Convinced
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In today's first reading from Acts 9, Peter raises a woman from the dead. It's reminiscent of the scene from Jairus' daughter's room. Powerful! In John 6, we finish the...
Not Just a Symbol
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Today’s Gospel reading is John 6:52-59. While much of the Bread of Life discourse up to now has sounded somewhat metaphoric, Jesus gets to the meat of the matter today....
Listening and Learning
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A very interesting story in our first reading today from Acts 8. The Holy Spirit sends Philip, one of the newly ordained deacons, to interpret the Scriptures for an Ethiopian...
Never Hunger
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The early Christians were badly persecuted. We read about that in today's first reading from Acts 8. We also see that "Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church..." In...
St. Mark
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Today is the Feast of St. Mark, the author of one of the Gospel accounts. The first reading is from 1 Peter 5, where St. Peter mentions “Mark, my son.”...
What Can I Do?
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Today's first reading from Acts 6 is the first part of the story of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, considered to be the first martyr for the name of Jesus....
Understanding the Scriptures
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 24, Jesus appears to the disciples and “he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” St. Jerome said ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ....
Called to Serve
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In today’s first reading from Acts 6, we read about the ordination of our first deacons. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from John 6, Jesus...
If It Is of God...
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For the next week, our Gospel readings will be from John 6. It starts off today with Jesus feeding 5000 with just five loaves and two fish. In the first...
Obedience and Disobedience
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There is a theme today in the readings: obedience. We hear Peter and the Apostles talk about it in the first reading from Acts 5. And in the Gospel reading...
Drawn to Darkness, or Light
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What a cool story today from Acts 5. The Apostles once again get thrown into the hoosegow when, in the middle of the night, an angel comes and opens the...
The Church of Socialism?
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I'll start today's reflection with a warning. Some folks may find this reflection "political." I'm going to reflect on socialism, because some use today's first reading to imply that the...
Holy Boldness
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In today's first reading from Acts 4, we read that the Apostles "were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." Our...
Divine Mercy and Confession
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Today, the Second Sunday of Easter, is also Divine Mercy Sunday. There's a neat connection in the Gospel reading today from John 20. While many may focus on Thomas in...
Proclaim the Gospel
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Today in Acts 4, the Sanhedrin comes to the conclusion that something astonishing happened through Peter and John. But just to be safe, they tell them not to ever again...
A Fishy Number
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In today’s reading from Acts 4, Peter and John spend the night in the clink and the next day they proclaim Jesus to the powers that be. The Scripture tells...
A Time of Refreshment
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In the first reading today from Acts 3, Peter tells the people that it was not they (Peter and his companions) who had healed the crippled man, but the power...
In the Breaking of the Bread
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 24, we read the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. They have an encounter with the risen Jesus, but don’t recognize...
Jesus in the Gardener
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We’re back in Acts 2 for our first reading today, hearing more of Peter’s great speech at Pentecost. The people ask Peter what they must do to be saved. Peter...
Do Not Be Afraid
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Happy Easter Monday! Today we begin a journey (an apt phrase) through the Acts of the Apostles for our first readings. In this Octave of Easter we'll be reading the...
Resurrection Day!
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He is risen! Alleluia! (Boy, it seems like a long time since we’ver heard that word!) Happy Easter! Today we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. This is the greatest...
Holy Saturday
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Holy Saturday is an interesting day. It reminds me of waiting in the doctor’s office waiting room after you have had some tests run. You’re kind of in a state...
You Were There
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Today is the one day of the year when there is no Mass celebrated. The commemoration of Good Friday is the most solemn day of the year. The readings for...
The New Passover
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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. The Gospel reading is from John 13, which focuses on Jesus...
Be Mindful of Me, Lord
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When we think of the brutality that Jesus suffered for us, we can see that this was all foretold in today’s first reading from Isaiah 50. “I gave my back...
Two Sides of Peter
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It's Tuesday of Holy Week. Today's first reading is the Second oracle of the Servant of the Lord from Isaiah 49. In the Gospel reading, we focus on Peter from...
Peter and Me
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 49, more from the prophesies of the Servant of the Lord. “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation...
The Walking Wounded
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Monday of Holy Week. For the next few days, our first readings will be from Isaiah, the prophesies of the Servant of the Lord. We’ll talk about today’s reading in...
Christ's Passion
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Today is one of the most well-attended Mass days of the year, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Outside of Christmas and Easter (and maybe Ash Wednesday), more...
Dying for Many - and One
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In the first reading today from Ezekiel 37, the LORD says through the prophet: “My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them...
See the Works, Believe the Works
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In today’s first reading from Jeremiah 20, we hear the people plotting against Jeremiah. But they will not be victorious; they will not have their way. Jeremiah says, “But the...
Covenant Thinking
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In today’s first reading from Genesis 17, we see a watershed moment in salvation history. Abram has his name changed to Abraham, and God makes a covenant with him. And...
Trial by Fire
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In today’s first reading from Daniel 3, we see the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego getting thrown into the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had faith. Faith enough...
The Scandal of I AM
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As we approach Holy Week, the readings from John's Gospel reflect the increasing pressure that was put upon Jesus by the elders, scribes and Pharisees. They were marking His every...
A New Beginning
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In today’s readings, we see the stories of two women who are about to be killed. In the first reading from Daniel, we see the story of Susanna. Two wicked...
The Shortest Verse
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Today's Gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, is one of the longest of the Church year. Yet it contains...
The "Yes" that Changed the World
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Today we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord. Our first reading today contains the prophecy from Isaiah 7: "The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him...
The Hidden Counsels of God
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God is a God of surprises. In the Gospel reading from John 7, the people of Jerusalem grumble about Jesus because they knew "where he is from." But Jesus replies,...
Praise and Motivation
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In today’s first reading from Exodus 32, Moses has a little heart-to-heart with God, asking Him to relent from destroying His people. And God relented. A wonderful statement on the...
An Unbreakable Bond
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In the Gospel reading today from John 5, Jesus begins to reveal more clearly who He truly is. He says, “My Father is at work until now, so I am...
Healing Water
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Water is very important. It is the stuff of life. Water also is important in healing. And water "runs through" the readings today. In the first reading from Ezekiel 47,...
St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is often referred to as the foster father or earthly father of Jesus. The...
Vision
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Today's readings have to do with vision. In the first reading from 1 Samuel 16, the LORD says to Samuel: "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees...
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
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We’re back in Hosea for our first reading today. We see a verse from Hosea that is quoted a few times in the New Testament. “For it is love that...
St. Patrick's Breastplate
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Since today is a Friday in Lent, many bishops have given a dispensation to the faithful in their diocese from abstaining from meat. Enjoy some corned beef...
Hearing His Voice
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In today's first reading from Jeremiah 7, we read: "Thus says the LORD: This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God...
Our Christian Duty
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The family is the first school for children. Even if we send them off to a school at some age, we as parents are called to be the primary teachers...
The Process of Forgiveness
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Today's first reading is a beautiful prayer from a guy standing in a fiery furnace - the prayer of Azariah. Read about his trust in God's providence. Our Gospel reading...
Put Away Your Pride
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Our first reading today is from 2 Kings 5. It is a story about a man named Naaman. Naaman was not a child of Israel. He was a commander in...
He Knows You...And Still Loves You!
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Today at Mass we hear the Gospel reading from John 4 – the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus is in Samaria and stops at Jacob’s...