My Guardian Dear
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Guardian Angels. In the optional first reading for the feast day from Exodus, we see God telling the people that he is sending an angel before them to lead and guide them. He says that He has given this angel His authority; they must listen to him. In […]
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
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In reflecting upon today’s Gospel (Luke 9: 57-62), when Jesus says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God,” Gus admits the first thing that always comes to mind is addiction whenever he hears that passage. After all, we’re all addicts to […]
Forward in Faith
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Do you converse with God? I hope so – and regularly. Have you ever questioned God? Job ponders that in today’s first reading from Job 9. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 9:57-62, we hear what can be a rather disconcerting saying of Jesus. A guy says he will follow Jesus, but first he wants to […]
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
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Gus admits to “binge-watching” the TV show Under the Dome so he asks his listeners if they’ve ever binge-watched a program and which one was it? Also, Dr. Peter Kleponis calls in to the program to talk about his new book “Integrity Restored: Helping Catholic Families Win the Battle Against Pornography.” Dr. Kleponis is one of […]
Fire from Heaven
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If Job were around today, he certainly would have been diagnosed with serious depression. In today’s first reading, he rues the very day that he was born. He knows that anything would be better than all the stuff he was suffering through. Yet through it all, he never curses God for his plight. In the […]
Monday, September 29, 2014
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Gus kicks the show off with Tell Me Something Good. Callers share their blessings to try and push back the Monday blahs. Also, Patrick Archbold, National Catholic Register columnist and founder of the Creative Minority Report, calls in to talk about the upcoming Synod of the Family in Rome and how the possible “streamlining” of […]
This is War!
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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael – the Archangels. We truly celebrate all of the Holy Angels. Our readings reflect that. We have two options for the first reading. The first, from Daniel 7, contains a vision of heaven. Here we see “myriads upon myriads” attending to the Ancient One. […]
More Than Words
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In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 21, Jesus tells a story of two sons, each of whom was told by their father to go out and work in the vineyard. The first son says, “I will not,” but then changes his mind and goes out to work. The second son says, “Yes, sir,” but then doesn’t […]
The Joy of Youth
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Jesus said many things that His disciples did not understand. We see this in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 9. Jesus tells them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” They didn’t understand, and were afraid to question Him further about this. In the first reading today from Ecclesiastes 11 and […]
Seasons of Life
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Today’s first reading is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.” If you’re a baby boomer like me, you can’t read that Scripture without hearing “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds in your head. Not a bad ear worm to have! As a […]
Thursday, September 25, 2014
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Gus reminds everybody this morning that we’re only three months away from Christmas. In honor, he gives away copies of his books “A Minute in the Church” and “A Minute in the Church, Vol. 2” to callers who get on the air with him and promise to give it to their priest or pastor as a […]
A Greater Purpose
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In the first reading today, we begin the book of Ecclesiastes. The book is something of a study in the futility of life here on earth. More in a moment. In the Gospel from Luke 9, we see Herod wondering about this Jesus character. He had heard much about him and was obviously very curious. […]
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
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Gus starts off by sounding off on the recent NFL epidemic of spousal/child abuse and lays the problem at the feet of the disintegrating families, particularly the diminished role of the father. Then, Fr. Robert McTeigue, instructor at Ava Maria University, calls in to talk about the religious sisterhood and why exactly some women choose […]
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
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Gus began the day talking about what he believes are some the root causes of the spate of domestic violence cases today. The breakdown of the family and the large number of fatherless households are a great start. Gus took opinions from many listeners in a lively discussion. Former US Senator Rick Santorum joined Gus […]
Two Things I Ask
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If you could ask God for just two things, what would they be? Solomon does just that today in our first reading from Proverbs 30. And in the Gospel from Luke 9, Jesus sends out the Twelve, telling them to take just the bare necessities to get by. The two readings really go hand in […]
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
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Gus is inspired by today’s Gospel reading (Luke 8: 19-21) in which Jesus, upon hearing that his mother and brothers are standing outside and they wish to see Him, says to the crowd, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” He asks his listeners about […]
Jesus’ Family
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So many of the Proverbs talk about our actions – how we respond to God’s call. That is certainly the case with today reading from Proverbs 21. “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. In the Gospel reading from Luke 8, Jesus’ mother and brothers come to […]
Monday, September 22, 2014
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Gus talks panhandling this morning. His hometown of Tampa passed an ordinance recently prohibiting panhandling downtown and near banks. Gus, like most people, feels conflicted about giving to panhandlers and asks his listeners how they feel about banning that activity and if they have rules on giving to people who panhandle. Also, Dr. Frank Hermann sits […]
Prayer and Generosity
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n the first reading today, we begin a few days in the book of Proverbs, a book that is full of short verses that contain the wisdom of the ages. Much of the book is attributed to Solomon, the wisest man ever to live. In the Gospel reading from Luke 8 Jesus tells us that, […]
Always a Good Time
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who goes into town to hire workers for his vineyard. He hires some at the beginning of the day, others late in the morning, others in the afternoon, and some very late in the day. At the end of the […]
Knowledge of the Mysteries of the Kingdom
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We continue in 1 Corinthians 15 for our first reading today, where St. Paul continues his treatment on the resurrection of the body. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.” The Gospel reading is Luke’s telling of the parable of sower. After telling the parable, but before explaining it, Jesus […]
Friday, September 19, 2014
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Gus kicks the show off with Prayer Time and gets all the prayer intentions of his 7:30 listeners and offers them all up in one communal prayer. Also, Gus talks about Bishop Thomas Tobin’s recent comments about the Church’s approach to reconciling divorced-and-remarried Catholics, while not changing Church teaching, and opens it up to the […]
A Greater Hope
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Women were a very important part of the Church from the very beginning. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 8, St. Luke lists some women who accompanied Jesus and the Twelve and “provided for them out of their resources.” In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul continues to talk about the resurrection […]
Thursday, September 18, 2014
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Gus gets things rolling today with Jeff Gardner, co-founder and CEO of Catholic Media International, who joins us live in Iraq as he follows the plight of the persecuted Christians at the hands of ISIS. Jeff describes vividly the atrocities that have been inflicted upon them and how they’re getting through it. To hear the interview […]
Forgiveness and Love
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Popeye used to say, “I yam what I yam.” I wonder if he got that from St. Paul. He could have. In our first reading today from 1 Corinthians 15, St. Paul says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am…” Who knew that Popeye quoted the Scriptures? In the Gospel reading […]
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
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Gus plays a couple clips from yesterday’s edition of Conversation with Cardinal Dolan where his eminence spoke at length about the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen beatification delay and the St. Patrick’s Day parade controversy where, for the first time, a gay group will much under a banner. Cardinal Dolan, incidentally, was named Grand Marshall. To […]
Love is…You?
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Today’s first reading is from 1 Corinthians 13. In fact, it is the whole chapter. It is known as “The Love Chapter.” More on that in a moment. In the Gospel today from Luke 7, Jesus gives a scenario that kind of says, “You just can’t please anybody.” Check it out for yourself. If you […]
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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In light of the news about Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson being indicted on child abuse charges for using a switch on his son, Gus talked about corporal punishment and asked the listeners if they received corporal punishment as a child, and/or used it on their children as parents. Read more about Adrian Peterson’s story […]
Many Parts, One Body
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We get a real glimpse of the merciful heart of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading from Luke 7. Jesus comes upon a funeral procession of a young man who was the only child of a widow. Out of compassion and without being asked, Jesus raises the man from the dead. Imagine that! In the first […]
Monday, September 15, 2014
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Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Gospel reading is John 19: 25-27, where the Blessed Virgin Mary is at the foot of the Cross, watching her son Jesus dying on the Cross. Inspired by this passage, Gus asks his listeners if they or someone they know ever experienced the death […]
Help in Times of Sorrow
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The first reading is for Monday of the twenty-fourth week in Ordinary Time. In it, St. Paul recounts what Jesus said at the Last Supper. How can that be? St. Paul wasn’t at the Last Supper. Read it and see. The Church gives parishes […]
The Cross of Christ
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Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the first reading today from Numbers 21, we see a bit of typology. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Whenever someone looked at it, they would be healed of their bite from a serpent. This […]
Participation in the Body and Blood
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus says, “Every tree is known by its fruit.” He then talks about building our house on a firm foundation. When Christ is not our foundation, our “house” is destined to fall. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 10, St. Paul speaks about the Real Presence of […]
Friday, September 12, 2014
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Gus asks his listeners if they ever had a brush with a famous athlete in their lives and how meaningful it was to them. Also, Gus welcome former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and mayor of Boston Raymond Flynn to the show to talk about the administration’s tepid response to the Christian persecution in Iraq. […]
In It to Win It
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For many, sports is their religion. Interestingly, St. Paul used sports analogies when talking about religion. More in a moment. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus talks about how easy it is for us to point out the sins in others without recognizing our own faults and failings. “You hypocrite! Remove the wooden […]
Thursday, September 11, 2014
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Today, Gus kicks everything off by reading a piece written by Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George for his archdiocese’s newspaper Catholic New World entitled “A Tale of Two Churches.” To read it, click here. Also, following yesterday’s discussion of Freedom From Religion Foundation vs. Koskinen, Gus asks his listeners how they feel about political talk being […]
How You (are) Measure(d)
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Is it better to be smart, or to love? I think we all know the answer to that, right? In the opening verse of our first reading today from 1 Corinthians 8, St. Paul says it like this: “Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.” Today’s Gospel reading from Luke 6 is one of […]
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
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Gus devotes much of today’s Seize the Day program to the reaction following Baltimore Ravens Running Back Ray Rice’s termination from the team after TMZ released the disturbing video of him punching his then-fiancee Janay Palmer in an elevator last February, knocking her unconscious. He asks his listeners how something like this affects the solubility of […]
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
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Gus talks about the recent decision to allow gay groups to march in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade, and invites his listeners to call in and share their thoughts on this historic change. Also, Gus speaks with Ashley McGuire, senior fellow at the Catholic Association, to talk about a recent Time Magazine […]
All is Not as it Seems
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In 1 Corinthians 7 today, St. Paul warns his readers that “time is running out.” This world is passing away. He warns them to use what time is left fruitfully. In the Gospel today from Luke 6, we begin the Sermon on the Plain. Luke 6 records the same sermon that, in Matthew’s Gospel is […]
Things of the Past
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 6, we see that Jesus spent the night in prayer. The next day, He called His disciples and told them that He had chosen Twelve, whom He also named Apostles. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians 6, St. Paul talks about judgement, and Christians treating one another […]
Monday, September 8, 2014
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It’s Monday on Seize the Day and that means it’s time for Tell Me Something Good. Gus has an extended edition today as we’re inundated with God’s blessings on our listeners. Also, Gus speaks with Caitlin La Ruffa, director of the Love & Fidelity Network, to talk about their new college campaign addressing the college […]
Happy Birthday, Mom!
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary…Mary’s birthday! Now, we don’t really know the exact day, date or year that Mary was born. We really don’t even know where she was born. In fact, we have no certainty at all about the details of Mary’s life before the […]
What We Owe
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The second reading today from Romans 13 begins with this: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Seems there’s a lot of talk about debt these days. National debt and personal debt. Debt is generally not a good thing. It means that we […]
Scum
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 6, Jesus is called on the carpet by some Pharisees for picking grain on the sabbath. It was unlawful to “work” on the sabbath. (Of course, in our day and age this seems ridiculous. But they took very seriously the commandment to keep holy the sabbath.) Jesus reminds them […]
Friday, September 5, 2014
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It’s a Friday on Seize the Day so that means Gus takes your prayer requests in Prayer Time. After all, Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Also, Phil Lawler, editor of Catholic World News, calls in to Gus to talk […]
Old Wine and New Wine
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Judgment is always a fun thing to talk about, right? In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 4, that’s just what St. Paul talks about. Read what he has to say about judgment. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 5, we hear Jesus talking about wine and wineskins. He says, “No one pours […]
Thursday, September 4, 2014
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Gus kicks off Seize the Day by again inviting his listeners to take his Pew Seat Challenge this weekend at mass. Inspired by Fr. Roger Landry’s recent article “The Spirituality of Pew Sitting,” Gus challenges the Seize the Day listeners to mix it up this Sunday by sitting in a different part of the church. Gus took […]
Confronting Our Sinfulness
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In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians 3, we hear more about wisdom and foolishness. “If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise.” In the Gospel reading from Luke 5, we see a miraculous catch of fish. After fishing all night and […]
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
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Gus asks his listeners if God has ever put anyone in their life who they’ve tried to help grow spiritually and how that worked out for them. Also, where do you sit in mass? Did you know that where you sit may speak a lot about you? That’s what Fr. Roger Landry of St. Bernadette […]