No...For Now
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 15, a woman comes and asks Jesus to heal her daughter. The woman was a Canaanite, not a daughter of Israel. Jesus in essence tells...
Who Will You Serve?
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We have a very short Gospel reading today. But as always, it is packed. Jesus says, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom...
Priestly Celibacy
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 19, Jesus gives His teaching on marriage. In it, He speaks about those who have “freely renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom...
The Act of Forgiveness
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus how often he has to forgive a brother who sins against him. As many as seven times? Jesus responds, “Not seven...
On Binding and Loosing and Praying
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Today we read about the death of Moses. It has been fascinating reading about his life and times. As I’ve mentioned many times, no on had a relationship with God...
Assumed into Heaven
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. This is one of those days that is greatly misunderstood...
The Subjects are Exempt
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In today's first reading from Deuteronomy 10, Moses reminds the people that they were chosen by God and that they were to serve him. In the Gospel reading from Matthew...
Doubt
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we read the story about Jesus walking on the water during a storm. Peter asks Jesus to command that he come to him...
How to Move a Mountain
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Moses wanted to make sure that the children of Israel remembered who God was, and that He alone was worthy of their worship. He gives them yet another reminder in...
A Spiritual Cost/Benefit Analysis
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“This is why you must now know…that the Lord is God…and that there is no other.” These words Moses speaks to the children of Israel in today’s first reading from...
Deacon, Martyr, Servant
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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...
When God says Go, You Go
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In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 15, we see an amazing example of perseverance in prayer, and the unselfishness of a mother. A Canaanite woman asks Jesus to heal...
Seeking Fame
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In the first reading today from Numbers 12, we see God punishing two people for being prideful. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Matthew 15, Jesus tells...
Satisfied
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Moses was a man with an enormous burden. In today's first reading from Numbers 11, he expresses his frustration to God. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we read...
Listen to Him
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Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In the first reading from Daniel 7, Daniel sees in a vision “One like a Son of man coming…his kingship...
A Jubilee Year
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In today’s first reading from Leviticus 25, we read about the jubilee. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we read the story of...
Festivals and Feasts
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In today's first reading from Leviticus 23, we read about the festivals that God prescribed for the Jews. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, the...
How to Avoid the Fiery Furnace
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In today's Gospel reading, we read the last of Jesus' parables in Matthew 13. (The last parable from this chapter; He told many more parables.) It's about a net that...
Radiant
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 13, Jesus gives two short parables about the Kingdom of heaven; one about a buried treasure and another about a pearl of great...
His Own
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds in the field. In the first reading from Exodus 33 and 34, we see a beautiful...
God the Punisher?
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13 brings us more parables from Jesus - one about a mustard seed and the other about yeast. In the first reading from Exodus 32...
The Cost of a Pearl
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells two very brief parables about what the Kingdom of heaven is like. Though often times his messages were hidden, Jesus always...
A Holy Family
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In previous years it was the Feast of St. Martha, but now the whole family is celebrated. Martha, Mary...
The Ten Suggestions?
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Most everyone knows that the Ten Commandments are found in the Bible. But did you know that they are found in the Bible twice? The first instance is in Exodus...
Just a Story Teller?
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” Be sure to read His answer. Parables are a great...
The Grandparents of Jesus
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. Tradition tells us that these were the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the record, Joachim and Anne...
The Way of St. James
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James. This James is the son of Zebedee and the brother of St. John the Apostle. He is often known as James “The...
Overcoming Obstacles
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In the first reading today from Exodus 14, we see the beginning of the story of the parting of the Red Sea. More on that in a moment. In the...
Wheat or Weed
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells and explains the parable of the weeds in the field. This is where a man sows good seed in his wheat...
Mary Magdalene and You
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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...
Our Perpetual Institution
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Each year on Holy Thursday, the first reading for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is taken from Exodus 11-12. That same reading is today’s first reading. In the Gospel...
I AM
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In the first reading today from Exodus 3, we read more of the interaction between God and Moses when God reveals Himself in the burning bush. Our Gospel reading is...
Holy Ground
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In today’s first reading from Exodus 3, Moses has an encounter with God. Moses spies a bush that is on fire, yet is not being consumed by the flames. Curious...
Can't You See?
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In our first reading today from Exodus 2, we see the story of the early part of Moses’ life. Because of the law that Hebrew baby boys be killed, Moses’...
Household Enemies
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In the Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus tells the Apostles that he will be a source of division."Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.I...
Many Types of Soil
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the sower. When I read about the different kinds of soil in this parable, I think to myself...
Whom to Fear
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus says, "Fear no one...And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid...
Be Shrewd and Simple
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What a beautiful reunion we read about today in our first reading from Genesis 46. Jacob/Israel thought that his youngest son, Joseph, had been eaten by wild beasts. But then...
Seeing God's Grand Plan
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the Twelve and gives them their “marching orders.” He says to them, “Without cost you have received; without cost...
The Lost Sheep
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Israel's son Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers. He had risen to a position of great power with Pharaoh, unbeknownst to his brothers. Now his brothers had...
Wrestling with God
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Another fascinating story today in our first reading from Genesis 32. Today we read about Jacob wrestling with a divine being. After something of a stalemate, Jacob gets his name...
How to Bring Healing
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Have you ever played Jacob's Ladder? Did you know that little game with a string is based on a passage from Scripture? We find it in today’s first reading from Genesis...
Meekness is not Weakness
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In our Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” “Learn from me…” These...
Lies and Deception
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Today’s first reading from Genesis 27 is one that is tough to read and perhaps even tougher to understand. Isaac is an old man and wants to anoint his heir...
No Questions Asked
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In today's first reading from Genesis 23 and 24, we read about the death of Sarah and how Isaac found a wife in Rebekah. In the Gospel reading from Matthew...
Offer it Up
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Have you ever felt like God is/was testing you? I think we all have at some time. Our first reading today is all about that. In the Gospel reading from...
The Lord Hears
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 8, Jesus casts demons out of two men. He sends them into a herd of swine, who then go and jump off a cliff...
Dependence Day
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Happy 4th of July! In the USA, today is Independence Day. It’s the day we celebrate our breaking away from the British empire and declaring ourselves an independent nation. It’s...
Believing the Outlandish
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. In the first reading from Ephesians 2, St. Paul tells us that the household of God, the Church, is...
Rewarded
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In today's first reading from 2 Kings 4, a woman does a kind deed for the prophet Elisha. For her kindness, she is rewarded with a son. In the Gospel...