The Cure
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In the first reading today from Genesis 32, Jacob gets in an all night wrestling match with a man. But is it a man? The man says, "You shall no...
Two Healings
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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...
Laborers for the Harvest
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two of His disciples to prepare the way in all of the towns and villages where He was going to...
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...
Dependence Day
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Happy 4th of July! In the USA, today is Independence Day. It’s the day we celebrate our breaking away from the British empire and declaring ourselves an independent nation. It’s...
Believing the Outlandish
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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...
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....
The Fate of Sodom
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In today's first reading, we read about the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 8, Jesus is asleep on a boat...
A Godly Negotiation
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In our first reading today from Genesis 18, we see an amazing story of Abraham negotiating with God. In the Gospel reading, we read about two interesting encounters that Jesus...
Saints Peter and Paul
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Interesting, isn’t it? You would think that, given the importance of each, they would both have their own feast...
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is appropriate that we celebrate the heart...
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
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Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the first reading from Ezekiel 34, we read about how God will shepherd his people. And our Gospel...
The Collapse
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In today's first reading from Genesis 16 we see the disastrous consequences when we try to hurry along God's plans, or don't trust in him. For our Gospel reading, we...
The Making of a Covenant
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In the first reading today from Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abram. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 7, Jesus talks about false prophets and how you can...
John the Baptist
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Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist. Jesus proclaimed that John was Elijah, come to prepare the way for the Messiah. There are so many traits of...
The Splinter and the Beam
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Abraham is known as the father of the faith. We see why in today’s first reading from Genesis 12. When Abram was 75 years old, God told him to pack...
Satisfying Our Hunger
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The readings for today all point toward the Eucharist in an interesting way....
The Thorn in the Flesh
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In the first reading today from 2 Corinthians 12, St. Paul says that he has been given “a thorn in the flesh.” Now, he never says what exactly that is....
Treasures in Heaven
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In the world, especially in business, there’s an old expression: Never expose your weakness. I think that’s why so many men don’t cry. They view it as a sign of...
Forgiveness is Not Optional
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From the very beginning of the Church, there have been those who have preached a false gospel. St. Paul addresses that in today's first reading from 2 Corinthians 11. He...
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
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Our Gospel reading today is the same one we read on Ash Wednesday. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Always lessons that we need to be...
No Reward for Easy
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Are you rich? Most people would probably answer no to that question. They think of only worldly riches. As Christians, we think differently. We think in terms of blessings. We...
The Time is Now!
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus talks about how we are to no longer live under the old law of “an eye for an eye.” He is talking...
The Most Holy Trinity
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; three Persons, one God. The readings today reflect that. The first reading from Deuteronomy 4 tells us that there is...
A New Creation
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Are you a person of your word? We should all be. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 5, Jesus says, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean...
Grace and Thanksgiving
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Happy Feast of St. Anthony of Padua! In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, Jesus says, "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her...
The Grudge Pact
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In our first reading today from 2 Corinthians 3 and 4, St. Paul writes about how the Gospel is "veiled for those who are perishing, in whose case the god...
The Importance of Being an Encourager
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Today we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. There are two optional Gospel readings for today. The reading for the feast day is from Matthew 10 where Jesus sends out...
Like Fuzzy Cheese
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Have you ever answered a question, "Well, yes and no." I'm sure I have. And sometimes that may by a legit answer. But read about what St. Paul has to...
Mother of the Church
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Today, the day after Pentecost, the Church celebrates the feast of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. This is a relatively new memorial, instituted by Pope Francis in...
Veni, Sancte Spiritus
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Today is Pentecost Sunday. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the Church. We see this event in the first reading from Acts 2. At...
What Concern is it of Yours?
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For today's Gospel reading, we read the conclusion of John's Gospel. Peter inquires to Jesus about John. Jesus answers, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What...
The Primacy of Peter
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Today’s Gospel reading from John 21 is, I think, one of the the most moving scenes in the New Testament. After the resurrection, Jesus and Simon Peter are on the...
That We May be One
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In our first reading today from Acts, Paul puts himself squarely in the middle of a dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Paul, a Pharisee by birth and training,...
A Prayerful Parting
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In the first reading today from Acts 20, we hear the conclusion of Paul’s farewell address to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus. What a stirring and moving speech....
No Shrinking Violet
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In today's Gospel reading from John 17, we listen in on Jesus prayer to the Father at the Last Supper. In our first reading from Acts 20, we hear the...
Sharing Your Story
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St. Paul was a very persuasive guy. Time and again he persuaded people about Jesus being the Christ of God. They weren’t persuaded by St. Paul, but in today’s Gospel...
You are a Gift
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Today I'll reflect on the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, though most folks will be celebrating the Feast of the Ascension. I did a reflection on those readings...
A Lesson From Elizabeth
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Today is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We remember that time when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. The first reading can be taken...
Of Pain and Faith
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In today's first reading from Acts 18, Jesus comes to Paul in a vision and tells him, "Go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you."...
The Importance of the Ascension
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. In most dioceses in the US, today is not a Holy Day of obligation. For most, this feast...
Ignorance and Repentance
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In today's Gospel reading from John 16 tells His disciples, "But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth." This is why we believe...
Earth Shaking Grace
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Today's first reading from Acts 16 is the story of another jailbreak. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from John 16, Jesus tells His disciples that He will...
Pay Attention
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In the Gospel reading today from John 15 and 16, Jesus talks about the Advocate, the Spirit of truth. He also tells the disciples that “the hour is coming when...
God Dwelling with You
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In today's Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus tells His disciples, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him...
The World Hates You
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A comforting headline today, huh? Jesus spoke often about love. It’s kind of what He was all about. But today we hear Him speak of hate. And not just generically,...
No Greater Love
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In the first reading today from Acts 15, the Apostles and presbyters choose Barsabbas and Silas to travel with Paul and Barnabas to take a message clarifying the position of...
The Council of Jerusalem
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In our Gospel reading from John 15, Jesus speaks about joy. "I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete."...
Pruning Pains
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The early Church had lots of controversy. One of the hot topics of the day was circumcision. Did believers need to be circumcised like the Jews? In the first reading...
The Peace of Christ
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I’m sure you’ve found that, even when you’re walking closely with Christ, you undergo hardships. It is part of the human condition, and just because we profess faith in Christ...