Christ Sets Us Free
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus says, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of...
Then Who Can be Saved?
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In our first reading today, we read about prudence and wisdom. These are certainly two things that I wish I had in greater abundance. How can that happen? Check out...
Blessings for All
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We hear more about justification and faith in today’s first reading from Galatians 3. “For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.” Good news, no? We...
Faith
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In the first reading today from Galatians 3, the word "faith" is used seven times (in just eight verses). St. Paul writes, "Christ ransomed us from the curse of the...
Ask, Seek, Knock
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How would you feel if someone called you stupid? Probably much like the Galatians felt when Paul called them that in his letter to them. Check it out in today's...
Our Daily Bread
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St. Paul was a man who always stood for the truth and wasn't afraid - of anything. In today's first reading from Galatians 2, he recounts how he challenged Peter...
The Better Part
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After his conversion, St. Paul did not immediately meet with the approval of the Apostles. In fact, he did not even meet with any of them for three years. We...
People Pleasers
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In the first reading today, we begin a journey through St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians. The Gospel reading from Luke 10 is a story that I hope is familiar...
God's Marriage Mistake?
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In today's Gospel reading from Mark 10, Jesus quotes a passage from today's first reading from Genesis 2. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to...
Blessed are We
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Today's first reading is the end of the story of Job. After having undergone more severe testing than anyone, Job never broke faith. And for that he was greatly rewarded,...
Two Rules in Life
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 10, we hear more of Jesus’ words to the seventy-two as He sends them out. “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever...
Prayer of St. Francis
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. So, rather than comment on the Scriptures, I’m going to go a bit out of format for today. If you’re...
Don't Look Back
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Do you converse with God? I hope so – and regularly. Have you ever questioned God? Job ponders that in today’s first reading from Job 9. In today’s Gospel reading...
Feast of The Holy Guardian Angels
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Guardian Angels. In the optional first reading for the feast day from Exodus, we see God telling the people that he is sending...
Like Job
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For our first reading today, we’re in the first chapter of the book of Job, Job 1:6-22. Job is the most faith-filled man on the earth. In fact, the Lord...
Pluck It Out
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Scathing words to the rich today from James 5. Funny thing about wealth, isn’t it? We work so hard to accumulate it here on earth, to the point where it...
A War for Souls
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael – the Archangels. We have two options for the first reading. The first, from Daniel 7, contains a vision...
An Appointed Time
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Today’s first reading is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.” If you’re a baby boomer like me,...
Nothing New
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In today's first reading from Ecclesiastes 1, the sacred author says, "Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" He goes on to say, "What has been, that will be; what...
Two Things
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If you could ask God for just two things, what would they be? Solomon does just that today in our first reading from Proverbs 30. And in the Gospel from...
Active Christianity
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 8, Jesus' mother and brothers can't get near Him because of the crowds. When informed about this, Jesus replies, "My mother and my brothers...
No Secrets
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 8, Jesus said, "For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to...
The Greatest
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Jesus’ Twelve Apostles were all men. That means there was a lot of testosterone around. In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 9, Jesus asks them what they were talking about...
The Resurrection of the Body
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1 Corinthians 15 is St. Paul’s treatise on the resurrection of the dead. More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 8, Jesus tells the parable of the...
Hearing the Call
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew. His Jewish name was Levi. (We find that in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.) Matthew was a tax collector. Therefore, observant...
Much Forgiven = Much Love
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Popeye used to say, “I yam what I yam.” I wonder if he got that from St. Paul. He could have. In our first reading today from 1 Corinthians 15,...
Love Never Fails
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Our first reading today is 1 Corinthians 13. This is often referred to as “The Love Chapter.” If you’ve ever been to a wedding, chances are you have heard this...
Caring for the Widow and the Orphan
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An old song says, “Christ has no body now but yours.” In today’s first reading from 1 Corinthians 12, St. Paul talks about the Body of Christ; not in the...
Such Faith
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In today's first reading from 1 Corinthians 11, St. Paul recounts the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. Wait...St. Paul wasn't at the Last Supper. No, but he "received...
Help in Our Sorrows
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. How appropriate that this comes the day after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Our first...
Your Cross is His Cross
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Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the first reading today from Numbers 21, we see a bit of typology. God told Moses to make...
The Really Hard Stuff
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, we continue to hear from Jesus' Sermon on the Plain. This is where Jesus begins saying things that probably sounded ridiculous to the...
Not as It Seems
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In 1 Corinthians 7 today, St. Paul warns his readers that “time is running out.” This world is passing away. He warns them to use what time is left fruitfully....
Inheriting the Kingdom of God
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 6, we see that Jesus spent the night in prayer. The next day, He called His disciples and told them that He had...
A Cleansing
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There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. This is one of the lessons we can get from today's Gospel reading from Luke 6, when Jesus heals...
Selective Hearing
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In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 7, a deaf man with a speech impediment is brought to Jesus for healing. Jesus restored his hearing and immediately his speech impediment was...
Happy Birthday, Mom!
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary…Mary’s birthday! Now, we don’t really know the exact day, date or year that Mary was born....
Judgment
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An important lesson about judgment today from St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 4. St. Paul doesn’t care a whit if people judge him. He is only concerned about how God...
Into Deep Water
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 5, Jesus sees Simon Peter and his fishing buddies cleaning their nets after a hard night of fishing. Not catching, mind you. Fishing....
Seeds of Grace
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Jesus was a very busy guy. We see this in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 4. He heals Simon’s mother-in-law, He heals all the sick in the town and casts...
Spiritual Realities
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In today's first reading from 1 Corinthians 2, St. Paul juxtaposes "the natural man" with "the one who is spiritual." This reading is a reminder that there is much more...
Faith Demonstrated
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After having gone through much of the Gospel of Matthew in Ordinary Time, today we transition to the Gospel of Luke and read about the beginning of Jesus' public ministry....
The Bad Within
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In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 7, Jesus talks about what makes a person unclean, or defiled. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus declares all foods clean. He says, “Nothing...
Investing in the Kingdom
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In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 1, St. Paul says that “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of...
Wisdom and Foolishness
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about ten virgins. Five of them are foolish and five of them are wise. They were all waiting...
Fellowshipping with Jesus
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 24 is very Advent-ish. It begins with Jesus saying, “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” For our...
No Watering Down the Truth
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Today the Church celebrates the Passion of St. John the Baptist. In the past it has been called the beheading of and the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. The Gospel...
Stand Firm and Hold Fast
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In today's first reading from 2 Thessalonians 2, St. Paul says, "Stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by...
You Hypocrite
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St. Paul was big on prayer and thanksgiving. We see this today in our first reading from 2 Thessalonians 1. “We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and...
Time to Decide
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For the past three Sundays, we have been reading from John 6, the Bread of Life discourse. John 6 begins with Jesus feeding the multitude. Then it moves to Capernaum,...