The Spirit of the Law
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A wonderul story of healing in today’s first reading from Isaiah 38. Hezekiah is dying and he cries out to the Lord. God hears his cry and gives him another 15 years. Hope he used it well! In the Gospel from Matthew 12, the Pharisees dog Jesus’ disciples for “working†on the Sabbath. Jesus says […]
Meekness and Humility
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In today’s first reading from Isaiah 26, the prophet talks about how physical death is not the end for us. In fact, he talks about the resurrection of the dead. Check it out! In our Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek […]
Being Child-LIKE
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More words of warning today from Isaiah 10. In the Gospel reading, Jesus says that the Father has “revealed (these things) to the childlike.†What does it mean to be childlike? Well, let me say this…there is a huge difference between being child-LIKE and being child-ISH. Unfortunately, I find myself being childish more often than […]
Repentance
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An intriguing story in our first reading today from Isaiah 7. A couple of big-shots are planning to attack Jerusalem and overthrow Judah. And God says, “No way!” In the Gospel reading from Matthew 11, Jesus pronounces woes on some towns, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, because He performed mighty deeds there, but they did not […]
Household Enemies
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Wonderful advice from Isaiah 1 in our first reading today…”Cease doing evil; learn to do good.” In the Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus tells the Apostles that he will be a source of division. Isn’t Jesus sometimes a paradox in our families? Some families are united by their mutual love for Jesus. Weddings, Baptisms, Anniversaries…many […]
Who is My Neighbor?
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Our Gospel reading for today is from Luke 10, the story of the Good Samaritan. We’re all familiar with this story, right? A guy asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor? And Jesus tells a story about a guy who gets mugged and beaten and left for dead. A priest and a Levite pass by ignoring him. […]
Send Me!
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 6. It is one that you will often hear from Vocation Directors. And rightfully so. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus tells His disciples not to be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. “Rather, be afraid […]
Endurance
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While reading today’s first reading and responsorial, you may feel like you’re in the midst of Lent. The reading from Hosea 14 is one that we see during Lent, and the responsorial is from Psalm 51 is a Lenten mainstay. Be sure to read and meditate on both! In the Gospel reading today from Matthew […]
Give Freely
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Thank God for His mercy. In today’s first reading from Hosea 11, we read about God’s great mercy, tenderness and love. Listen to the tender feelings God has as He speaks of Ephraim. “My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred. I will not give vent to my blazing anger.” In the Gospel today from […]
Time to Seek the Lord
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, we see the listing of the Twelve Apostles. Then Jesus sends out the Twelve, telling them to “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ” One of Jesus’ main missions was […]
Sheep Without a Shepherd
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Our first reading today is from Hosea 8. Hosea had and interesting, and difficult, life. Much of the book of Hosea is beautiful to read. It is a call from God to return to Him. But some of it is not so pleasant. Hosea, like all the prophets, had to deliver some harsh news. Today’s […]
Healings
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Today in the Gospel reading from Matthew 9, we see two miracle healings. The two are similar, yet very different. And we can learn lessons from both of them. A synagogue official comes and asks Jesus to heal his young daughter. She was deathly ill. So Jesus and his retinue set out for the man’s […]
Send Out Laborers
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two of His disciples to prepare the way in all of the towns and villages where He was going to visit. Jesus sent them out in pairs. As He sends them out, He gives them some orders. “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals…Stay […]
The Doubts of Thomas
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. In the first reading from Ephesians 2, St. Paul tells us that the household of God, the Church, is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. And the Gospel reading from John 20 is the […]
A Hospital for Sinners
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In the first reading today from Amos 8, the prophet speaks of a time when there would be a famine in the land. “Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the Lord.” His words would eventually come to pass. For many years, there was no prophet in […]
The Unpopular Prophet
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Amos was an unlikely prophet. Take a look at the first reading today and you’ll see what I mean. He was, like most all the prophets, quite unpopular, too. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 9, Jesus heals a paralytic. But before He has him pick up his mat and […]
Driving Out Demons
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What a great message the Lord gives to the people through the prophet Amos in our first reading today from Amos 5: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live. Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate.” God then lets the people know that it is not noisy songs […]
Peter and Paul = Trust
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. In the first reading from Acts 12, we see how the angel of the Lord led Peter out of a VERY secure prison so that he could continue his mission. Our second reading is from 2 Timothy 4. St. Paul says, “The Lord stood […]
A Higher Calling
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In the first reading today from Amos 2, we read about the mighty power of God. It doesn’t matter how strong a person is. Bottom line is that no one is any match for God. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 8, we hear another saying of Jesus that is difficult to understand. One of […]
Don't Look Back
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In our first reading today from 1 Kings 19, Elijah appoints Elisha to be his successor and attendant. Elisha says, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” In the Gospel reading, three people all tell Jesus that they want to follow him. And Jesus tells them all about the […]
I am Not Worthy…
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Today’s first reading is from Lamentations. It is a sad, depressing read. After reading over the last few days about the diaspora and the Babylonian exile, this is a cry of anguish. In the Gospel today from Matthew 8, we see Jesus perform many healings, the first of which is on a centurion’s servant, done […]
Overcoming Our Shame
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In our first reading today from 2 Kings 25, we read about more sad days for the children of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar surrounds Jerusalem with his army and besieges it for nearly two years. As the Babylonian army enters the city, Zedekiah, the king of Judah, escapes. He is hunted down, his sons slain in front […]
Birth of John the Baptist
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Today the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. In the first reading from Isaiah 49, we see prophesies that certainly pertain to the life of John the Baptist. In the second reading from Acts 13, St. Paul tells of how John heralded the coming of the Lord Jesus. And the Gospel reading from […]
By Their Fruits
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A beautiful story today from 2 Kings. The book of the law is found in the temple of the Lord, and is taken to the king. He assembles the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem, and takes all the people up to the temple where the book of the law is read aloud to them. […]
Enter Through the Narrow Gate
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Our God is a big God. He can handle anything, even things that we might think are too big for even God! We see an awesome example of this in today’s first reading. The king of Assyria, a guy with all the firepower in the world, was ready to take Jerusalem. But Hezekiah, the king […]
The Beam in My Eye
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Today’s first reading shows us the beginning of the diaspora, where the tribes of Israel are scattered, leaving only the tribe of Judah. God allowed them to be tossed out of the land He had given them because of their continual turning away from Him. Once again…actions have consequences! In our Gospel reading from Matthew […]
Who is Jesus?
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Today’s Gospel reading is Luke’s version of Peter’s great profession of faith. Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “The Christ of God.” It’s a legitimate question, even for us. Who do you say that Jesus is? Some would say a great teacher. Others would say a prophet. Some […]
Why Worry?
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Today’s first reading from 2 Chronicles is a story of what happens when we abandon God. Read the story and you’ll see that it is not good. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about worry, and how we need to live for today. Have you ever met a worry-wart? Someone who worries about everything? They […]
Storing Up Treasure
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Today’s first reading is one of those stories that they make movies from. A wicked queen kills off the royal family, but they secret away young Joash, the rightful heir to the throne. Years later they bring out the rightful king, and the wicked queen gets hers. Check it out! In today’s Gospel reading from […]
Thy Will Be Done
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Over the past few days we have been reading the story of Elijah and Elisha. Today’s first reading is from Sirach 48. It is something of a recap of the story in 1 and 2 Kings. Our Gospel reading is from Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. We know it as […]
Ask Big
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In our first reading today from 2 Kings 2, we see how Elijah was taken from the earth. More on that in a moment. Our Gospel reading is from Matthew 6. Jesus talks about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. This is the Gospel reading that we see every year on Ash Wednesday. It’s always good to […]
We're All People
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Today’s first reading is an interesting conclusion to the story of Ahab and Jezebel. God sends Elijah to tell them of how He was going to punish them because of their deception and murder of Naboth. Things did not look pretty for this nasty pair. But after hearing of his fate, Ahab repents. God acknowledges […]
Turn the Other Cheek
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Jezebel was one of the most wicked women in all of Scripture. She may well hold the top spot. Why? Read today’s first reading from 1 Kings 21 and you’ll find out. She was a master of deception; a real black-hearted beast of a human being. (Trivia nugget: she’s actually mentioned in a song by […]
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is appropriate that we celebrate the heart of His mother the following day. Our Gospel reading today is from Luke 2, the story of the finding of the child Jesus in the […]
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
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Today is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the first reading from Ezekiel 34, God uses the imagery of a shepherd. “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God.” We see this very same imagery in the Gospel reading from Luke 15. Jesus […]
Bearing a Grudge
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God had Elijah tell Ahab that there would be no rain in the land except at his (Elijah’s) word. The drought was long and painful. But the man of God knew that the time had come for rain. In today’s first reading, we see how this came about. Finally, with a cloud that started out […]
Testing God
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More from the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel reading today. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” Jesus is the fulfillment of the law…the law of love. He shows us not how to ignore the […]
God Provides
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In the first reading today from 1 Kings 17, we see more of the story of Elijah. More in a moment. We continue in the Sermon on the Mount for the Gospel reading, from Matthew 5. Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” Also, “You are the light of the world.” […]
The Beatitudes
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In our first reading today from 1 Kings 17, we see yet another example of God providing. God told Elijah to announce to the king that there would be a drought. God then sends the prophet off to a deserted place and commands ravens to bring him bread and meat every morning and evening. In […]
The Body and Blood of Christ
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Today is the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist has been called “the source and summit of our faith.” And most certainly it is. For when we take the Eucharist, “we become what we receive.” The readings today are interesting, and give us a glimpse into this great mystery […]
An Inconvenient Faith
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More great exhortations from St. Paul to Timothy today in our first reading from 2 Timothy 4. All things that we should take to heart. In Mark 12 today, we see the story of the widow’s mite. Rich people come and donate large sums to the treasury, but Jesus is most impressed with a widow […]
Scripture
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Jesus got thrown trick questions and conundrums often by the Pharisees, the scribes, the Saducees and others. In the Gospel reading today from Mark 12, Jesus throws out a tricky question Himself. When talking about the Messiah being the Son of David, Jesus queries, “David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his son?” […]
Truth Without Deviation
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In 2 Timothy 2 today, St. Paul continues to exhort Timothy, reminding him to preach and teach in a way befitting the office he has accepted. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is asked which is the first of all the commandments. He answers with not one, but two…”Love the Lord, your God and love your neighbor […]
God of the Living
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In the first reading today from 2 Timothy 1, St. Paul says “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord…” It seems there is a movement afoot to get Christians to sit down and […]
What Belongs to God
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In our first reading today from 2 Peter 3, St. Peter admonishes his readers to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” Sound advice, wouldn’t you say? In the Gospel reading from Mark 12, Jesus is asked by some Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes. They try to […]
Visitation
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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 […]
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; three Persons, one God. The readings today reflect that. The first reading from Proverbs we see an inkling of the Trinity: “When the Lord established the heavens I was there…” And our Gospel reading is from John 16, where Jesus talks about the Father and […]
Authority
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Today’s first reading is from the Letter of St. Jude. At the end of the reading, we read, “To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling…be glory, majesty, power and authority from ages past, now and for ages to come. Amen.” We also see the word authority in our Gospel reading from […]
Using Your Gift
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Do you have life verse? This is a passage of Scripture that kind of sums up your life and mission, one that speaks to you and of you. Well, part of today’s first reading is my life verse. 1 Peter 4:7-11. Read it for yourself. I’ll talk more about it in a sec. In today’s […]
God's People
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In today’s first reading from 1 Peter 2, St. Peter says “long for spiritual milk.” St. Peter provides a tall, frosty glass of that for us today. More in a moment. In our Gospel reading today from Mark 10, we see the encounter with Jesus and the blind man, Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus cries out, “Son of […]