Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Posted on
It’s Election Day and Gus wants to know your voting activity! He asks listeners if they, a). Voted early, b). Are voting later today, or c). Not voting at all. Gus also talks about Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s announcement of 55 parishes in the Archdiocese of New York as part of his “Making All Things New” […]
Counting the Cost
Posted on
In the first reading today from Philippians 2, St. Paul writes, “Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world.” Are we shining the light of Jesus to […]
It’s Always Something
Posted on
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That’s from our first reading today from Philippians 2. Is your tongue confessing Jesus today? In the Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus tells a story […]
Monday, November 3, 2014
Posted on
Gus is joined today by Arleen Spenceley, staff writer at the Tampa Bay Times and Catholic blogger, to talk about her upcoming book “Chastity is for Lovers.” To learn more about Arleen and to pre-order her book, click here. Also, Gus talks to Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, Vatican scientist and co-author of “Would You Baptize […]
Humility
Posted on
Today’s readings focus on humility. In the first reading from Philippians 2, St. Paul tells us to “humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” In the Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus gives instruction to a Pharisee who invited Him to dinner. “When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, […]
All Souls and Purgatory
Posted on
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Souls. It is the day we remember all the souls in Purgatory. Purgatory can be a controversial topic, and hard to explain. So, I would like to help you with that. Following is the chapter in my book A Minute in the Church on Purgatory. I hope this helps. […]
St. Gus?
Posted on
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. For the past 15 years, whenever this day falls on a weekday, I have a tradition of calling everyone with whom I speak on that day as St. (Your Name). It’s really a lot of fun! Why not try it today? Everyone you talk with today, call […]
Friday, October 31, 2014
Posted on
It’s a Halloween edition of Seize the Day so Gus invites his listeners to call in and offer up their thoughts on the holiday. Do they let their kids participate? Has it become too secular or too focused on the profane? We also hear from Catholic blogger Brittany Higdon who talks about her recent article “Should […]
A Work in Progress
Posted on
In today’s Gospel reading, we see another case of Jesus taking on the controversial topic of “working” on the sabbath. Is it okay to do good on the sabbath, to help and to heal? Of course it is. In the first reading today we begin a journey through St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. Today […]
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Posted on
Today Gus re-aired his interview with Philip Johnson, the seminarian from the Diocese of Raleigh, NC who has terminal brain cancer. It is also available as a podcast, so you can listen to it any time. Click here to listen, and share it with your friends. Gus also shared some of the audio from a […]
Fearless Living
Posted on
Have you put on your armor for battle today? I sure hope so – the armor of God! Do you know what the armor of God is? St. Paul explains in today’s first reading from Ephesians 6. Time to suit up, my friend! In the Gospel reading from Luke 13, some Pharisees come to Jesus […]
Building Our Trust Muscles
Posted on
St. Paul has some great instruction for the family in today’s first reading from Ephesians 6. I think this line is particularly needed in our world today: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.” Fathers truly need our prayers today! In the […]
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Posted on
Today is the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. St. Jude is known to many as the patron saint of lost causes so, in his honor, Gus invites listeners to call in who’ve ever sought St. Jude’s intercession and got an answer. Also, a new survey from the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois offers some insight […]
Help for the Hopeless
Posted on
Today is the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. The readings are the same as the feast days of other Apostles – Ephesians 2:19-22, which I recently wrote about, and Luke 6:12-16, which is the listing of the Twelve. St. Jude, also known as St. Jude Thaddeus, is the Patron of Hopeless and Desperate […]
Monday, October 27, 2014
Posted on
Gus devotes plenty of time today to the movie Ouija, which topped the box office this past weekend. He didn’t offer a review of the film, because he hasn’t seen it, but he did ask listeners if they ever played with a Ouija board in their youth and if they’d see the movie or allow their kids […]
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Posted on
Today, Gus plays 5 Questions with his listeners. The lucky caller who gets on the air gets asked five random questions by Gus and, if they make it through, they win a prize. Also, Jon Leonetti calls in to talk about his new book “Your God is Too Boring.” To learn more about Jon, check […]
Caring for People
Posted on
Today’s reflection may be a stretch, but stay with me. I want to make a connection between the first reading and the Gospel reading, something we can do most every day. In the first reading from Ephesians 4 and 5, St. Paul writes, “Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these […]
A Different Perspective
Posted on
In a training session that I was doing for the readers at my church some years ago, one of the readers asked me specifically about today’s first reading from Exodus 22. “I just don’t connect with the Old Testament,” she said. “How am I supposed to make a reading like this exciting and relevant?” Good […]
Repent – Or Else
Posted on
Have you ever heard this old expression? God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. That’s one of the messages that we get from today’s first reading from Ephesians 4. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus has some stark words for the people. “But I tell you, if you do not repent, […]
The “Times”
Posted on
In our first reading today from Ephesians 4, St. Paul urges his readers to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.” I love this passage of Scripture because it first assumes that we have received a call. It […]
Turn and Burn!
Posted on
Our first reading today from Ephesians 3 is, in essence, a prayer. St. Paul prays that the Father “may grant you…to be strengthened with power through his Spirit…and that Christ may dwell in your hearts…that you…may know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.” Be sure to read St. Paul’s beautiful prayer for you! I […]
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Posted on
Gus is still unraveling the Synod of the Family, which wrapped up this past Sunday. He reads a lot of statements published by U.S. bishops who were in attendance and plays a clip of Cardinal Dolan’s account from yesterday’s edition of Conversation w/Cardinal Dolan on the Catholic Channel. You can listen to it by clicking […]
Entrusted With More
Posted on
In today’s first reading from Ephesians 3, St. Paul talks about the gifts that God has given him, and his responsibility to use them properly. This is a theme that will come up in the Gospel reading today. St. Paul also tells us about a couple of gifts that God has given to us…”we have […]
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Posted on
Gus talks about the story of Brittany Maynard. She’s a 29-year-old woman diagnosed with terminal brain cancer last year and was given 14 months to live. She has decided to end her life on November 1st, through physician-assisted suicide. She will be taking a drug called secobarbital. Gus uses this as an opportunity to discuss […]
Monday, October 20, 2014
Posted on
The Synod of the Family concluded yesterday in Rome and Gus breaks it down with expert analysis from Frank Rocca, Rome bureau chief for Catholic News Services, and Catholic blogger Fr. Dwight Longenecker who wrote a passionate response following the release of the Relatio midway through the Synod. Read it here. Gus also welcomes Marcus […]
No Longer Strangers
Posted on
We’re back in Ephesians 2 for our first reading today. St. Paul addresses the people as “you who once were far off,” and “you who were far off.” Notice that he uses both in the past tense. For now we are near to God the Father through Christ Jesus. In the Gospel reading from Luke […]
True Wealth
Posted on
Today in our first reading from Ephesians 2, St. Paul speaks about being saved. And how does he say we are saved? “By grace you have been saved.” and “For by grace you have been saved through faith…it is the gift of God.” Our salvation is only through the grace of God. We have done, […]
It’s All God’s
Posted on
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus is asked by some Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes. They try to trip Him up by asking, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? ” Jesus’ reply is quite well known to most people. “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar […]
St. Luke the Evangelist
Posted on
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. St. Luke is the author of two books of the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. In fact, Acts may be considered a “sequel” to Luke’s Gospel, as that story picks up right where Luke ends. St. Luke is […]
Friday, October 17, 2014
Posted on
It’s Friday on Seize the Day, so Gus urges his listeners to call in for Prayer Time in an effort to offer up all their unique intentions in one communal prayer. Gus also talks about the big news of the day, which is Cardinal Walter Kasper’s disparaging remarks concerning the voice of the African bishops in the […]
What You’re Worth
Posted on
The old existential question persists – Why are we here? Actually, St. Paul gives the answer to that question in our first reading from Ephesians 1. “…so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.” Got it? You are here to praise God!! In the Gospel reading […]
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Posted on
Gus is still weighing in on the relatio that was released earlier this week. It came out yesterday that an “incorrect translation” created the immense reaction. To read more about that, click here. Also, Catholic author Jon M. Sweeney calls in to talk about his new book “When Saint Francis Saved the Church,” which Gus […]
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Posted on
Gus is back from vacation and all the talk is about the Synod of the Family mid-term report called the “relatio.” It’s certainly getting big reactions from all sides of the spectrum. Click here to read the latest. To help sift through all the mixed reports on exactly what is going on at the Synod, […]
Redemption, Forgiveness, Grace
Posted on
The scribes and Pharisees were, for the most part, no fans of Jesus. Small wonder after the tongue-lashing they got from Him. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, we see that they “began to act with hostility to him.” It reminds me that when the world shows hostility to us, we should never despair. […]
A Checklist for Life
Posted on
Jesus was never one to mince words. We see this again today in the Gospel reading from Luke 11, where He is pronouncing woes on the Pharisees. When a scholar of the law hears this, he tells Jesus that they (the scholars of the law) feel insulted, too. So, just to even things up, Jesus […]
Matching the Inside with the Outside
Posted on
God doesn’t care about anyone’s background. You don’t have to have any kind of “pedigree” to give your life to Christ. St. Paul puts it like this in today’s first reading: “For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, […]
Freedom
Posted on
In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus says, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Hmm…seems the more things change the more they stay the same. So many today are seeking a sign. They won’t believe until they see […]
Properly Dressed
Posted on
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 22, Jesus tells a parable about a king who gives a wedding feast for his son. When the servants went out to summon the invited guests, they refused to come. Some even beat and killed the servants. So the king has servants go out and invite people off the […]
Being Blessed
Posted on
We hear more about justification and faith in today’s first reading from Galatians 3. “For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.” Good news, no? Lord, strengthen our faith this day. We have a very short Gospel passage today, only two short verses from Luke 11. A woman cries out to […]
The Gift of Faith
Posted on
Today in Galatians 3, St. Paul has strong things to say about faith and “works of the law.” More on that in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Luke 11, we see Jesus being accused of casting out demons “by the power of Beelzebul.” Jesus responds by asking how that could be. If that […]
October 6th to October 14th
Posted on
Enjoy some of the greatest moments from the summer of Seize the Day and Gus Lloyd takes some vacation time! We talk to listeners about annulments, angelic encounters, the sign of peace and much more. He’s also joined by several guests including Catholic bloggers Kevin Cotter and Joshua Bowman and Fr. Jerry Byrd, John Lillis […]
Ask for the Spirit
Posted on
In the first reading today from Galatians 3, St. Paul talks about faith vs. works of the law. He asks a question about “the one who supplies the Spirit to you.” More about the Spirit comes in the Gospel. In the Gospel reading from Luke 11, Jesus tells a story about persistence. He then goes […]
Speaking Truth to Power
Posted on
What was the first prayer you learned as a child? Chances are good that it was the Our Father. Jesus teaches it to His disciples in today’s first reading from Luke 11. In today’s first reading from Galatians 2, we see the story of an interesting confrontation. St. Paul was a very outspoken guy. He […]
The Turnaround
Posted on
St. Paul was a pretty bad guy early on. We hear about it in our first reading today from Galatians 1. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading from Luke 10, we see the story of Martha and Mary. “You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church […]
Your Good Samaritan
Posted on
For the first reading today, we begin a trip through St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. St. Paul made it very clear that any “gospel” that conflicted with his preaching was a false gospel. Our Gospel reading for today is from Luke 10, the story of the Good Samaritan. We’re all familiar with this story, […]
The Importance of Bearing Fruit
Posted on
In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner. The landowner sends numerous servants to look after a vineyard that he had leased to some tenants. The tenants abuse and kill them all. So the landowner sends his son. And they kill him. Jesus then says to the chief priests and […]
St. Francis
Posted on
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. So, rather than comment on the Scriptures, I’m going to go a bit out of format for today. If you’re not familiar with the Prayer of St. Francis, then today would be a good day to familiarize yourself with it. And if you already know […]
Friday, October 3, 2014
Posted on
It’s a power-packed Friday on Seize the Day as Gus prepares to take a week plus off. We kick everything off with Prayer Time and then Gus gets into a heavy discussion with listeners about Bishop Ronald Gainer of the diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s decision to not allow the male wrestlers in Catholic schools in […]
Two Rules
Posted on
In the Gospel reading today from Luke 10, we hear more of Jesus’ words to the seventy-two as He sends them out. “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” We must always remember that Jesus’ authority lies in the Church […]
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Posted on
Today is the Feast of the Guardian Angels and Gus invites listeners to call in again and share their “angelic encounter” stories. Earlier this week, we had the Feast of the Archangels so it’s been a very angelic week on Seize the Day. Also, it’s Thursday and that means our college football expert Bob Dunning […]