Tuesday, August 11, 2015
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Gus gets everything started today by sitting down with Michael Lofton in the Conversion Corner. Michael was born into a Christian family who moved to Israel and converted to Judaism. He had a long, winding journey back to Christianity, which ultimately led him to the Catholic faith. To watch his recent appearance on the Coming […]
Unfinished Business?
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Moses was nearing the end of his life, and the children of Israel were ready to cross into the Promised Land. More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 18, Jesus says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child […]
Monday, August 10, 2015
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Gus starts off Monday on a bit of a sad note. His seven-year-old cat Boo passed away over the weekend. Gus says that he was never a cat guy before Boo came along. Also, Fr. Brett Brannen calls in to the program. He came on to promote his book “To Save a Thousand Souls: A […]
Friday, August 7, 2015
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Today is Friday so Gus dedicates a good portion of the final hour of the program to Prayer Time. Also, we were privileged to bring you our original Catholic Channel documentary on Pope Francis, “The Pope From the New World: The Early Life & Ministry of Pope Francis.”
The Giving Servant
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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 […]
Of Bread and Flesh
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We’re back in the Bread of Life discourse in John 6 for our Gospel reading. Up to this point, Jesus has been talking only about bread. Many people say that Jesus was speaking symbolically or metaphorically. And one might be able to pull that interpretation off…until you get to verse 51. “The bread that I […]
How to Move 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 […]
Profit and Loss
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The children of Israel saw and experienced amazing and wondrous things. God had revealed himself to them and even spoken to them. In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 4, Moses tells the people what God requires of them: to keep his statutes and commandments. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 16, we hear a familiar […]
Thursday, August 6, 2015
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In yesterday’s First Reading (Numbers 13: -1-2, 24-14:1, 26A-29A, 34-35), the children of Israel finally arrive at the promised land and Moses sends 12 out scouts to reconnoiter the land. They return with discouraging reports about the inhabitants who already occupy it, sowing seeds of doubt among children of Israel (depicted below in Giovanni Lanfranco’s 1624 […]
Seeing Our Future
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. In the first reading, we see the origin of the title “Son of Man” from Daniel 7. It is a kind of prefiguration of the Transfiguration. In the second reading, St. Peter recounts the event as an eyewitness. And the Gospel is from Mark 9, the story […]
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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Gus is back from Alaska and wastes no time getting started. By the way, he took over 2,400 pictures of his vacation in case you wanted to go to his Facebook page and sift through some. First up, we welcome John Sherman to the Conversion Corner. John was raised in a Methodist home. After a […]
On Doubt and Faith
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We have two very interesting readings today. They deal with two opposite ends of a spectrum – doubt and faith. In the first reading from Numbers 13 and 14, God has Moses send twelve men to scout the land God has promised them. Upon seeing some giant adversaries, most of the scouts spread doubt and […]
The Danger of 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 […]
A Heavy Burden
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Today’s reflection is a tough one for me to write. We see in our first reading today from Numbers 11 a very sad story. Moses had such a huge burden to carry. We’ll talk about it in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we see Jesus going off to a deserted place […]
The Bread Come Down from Heaven
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Bread from heaven. When most people hear that phrase, they probably think of Jesus. And rightfully so. But in today’s first reading from Exodus 16, we once again experience typology. We see a foreshadowing of Jesus. When the Israelites were out in the desert, they didn’t have supermarkets or 7-11s to pop in and pick […]
Celebrating the 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. […]
Familiarity Breeds Comtempt
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The Catholic Church has a lot of feast days. Where does this notion come from? From our Jewish roots. You’ll see that in today’s first reading from Leviticus 23, where the LORD tells Moses when to celebrate feasts. In the Gospel reading, the people from Jesus’ native place brush Him off, because they “know” Him. […]
The Dragnet
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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 […]
Two Sides of 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. […]
Weed or Wheat?
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Moses had a very special relationship with God – one like no other. In today’s first reading from Exodus 33 and 34, we see that “The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another.” In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds […]
Monday, July 27th to Tuesday, August 4th
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Gus is taking a much needed break during this time period. He’s taking an Alaskan cruise! Prayers for traveling mercies are much appreciated. In the meantime, don’t stray away. Bob Dunning fills in all this week!
The Power of Yeast
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When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments, he saw a horrific sight: the people were worshiping a golden calf. Moses goes before the LORD and pleads for mercy for the people. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 13, we hear a couple more parables from […]
Worthy of the Call
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I want to concentrate today on the second reading at Mass from Ephesians 4:1-6. You may notice that these six verses are all one sentence. St. Paul is famous for his run-on sentences. It can sometimes be brutal if you’re a lector at Mass! St. Paul writes, “I…urge you to live in a manner worthy […]
St. James and Dying
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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. […]
Friday, July 24, 2015
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It’s Friday on Seize the Day and Gus kicks off the show with Prayer Time. Gus is also getting ready to celebrate his wedding anniversary and he has two caller segments celebrating the sacrament of marriage. First, he asks if you’ve kept in touch with your maid of honor or best man and then he […]
The Commandments Still Count
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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 23, 2015
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Gus welcomes United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ President Archbishop Joseph Kurtz who gives his reaction to the undercover Planned Parenthood Federation of America videos, produced and issued by the Center for Medical Progress, where two high-ranking PPFA officials agree to the selling of aborted fetal organs and body parts. To listen to the interview […]
A Great Story Teller?
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In the first reading today from Exodus 19, God reveals himself to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” Be sure to read His answer. Parables are a great way to communicate messages that may […]
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
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Gus kicks the show off by playing audio clips from the Planned Parenthood sting video by the Center for Medical Progress, which shows Planned Parenthood Medical Directors’ Council President Dr. Mary Gatter bartering the price of aborted fetal organs. Afterwards, Gus asks listeners if this will affect any change in Planned Parenthood practices or put the […]
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
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The first reading today for Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time is from Exodus 16. The children of Israel were out in the desert. There’s not much food in the desert. So God provided bread from heaven for them. Today’s Gospel reading is for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. In John 20, […]
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
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Gus gets the audience involved in multiple ways today. First, he asks if they’ve ever brought up the gifts at mass and if they’ve ever been asked and refused. Also, inspired by today’s First Reading (Exodus 14: 21- 15: 1) where Moses parts the Red Sea for the children of Israel fleeing the Egyptians, Gus […]
Miracles Big and Small
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In the first reading today from Exodus 14, we see one of the biggest miracles of all time. Maybe you’re familiar with the story of the parting of the Red Sea. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 12, Jesus lets us know about how we have a family bond with Him. He says, “Whoever does […]
Monday, July 20, 2015
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Gus starts off Monday morning with Tell Me Something Good. Listeners called to share stories of God’s blessings in their lives. T.J. Burdick joined Gus in the Conversion Corner. T.J. was raised Catholic and never stopped going to Mass, but was just going through the motions for many years. His faith was renewed and he […]
Seeking a Sign
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As the children of Israel were making their way out of Egypt, Pharaoh had a change of heart. Seems losing all that free labor would have made life harder than he thought. So the Egyptians went after the Hebrews. And the Hebrews got stuck at the Red Sea. In today’s first reading, God tells Moses […]
Christian Burnout
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In the Gospel reading today from Mark 6, the Apostles return from their mission trip that Jesus had sent them on. They “reported all they had done and taught.” Jesus then says to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” He knew that they were probably exhausted. Working for […]
Out of Slavery
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Our first reading today picks up the story of the children of Israel after the Passover. They have now been led out of slavery. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 12, Jesus gets out of Dodge when He realizes that the Pharisees are conspiring against Him. Think of the magnitude of the task that Moses […]
Thursday, July 16, 2015
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Gus revisits the SCOTUS decision legalizing same-sex marriage and asks his listeners whether or not their priest or deacon has spoken about it at mass. Also, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has ruled against the Little Sisters of the Poor who challenged a provision in the HHS Mandate that required them to provide […]
Our Perpetual Institution
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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 […]
R&R with Jesus
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In the first reading today from Exodus 3, Moses has a question for God. “When the children of Israel ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replies, “Tell the children of Israel: I AM sent me to you.” This became God’s name, and in the New Testament, we hear […]
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
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Today Gus talked about and got reaction from listeners about the undercover video that shows a Planned Parenthood doctor talking about selling the body parts of aborted babies. You can read more about it here. Gus talked with Dr. Stephen Krason of Franciscan University of Steubenville about the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision […]
God Speaks
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God reveals himself to us in many ways. In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 11, Jesus says that the Father has “revealed [these things] to the childlike.” We see a very interesting way of God speaking in our first reading from Exodus 3. God spoke to Moses in a burning bush. Except the bush […]
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
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Gus shared an email from a listener today who wondered if all Catholic parishes are unfriendly and unwelcoming. Listeners called to share their stories. Gus had a double blessing talking with Rhonda Gruenwald, who is a convert to the faith and author of Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Vocation Ministry. Visit her web site here. […]
The Danger of Not Repenting
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We see the early life of Moses in today’s first reading from Exodus 2. Moses should have been tossed into the river at birth. But God had a different plan. He was saved from death and became part of the royal family. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus pronounces woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida […]
Monday, July 13, 2015
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Gus shared this morning about his trip to Houston, TX over the weekend to speak at a fundraising banquet for vocations and the seminary. He had the pleasure of sitting next to Cardinal Daniel DiNardo. He also told about how he has received the Imprimatur for his new book, A Minute in the Church: The […]
Taking Up Your Cross
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A new chapter begins in the lives of the children of Israel in today’s first reading from Exodus 1 – slavery. The Egyptians made the Hebrews their slaves, and Pharaoh commands that every Hebrew boy child be killed. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus finishes His discourse to the Apostles as he sends […]
They Preached Repentance
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In the Gospel reading from Mark 6, we see Jesus sending out the Twelve. He tells them what they need to do. So what do they do? “So they went off and preached repentance.” Gee, I’ll bet that made them really popular guys! Let’s assume that telling people they need to repent is not going to […]
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, […]
Shrewd and Simple
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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 9, 2015
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Gus starts off by chuckling through a bogus story about how Pope Francis is seeking to change, or revise, the 10 Commandments. If you want a good laugh, click here. Then, our second hour is chock full of guests. First up, is Bishop Michael Byrnes, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit. In addition to […]
A Greater Purpose
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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 […]