The Big Question
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In the first reading today from Acts 9, we see a blossoming Church. It is growing rapidly, even with the great persecution she was suffering. Peter raises a woman from...
A Verse to Remember
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Sometimes we can be so thick-headed that God needs to use a (metaphoric) 2x4 over the head to get our attention. Such was the case with Saul of Tarsus, aka...
Interpreting the Scriptures
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Back in Acts 8 for our first reading today. We see a very interesting story about an Ethiopian eunuch who has an encounter with Philip. More on that in a...
I Will Raise Him Up
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In the first reading from Acts 8 today, we read about Saul persecuting the Church. Because of the persecution happening in Jerusalem, all but the Apostles left there. We read...
What Sign?
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In today's first reading from Acts 7, we read about the martyrdom of St. Stephen. The last line of today's reading says, "Now Saul was consenting to his execution." There's...
The Food that Endures
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In today's first reading, we read about the persecution of Stephen, one of the first deacons. This leads to his stoning, about which we will read tomorrow. In the Gospel...
Witnesses
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In today's Gospel reading from Luke 24, Jesus appears to some of His disciples after the resurrection. He explains to them how all of the Scriptures pointed to Him as...
Our First Deacons
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For today’s Gospel reading, we’re back in John 6. The disciples are out on a boat when they see Jesus walking toward them on the water. It was dark and...
If It Is of God...
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For the next week, our Gospel readings will be from John 6. It starts off today with Jesus feeding 5000 with just five loaves and two fish. In the first...
Obedience to God
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There is a theme today in the readings: obedience. We hear Peter and the Apostles talk about it in the first reading from Acts 5. And in the Gospel reading...
Jailbird Evangelists
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In today's first reading from Acts 5, we see one of numerous stories of jailbreaks in the Book of Acts. The Gospel reading today begins with perhaps the most recognized...
A Community in Unity
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In today’s first reading from Acts 4, we get a glimpse of the first Christian community. We’ll talk more about that in a sec. In the Gospel reading from John...
Our "Yes"
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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Traditionally celebrated on March 25 (9 months before Christmas), when that date falls during Holy Week, the feast is...
Divine Mercy Sunday
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Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. For today's reflection, I want to share some of the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska. O Lord, I want to be completely transformed into your...
Using Your Gifts for the Gospel
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Today in Acts 4, the Sanhedrin comes to the conclusion that something astonishing happened through Peter and John. But just to be safe, they tell them not to ever again...
A Ridiculous Request?
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Our salvation has a name. That name is Jesus. In today’s first reading from Acts 4, St. Peter makes that message very clear to the authorities who were questioning him....
Understanding Scripture
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Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies. Again and again he said, “So that the Scriptures may be fulfilled…” In today’s first reading from Acts 3, St. Peter...
He Made Himself Known
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The Gospel reading today is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus from Luke 24. Please take the time to read it. As Catholics, we believe that...
Jesus in the Gardener
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We’re back in Acts 2 for our first reading today, hearing more of Peter’s great speech at Pentecost. The people ask Peter what they must do to be saved. Peter...
Fearful Yet Overjoyed
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Happy Easter Monday! I hope your Easter was filled with blessings. For the next fifty days, our first reading will be from Acts of the Apostles. Today we hear part...
Happy Easter!
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Jesus is risen! Alleluia! Happy Easter! The long season of Lent has come to a close. Now it's time to celebrate! While Lent is forty days long, the season of...
Holy Saturday
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There is no Mass during the day on Holy Saturday. The Church waits at the Lord's tomb in prayer and fasting, awaiting His resurrection. Tonight will be the great Easter...
You Can't Get to the Resurrection...
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Good Friday. Today is the only day of the year when there is no Mass. Though there is no Mass, I’m sure that your parish will be having at least...
Holy Thursday
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Lent is over today. Now, that doesn’t mean that you stop with your Lenten penances and practices. Those should continue into Saturday evening. Tonight we begin the Sacred Triduum. It...
Like Judas
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When we think of the brutality that Jesus suffered for us, we can see that this was all foretold in today’s first reading from Isaiah 50. “I gave my back...
Two Sides of Peter
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It's Tuesday of Holy Week. Today's first reading is the Second oracle of the Servant of the Lord from Isaiah 49. In the Gospel reading, we focus on Peter from...
Gifts to the Lord
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Today is Monday of Holy Week. Our first reading is from Isaiah 42 – the beginning of the Servant of the Lord prophesies. “Here is my servant whom I uphold,...
Palm Sunday
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Today is one of the most well-attended Mass days of the year. Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday. Outside of Christmas and Easter, more people come to Palm Sunday Mass than...
Dying for Many - And One
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In the first reading today from Ezekiel 37, the LORD says through the prophet: “My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them...
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...
Covenant Thinking
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In today’s first reading from Genesis 17, we see a watershed moment in salvation history. Abram has his name changed to Abraham, and God makes a covenant with him. And...
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...
Room for the Serpent?
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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...
Husband and Father
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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...
Dying to Produce Fruit
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In our Gospel reading today from John 12, Jesus teaches us about wheat. “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,...
Different Ways
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The first reading today is an Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah from the Book of Wisdom. Read it and see how it was fulfilled perfectly in the person of...
Craving Approval
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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...
Whose Will?
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In the first reading today from Isaiah 49, we hear this question: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?” Now, you would...
The Power of Sin
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In today's first reading from Ezekiel 47, we see a prefigurement of the Church. Water is so important to our faith lives. Read it and see if you can find...
Intercessory Prayer
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Ever wonder what things will be like after Jesus returns. That is, after all, a basic tenet of our faith; that Christ will come again. Well, wonder no more! The...
Follow the Light
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Our Gospel reading for today includes John 3:16, maybe the most familiar verse in Scripture. But today I would like to concentrate on the second half of this reading. St. John...
The Sin of Pride
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Another beautiful reading from Hosea today for our first reading. Through the prophet, the Lord says, “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather...
Got It?
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What a beautiful first reading we have today from Hosea 14. God tells the people, “Say to him, ‘We shall say no more, “Our god,” to the work of our...
Fully Armed
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Today's first reading from Jeremiah 7 should be required reading. See if you don't recognize that exactly what was happening then is happening now. "Say to them: This is the...
Teaching the Faith
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There's a word that comes up in both of the readings today. That word is teach. In the first reading from Deuteronomy 4, Moses tells the people, "However, take care...
What Eating an Elephant and Forgiveness Have in Common
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Today’s first reading from Daniel 3 contains one of the most beautiful and heartfelt prayers in all of Scripture. It is the prayer of Azariah, while he was in the...
Setting Aside Our Pride
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Our first reading today is from 2 Kings 5. It is a story about a man named Naaman. Naaman was not a child of Israel. He was a commander in...
Zeal
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For the next few weeks of Lent, you may have different readings at Mass than the ones here. Many parishes use the readings for Year A, especially at Masses where...
The Other Son
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Today's Gospel reading from Luke 15 is probably a familiar story - we call it The Prodigal Son. And rightly so. But it is really a story of two sons...
Kingdom Fruit
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Today’s first reading from Genesis 37 is the story of Joseph being sold out by his brothers. The brothers were jealous of him because he was the favored son of...