Good Samaritan Lessons
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In today’s first reading, we begin a quick trip through the book of Jonah. Most people are familiar with the story. We heard it when we were little kids. It’s about a guy who gets swallowed up by a whale and gets spat out after three days. But do you know the before and after […]
Think About These Things
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Henry Ford once said, “You are not what you think you are; but what you think, you are.” What he meant was that the things that we put into our mind, the things that we think about, the things that we dwell on, will shape what we are becoming. He’s so right. St. Paul obviously […]
Our Lady of the Rosary
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The readings today are for Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time. I’ve only recently become a rosary guy. For the longest time, I saw the rosary as a chore; it was pure drudgery for me. I don’t feel bad about that. I […]
Thursday, October 5, 2017
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Gus talks again with listeners about hoarding topic and asks whether or not it’s OK to hoard or if you should purge more often. Also, inspired by the hoarding topic, Gus asks listeners what was the coolest, or strangest, item, or family heirloom, they found going through somebody’s stuff. And, Bob Dunning calls in to talk […]
Coming Clean
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 10, Jesus pronounces “woes” on the towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida. He also has not nice things to tell Capernaum, his adopted home town. Why? Because they had seen many mighty deeds done in their midst, yet refused to repent. In the first reading today from Baruch 1, […]
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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Gus commemorates St. Francis of Assisi’s Feast Day by playing a version of the popular hymn based on his prayer, often called “Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace.” Afterwards, Gus talks with listeners whose lives have been touched by St. Francis and/or his order in some way. Then, Catholic author Jon Sweeney calls in to […]
A Shaky Time
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What does reading Scripture do for you? We see the reaction of the people in today’s first reading from Nehemiah 8 when Ezra reads from the book of the law. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples and instructs them as He sends them out. At the end, He […]
St. Francis’ Prayer
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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. Hope you don’t mind! If you’re not familiar with the Prayer of St. Francis, then today would be a good day to familiarize yourself with it. And […]
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
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After going over his 60 Second Reflection, “Calling Down Fire from Heaven,” Gus talks about the mass shooting that took place in Las Vegas and asks, how do we deal with the aftermath and to what we can attribute this? Gus talks with listeners about the role the devil, and pure evil, took in these […]
Calling Down Fire from Heaven
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In today’s first reading from Zechariah 8, the Lord speaks of a time when other peoples would come to the Jews, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” A reminder for us that our Lord Jesus came from and to Israel. In the Gospel today from Luke […]
A Guardian Angel Prayer
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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 an angel before them to lead and guide them. He says that He has given this angel His authority; they must listen to him. In […]
Saying and Doing
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a story of two sons, each of whom was told by the father to go out and work in the vineyard. The first son says, “I will not,” but then changes his mind and goes out to work. The second son says, “Yes, sir,” but then […]
Dwelling With Us
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Our first reading today is from the Prophet Zechariah. Zechariah has an encounter with an angel. More in a moment. Our Gospel reading today from Luke 9 is short. Jesus tells the disciples that “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand, and were afraid to ask […]
Heavenly Heroes
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the Archangels. Saint Michael is God’s great warrior angel, the Prince of the heavenly hosts. We see Michael doing battle with the dragon in today’s first reading from Revelation 12. Manly stuff, that! Gabriel is God’s messenger. In Luke 1, we see Gabriel […]
Thursday, September 28, 2017
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So whaddya want, a medal? Gus has a boatload of random Catholic medals he got in the Holy Land earlier this year and decides to give some away to listeners on the condition they learn about the medal they’re given and then gift it to someone they feel would benefit from it. Also, two former […]
Consider Your Ways!
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Our first reading today is from the Prophet Haggai. The Lord had opened the doors for the rebuilding of his temple in Jerusalem. The exiles had returned. God opened the heart of King Darius. You would think that the people would jump at this chance. Uh…not so much. More in a sec. In the Gospel […]
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
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Today is the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, whose name graces one of the largest and oldest Catholic charitable organizations. Inspired by that, Gus asks listeners about works of charity with which they’ve been involved. St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us.
Dependent on God…and His People
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus sends out the Twelve and gives them their marching orders. “Take nothing for the journey.” Why would Jesus send out the Apostles empty-handed? After all, they would need to eat. They would need a place to stay. Couldn’t they just rent a room at the nearby Marriott […]
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
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Gus spent the day talking about Filial Correction recently sent to Pope Francis from some Catholic scholars and theologians around the world. You can read the actual document here. Listener comment followed throughout the morning.
Monday, September 25, 2017
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After going over his 60 Second Reflection, “A Response to Faith,” Gus talked about the myriad of NFL protests this past weekend during the National Anthem. Gus gives his take on it and opens up the lines to listeners. Later, Beth Leonard, author of two Catholic Bible study books, “Blood of the Lamb Catholic Bible Study: […]
All in the Family
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In the first reading today from Ezra 6, we see an interesting relationship between “government” and “religion.” The kings of that time, Darius, Cyrus and Artaxerxes all allowed and encouraged the exiled Israelites to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Darius even ordered that they be compensated for their trouble! Can you imagine? In the Gospel […]
Friday, September 22, 2017
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Gus talks about healing masses, which is specialty mass typically offered by charismatic Catholics, that is catered specifically to those who are suffering some kind of deep emotional, spiritual and/or, sometimes, physical wounds. Gus invites listeners to call in who’ve had experiences in the healing mass. Also, Gus talks with listeners about common objections they hear […]
A Response to Faith
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King Cyrus of Persia was a magnanimous guy. He did something very special for the children of Israel, even though he was not one and had no duty to do so. What did he do? Read about it in today’s first reading from Ezra 1. The last line of today’s Gospel reading from Luke 8 […]
Never Too Late
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God is always calling us to himself. How will we respond? This is a theme in today’s readings. IN the first reading from Isaiah 55, we read, “Seek the LORD while he may be found.” In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who goes into town to […]
Sow and Pray
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower of the seeds. After telling his parable, the disciples didn’t understand. Jesus seems a bit perturbed. But He explains the parable to them. He starts out, “The sower sows the word.” Then He goes on to explain about the different […]
MoneyMoneyMoneyMoney
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St. Paul gives some very sound advice to Timothy in today’s first reading from 1 Timothy 6. More on that in a moment. Our Gospel reading today is short, but important. Luke tells us that Jesus was accompanied by the Twelve, and a number of women. Why would he mention this? Because Luke wanted all […]
Thursday, September 21, 2017
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After the show today, Gus will be heading to the hospital to visit a sick niece. He’s never been a big fan of hospitals, so he asks listeners to call in and talk about their experiences at hospitals. Later, Abby Johnson, founder and president of And Then There Were None, joins Gus to talk about what […]
Wait…What? Who?
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew. His Jewish name was Levi. He is the author of the first Gospel. In his own Gospel account, he refers to himself as Matthew. In the first reading today from Ephesians 4, St. Paul talks about the different “jobs” that some are called to in the Church. […]
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
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After going over Catholic apologetics, Gus talks with listeners about the most common objections they’ve heard involving the Catholic faith. Also, Gus revisits yesterday’s discussion with widows and widowers and what challenges and blessings they experienced through that ordeal. Also, Elizabeth Disco-Shearer, CEO of the Society of St Vincent de Paul’s Disaster Services Division in Washington […]
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
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Gus talks about an observation he posted to his Facebook page on Sunday where another hymn was scrubbed of its Catholic identity. The word “temple” was substituted for “altar” in “Praise To The Lord, The Almighty.” Gus called it the “Protestantization” of uniquely Catholic things. He caught a little backlash for the use of that […]
Not Trivial Trivia
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In our first reading today from 1 Timothy 3, St. Paul mentions “the pillar and foundation of truth.” Care to take a guess at what St. Paul said that was? We’ll talk about it in a moment. Our Gospel reading is from Luke 7. Here Jesus talks about how mixed up that generation was. They […]
A Left Field Miracle
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In the first reading today from 1 Timothy 3, we read about St. Paul’s requirements for the office of bishop and deacon. These passages always remind me to pray for our clergy. I often speak about how difficult it would be to be a bishop in today’s world. They have to have so many skills. […]
Monday, September 18, 2017
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After going over his 60 Second Reflection, Gus honors catechists, as yesterday was Cathechetical Sunday. Gus invites past and present catechists to call in and talk about their ministry. Those who get on the air get a copy of A Minute in the Church. And, it’s Monday so we roll with a little Tell Me […]
Friday, September 15, 2017
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Gus talks about how the power of the Rosary helped them get through Hurricane Irma. He shares a story about how he and his wife prayed the Rosary, asking the BVM to turn the storm more inland, not necessarily for it to not hit them and hit other people instead, but because the more a […]
One Mediator
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The Gospel reading today from Luke 7 features a centurion who says something that every Catholic will find very familiar. “Lord…I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof…but say the word and let my servant he healed.” Sound familiar? It should! We say it every time we go to Mass. The first […]
Forgiveness
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The theme of today’s readings is forgiveness. In the first reading from Sirach 27 and 28, the mandate to forgive is very clear. “Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins?” In the Gospel reading from Matthew 18, we hear a familiar story from Jesus about forgiveness. […]
The Heart and the Mouth
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Aren’t you glad that God is patient? I sure am. And so is St. Paul. In today’s first reading he says, “But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe him for […]
Thursday, September 14, 2017
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Gus talks divorce and the negative effects it can have on good, church-going people. He talks with listeners who’ve gotten divorced and were able to have a good relationship with their ex. Later on, Bob Dunning calls in to give his predictions on some of the biggest college football games this weekend. And, Gus gives some […]
Our Lady of Sorrows
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. If you attend Mass today, you may sing or chant the Stabat Mater, a beautiful reflection of the sorrows of Mary. You’ll find it if you click the link for today’s readings. The Church gives parishes an option of two different readings for the […]
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
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Gus returns LIVE after being off a couple of days because of damage caused by Hurricane Irma, which blazed through the state of Florida over the weekend. Fortunately, Gus and his family came through it fairly unscathed but many others didn’t so we keep them in our prayers. Through Tell Me Something Good, Gus talks […]
Carrying Our 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 a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Whenever someone looked at it, they would be healed of their bite from a serpent. This […]
God’s Backward Ways
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I’m a believer that we become what we think about. Apparently so is St. Paul. In today’s first reading from Colossians 3, he says, “…seek what is above” and “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Sound advice. In the Gospel today from Luke 6, we begin the Sermon on the […]
Monday September 11th to Tuesday September 12th
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Because of the damaging effects of Hurricane Irma, Seize the Day will be off Monday and Tuesday, September 11th and 12th. Fortunately, damage to Gus’s house was minimal and WILL RETURN LIVE tomorrow, Wednesday, September 13th.
The Most Holy Name of Mary
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Today the Church celebrates The Most Holy Name of Mary. The readings you will find are for Tuesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time. In honor of today’s feast, I want to share a quick, and very timely story. This weekend my family and I were hunkered down in my home to ride out […]
Do Good Anyway
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In the first reading today from Colossians 1 and 2, St. Paul says, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake…” This tells us two things: suffering can bring joy (rejoicing) and suffering can be offered up for the sake of others. In the Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus heals a man with a […]
Correcting in Love
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus gives a “formula” for how to deal with someone who has wronged you, sinned against you. Step 1: talk to them yourself, one to one. If that fails to remedy the situation, move to Step 2: bring one or two others along as witnesses. If they refuse […]
Lord of the Sabbath
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We get a wonderful word about persevering in the faith in our first reading today from Colossians 1. St. Paul says that we will be presented “holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, provided that you persevere in the faith…” The New Testament is rife with allusions to perseverance. Yes, my friend…heaven ain’t for quitters. […]
Friday, September 8, 2017
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Gus plays audio from Charlie Rose’s interview with former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and his criticism of how Catholic bishops have addressed the immigration issue followed by Cardinal Dolan’s response on Jennifer Fulwiler yesterday. Gus gives his reaction, calling Bannon’s comments ridiculous and then gets listener response. Later, in honor of today’s Feast of […]
Celebrating Mary’s Birthday
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Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It’s Mary’s birthday! Happy birthday, Mom! Many non-Catholics have a difficult time with Mary. Well, maybe not with Mary, but with Catholic devotion to Mary. They think that if you honor Mary, you’re taking away honor from Jesus. I like to answer that with […]
Thursday, September 7, 2017
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Gus plays some audio from an exchange yesterday between Sen. Diane Feinstein, Sen. Dick Durbin and Notre Dame Law School Prof. Amy Coney Barrett during the latter’s confirmation hearing for the federal appeals courts based in Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. Barrett’s Catholic faith was called into question by Feinstein and Durbin. Sen. Durbin challenges […]