Many Types of Soil
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
1 comment
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
Posted on
1 comment
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
3 comments
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
Posted on
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
Posted on
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...
Made Worthy
Posted on
Remember the first reading from yesterday, when Abraham laughed when God told him that he and Sarah would have a son? Well, there are more laughs in today’s first reading....
God's Perfect Timing
Posted on
In our first reading today from Genesis 17, God tells Abraham that his wife Sarai (now Sarah), would have a son – at the age of ninety! In the Gospel...
Poured Out
Posted on
Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. In the first reading from Acts 12, we read about Peter being sprung from jail by the angel of the Lord. And...
True or False
Posted on
2 comments
“Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited to him as an act of righteousness.” This line is from today’s first reading from Genesis 15. St. Paul also recounts...
Trampled Underfoot
Posted on
2 comments
In our first reading today we find ourselves back in the Book of Genesis, reading about Abram and Lot. For our Gospel reading, we’re back in the Sermon on the...
The Pain of Beam Removal
Posted on
1 comment
In today’s first reading from Genesis 12, God tells seventy-five year old Abram to pick up everything he owned (which was a lot) and move to a strange new place....
Speaking of Jesus
Posted on
1 comment
In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus finishes giving His marching orders to the Apostles as He sends them out. And his final words are ones that we...
The Final Prophet
Posted on
Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist. In the first reading today from Isaiah 49, we see the messianic prophesies, all of which certainly could be attributed...
An Eternal Retirement Plan
Posted on
In the world, especially in business, there’s an old expression: Never expose your weakness. I think that’s why so many men don’t cry. They view it as a sign of...
God's Will Be Done
Posted on
St. Paul preached the truth. And he was concerned when the people he taught began accepting messages that deviated from the truth. He addresses this in today’s first reading from...
On Cheerful Giving
Posted on
Our Gospel reading today is the same one we read on Ash Wednesday. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Always lessons that we need to be...
Achieving Perfection
Posted on
Poverty and generosity seem like they should be worlds apart. After all, if someone is living in poverty, how can they be generous? They have so little to begin with....
A Very Acceptable Time
Posted on
In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus talks about how we are to no longer live under the old law of “an eye for an eye.” He is talking...
The Sending
Posted on
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9-10, Jesus sends out the Twelve to preach, teach and heal. Did you know that at the end of every Mass, you are sent...
A Mother's Heart
Posted on
2 comments
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is appropriate that we celebrate the heart...
A Heart for You
Posted on
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus speaks of His heart in the Gospel reading from Matthew 11: “Come to me, all you...
Blinded Minds
Posted on
Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5 is Jesus' teaching on anger. If you're bearing a grudge against someone, you need to read this. But beware...it's a toughie! As Christians, we...
Your Qualification
Posted on
Some people think that the New Testament is far removed from the Old Testament, that Jesus came to do away with everything in the old law and replace it. Funny,...
Fill the World with Sonshine
Posted on
Ever get a word stuck in your head? Maybe a word or a phrase that you just can’t get out of your mind. Let me give you a suggestion for...
Encouragement
Posted on
Such a bounty of things to reflect on today! In the first reading, we begin a journey through 2 Corinthians. At the same time, our Gospel readings for the next...
The Real Presence
Posted on
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of The Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi. All of the readings today point to the Eucharist, the source and summit of...
Touched by an Angel
Posted on
Generosity is all about trust – trusting in God to supply all our needs. We see one of the greatest stories ever about generosity in today’s Gospel reading from Mark...
A Great Day
Posted on
In today's first reading from Tobit 11, we read about Tobit being healed of his blindness. And in the Gospel reading from Mark 12, Jesus talks about how David referred...
The Nobility of Marriage
Posted on
1 comment
Which is the greatest (first) of all the commandments? Jesus is asked that question in today's Gospel reading from Mark 12. Be sure to read His answer. In our first...
God Sends Help
Posted on
1 comment
Today's Gospel reading from Mark 12 is an important one for Catholics to know to help explain the Communion of Saints. After speaking about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Jesus says,...
Character Revealed
Posted on
1 comment
In the first reading today from Tobit 2, we see Tobit go through some real hardship in his life. He loses his sight for four years. How would this effect...
Be Like Tobit
Posted on
1 comment
Our first reading today is the beginning of the book of Tobit. This is one of those books that is found in the Catholic Bible, but not in a Protestant...
Trinity Sunday
Posted on
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; three Persons, one God. We see this idea fleshed out at the end of the second reading from 2 Corinthians...
Seeking Wisdom
Posted on
1 comment
In today's Gospel reading from Mark 11, Jesus' authority is questioned. See how Jesus turns the tables on his interlocutors. The first reading is from Sirach 51. It centers on...
Leaving a Legacy
Posted on
Have you ever thought about your legacy – what you will leave behind when your days on earth are over? More on that in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading,...
A Short Prayer, Always at the Ready
Posted on
1 comment
Our Gospel reading today from Mark 10 is about Bartimaeus, a blind beggar that wanted Jesus to restore his sight. He tells Jesus what he wants, and Jesus gives him...
Opening Our Hearts and Homes to Jesus and Mary
Posted on
Today is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We recall when Mary, who was pregnant with the Lord Jesus, went to stay with her cousin, Elizabeth,...
WII FM
Posted on
The golden thread that runs through today’s readings could probably be summed up in this phrase: God will not be outdone in generosity. In the first reading from Sirach 35,...
Our Fallen Heroes
Posted on
2 comments
I’m going to deviate a bit from our normal format today. I’ve still got the link for today’s readings at the bottom of this post. Today is the Feast of...
Pentecost
Posted on
Today we celebrate Pentecost. Happy Birthday, Church! Rather than give you my own reflection today, I want to share the sequence that you will hear at today’s Mass. (Why try...