Melchizedek
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The author of Hebrews was big on Melchizedek, and his “relationship” to Jesus. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 3, Jesus heals a man...
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
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Today in the United States is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. It falls on the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision...
The Priest
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Today in Hebrews 5, we see a theme that we touched on last week; that Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered. The author of Hebrews was big on this...
Do Whatever He Tells You
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Do you know what the first sign was that Jesus gave to the world? It was, as told in John’s Gospel, changing water into wine. It happens at a wedding...
Sharper Than Any Sword
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In our first reading from Hebrews 4, the author of Hebrews tells us about the word of God. More on that in a moment. The Gospel reading from Mark 2...
Entering His Rest
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In the first reading today from Hebrews 4, we read about entering into God’s rest. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark 2, we see...
What Are You Waiting For?
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Today’s Gospel story is from Mark 1, about a leper that comes to Jesus seeking to be healed. Jesus heals him and tells him not to tell anyone. The guy...
He Knows Your Pain
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Back in Hebrews 2 today, we see more about the suffering of Jesus and how that plays to our advantage. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Mark...
Subject to Christ
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Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth by the Father. In the Gospel reading today from Mark 1, the people recognized this about Jesus. After He had...
Come After Me
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Welcome back to Ordinary Time! I hope that we will not take the name of this liturgical season literally. What I mean by that is that I hope that we...
Jesus' Baptism
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Today the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. We see that moment in Luke’s Gospel where John the Baptist has just baptized Jesus when a voice came from the...
Our Decrease
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Catholics believe in different “kinds” of sin. Mortal sin and venial sin. Venial sins are still sins, but not as serious as mortal sins. Mortal sins are those sins that...
Victory is Ours!
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Have you ever felt like you can conquer the world? If not, why not? St. John gives us some good insight into that in our first reading today. More in...
The Truth About a Lie
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Do you ever feel like Scripture is speaking directly to you? I do. In fact, St. John is speaking directly to me today! He even has the nerve to call...
FEAR
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Strong words from St. John today in our first reading from 1 John 4. St. John talks about fear. More on that in a moment. We see fear, too, come...
You Do It
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What is love? Here's what St. John says in today's first reading from 1 John 4: In this is love: not that we have loved God, but the he loved...
The One Who is in You
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How did Jesus begin His public ministry? Listen to what He says in our Gospel reading today from Matthew 4: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Daily repentance...
Daily Epiphany
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Today is the Feast of Epiphany. We celebrate the time when the three Wise Men, a.k.a Three Kings or Magi, appeared to offer gifts to Jesus. Such an interesting story...
But I'm a Good Person!
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In the Gospel reading today from John 1, we see an encounter between Jesus and Nathanael. Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, says to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of...
To Whom Do You Belong?
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Today's reflection is about a topic that doesn't seem to get covered much these days: sin. St. John covers a lot of ground on this in our first reading from...
Children of a Loving Father
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Good Day, Child of God! Are you comfortable with that “title?” I certainly hope so, because that is what you are! So says St. John in our first reading from...
My Scriptural New Year's Resolution
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I know it's January 2, but I want to share with you something I've been doing for many years, and encourage you to try it. Each year I make what...
Mother of God
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Happy New Year! Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. In honor of that, I want to share with you a chapter from A Minute...
The Word Became Flesh
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For today’s first reading, we are back in 1 John 2. Today St. John writes about the antichrist. Very interesting stuff, especially for those hard core “end-timers.” Those are the...
Feast of the Holy Family
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Today is the Feast of the Holy Family, always the Sunday after Christmas. All of the readings today talk about family. In the Gospel reading from Luke 2, we read about...
Canticle of Simeon
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Today is the fifth day in the Octave of Christmas. In our first reading from 1 John 2, St. John talks about light and darkness. He writes, “Whoever says he...
The Blood of Children
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Who are the Holy Innocents? They are the children killed by order of Herod in Bethlehem right after the birth...
Sprinting to Jesus
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. St. John was the beloved disciple, the author of the fourth Gospel, three letters in the New Testament and the...
The Witness of St. Stephen
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr. In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, we see the story of Stephen’s martyrdom. And in...
Merry 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....
Stuck on Christmas Eve
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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. Whenever...
Welcoming Mary
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On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Gospel reading from Luke 1 is the story of the Visitation, when Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who herself was pregnant with...
Dedicated to...?
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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...
How Does This Happen to Me?
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 1 recounts the Visitation, when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth didn't live nearby; Mary's journey...
May It Be Done to Me
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Today’s first reading includes the great prophecy from Isaiah 7: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” Today’s Gospel reading is the same one...
A Special 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...
I Had a Dream
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Today in the first reading from Jeremiah 23, the Lord says, “Behold, the days are coming when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall...
You Can Pick Your Friends...
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Well, it is one week before Christmas Eve! Are you feeling it yet? Beginning today, the liturgy begins to unfold the story of Christmas. In the first reading today from...
Filled With Expectation
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 3, the people come to ask John the Baptist questions. They weren't quite sure who he was. They "were asking in their hearts whether...
An Unexpected Return
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Today’s first reading is from the Book of Sirach. The author talks of Elijah, “whose words were a flaming furnace.” Then in the Gospel reading from Matthew 17, the disciples...
The Way You Should Go
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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...
The Hand of the LORD
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John the Baptist played a very special role in the history of salvation. How special? Jesus answers that in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 11. The children of Israel were...
A Message from Our Lady
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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,...
Cry Out!
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus talks about a man who has a hundred sheep and one goes astray. He leaves the ninety-nine behind to go in search...
Fear Not!
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I’m hearing more and more about how so many people are frightened today. Not just because of terrorist attacks or random violence. Sure, that’s part of it, but it goes...
A Tough Gig
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Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. In the Gospel reading from Luke 3, we read about the ministry of John the Baptist. He is the one about whom the...
Pointing the Way to Jesus
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Holy Day of obligation. Let’s talk briefly today about what the Immaculate Conception is, and isn’t. Probably the most...
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...
"Lord, Lord"
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Here's some great advice from today's first reading from Isaiah 26: Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew...
The Lord Feeds Us
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Life brings sorrows. With sorrows come tears. But it won’t always be that way. We see that in the first reading today from Isaiah 25. “The LORD GOD will wipe...