It's Christmas!
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Christmas is here! Christmas is here! I can remember waking up VERY early on Christmas mornings when I was a kid and yelling that out to my brothers and sisters....
It's About Jesus
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Today is Christmas Eve. Many people (myself and my family included) will go to Mass this afternoon or this evening for Christmas. Many will attend the beautiful Midnight Mass. During this...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
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Today in the liturgy, the day before Christmas Eve, we concentrate on the birth of John the Baptist. (Remeber how I talked a few days ago about the Catholic liturgy...
Dedicated
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The Gospel reading today is from Luke 1. It is Mary’s great Magnificat. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he...
Rejoicing and Singing for You
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You know something cool about the Catholic liturgy? We celebrate parts of the Christmas story throughout the year. Many of the Gospel readings that we are hearing at this time...
The Handmaid of the Lord
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During December, we see a few readings multiple times. Today’s Gospel reading is a case in point. In fact, it is the exact same Gospel reading we saw on the Feast...
Made for a Purpose
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In the first reading today from Judges 13, we see the story of an angel coming to announce the birth of a child. The woman was barren, and the angel...
Dream Big
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In today's first reading from Jeremiah 23, we see another prophecy that the Messiah will be from the line of David. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 1, the story...
All in the Family
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Well, it is one week before Christmas Eve. Can you believe it?? So beginning today in the Liturgy, we see the unfolding of the Christmas story. In the first reading...
There is no Other
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If you miss the message in today's first reading, you're not paying attention. The theme is reiterated five times. In the Gospel reading from Luke 7, John the Baptist has...
More Than Words
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a story of two sons, each of whom was told by their father to go out and work in the vineyard....
Whose Authority?
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In the first reading today from Numbers 24, we read of a prophesy of Balaam. He prophesies about how a king would come from Jacob’s line. “His king shall rise...
Rejoice Always
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Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. Today we light the pink, or rose, candle on the Advent wreath. It is called Gaudete Sunday because of the opening...
Your Merciful Mother
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego on a hill in Tepeyac, Mexico, in December of 1531,...
Simple, but not Easy
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Love always desires the good. God is love. Therefore, God always desires the good. He always wants what is best for us. He also knows that often what we want...
John = Elijah
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You may know that the most common admonition in Scripture is "Be not afraid" or some variation thereof. We see one in today's first reading from Isaiah 41. "It is...
He Gives Rest and Strength
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Have you ever felt like all your strength has been sapped? Physical and/or spiritual? Today's readings are perfect for those of us who have experienced this. From our first reading...
Mary Points to Jesus
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Normally it is a Holy Day of obligation, but in this year of COVID, for most Catholics the obligation to attend today...
Incredible Things
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Today's "golden thread" is about healing. In the first reading from Isaiah 35 we read, "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be...
Time
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Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. Of course, the theme of Advent is to be prepared as we await the second coming of Christ. Today's second reading from 2...
The Teacher has Come
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As you read today’s first reading from Isaiah 30, I hope your mind is immediately drawn to Jesus. We see these prophesies so perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. More on that...
According to Your Faith
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Today’s “golden thread” in the readings features healing of the blind. In the first reading today from Isaiah 29, the Lord says, “On that day the deaf shall hear…the eyes...
Rock or Sand?
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Rock is a theme that we find in our two readings today. In the first reading from Isaiah 26, we read, "Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is...
Behold!
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 15, Jesus feeds a great multitude. He says, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd…I do not want to send them...
Becoming Like the Just Judge
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Advent is a great time to be (or become) a fan of the Old Testament. So many have the mistaken notion that the Old Testament is passe, or no longer...
The Fishing Brother
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Andrew. Andrew was an Apostle, the brother of Simon Peter. The word “apostle” means “one who is sent.” In the first reading today...
Watch!
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Today we begin a new year in the Church. Happy Advent! The world wants us to think that this is the Christmas season. But the Christmas season actually STARTS with...
The Anxieties of Daily Life
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Today is the last day of the Church year. Tomorrow begins a brand new liturgical year with the season of Advent. In the first reading from the end of the...
The Book of Life
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In today's first reading from Revelation 20 and 21, in John's vision of heaven, "Then another scroll was opened, the book of life." And then we read this: "Anyone whose...
Be Thankful
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Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Happy Thanksgiving! I have a link to today’s readings at the bottom of today’s post. But rather than comment on the readings, I...
You Will Be Hated
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More of John’s vision of heaven today from Revelation 15 in our first reading. Today we see “those who had won victory over the beast…” Jesus continues to address the...
Time is Running Out
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus is talking about the end times and what signs there will be that the end is near. “Nation will rise against nation,...
Generosity and Trust
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In today’s first reading from Revelation 14, we see once again the figure of the Lamb. He has with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who have his name and...
Christ the King
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Today the Church celebrates the end of the liturgical year. Fittingly enough, it is the Feast of Christ the King. All of the readings today point to the kingship of...
Marriage and the Resurrection
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The first reading today from Revelation 11 is filled with imagery of martyrs, prophets of old, Rome and more. I encourage you to read a bit of background on what...
The Sweet and Sour of God's Word
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 19, we see Jesus cleansing the temple area of those who are selling things. He says, “It is written, My house shall be...
Recognizing Our Visitation
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In today's first reading from Revelation 5, we see Jesus being referred to as a lion and a lamb - the lion of the tribe of Judah, and "a Lamb...
Revelation, Scripture and the Mass
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In today's first reading from Revelation 4, we read about John's vision of heaven and some things that would certainly seem odd to us: Flaming torches, a sea of glass,...
The Danger of Lukewarm-ness
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Our Gospel reading today is the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19. It is a great story of repentance and redemption. In the first reading today from Revelation 3, we...
You've Lost That Loving Feeling
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For the next couple of weeks the first reading at Mass will come from the Book of Revelation. That’s because we’re nearing the end of the liturgical year. The first...
Using Your Talents
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In the Gospel from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a man going on a trip and giving his servants some talents (money). When the master returns, he wants...
Lessons from the Unjust Judge
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge. A widow comes to him seeking a judgment, but he refuses. The widow, however, kept...
Helping Others get to Heaven
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Our first reading today is from 2 John. This is the shortest book in the Bible, just 13 verses. But what a power-packed 13 verses! St. John writes, “For this...
Chasing the Shiny Thing
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 17, the Pharisees ask Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. What they didn’t realize was that they were standing in it. Jesus...
The Faithful Tithe
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What a great first reading today from Titus 3. St. Paul reminds us that we are saved “through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” An obvious...
Trained by Grace
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus says, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged...
Zealous
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of he Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. This Basilica, constructed by the Emperor Constantine, is called the mother church of Christendom. The readings today...
Think Long Term
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In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about 10 virgins getting ready to go to a wedding feast. Five were wise - they brought extra oil...
The Best Policy
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St. Paul went through a lot in his life. Early on, he had it all. He was well off, well educated, well liked. But later he was beaten, thrown in...
Our True Citizenship
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Today's first reading from Philippians 3 is so appropriate for Americans, given our recent election. St. Paul starts out by talking about people who "conduct themselves as enemies of the...