Depart From Me
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Are you walking in a manner worthy of the Lord? That’s a phrase we see in our first reading today from Colossians 1. My sense tells me that you would answer no to that question. I know I would. But are you still walking? Are you still trying your best to accomplish God’s will, even […]
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
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Derya Little joins Gus in the Conversion Corner. Derya grew up in Turkey and was raised in the Muslim religion. She talks about her harrowing conversion, which she talks about in detail in her recently published memoir “From Islam to Christ: One Woman’s Path through the Riddles of God.” Later, Gus is joined by Fr. […]
Keeping Jesus to Ourselves
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Yet another treat in store for us! Today we begin a trip through St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians. As in many of his letters, St. Paul begins with an affirmation. He tells them of his prayers for them, and applauds them for their love and faithfulness. I can only hope that, if St. Paul […]
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
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After observing the Labor Day holiday, Gus is back and he starts off talking a little more about the death of Walter Becker, of Steely Dan, which really affected him when he heard about it Sunday afternoon. In fact, he started to tear up. So, he asks listeners about the death of a celebrity that affected […]
Build One Another Up
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Today’s Gospel reading from Luke 4 is the story of Jesus casting out a demon from a man in the synagogue in Capernaum. The people were amazed that Jesus spoke and acted with authority. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians 5 is filled with great positive thoughts and actions. “For all of you are children […]
Happy Labor Day
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Happy Labor Day! I hope you are taking a day of R&R today. The readings that I link to are for Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time. But if you attend Mass today, you may hear different readings for Labor Day. The Gospel reading may be from Matthew 6, where Jesus talks about […]
Satan? Ouch!
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 16 picks up right after Jesus had just proclaimed Peter as the rock and given him the keys to the Kingdom. Peter then rebukes Jesus for talking about His impending suffering and death. Jesus then says to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does, but […]
Investing Your Talents
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In the Gospel from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a man going on a trip and giving his servants some talents (money). When the master returns, he wants an accounting of what each one did with his talents. I think it is interesting that these coins were called talents. Because we have the […]
Our Call to Holiness
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about ten virgins who are awaiting a wedding feast. Five of them were foolish, five of them were wise. The foolish ones did not bring enough oil for their lamps and when the bridegroom was delayed, they ran out of oil and did […]
On Complacency
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In the first reading today from 1 Thessalonians 3, St. Paul says he looked forward to coming back to visit to “remedy the deficiencies of your faith.” Something we all could use, no? In our Gospel reading from Matthew 24, Jesus charges His disciples to “Stay awake!” He then goes on to tell the story […]
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
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Gus welcomed Fr. Roger Morgan, pastor of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach, SC into the Conversion Corner today. Fr. Morgan was an atheist and became Catholic at 30. Shortly after entering the Church, he felt a call to priesthood and was ordained in 2015. Gus also talked with listeners about cameras at Mass. […]
Whitewashed Tombs
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St. Paul led by example. He alludes to that in our first reading today from 1 Thessalonians 2. While he could have insisted that the believers take care of his needs while he preached and taught, he worked “night and day in order not to burden any of you.” He then thanks God that the […]
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
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As we continue to pray for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Gus asked listeners to share stories of surviving natural disasters. A number of listeners shared their stories of recovering after Hurricane Katrina, which was 12 years ago today. Also, Gus shared the story of San Domenico Catholic School in San Anselmo, CA. They have […]
Monday, August 28, 2017
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Today is the Feast of St. Augustine. Gus keeps a long standing tradition on Seize the Day by sharing with listeners the wisdom of St. Augustine. He uses a daily meditation book, Augustine Day by Day, which his wife gave him in 1991. Here is a link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Day-Spiritual-Life/dp/1937913481/
The Cost of Obedience
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Today is the Feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist. The Gospel reading from Mark 6 recounts the story. John called Herod out for marrying the wife of his (Herod’s) brother Philip. Out of anger, Herod had John thrown in jail and, in a moment of foolishness, agreed to give the head of […]
Feast of St. Augustine
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Augustine. I want to go outside of our regular format today and talk about this great saint. By the way, we see much of our first reading played out in the life of St. Augustine. Read it and see if you agree. Augustine was a man of […]
The Keys and The Rock
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 16 is a very important one. Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They give Him varied answers. Then He asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus says […]
Call No One Father
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 23, we find a verse that many use to try to discredit the Catholic faith. Jesus said, “Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.” Some people will point to this verse and say, “See, you Catholics call your priests ‘Father!’ Jesus said […]
Friday, August 25, 2017
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Gus reads a Crisis Magazine article by Deacon John Beagan entitled “What’s Missing in the New Evangelization,” which talks about how there’s not enough talk about the prospect of eternal damnation in the message and that we’re kind of preaching a feel-good message to a group of people who already feel pretty good. Gus takes […]
Wherever You Go, I Will Go
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The Book of Ruth is one of the shorter books in the Bible. In today’s first reading, we meet Ruth. Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother. But the story of how that came to be is fascinating, and we see the beginning of it today. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked which […]
Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Gus talks about the case of Bremerton High School football coach Joe Kennedy, in Bremerton, Washington, who was dismissed recently over his refusal to stop privately praying on the field after each game. Over the years, players would come and join him. Gus gets listener reaction. Also, Gus reads a letter from a listener named Bob […]
Bartholomew/Nathanael
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Bartholomew. Bartholomew is listed among the Twelve. He was brought to Jesus by the Apostle Philip. Tradition tells us that he preached the Gospel in India, where he was rewarded with the crown of martyrdom. The first reading today is from Revelation 21, where we get a […]
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
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Fr. Dave Dwyer, host of the Busted Halo Show, calls in to clear up some misconceptions and misunderstandings about the seal of confession. Gus recaps his conversation from yesterday about the seal of confession. Australia is trying to pass a law that would require priests to report any of instance of child abuse revealed to them […]
Hitler in Heaven?
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We have two very interesting readings today. The first reading from Judges 9 is about trees ruling over each other. Except it’s not about trees at all. It’s about how sometimes those in leadership are not the cream of the crop. Sound familiar? In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable about […]
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
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Lawmakers in Australia are trying pass a law that would require priests to report any instance where child abuse revealed to them in the confessional. Gus talks about the teaching on the Sacrament of Confession and explains the Church’s teaching on why the seal of confession can never be broken. He gets listener reaction. Also, […]
Monday, August 21, 2017
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At mass this past weekend, Gus was singing along in his hymnal to “Taste And See,” when he noticed all the masculine pronouns had been removed and replaced with neutral one, which caused him to stop singing. He admits he’s not a fan of changes like that. He asks listeners what they think. And, it’s […]
The Queenship of Mary
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You won’t hear special readings for this feast, though the prayers in the Mass reference this. So today’s readings are for Tuesday in the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time. This feast comes one week after the Assumption. It is such an […]
Be Careful What You Ask
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In the first reading from Judges 2, we see that the people turned away from God. The consequences were not pleasant. “[God] allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies…Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them…” The Gospel reading is one that I hope is familiar from Matthew 19. Jesus […]
Instant Gratification?
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 15, we see a model of persistence. A Canaanite woman comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal her daughter. Jesus ignores her. After some prodding from the disciples, He tells the woman no. She asks again. Jesus again refuses her request. Rather than getting discouraged and leaving, the […]
Friday, August 18, 2017
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Gus reads an opinion piece by Catholic writer Ryan Bomberger, which talks about how, in this climate of perceived rampant racism, Planned Parenthood kills more African American than white supremacists and compares the mass coverage a few hundred white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia received compared to the lack of coverage the March for Life gets, which […]
Decide Whom You Will Serve
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We have a very short Gospel reading today. But as always, it is packed. Jesus says, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” This is why Catholics baptize their infants. We “let them come to Christ” from their earliest days. In […]
On Marriage
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In the first reading today from Joshua 24, Joshua gives the people a bit of a history lesson. This is pretty common, as people need to be reminded from time to time about the marvelous things God has done for them. That was true then, and still is today. In the Gospel reading from Matthew […]
Thursday, August 17, 2017
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Joseph Pearce, senior editor with the Augustine Institute and noted Catholic author, joins Gus to talk about his former life as a white supremacist and his radical conversion to the Catholic faith. Joseph wrote a piece, in the wake of the events in Charlottesville this past weekend, that appeared yesterday in the National Catholic Register […]
Exercising Our Forgiveness Muscles
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In today’s first reading from Joshua 3, we see a miracle that rivals the parting of the Red Sea. Do you know about it? Read it! And in the Gospel reading (Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus tells Peter he must forgive “not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus then goes on to tell the story of a […]
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
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A recent CBS News report that talked about how the country of Iceland touting that they’ve eliminated Down’s Syndrome. Turns out, it’s being done through abortion. Gus condemns this practice and how it’s being presented as something positive. He asks if you can perpetuate an evil in order to attain a good. Later, Catholic Creatives […]
Gathered in His Name
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Today we read about the death of Moses. It has been fascinating reading about his life and times. As I’ve mentioned many times, no on had a relationship with God quite like Moses. And today’s passage from Deuteronomy 34 reminds us of that. “Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the […]
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
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Today is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary so Gus gives today the title of Mother’s Day. He talks about Mary’s role in the Church and how and why the Catholic Church venerates her. Then, Gus talks with listeners about their relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. We hear from a few […]
Monday, August 14, 2017
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Gus opens up the floor to a couple of interesting discussion topics. First, he talks about the “dark arts” and asks listeners if they’ve ever dabbled in Ouija Boards, Tarot cards, palm readings, etc. Also, Gus talks about this past Sunday’s homily, where Jesus walks on water, and he asks listeners to call in and share what […]
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. There is so much to this feast that I couldn’t possibly fit it into one short reflection. I will share with you a chapter from my book A Minute in the Church Volume II that helps […]
For Your Own Good
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Our Gospel reading today recounts what I think may be Jesus’ coolest miracle. (I know, I know…I shouldn’t “grade” the miracles of our Lord. But this one is very cool!) The collectors of the temple tax want to get what’s coming to them from Jesus. So Jesus tells Peter to go out and catch a […]
Doubt
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In the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we read the story about Jesus walking on the water during a storm. Peter asks Jesus to command that he come to him on the water. Jesus does, and Peter jumps out of the boat and begins walking on the water. Then he begins to doubt, and begins […]
Moving a Mountain
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Moses wanted to make sure that the children of Israel remembered who God was, and that He alone was worthy of their worship. He gives them yet another reminder in today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 6. “Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them […]
Eternal Retirement Planning
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The children of Israel were God’s chosen people. Moses reminds them of this, and gives some advice, in today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 4. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 16, we hear Jesus say, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What […]
To Serve Like Lawrence
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence was a deacon and a martyr. Our prayers go out today and every day to all the faithful deacons of the Church, through the intercession of St. Lawrence. Thank you, deacons, for your service to God’s people! The first reading today is from 2 Corinthians […]
When God Says Go, You Go!
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In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 15, we see an amazing example of perseverance in prayer, and the unselfishness of a mother. A Canaanite woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This “disqualified” the woman and her daughter. But […]
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
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Due to unforeseen circumstances, like a bolt of lightning directly striking Gus’ house yesterday afternoon, we were unable to bring you a live Seize the Day today. We are working hard behind the scenes to get Gus back up on the air as soon as possible so be listening! In place of the live show, […]
On Jealousy
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Moses was the greatest prophet ever. He was a great leader. Any time people are in high positions, there will be those who are jealous of them. More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 14, Jesus walks on the water. So does Peter. For a moment. In today’s first reading from Numbers […]
Monday, August 7, 2017
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Gus is back LIVE today after spend a week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where he and his wife spent considerable time on the beach and visited with their eldest son Patrick. Also, Gus visited an auto parts store yesterday, to buy wiper blades for his youngest son, and he noticed an air freshener for sale […]
Feeding of the Multitude and the Eucharist
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Being a leader can be a great burden. It certainly was that for Moses. In today’s first reading from Numbers 11, Moses asks God, “Please do me the favor of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face this distress.” How sad. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 14, Jesus feeds […]
Good That We are Here
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In the first reading from Daniel 7, Daniel sees a vision of Jesus in His glory. Of course, he didn’t know it was Jesus, but “one like a Son of Man.” In the second reading from 2 Peter 1, St. Peter recounts the Transfiguration […]