You are Blessed
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Elijah was given great authority by God. In today’s first reading, we see that there would be no rain in the land, except at his word. God then sends him out and provides for his needs. Our Gospel reading today is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5. We know them […]
Come, Holy Spirit!
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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 Mass today, you’ll hear the Veni, Sancte Spiritus- sometimes called the Golden Sequence. I thought is appropriate to share today. Come, Holy Spirit, come! And […]
You Follow Me
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In Acts 28 today, we see Paul continuing in his ministry, even while in custody. Oh, that we could all have the evangelistic spirit of St. Paul! In the Gospel reading from John 21, Peter sees John coming toward him and Jesus and asks Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus’ reply is interesting. Jesus tells […]
Do You Love Me?
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In the first reading today from Acts 25, Paul is in Caesarea awaiting trial. He is asked if he wants to go to Jerusalem to have his case heard. Paul declines, knowing that God is sending him to Rome. So Paul appeals his case to the Emperor. Our Gospel reading is from John 21, one […]
May We 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, spoke of the resurrection of the dead. This was not something the Sadducees bought into. So a big old fight breaks out and Paul has […]
Saying Goodbye
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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. In it, he quotes Jesus with words that we do not hear in any of the four Gospels, “It is more blessed to give than […]
Life is of No Importance
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Interesting title for today’s reflection, eh? I can hear it now…”Gus, what’s happened to you?? Are you no longer pro-life?” But those words about the unimportance of life are not mine, they are St. Paul’s. That’s right, we see them in today’s first reading from Acts 20. More in a moment. For the Gospel today, […]
You Can Conquer the World!
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In today’s first reading from Acts, Paul runs into a group of believers who have not yet received the Holy Spirit. In fact, they hadn’t even heard of a Holy Spirit. So Paul lays hands on them and they received the gift of the Spirit. In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples that they will […]
Belonging to Jesus
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Many Catholics today will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. Since we did a reflection for the Ascension on Thursday, today we’ll reflect on the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter. In today’s Gospel reading from John 17, Jesus prays for His disciples. “I do not pray for the world but for the ones […]
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 either from the Prophet Zephaniah or Romans 12. Do yourself a favor and read them both! The Gospel reading is the story of the Visitation […]
From Grief to Joy
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At the beginning of today’s first reading from Acts 18, the Lord speaks to Paul in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” Sounds like sound advice for us, too! In the Gospel reading today from John 16, Jesus tells the disciples […]
The Importance of the Ascension
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension. In most dioceses around the country, today is not a Holy Day of obligation. For most, this feast will be celebrated this Sunday. If you are in a diocese or archdiocese where the Holy Day of obligation has been retained, you get to go to Mass today! […]
Finding God
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Today in our first reading from Acts 17, we see Paul giving one of his great speeches, this time to the Greeks in the Areopagus. More on his message in a moment. In the Gospel reading from John 16, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit, telling the Apostles, “But when he comes, the Spirit of […]
Our Conviction Notices
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Another jailbreak in our first reading today from Acts 16. Today God uses a mighty earthquake to break the chains of Paul and Silas. And the happenings after the jailbreak are amazing! Be sure to check it out. For our Gospel reading, we’re back in John 16, as Jesus speaks more about the Advocate, the […]
Monday, May 26, 2014
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A happy Memorial Day from all of us at Seize the Day and a big thank you to all of our men and women in the military who served this great country of ours, especially to those who gave their lives. Today was the final combined show from the Holy Land with Lino Rulli, the […]
On Listening
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In Acts 16 today, Paul and Luke find themselves in the city of Thyatira, where they meet a woman named Lydia. More on that encounter in a moment. In the Gospel from John 15, Jesus talks about sending the Advocate, the Spirit of truth. He says, “I have told you this so that you may […]
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 […]