True Freedom
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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...
Try the Up-Look
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Today’s first reading from Numbers 21 tells us the story of God sending saraph serpents among the people of Israel, who had become terrible whiners. God then commands Moses to...
The Light of the World
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Today’s first reading from Daniel 13 is such a cool story. It reads like a mystery thriller. Susanna is falsely accused of something she didn’t do by two dirty old...
Go and Sin No More
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In today’s Gospel passage from John 8, we read the story of the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees bring the woman before Jesus, telling Him that the...
Vengeance
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You may have heard the saying, "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord." That's from Romans 12:19, and not part of today's liturgy. But it comes to mind for me because...
He is Obnoxious
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The first reading today from Wisdom 2 (Old Testament) fits Jesus to a tee. It begins with this: The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright, "Let us beset the...
Seeking Approval of Others
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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...
Hearing Jesus' Voice
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The end of today's first reading from Isaiah 49 contains what seems to be a rhetorical question. "Can a mother forget her infant, but without tenderness for the child of...
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,...
Your Son Will Live
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“Lo, I am about to create a new heavens and a new earth…there shall be rejoicing and happiness in what I create.” These are words of the LORD from today’s...
Our Part in the Story
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Today's Gospel reading is from Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son. You know the story…a son wants his inheritance right away. So the father gives it to him...
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...
A Difficult Love
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Today’s first reading from Hosea 14 contains some of the most beautiful imagery in Scripture. It shows us God’s loving heart for his people. Even though they had turned away,...
They Will Not Listen
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 11 Jesus is accused by some people of driving out demons by the prince of demons. Jesus talks about what a ridiculous notion...
The Importance of Obedience and Teaching
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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...
Over and Over and Over
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Today’s first reading contains one of the most beautiful prayers in all of Scripture. It is the prayer of Azariah from Daniel 3. Azariah and his two companions had been...
The First Christian
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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. It's celebrated on March 25 because that is exactly 9 months from Christmas. So let me be the first to...
You Will Perish
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Today and for the next few Sundays in Lent, the readings at the Mass you attend may be different from the readings I will reflect on. The reason is that...
Lost and Found
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What a beautiful first reading we have today from Michah 7. The prophet says, “You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” When we confess our...
Being Good Tenants
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Have you ever rented an apartment, a room, a house or property? Perhaps you own property and lease it to tenants. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells...
The Danger of Riches
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus tells the Pharisees a story about a beggar named Lazarus and a rich man. Both of them die and wind up in...
Standing in the Gap
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Jeremiah had a tough gig. You’ve heard the old expression “No good deed goes unpunished.” Well, Jeremiah was a living example of that. He was a prophet, a messenger. All...
Protector, Provider, Teacher
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph. In our first reading from 2 Samuel, God says that his Son would spring from the line of David. “I will...
The Power of Giving
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Lent is a great time for us to come clean - to look inward and admit our faults to God. We see this in our first reading from Daniel 9...
Lent and Transfiguration
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Today’s Gospel reading is Luke’s version of the Transfiguration. This is when Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to the top of the mountain (the very same mountain that...
Deserving?
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In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 26, agreements are made. The people make an agreement with God, to walk in his ways, obey his commandments and hearken to his voice....
Not Fair!
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I just love the first reading today from Ezekiel 18. The Lord God says, “You say, ‘The Lord’s way is not fair!’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my...
Last Resort or First?
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Our first reading today is from the Book of Esther. Esther had the weight, and fate, of a nation on her shoulders. She knew that she was the last hope...
The Sign of Jonah
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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...
Seeds of Grace
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Today's first reading is Isaiah 55:10-11. This is a passage that has been on my heart a lot lately as I have been talking about Seeds of Grace. Here's the...
Your Choice: Sheep or Goat?
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In the first reading today from Leviticus 19, Moses gives the people instructions from God on how to conduct their lives. It sounds very similar to the Ten Commandments. It...
Satan's Temptations
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Today is the First Sunday of Lent. Our Gospel reading is from Luke 4. St. Luke recounts the forty days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before He began...
Seeing the Doctor
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We hear more today about things that are pleasing to God in our first reading from Isaiah 58. The Lord also talks about how we should conduct ourselves on the...
The Fasting that God Desires
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We often think of fasting as abstaining from food. Make no mistake about it, this is a good thing – IF we are doing it with the right intentions for...
Strengthening Our Cross-Carrying Muscles
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Choose Life. Some folks may think that that is a marketing phrase made up by the pro-life community. Actually, it originated MUCH earlier than Roe v. Wade. Many millenia earlier....
Lenten Give and Take
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Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. I hope you’ve given some consideration about what you will do this Lent. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus speaks...
On Giving
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Today's reflection may be a bit uncomfortable for some. It has to do with giving. No, I'm not going to make a plug for your bishop's appeal; you've probably heard...
Lacking in One Thing
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Our God is a God of second chances. That's one of the beautiful things about our faith. It's never too late to repent and turn back to God. This is...
Can You See the Beam?
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In our Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus gives us another of those “Ouch!” moments. Jesus talks about how we’re so ready to point out the splinter in another’s eye...
Teaching Our Children to Go to Jesus
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In the first reading today from Sirach 17, we get kind of a short history of man. We see that God “put the fear of himself upon their hearts.” In...
True Friendship
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 10, Jesus teaches about marriage. The Catholic Church has always held fast to these teachings. Sure, they are difficult. But they come from...
Don't Put Off Your Conversion!
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 9, Jesus lets us know how dangerous it is to lead others into sin. “It would be better for him if a great...
Wisdom
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Wisdom is an interesting concept. In our first reading today from Sirach 4 we get a brief primer on Wisdom. (Note the capital letter. The sacred author speaks of Wisdom...
Disappointed?
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Today's first reading from Sirach 2 is one of the most powerful and hopeful readings in all of Scripture. We would all do well to read it again and again,...
My Unbelief
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Today’s first reading is from the Book of Sirach. This is one of the books that you will find in a Catholic Bible, but not a Protestant one. I think...
What Credit is That?
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Today's Gospel reading is from Jesus' Sermon on the Plain from Luke 6. There's a particular question He asks three times in this short sermon. "For if you love those...
By Faith
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Today's first reading is from Hebrews 11. The word "faith" is used seven times in this short passage. It begins with a definition of faith. "Faith is the realization of...
The Office of the Papacy
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. Some might look at that and say, “Boy, you Catholics are really strange! Imagine celebrating a piece of...
Get Behind Me, Satan
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In the first reading today from Genesis 9, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his family. Remember, they were the only humans on the planet at this point. He...
Incremental Healing
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Did you know that Noah was over 600 years old at the time of the Great Flood? We see this in today’s first reading from Genesis 8. After the flood,...