Better Than a Lottery Win
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In today’s Gospel reading, we hear two parables in Matthew 13. They both have to do with getting rich. Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure...
Happy Grandparents' Day!
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Happy Grandparents’ Day! Now I know that Hallmark doesn’t declare this today, but today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. The Protoevangelium of James (c. 150) tells...
Drinking the Chalice of Christ
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Today is the Feast of St. James. There were two Apostles named James. They’re referred to as James the Greater and James the Lesser. The only reason is that James...
Good Morning Child of God!
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Good Morning Child of God! That message has become a great blessing to so many. In fact, that phrase is the one thing people remember about Seize the Day. It's...
Negotiating with God
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In our first reading today from Genesis 18, we see an amazing story of Abraham negotiating with God. In the Gospel reading, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. God...
Wheat and Weeds
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds. A man sows wheat seeds in a field. At night, an enemy comes...
A New Creation
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Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. There are different options for the first reading. In an optional reading for the feast day from 2 Corinthians 5:14-17, St. Paul...
Why Parables?
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Today's Gospel reading is from Matthew 13. This is often referred to as the parable chapter. In today's reading Jesus is asked by His disciples why He speaks to the...
Prophesying is Scary
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13 is the parable of the sower. Jesus tells a story about a guy who goes out to sow seeds, and where all the seeds...
The Ocean of God's 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...
Three Requirements
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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...
Anxious and Worried
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 10 is the familiar story of Martha and Mary. Jesus came to their home to dine. Martha complains to Jesus that Mary is not helping...
"Woe"
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Today's first reading from Micah 2 starts with this: "Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches..." The word "woe" is used in many instances...
Err on the Side of Mercy
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In the first reading today from Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah is on his death bed. He cries and prays, and the LORD answers his prayer and the prophet Isaiah informs...
Finding Rest in Jesus
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Christians believe in the resurrection of the dead. This is an ancient belief that we see referenced in our first reading today from Isaiah 26. Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew...
Be An Instrument
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it is important for us in our Christian walk to be childlike. Jesus speaks of why this is important in our Gospel reading from Matthew 11. In the first reading...
Unless Your Faith is Firm...
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In today's first reading from Isaiah 7, Ahaz, king of Judah, is told by the Lord through Isaiah that the attack on Judah would not be successful; the Lord would...
Jesus: Source of Division
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One of the titles of Jesus is Prince of Peace. Yet in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus says just the opposite. “Do not think that I have come...
God and Do Likewise
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Our Gospel reading today is from Luke 10. It is the story of the Good Samaritan. Most people are familiar with the term “Good Samaritan,” if not the Bible story...
Whom Shall I Send?
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 6. It is one that you will often hear from Vocation Directors. And rightfully so. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading...
Enduring through Hate
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In today's first reading from Hosea 14, we read some of the most tender words give by the LORD. "I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love...
God is the Healer
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the Twelve with their instructions. For the first reading, we're back in Hosea, chapter 11. Yet it was I who...
Fear of the Lord
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In the first reading today from Hosea 10, we read, "Since they do not fear the LORD, what can the king do for them?" It's a rhetorical question, of course....
Sheep Without a Shepherd
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Our first reading today is from Hosea 8. Hosea had an interesting, and difficult, life. Much of the book of Hosea is beautiful to read. It is a call from...
The Perfect Spouse
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 9, we see the story of two healings. A woman who has been suffering for years is healed by her faith, and Jesus...
A Shaky Time
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples and instructs them as He sends them out. At the end, He says, “Whatever town you enter...
Plump with the Spirit
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In today’s first reading, the Lord tells of the restoration of Israel that He will bring about. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, Jesus talks about putting new wine...
In Search of the Word
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Today's Gospel reading is the call of Matthew from Matthew 9. Jesus simply says to him, "Follow me." And Matthew leaves his post and follows Jesus. Just like that. In...
Qualifying the Called
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Today's Gospel reading from Matthew 9 is the story of Jesus healing a paralytic. In today's first reading from Amos 7, Amos says, "I was no prophet, nor have I...
Two Greats of the Faith
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Today the Church celebrates two greats of the faith. It is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Interesting, isn’t it? You would think that, given the importance of each,...
Crime and Punishment
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In today's first reading from Amos 3 and 4, we read about crime and punishment. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Matthew 8, the disciples find themselves...
Let the Dead Bury Their Dead
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The first reading today from Amos 2 has to do with crime and punishment. God lets it be known that acts of wickedness will not go unpunished. He issues a...
The Very Heart of God
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Today is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the first reading from Ezekiel 34, God uses the imagery of a shepherd. “I myself will pasture my...
Making Christ Increase
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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...
False Prophets
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Today we have a very interesting first reading from 2 Kings. The book of the law had been lost, and was found. The king summoned all the people and the...
The Narrow Gate
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Our God is a big God. He can handle anything, even things that we might think are too big for even God! We see an awesome example of this in...
Of Splinters and Beams
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Today’s first reading shows us the beginning of the diaspora, where the tribes of Israel are scattered, leaving only the tribe of Judah. God allowed them to be tossed out...
Satisfying Humanity's Hunger
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The readings for today all point toward the Eucharist in an interesting way....
How to Make Worry Disappear
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In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about worry, and how we need to live for today. Have you ever met a worry-wart? Someone who worries about everything? They seem to...
Our Heavenly Reward
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Today’s first reading is one of those stories that they make movies from. A wicked queen kills off the royal family, but they secret away young Joash, the rightful heir...
A Prayer of Surrender
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Over the past few days we have been reading the story of Elijah and Elisha. Today’s first reading is from Sirach 48. It is something of a recap of the...
It Never Hurts to Ask
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Today’s first reading is one that has stuck with me since the first time I ever heard it. Elijah is about to hand the office of prophet over to Elisha....
It Rains on Us All
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Today’s first reading is an interesting conclusion to the story of Ahab and Jezebel. God sends Elijah to tell them of how He was going to punish them because of...
Evil is a Thing
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Today's first reading from 1 Kings 21 is the story of an evil woman; perhaps the most evil woman in Scripture - Jezebel. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 5,...
Three Persons, One God
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; three Persons, one God. We see this idea fleshed out in our Gospel reading from John 16, where Jesus refers to...
The Encourager
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. There are two optional Gospel readings for today. The reading for the feast day is from Matthew 10 where Jesus sends out...
The Problem with Lust
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Today's first reading from 1 Kings 19 tells of how God speaks to us. We’re back in that pesky old Sermon on the Mount for today’s Gospel reading from Matthew...
Mending Fences
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It seemed that the drought in Israel would never end. But Elijah prayed, and the rains came, as we read in our first reading today from 1 Kings 18. In...
Answer Me!
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It is so important that we teach others the ways of the Lord. Jesus makes this very clear in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 5. He says, “Whoever obeys and...
God Provides
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In the first reading today from 1 Kings 17, we see more of the story of Elijah. More in a moment. We continue in the Sermon on the Mount for...