Always Be Ready
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As Christians, we need to be like Boy Scouts. Be prepared. It’s the theme of Advent. Stay awake! Be ready! We see a very good reminder of that theme in our second reading today from 1 Peter 3. “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your […]
On Being Hated
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More action and adventure today in the first reading from Acts 16. Paul has a vision in which a Macedonian says to him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” So he goes! Perhaps we should pray for the intercession of St. Paul and say, “Come to America and help us!” In the Gospel reading […]
Friday, May 23, 2014
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It’s Day Five of the combined Seize the Day – Catholic Guy show in the Holy Land and today, Gus and Lino visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and following that up with a short walk to Golgotha. For those of you who may not be entirely sure, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is […]
Holy Ground
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Today our pilgrimage took us to Holy Ground. I have to admit, this is all quite overwhelming. Not only trying to keep up with our amazing guide, George, and take in all of the information that he imparts, but also being in the moment at the places where our Lord lived and died. I suspect […]
Laying Down One’s Life
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For the Gospel reading today, we’re back in John 15, where Jesus says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Laying down one’s life. Usually when we think of this, we think of some really heroic […]
Thursday, May 22, 2014
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It’s one day closer to the pope’s arrival in Jerusalem and Gus Lloyd and Lino Rulli aren’t letting any grass grow under their feet waiting. Gus kicks off the show with Fr. Eamon Kelly, vice charge of the Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center. He talks about his vocation to the priesthood and life […]
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
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Gus and Lino on pilgrimage in the Holy Land is in fever pitch today as the pair visit the synagogue in Capernaum where Jesus taught His disciples about the Eucharist. They also ventured down to the shores of the Sea of Galilee and, in particular, the site where Jesus fed the multitudes and the spot […]
That Your Joy May be Complete
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In today’s first reading from Acts 15, we see that the early Church was hierarchical. There was a dispute about whether the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic laws in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas knew that this was not a matter that could be settled on a local level. […]
A Day of Prayer
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A pilgrimage should be a time of prayer. Sometimes this is much easier said than done, especially in a place like the Holy Land where there are often huge crowds. You sometimes have to rush in and out of places to make room for the next pilgrim(s). Today was a day of intense prayer for […]
Of Vines and Branches
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In our first reading today from Acts 15, we see more controversy in the early Church about whether or not new believers needed to be circumcised. To settle the matter, Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem to bring the matter to the Apostles. Why? Because the heriarchy needed to decide the matter. In today’s Gospel […]
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
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Gus Lloyd joins Lino Rulli for the special broadcast, “Pope Francis in the Holy Land.” They’re broadcasting daily from Jerusalem and surrounding areas in anticipation of Pope Francis’ arrival on Saturday, May 24th. Today, Gus and Lino visited the Jordan River, Capernaum, Cana, Nain and a few other places including one popular spot that didn’t […]
The Rock
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Today was a day of transition for us. Having spent the last couple of days at the Sea of Galilee, it was now time for us to make our way back to Jerusalem. So we packed our bags and set out to make the journey back south. Before we left the northern region of Israel, […]
Hardships and Peace
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Today in our readings, we see one of the great paradoxes of our faith. In the first reading, we hear Paul and Barnabas telling the people, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” Not a real popular message, I’m sure. In the Gospel reading from John 14, […]
The Sea of Galilee
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What an amazing day in the Holy Land! We spent the day around the Sea of Galilee. This is the area where Jesus and the Apostles spent the bulk of their time. There is so much to see in this region that we decided to stay for a couple of days. Even then we […]
Monday, May 19, 2014
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Gus arrives in the Holy Land! His flight was less than perfect with his wife’s bag getting lost but they make do as they anticipate its arrival from JFK Airport. Lino Rulli, the Catholic Guy, joins Gus and together they set the stage for the week’s worth of broadcasting as they wait, in anticipation, for the […]
Keeping Jesus’ Words
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In our Gospel reading today from John 14, Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word…whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” I want to think today about that notion of keeping Jesus’ words. Do you love Jesus? Of course you do! So do I. Yet I see this saying of […]
A Very Busy Day
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Our day in the Holy Land started with Mass this morning at Notre Dame Center. When we left there, we began to make our way north to Galilee. While on the way, we stopped at many places and experienced a lot of things. Here’s a brief rundown for the day. It all started in Jericho. […]
A Royal Priesthood
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We know that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah. He came to us as priest, prophet and king. As Christians, we share in those ministries of Christ. In the second reading today from 1 Peter 2, St. Peter says you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of […]
It’s a Small World After All
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Well we made it to Israel! Our flight out of Tampa was delayed again and again until we thought we were for sure going to miss our flight to Israel. God’s timing is again perfect! We made it to JFK in the nick of time to board the flight to Tel-Aviv. Unfortunately, Michelle’s luggage didn’t […]
Mighty Deeds
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In the first reading today from Acts 13, we see more of the adventures of Paul and Barnabas. After riling up some of the Jews, they (the Jews) stirred up a persecution against the two, and they were tossed out of that territory. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet and moved on. […]
The First Sign
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God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! This morning Michelle and I were running around packing and making final preparations for our trip to the Holy Land. When you’re a homeowner, you want to make sure that everything is in good working order before you leave. Our two boys […]
Friday, May 16, 2014
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It’s the last Seize the Day before Gus heads out to the Holy Land so he opens up the phone lines for Open Forum Friday, where he takes all sorts of Catholic questions. Plus, he also takes prayer requests during the Prayer Time portion of the show. Also, Gus talks about Pope Francis’ decision to not […]
Thursday, May 15, 2014
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Gus is only a day-and-a-half away from embarking on a trip to the Holy Land and he welcomes Fr. Michael Werkhoven, a priest from the diocese of Memphis, who recently returned from a Holy Land pilgrimage with Jeff Young, the Catholic Foodie. Fr. Michael offers Gus his perspective of the Holy Land and even recommends […]
Thursday, May 15, 2014
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Gus is only a day-and-a-half away from embarking on a trip to the Holy Land and he welcomes Fr. Michael Werkhoven, a priest from the diocese of Memphis, who recently returned from a Holy Land pilgrimage with Jeff Young, the Catholic Foodie. Fr. Michael offers Gus his perspective of the Holy Land and even recommends […]
Receiving Jesus
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We read the writings of St. Paul often. Can you imagine what it must have been like to hear him speak? I conjure up images of Paul as a passionate orator, able to convince people that he was speaking the truth. In today’s first reading from Acts 13, we see one of Paul’s great speeches, […]
Come to the Holy Land with Me!
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Pope Francis will be visiting the Holy Land May 24-26. Before the Holy Father gets there, I’ll be making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and sharing my trip with you. Lino Rulli and I will be visiting the sites where Pope Francis will be, along with many other sites throughout the Holy Land. I’ll […]
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
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Pope Francis recently welcomed a group of seminarians to Rome and he told them to not be “orphan priests” who are motherless without Mary and he also urged them not give boring homilies but rather brief and powerful ones. Gus asks his listeners to explain what they think the difference is between a good and bad homily. […]
Apostolic Succession
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Matthias. The two readings are ones that we have already had during the Easter season. The Gospel is from John 15, where Jesus says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” […]
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
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Gus welcomes David and Jason Benham to the show this morning in an exclusive Catholic Channel interview. The Benham Brothers’ HGTV show “Flip it Forward” was cancelled before it ever aired because of their religious beliefs. To hear the interview in its entirety, click here. If you want to learn more about David and Jason […]
Keep the Faith!
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In the Gospel reading today from John 10, Jesus says, “The Father and I are one.” Though we accept this idea as a tenet of faith, these words were surely scandalous to the Jews. This was another case of Jesus revealing more about the nature of the Trinity. In the first reading from Acts 11, […]
Monday, May 12, 2014
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Gus does an extended Tell Me Something Good to kick off the week. In an effort to beat the Monday morning blues, Gus invites his listeners to call in and talk about something good that’s happened recently to them. Also, after getting an angry email on the subject, Gus talks about Pope Francis’ recent comment […]
A Hindrance to God
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“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Those are the words of Jesus that begin our Gospel reading today from John 10. Let us each day allow Jesus to shepherd us. In the first reading today from Acts 11, Peter is called on the carpet by Jewish […]
The Abundant Life
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In the Gospel reading today from John 10, Jesus talks about shepherds and sheep. He goes on to say, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.” The Gospel passage today ends with, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” What does this abundant life look […]
The Words of Eternal Life
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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 the dead, and because of that, many came to believe. In the Gospel reading today, we finish up in John 6. After Jesus talked about […]
Friday, May 9, 2014
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It’s finally Friday on Seize the Day! Gus talks to listeners about their particular church and asks them what makes them go there each Sunday, other than the obvious. Is it the ambiance, the architecture, the priest, or for some other reason? Gus also welcomes Whitney Belprez to the Conversion Corner. She is a convert […]
Friday, May 9, 2014
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It’s finally Friday on Seize the Day! Gus talks to listeners about their particular church and asks them what makes them go there each Sunday, other than the obvious. Is it the ambiance, the architecture, the priest, or for some other reason? Gus also welcomes Whitney Belprez to the Conversion Corner. She is a convert […]
The Eucharistic Puzzle
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The readings today are a cornucopia of awesomeness! The first reading today is the story of the conversion of St. Paul. Saul has a close encounter with Jesus, and it rocks his world. Many of us have had radical conversion experiences. But God calls us to conversion daily, and most often uses much more subtle […]
Thursday, May 8, 2014
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On today’s edition of Seize the Day, Gus asks his listeners how far they commute is to their church on Sunday. Is it near or far? Do you commute to a parish that’s far away even though there’s one closer to you? Gus also takes another question to the listeners: Do you have a relative or […]
Thursday, May 8, 2014
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On today’s edition of Seize the Day, Gus asks his listeners how far they commute is to their church on Sunday. Is it near or far? Do you commute to a parish that’s far away even though there’s one closer to you? Gus also takes another question to the listeners: Do you have a relative or […]
When Bread is Flesh
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A very interesting story in our first reading today from Acts 8. The Holy Spirit sends Philip, one of the newly ordained deacons, to interpret the Scriptures for an Ethiopian eunuch. After this, the eunuch says, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” Philip baptizes him, then disappears. This passage always […]
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
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Over the past few months, Gus has made it known that he’s been taking care of his sister, who has cancer, in his home. There are good days and bad days in the care-taking of a loved one day to day and Gus asks listeners who are in the same situation how they deal with […]
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
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Over the past few months, Gus has made it known that he’s been taking care of his sister, who has cancer, in his home. There are good days and bad days in the care-taking of a loved one day to day and Gus asks listeners who are in the same situation how they deal with […]
Hope in the Resurrection
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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 about the bold preaching and healing ministry of Philip. We’re back in John 6 for the Gospel reading today. Jesus says, “Everyone who sees the […]
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
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Gus plays a portion of Dr. James Dobson’s speech from the National Prayer Breakfast where he calls President Obama the “abortion president.” When he addressed the president’s desire that a certain portion of each citizen’s insurance payment should go to funding abortions, Dr. Dobson said that he will not yield to the president’s wicked regulations. […]
Bread of Life
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In today’s first reading from Acts 7, we read about the martyrdom of St. Stephen. He met a brutal end. Can you imagine being stoned to death? How painful that must have been. And yet, he echoes the sentiment of Jesus as He hung on the cross, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” […]
Monday, May 5, 2014
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Gus kicks off the week by recounting his Sunday mass experience. Gus sat next to “loud talkers” during mass, which made it a little less than pleasurable. So, Gus asks his listeners how they handle it when they’re in that situation. Also, Jenni Groft joins Gus in the Conversion Corner. Jenni is a convert from […]
What are You Working For?
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St. Stephen is considered the “proto-martyr” or first martyr. In today’s first reading from Acts 6, we see St. Stephen being put on trial, with many false witnesses coming to testify against him. In the Gospel, we continue with John 6. We hear Jesus say to the people, “Do not work for food that perishes […]
The Beauty of Scripture
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In the Gospel reading for today, the Third Sunday of Easter, we see the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. When the disciples didn’t understand what was going on, Jesus, “interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.” This always reminds me of the importance of […]
Show Us the Father
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Today is the Feast of Saints Philip and James. Philip and James were two the the Apostles. The first reading today is from 1 Corinthians 15, where St. Paul mentions that Jesus appeared to James. The Gospel reading today is from John 14, where Philip says to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that […]
Friday, May 2, 2014
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Gus kicks off today’s show with Prayer Time. Gus takes prayer requests from listeners across the country. In the spirit of Prayer Time, Gus follows that up by asking his listeners if they’ve ever experienced an answer to a prayer request. Also, Gus welcomes Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute President Austin Ruse to the program […]