God's Co-Workers
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Jesus was a very busy guy. We see this in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 4. He heals Simon’s mother-in-law, He heals all the sick in the town and casts out many demons. When He tries to get a moment alone, the people track Him down and try to prevent Him from leaving their town. […]
The Mind of Christ
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For the first reading today, we’re back in 1 Corinthians 2. St. Paul speaks much of the Spirit of God here. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 4, we see the word “authority” twice. Jesus “spoke with authority” and “With authority and power he commands the unclean spirits.” Jesus was given […]
A Demonstration
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Our first reading today from 1 Corinthians 2 is short, but packs a lot of punch. For the Gospel reading, we’re in Luke 4. Jesus returns to Nazareth, the town where He grew up. In the synagogue, He unrolls the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and reads a prophesy. He finishes with, “Today this Scripture […]
Repaid
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus goes to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. While there, He tells a parable in which He exhorts the people not to gravitate towards the places of honor at table. He finishes with the phrase, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, […]
Investing Your Talents
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Augustine. In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 1, St. Paul says that “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong…” Being weak and foolish myself, I’m kinda liking this reading! […]
Fools for Christ
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Monica. St. Monica was the mother of St. Augustine. She prayed for years and years that her wayward boy would find his way to Christ. And eventually her prayers were answered. (In a big way!) Today is a great day for those who have children who have […]
The Danger of Complacency
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In the first reading today, we begin St. Paul’s first Letter to the Corinthians. St. Paul reassures his readers that “(God) will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” […]
Get to Work!
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In the first reading today from 2 Thessalonians 3, St. Paul talks about the importance of work. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 23, Jesus continues to pronounce woes on the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus pulled no punches with these characters. “On the outside you appear righteous, but inside […]
St. Bartholomew
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Bartholomew. Bartholomew is listed among the Twelve. He was brought to Jesus by the Apostle Philip. Tradition tells us that he preached the Gospel in India, where he was rewarded with the crown of martyrdom. The first reading today is from Revelation 21, where we get a […]
You Hypocrite!
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St. Paul was big on prayer and thanksgiving. We see this today in our first reading from 2 Thessalonians 1. “We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, as is fitting…” and “We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling…” Prayer and thanksgiving. Two things […]
Enter Through the Narrow Gate
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 13, someone asks Jesus, “Will only a few be saved?” Jesus responds, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” “Enter through the narrow gate.” Enter where? I think it’s obvious that Jesus is talking about heaven. […]
Humble
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In the first reading today, Ezekiel is led by an angel to the temple, where he sees the glory of God. He hears the voice of God say to him, “This is where my throne shall be…here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.” In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus say, “Call […]
Dry Bones
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The toe bone connected to the foot bone. The foot bone connected to the ankle bone. Ever heard of dem bry bones? (It’s an old spiritual tune.) That song was written about today’s first reading! More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is asked which commandment in the law is the greatest. Be […]
Ready for a Change?
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God is the changer of hearts. We see this clearly today in our beautiful first reading from Ezekiel 36. “I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.” Let us ask God to change our hearts today. In […]
You're Hired!
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Today’s first reading is one that should be required daily reading for priests and bishops. Through Ezekiel, God talks about some not-so-good shepherds. He is not pleased; and when He is not pleased, things don’t end well for those with whom He is not pleased. Pray for our bishops and priests, that they may be […]
Investing in Eternity
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In today’s first reading from Ezekiel 28 we read about the prince of Tyre. This guy thought he was all that (and a bag of chips, we can assume.) He fancied himself a god. So the Lord God challenges him. He would meet a very nasty end. This is a pertinent story for those times […]
Leaving Things Behind
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In the first reading from Ezekiel 24, God takes Ezekiel’s wife from him; she dies. But even before this happens, God tells Ezekiel not to weep and mourn when God takes away the delight of his eyes. Unfortunately, the character in today’s Gospel reading didn’t get that memo. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 19, […]
The Assumption of Mary
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Don’t forget, it is a Holy Day of Obligation. This is one of those days that is greatly misunderstood by many. So let’s talk about it, and hopefully clear up some misconceptions that some people may have. First of all, Catholics […]
Return and Live!
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Jesus had a heart for children. Take a look at today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 19. He says, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” This is just one of the reasons why Catholics have always baptized their children. In today’s […]
Holy Matrimony
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I suppose it’s just the way I look at things, but I see some similarities between ancient Jerusalem and the United States. Take a look at today’s first reading from Ezekiel 16. “But you were captivated by your own beauty, you used your renown to make yourself a harlot, and you lavished your harlotry on every […]
Choosing to Forgive
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Today in Ezekiel, the prophet is told to do some things in full view of the people as an example. He acts as one going into exile, showing the people what was about to happen to them. In the Gospel from Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus how often he has to forgive a brother who […]
The Power of Prayer
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In the first reading today from Ezekiel 9 and 10, we see something very much akin to the passover. A “man dressed in linen” goes through the city and puts a mark on the forehead of all those who “moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced” within the city. When the destroyers […]
St. Lawrence
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence was a deacon and a martyr. Our prayers go out today and every day to all the faithful deacons of the Church, through the intercession of St. Lawrence. Thank you, deacons, for your service to God’s people! The first reading today is from 2 Corinthians […]
The Temple Tax
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Today’s first reading is from the opening chapter of Ezekiel. Here, Ezekiel has a vision of heaven. He describes things that we would understand. I’m pretty sure that heaven is indescribable, but that we may have a tiny glimpse, God showed Ezekiel things that would seem familiar to us. Today’s Gospel reading includes an interesting […]
Entrusted with Much
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What is faith? Ask ten people and you may get ten answers. But the Scriptures give us the answer! It’s right at the start of today’s second reading from Hebrews 11. “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” In today’s Gospel from Luke 12, Jesus tells a […]
Faith to Move Mountains
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In the first reading today, God tells the prophet Habakkuk to write down a vision. Then He encourages the people to wait for the vision to be fulfilled. “If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man, because of […]
Feast of the Transfiguration
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. In the first reading, we see the origin of the title “Son of Man” from Daniel 7. It is a kind of prefiguration of the Transfiguration. In the second reading, St. Peter recounts the event as an eyewitness. And the Gospel is from Matthew 17, the story […]
Peter and the Keys
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Today is one of those days when I wish this could be a 60 minute reflection, instead of 60 seconds. The readings are soooo rich! In the first reading from Jeremiah 31, God speaks of a new covenant. Of course, we know that that new covenant is with the blood of Jesus. Glory!! In the […]
Great Faith
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God is always ready to give His people another chance. When His people turned their backs on Him, He allowed them to suffer the consequences. But in today’s first reading from Jeremiah 31, the Lord says, “With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore […]
Covenant
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we see Jesus walking on the water in the middle of the night. Peter tells Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus says, “Come.” So Peter gets out of the boat and starts to walk on the water. Imagine […]
Feeding the People
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An interesting story in our first reading today from Jeremiah 28. Hananiah was a prophet in the time of Jeremiah. He prophesies before the people and before Jeremiah. But God tells Jeremiah that Hananiah’s prophesy was a false one. This didn’t end well for Hananiah. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 14, Jesus feeds […]
More than Possessions
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Jesus spoke often about our relationships with money and things. In the second reading today from Colossians 3, St. Paul reminds us to “seek what is above…Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” This plays very well with the words we hear from the Lord today. In today’s Gospel reading from […]
Spilling Innocent Blood
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Today is the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Maybe this could be “Hug a Jesuit Day!” More prophet talk for us today. In the first reading, the priests and prophets want Jeremiah put to death. But Jeremiah tells them, “If you put me to death, it is […]
Pain of a Prophet
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In both of our readings today, we see and hear that prophets get “dissed.” In Jeremiah 26, our first reading, we see Jeremiah saying everything that God tells him to say. The people’s response? “You must be put to death!” Gee, that’ll make you want to open your mouth next time, won’t it? Then in […]
Faith and Rest
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Martha. There are two different Gospel choices for today. We see a different aspect of Martha in each, and we will talk about both. Martha was an interesting woman. She was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. Jesus had a special place in his heart for this family. […]
Pearl of Great Price
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In Jeremiah 15 today, God speaks of the need for repentance. “Thus the Lord answered me: If you repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand.” Yet another reminder for us that repentance only brings about good things. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells two very brief parables […]
Weed Moments
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In the first reading today from Jeremiah 14, the prophet mourns when he looks out over the destruction caused by the sins of the people. He laments, “Have you cast Judah off completely? Is Zion loathsome to you?” He then cries out to God for mercy. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains […]
Good For Nothing
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Today’s first reading from Jeremiah 13 seems a very odd tale at first. God tells Jeremiah to go buy a loincloth, then go hide it, then go get it again. Inevitably, the loincloth rots. In the Gospel from Matthew 13, Jesus tells two parables, the parable of the mustard seed and of the yeast. God […]
Persistence
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In the Gospel from Luke 11, Luke gives us his version of the Our Father. After that, Jesus tells the disciples a story about persistence. In it, a man gets help from a neighbor, but only after being blown off. Jesus then says this to His disciples: “And I tell you, ask and you will […]
Weed or Wheat?
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13 is the parable of the weeds and the wheat. A bad guy comes and sows weed seeds into a man’s wheat field. When the servants find out, they ask the master if they should pull the weeds. The master says that they will be separated at harvest time. Jesus […]
The Soil Test
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The prophets all had a common message. We see the crux of it at the beginning of today’s first reading from Jeremiah 3. “Return, rebellious children, says the Lord, for I am your Master.” In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the sower. When I read about the different kinds […]
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
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Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. There are different options for the first reading, so I’ll let you read them and mull them over yourself. You can choose from Song of Song 3:1-4 or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. The Gospel is from John 20. It is the story of Mary’s meeting with Jesus after […]
I'm Not Qualified!
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Today in the first reading, we begin a journey through the book of the prophet Jeremiah. At the opening of the book, we read about the call of Jeremiah. Our Gospel reading is from Matthew 13, a chapter that is filled with the parables of Jesus. Today we read the parable of the sower. When God calls […]
God's Ocean of Mercy
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 12, Jesus is told that his mother and his brothers are outside the house wanting to speak to Him. Jesus says, “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Jesus often spoke in family terms. Isn’t it comforting to know that […]
What God Requires
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Ask people the question: What does God require of you? I’m sure you’ll get plenty of answers. More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 12, some scribes and Pharisees come to Jesus asking Him for a sign. Jesus tells them that they will receive only the sign of Jonah […]
Balancing Mary and Martha
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Our Gospel reading today is from Luke 10. It is the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus has come to the house of Martha and her sister Mary. Martha is feeling the burden of all the serving, while her sister is sitting at the feet of the Lord listening to Him speak. So Martha says […]
Evil Plans = Destruction
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In our first reading today from Micah 2, we see once again what God has planned for “those who plan iniquity.†The responsorial Psalm mirrors this. In our Gospel reading, we see Jesus telling those He heals not to make him known, so that the words of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. People do […]
The Spirit of the Law
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A wonderul story of healing in today’s first reading from Isaiah 38. Hezekiah is dying and he cries out to the Lord. God hears his cry and gives him another 15 years. Hope he used it well! In the Gospel from Matthew 12, the Pharisees dog Jesus’ disciples for “working†on the Sabbath. Jesus says […]
Meekness and Humility
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In today’s first reading from Isaiah 26, the prophet talks about how physical death is not the end for us. In fact, he talks about the resurrection of the dead. Check it out! In our Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek […]
Being Child-LIKE
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More words of warning today from Isaiah 10. In the Gospel reading, Jesus says that the Father has “revealed (these things) to the childlike.†What does it mean to be childlike? Well, let me say this…there is a huge difference between being child-LIKE and being child-ISH. Unfortunately, I find myself being childish more often than […]