very little known, the other very well known, especially with kids. He...
A Really Big Deal
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Our first readings this week will be from 1 and 2 Maccabees. We'll meet some amazing heroes of the faith, from whom we can learn much. Today's Gospel reading from...
Using Your Talents
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In the Gospel from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a man going on a trip and giving his servants some talents (money). When the master returns, he wants...
Pestering God?
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge. A widow comes to him seeking a judgment, but he refuses. The widow, however, kept...
Seeing God in Beauty
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus talks about what things would be like on the day of His return. The first Christians were convinced that that day was...
Pursuing Wisdom
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Our first reading today is again from the Book of Wisdom. What an amazing book! In it, Wisdom is always referred to as a female personal pronoun, she. More in...
The Dangers of Power
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Today's Gospel reading is the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. Yet, only one returned to give thanks. In our first reading from Wisdom 6, we hear a warning for...
Where's My Trophy?
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Today’s first reading from Wisdom 2 and 3 is one that we recently heard – on All Souls’ Day. It is one that those of us who have lost loved...
Of Wisdom and Millstones
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For the first reading today, we begin a quick trip through the Book of Wisdom. In the Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus talks about sin, causing others to sin,...
Thinking Long Term
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about 10 virgins getting ready to go to a wedding feast. Five were wise - they brought extra oil...
Who (or What) Will You Serve?
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus talks about how it is impossible to serve two masters. “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and...
What Christ Accomplishes Through You
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 16 is Jesus' parable about the dishonest steward. In the parable, the master commends the steward, not for his dishonesty, but for his prudence in...
God's Temple
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. the Lateran Basilica was erected by Constantine. It is known as the mother church of Christendom. We...
The Act of Letting Go
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I love Romans 13:8, the opening line in today’s first reading: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”...
How to Live Like a Christian
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Today's first reading from Romans 12 is really a blueprint for living the Christian life. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable...
Eternal Repayment
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In the first reading today from Romans 11, St. Paul says, “For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.” That may sound a bit odd....
Practicing What You Preach
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Most folks don't like the idea of being preachy. Being preached to can bring up some pretty negative emotions. But do you preach? Let's explore that. In the Gospel reading...
Seeking the Lowest Place
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 14, Jesus is eating at the home of a leading Pharisee. He tells a parable about a guy who, when invited to a...
A Higher Law
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St. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was a Jew, a learned Pharisee. It broke his heart that so many of his own people refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. He...
Praying for Our Beloved Dead
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Today we celebrate All Souls' Day. On this feast (and throughout the month of November) we pray for the souls of the faithful departed. To many non-Catholic Christians, this seems...
All Saints
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Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. For the past 25 years, whenever this day falls on a weekday, I have a tradition of calling everyone with whom I speak...
Glorious Freedom
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We hear a couple of short parables in the Gospel reading today from Luke 13. Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast. Do you remember...
Daddy!
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What an awesome reading today from Romans 8. St. Paul talks about us being sons and daughters of God. More on that in a sec. In the Gospel reading from...
Loving Your Neighbor
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” His answer may have surprised some. When Jesus is asked about...
Saints Simon and Jude
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. The readings are typical for the feast of Apostles - the first reading from Ephesians 2 and the...
Good vs. Evil
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There is a constant battle of good versus evil. It happens in the world - we see it every day - and in our own lives. St. Paul wrote about...
Wages and Gifts
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We call Jesus the Prince of Peace. In today's Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus says, "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No,...
Entrusted with Much (and More)
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Perhaps St. Paul’s words in today’s first reading from Romans 6 are ones we should read every day, or even commit to memory. “For sin is not to have any...
Grace Overflows
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In today’s first reading from Romans 5, St. Paul talks about sin and grace. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus tells his...
Love is the Answer
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In our Gospel reading today, Jesus has an encounter with a man which prompts Him to warn the gathered crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one...
It's All God's
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked by some Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes. They try to trip Him up by asking, “Is it lawful to...
Letting the Spirit Speak
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We’re back in Romans 4 for the first reading today. Paul continues to talk about faith and again uses the model of faith as an example, Abraham. In the Gospel...
Your Worth
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In today’s first reading from Romans 4, St. Paul talks about the importance of faith. He points to Abraham as the example of faith. “Abraham believed God, and it was...
Justified
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 11, Jesus continues to pronounce woes on the scholars of the law. These are some pretty scathing remarks. “Woe to you, scholars of...
St. Luke the Evangelist
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Luke. St. Luke is the author of two books of the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles....
I Am Not Ashamed
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One of the things that I admire most about St. Paul (there are many) is his boldness. And the first line of today’s first reading really sums things up. “I...
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
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In the first reading today we begin a journey through St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. St. Paul greets the believers in Rome with this – “Grace to you and...
Invited to the Feast
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus tells a parable about a king who gives a wedding feast for his son. When the servants went out to summon the...
The Blessing of Being Blessed
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God will take care of His people. That is His promise, His covenant. It is one that will last forever. In today’s first reading from Joel 4, we hear this...
Fully Armed
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Today's first reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel sounds very Lenten. In fact, part of this reading pops up in Lent. "Proclaim a fast, call an assembly...cry to...
Good Gifts
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 11 contains a famous saying of Jesus that most folks know: "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find;...
The Good Lord Giveth...
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Most folks can pray the Our Father from memory. Today we hear Jesus teaching His disciples to pray from Luke's Gospel. In our first reading we continue the story of...
Join us on the Seine!
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I'm so excited to let you know that we still have some spots available on our Seine River Cruise pilgrimage in June! Michelle and I and Fr. Leo Patalinghug would...
When We Repent
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Today's Gospel reading is the familiar story of Mary and Martha, where Jesus says, "Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." Mary chose...
God's Extreme Measures
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The story of the good Samaritan is the Gospel reading today from Luke 10. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews. They couldn’t possibly have a decent bone in their...
Producing Fruit for the Kingdom
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner. The landowner sends numerous servants to look after a vineyard that he had leased to some...
Our Lady of the Rosary
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The readings today are for Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time. I'd like to share my rosary...
Rejecting Jesus
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus pronounces "woes" on three towns - Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Jesus, speaking to the seventy-two disciples He was sending ahead of him,...
Peace to this Household
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples to go in pairs and visit every town He intended to visit. He gives them instructions on what...
Pray Before Speaking
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Ever say something you later regretted? I think we all have. Today’s first reading has the antidote! In the Gospel reading from Luke 9, some folks tell Jesus that they...