Looking a Gift Fish in the Mouth
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In today's first reading from Deuteronomy 10 Moses encourages the people to keep the commandments and statutes that God had given them for their own good. A point for us...
Taught by God
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Today's Gospel reading continues in the Bread of Life discourse from John 6. Jesus says, "It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God." (Here Jesus...
Literally Moving 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...
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...
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 so rich! In the first reading from Numbers,...
Men Who Heal and Serve
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Today is the Feast of St. John Vianney. He is the patron of parish priests because of his dedication to serving and healing his people. He would sometimes spend 16...
How Not to Walk on Water
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In today's first reading from Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron speak out against Moses. The LORD did not take kindly to this, and punishes. See how it turns out. In...
Carrying a Burden
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Today’s reflection is a tough one for me to write. We see in our first reading today from Numbers 11 a very sad story. Moses had such a huge burden...
The Work of God
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The Gospel reading today continues in John 6, the Bread of Life discourse. The people ask Jesus, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus replies, "This...
The Jubilee
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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...
Familiarity Breeds Contempt
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus goes back to Nazareth (his native place) and teaches in the synagogue. It didn't go so well. The people started questioning because...
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...
What are You Willing to Give Up?
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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...
Moses and Prayer
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In today's first reading from Exodus 33 and 34 we read about Moses' interactions with the LORD. Moses had a very unique relationship with God. "The LORD used to speak...
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 Hand of the Lord Feeds Us
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In today’s readings, we see the theme of God feeding His people. In the first reading from 2 Kings 4, a man gives the prophet Elisha twenty barley loaves. Elisha...
The Blood of the Covenant
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In today's first reading from Exodus 24, Moses reads the book of the covenant aloud and then takes the blood of the animals that had been sacrificed and splashes half...
The Ten Commandments
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Today's first reading is from Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments. If asked, how many of the ten do you think the average Catholic could come up with? Six? Maybe seven?...
Sinner to Saint
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Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. The Gospel is from John 20. It is the story of Mary’s meeting with Jesus after the resurrection. She was the first...
Bread from Heaven
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Bread from heaven. When most Christians hear that phrase, they probably think of Jesus. And rightfully so. But in today’s first reading from Exodus 16, we once again experience typology. We...
Child's Play for God
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In the first reading today from Exodus 14, we see one of the biggest miracles of all time. Maybe you’re familiar with the story of the parting of the Red...
When You Don't Like the Sign
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Most people know the story of Jonah. At least, they know part of it; they know the part where he gets swallowed by a big fish. But what about the...
Come Away and Rest
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 6, the Apostles return from their mission trip that Jesus had sent them on. They “reported all they had done and taught.” Jesus...
This, too, Shall Pass
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In today's first reading from Exodus 12, the children of Israel leave Egypt after the Passover. The time the children of Israel stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty...
A 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...
Being Yoked to Jesus
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Today we hear God reveal his name to Moses. "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: I AM sent me to you." In today’s Gospel reading from...
Who am I?
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In today’s first reading, we see God calling to Moses in the burning bush. The story is one of the most compelling stories in the Old Testament. How did Moses...
Saved by the Belle
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus pronounces woes on two towns because they witnessed the mighty deeds of Jesus, yet failed to repent. In the first reading from...
Jesus Over All
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For today's first reading, we begin a journey through the Book of Exodus. Today we read about an instance of population control. Because the Hebrew population was growing rapidly, Pharaoh...
Unlikely Prophets and Apostles
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In today's first reading from Amos 7, Amos says, "I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of...
Counted Hairs
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus talks about your worth. “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground...
Endure to the End
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The first reading today from Genesis 46 tells the story of a beautiful reunion between a father and a son. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus tells...
God's Bigger 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...
Go to 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...
Big Time Wrestling
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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...
Jesus Heals
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Today in the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we see two miracle healings. The two are similar, yet very different. And we can learn lessons from both of them. A...
They Took Offense
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In today’s Gospel passage from Mark 6, Jesus goes back to Nazareth, “his native place,” and begins to teach in the synagogue. The people of his home town wonder who...
Taking It on Faith
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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...
"Follow Me"
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In today’s first reading from Genesis 23 and 24, we see the story of Isaac finding his wife Rebekah. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we read the story...
The Ultimate Test?
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Today in our first reading from Genesis 22, we see Abraham put to the test by God. Could it be the ultimate test? I think so, and I’ll tell you...
Expelling Jesus
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When Sarah was afraid that Abraham would die childless, she encouraged him to have a child with her servant, Hagar. After having her own child, Sarah insisted Abraham expel Hagar...
Saints Peter and Paul
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Interesting, isn’t it? You would think that, given the importance of each, they would both have their own feast...
Cutting a Deal 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, we read about two interesting encounters that Jesus...
Bringing Our Kids to Jesus
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Today’s Gospel reading from Mark 5 tells the story of two healings. A synagogue official named Jairus asks Jesus to come to his home and cure his young daughter, who...
Laughter
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in today’s first reading from Genesis 18, God sends three men to tell Abraham that his wife, Sarah, will bear him a son. More on that in a moment. Abraham...
Overcoming Shame
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Abraham was a hundred years old, and his wife Sarah ninety, when the LORD told him she would bear him a son. Imagine his surprise (and, perhaps, skepticism) when he...
What Will This Child Be?
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Today the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. In the first reading from Isaiah 49, we see prophesies that certainly pertain to the life of John the Baptist....
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
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Abram had no children, no heir. He expressed this concern to God, and God made a covenant with him, which we see in today's first reading from Genesis 15. In...
Giving What is Holy to Dogs
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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...
A Painful Extraction
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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....