A Jubilee
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In today’s first reading from Leviticus 25, we read about the jubilee. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we read the story of the beheading of John the Baptist. John wasn’t afraid to tell even the king that he was doing wrong. Unfortunately, it cost him his head. […]
A Prophet at Home
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, the people from Jesus’ native place brush him off, because they “know” him. Jesus says, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” Why is that? I’m sure you’ve heard the old axiom “Familiarity breeds comtempt.” Perhaps that saying is […]
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
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In the first reading today from Exodus 40, we read about the Dwelling. Notice the capital “D” in the word. This was the place in the Israelite camp where God stayed. We read about how the children of Israel scheduled their travels around the comings and goings of God in the Dwelling. Today’s Gospel reading […]
Radiant
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We all encounter God in one way or another. Moses’ encounters with God were different from all others. He spoke to God face to face. Though Moses wasn’t aware of it, these encounters with God actually changed his physical appearance. We see in today’s first reading from Exodus 34 that the skin of his face […]
Ears to Hear
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds and the wheat. There are so many aspects to this parable, and messages for us. I’ve often commented about how we get to choose whether we want to be wheat or weeds. Jesus ends His explanation with this: “Whoever has ears […]
Monday, July 31st to August 4th, 2017
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Seize the Day is on vacation July 31st to August 4th, but that doesn’t mean you have to tune out. Listen to some of our best moments from the past couple of months all this week. Gus will return live on Monday, August 7th.
Your Golden Calf
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Moses sure had to put up with a lot from the Israelites. In today’s first reading from Exodus 32, we see what easily could have been the last straw. But it wasn’t. More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 13, we see two very short parables: the parable of […]
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
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In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the final parables in Matthew 13. The first two have to do with getting rich. Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he […]
Martha, Martha
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Martha. As per usual, there are options for the readings. The options for a Gospel reading are from John 11 or Luke 10. In these two readings, we see two different sides of Martha. In John, Martha is filled with faith, and even echoes the words of St. […]
Friday, July 25, 2017
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Did you know that the mass has only been said in the local vernacular regularly for 48 years? Before that, it was said, almost universally, in Latin and that was the norm for at least 1,000 years, if not more. The Latin mass is still around and available in many dioceses here in the United […]
The Ten Suggestions?
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Most everyone knows that the Ten Commandments are found in the Bible. But did you know that they are found in the Bible twice? The first instance is in Exodus 20. That is today’s first reading. (If you’re keeping score, the second instance is in Deuteronomy 5. Take that to the water cooler!) In the […]
Thursday, July 27, 2017
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The homily at mass is not THE most important part of mass, but it is important nonetheless. Gus talks about when priests and deacons incorporate personal stories into their homilies. It’s not always well-received. Gus asks listeners their thoughts on when the homilist incorporates personal stories into his homily. Also, it’s National Natural Family Planning Awareness Week […]
Getting It
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What would it be like to see God? Not to see the image of God in the poor or the majesty of God in a mountain, but to actually SEE God. I’m guessing it would be a pretty frightening thing. It sure was for the children of Israel. In today’s first reading from Exodus 19, […]
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
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Deacon Tom Dubois, executive director of the National Association of Diaconate Directors calls in to shed some light on the permanent diaconate. Gus frequently gets emails from listeners expressing interest in the permanent diaconate but aren’t really sure what it all entails. Deacon Tom tells Gus and our listeners his story, his discernment process and what […]
Happy Grandparents’ Day!
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Happy Grandparents’ Day! Now I know that Hallmark doesn’t declare this today, but today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. Tradition tells us that these were the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary; they were Jesus’ grandparents! (For the record, Joachim and Anne are not mentioned in the Scriptures.) As a […]
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
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After five years of being his producer, Gus finally invites Scooterman, aka Scott Shea (pictured below), to be his co-host for a day on Seize the Day. Scooterman sits down in the Conversion Corner and tells Gus and the listeners his reversion story. He’s a cradle Catholic who fell away when he was a teenager […]
The Example of St. James
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James. This James is the son of Zebedee and the brother of St. John the Apostle. He is often known as James “The Greater,” only because he is mentioned first (before the other James) in the listing of the Apostles. Our first reading is from 2 Corinthians 4. […]
Monday, July 24, 2017
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Yesterday’s Gospel was taken from Matthew 13 where Jesus tells the gathered crowd a series of parables. Gus says his priest gave a terrific homily and asks listeners what their homily was like and whether or not they received any “spiritual nuggets.” And it wouldn’t be a Monday on Seize the Day with a Tell […]
Friday, July 21, 2017
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Gus sums up a recent Religion News Service article he read entitled “Catholicism’s Two-Party System,” which talks about how the liberal versus conservative cold war, which permeates American society, has also crept into our Church. Gus asks listeners if they believe that. And, it’s Friday so that means we take some time for prayer on […]
God Wins
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Ever ask God for a sign? Jesus has something to say about that in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 12. We’re back in Exodus, following the story of Moses for our first reading. After the Passover, Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go. Shortly after they left, though, he changed his mind and […]
The Weeds and the Wheat
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13 is the parable of the weeds and the wheat. A bad guy comes and sows weed seeds into a man’s wheat field. When the servants find out, they ask the master if they should pull the weeds. The master says that they will be separated at harvest time. Jesus […]
Saint Mary Magdalene
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Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. There are different options for the first reading, so I’ll let you read them and mull them over yourself. You can choose from Song of Songs 3:1-4 or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. The Gospel is from John 20. It is the story of Mary’s meeting with Jesus after […]
Passover and Holy Mass
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Each year on Holy Thursday, the first reading for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is taken from Exodus 11-12. That same reading is today’s first reading. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 12, the Pharisees call Jesus out because His disciples were “working” on the sabbath. Today’s first reading contains God’s instructions for the […]
Thursday, July 20, 2017
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Gus resumes yesterday’s extremely hot topic of how we dress at mass. After the show, Gus was inundated with emails about the topic and opinions were pretty well mixed. Gus again takes it to the listeners and gets their thoughts on dressing up or dressing down for mass.
I AM
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In the first reading today from Exodus 3, we read more of the interaction between God and Moses when God reveals Himself in the burning bush. Our Gospel reading is a familiar one from Matthew 11. Take it to heart and you will find rest in Jesus. When God told Moses to go and speak […]
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
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Gus talks about dress codes at mass and whether or not it’s an invitation to get dressed up or we should just be happy people are coming and not be mindful of what they wear. If you feel that there should be a dress standard, are you being judgmental? Gus takes it to listeners and […]
Holy Ground
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In today’s first reading from Exodus 3, Moses has an encounter with God. Moses spies a bush that is on fire, yet is not being consumed by the flames. Curious at the sight, he goes in for a closer look. And God calls out to him. “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, […]
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
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Gus reads the controversial report on U.S. Catholicism, written by Jesuit priest Fr. Antonio Spadaro (pictured below) and Marcello Figueroa for the Italian Jesuit publication La Civiltà Cattolica, entitled “A Suprising Ecumenism.” Afterwards, Gus gives his take on the article and then gets listener reaction. Later, Gus talks about mass and how people can, at times, struggle […]
Lessons Not Learned
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In the first reading today from Exodus 2, we see the beginning of the story of Moses. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus pronounces woes on some towns – Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum – because He performed mighty deeds there, but they did not repent. Jesus has some pretty harsh words for these […]
Jesus the Divider
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One of the titles of Jesus is Prince of Peace. Yet in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus says just the opposite. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” He then goes on to tell how He will […]
Of Seeds and Sowers
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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 explains that the seed is the “word of the kingdom.” Then He goes on to explain […]
Acknowledging Jesus
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In today’s first reading, we see the end of the story of Joseph in Genesis 49 and 50. After Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were still afraid that Joseph might exact revenge on them for what they had done to him. But Joseph had no such plans. And he reassures them that he forgives them, […]
Friday, July 14, 2017
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The Catholic Church has faced political, social and philosophical threat since its beginning so Gus talks with listeners about some of the greatest threats to the Catholic faith today. Later, Bryan Mercier (pictured below) Catholic speaker and writer, sits down with Gus in the Conversion Corner. Bryan is a Catholic revert. Check out his conversion story […]
Of Hate and Endurance
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What a beautiful reunion we read about today in our first reading from Genesis 46. Jacob/Israel thought that his youngest son, Joseph, had been eaten by wild beasts. But then his other boys come back from Egypt and spill the beans about the truth of what happened. Israel was now very old, and all he […]
Thursday, July 13, 2017
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Fr. Doug Grandon calls in, from the Netherlands, to sit down with Gus in the Conversion Corner and share his conversion and vocation story. Fr. Grandon is in the Netherlands with 13 FOCUS students, and some nuns from the Nashville Dominicans, on a missionary trip. Also, Gus talks about a recent opinion piece written by […]
God’s Bigger Plan
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the Twelve and gives them their “marching orders.” He says to them, “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” The same holds true for us. God has given us everything freely. We should be willing to share the gifts that […]
Go To the Lost Sheep
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Joseph was the beloved son of Israel. His brothers were extremely jealous and sold him into slavery. Joseph rose in Egypt to become Pharaoh’s right hand man. In our first reading from Genesis 41 and 42, you don’t see that story, but you need to know it to get the context of the reading. (It […]
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
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In honor of St. Benedict’s feast day, Gus gives a Benedictine twist to Bible Roulette where he gives out each of St. Benedict’s 12 Steps of Humility, from his Rule of St. Benedict, to callers. Also, in keeping with the feast day, Gus talks with listeners about their favorite religious order, since St. Benedict is […]
Big Time Wrestling
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Another fascinating story today in our first reading from Genesis 32. Today we read about Jacob wrestling with a divine being. After something of a stalemate, Jacob gets his name changed. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the […]
How to Bring Healing
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Everyone knows the classic song “Stairway to Heaven,” right? Did you know the title of the song is based on a passage from Scripture? We find it in today’s first reading from Genesis 28. Jacob has a dream about a stairway that goes up to heaven. Check it out. In our Gospel reading from Matthew […]
Jesus’ Yoke
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 11, we hear familiar saying of Jesus. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my […]
A Deceptive Blessing
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Today’s first reading from Genesis 27 is one that is tough to read and perhaps even tougher to understand. Isaac is an old man and wants to anoint his heir with a blessing. His oldest son, Esau, is the one who is to receive the blessing. But that’s not how things went down. Rebekah, Esau […]
Friday, July 7, 2017
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Gus talks about a real-life conundrum he heard about recently. A man’s wife passed away and wanted to be cremated with her ashes scattered over the ocean. Not long after her death, the widower had a conversion experience and became Catholic. The Catholic Church condones cremation but the ashes may not be scattered Now, he’s […]
Follow Me
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In today’s first reading from Genesis 23 and 24, we see the story of Isaac finding his wife Rebekah. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we read the story of the call of Matthew. “As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow […]
Thursday, July 6, 2017
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Today Gus shared Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of June – to pray for those who are distant from the faith. Click here to watch the video from the Vatican on this. In light of that, Gus asked listeners to share the story of how they found the Catholic Channel and where they […]
The Ultimate Test
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Today in our first reading from Genesis 22, we see Abraham put to the test by God. Could it be the ultimate test? I think so, and I’ll tell you why in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we see the story Jesus healing a paralytic. But more than just healing him […]
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
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Fr. Richard Rojas sits down with Gus in the Conversion Corner. Fr. Richard grew up Presbyterian and eventually became an Anglican priest. It was in the latter church that he discovered his affinity for the Catholic faith. Check out his recent appearance on the Coming Home Network here. Also, Gus talks a little about Charlie […]
Casting Out Jesus
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In today’s readings we see three instances of casting out. When Sarah was afraid that Abraham would die childless, she encouraged him to have a child with her servant, Hagar. After having her own child, Sarah insisted Abraham cast out Hagar and her son. Saddened, Abraham complies. In today’ Gospel, Jesus has an encounter with two […]
God Bless America!
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I know this blog is supposed to be about the daily readings, but I’m going to veer from that for today. I’ll keep it short. I want to talk for a moment about America. Many people are uncomfortable mixing religion with patriotism. For the most part, I am, too. Many people think that if you […]
Doubting Thomas
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. In the first reading from Ephesians 2, St. Paul tells us that the household of God, the Church, is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. And the Gospel reading from John 20 is the […]