60 Second Reflections » 60 Reflections
Lessons from Adversity
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When we choose to follow God, life ain’t always a bed of roses. I’m sure you’ve experienced this. Challenges still come our way. People we love get sick and die. Certainly there are times where we experience illness, pain, broken relationships, terrible defeats. It’s nothing new. In our first reading today from 1 Samuel 4, […]
Disciple of Love
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Today we celebrate the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. St. John was the beloved disciple, the author of the fourth Gospel, three letters in the New Testament and the Book of Revelation. Our first reading today is from the beginning of St. John’s first letter. “We proclaim now…our fellowship is with the Father and […]
Enduring to the End
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr. In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, we see the story of Stephen’s martyrdom. And in the Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus tells the disciples, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end […]
Christmas is Here!
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Christmas is here! Christmas is here! I can remember waking up VERY early on Christmas mornings when I was a kid and yelling that out to my brothers and sisters. We would go wake up Mom and Dad, probably much earlier than they would have liked, and attack the presents under the tree with reckless […]
Holiday or Holy Day
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Isn’t it odd that Christmas Eve is one of the shortest days of the year? I know…there are 24 hours in every day. But the winter solstice was just a couple of days ago, and in North America, we have one of the shortest amounts of daylight today. I say that it’s odd because, even […]
A Message
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Today’s first reading is from Malachi 3. Malachi prophesies about the Lord’s messenger, “the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.” This prophesy is fulfilled in the person of Jesus. But Malachi also prophesies, “Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes.” Jesus told the people that John […]
The Magnificat
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In today’s first reading from 1 Samuel 1, we see Hannah giving up her only son to the service of the Lord. Eli, the priest, had prayed that Hannah might be granted the desire of her heart, a son. After Samuel was born, she gave him to Eli to be brought up to serve the […]
Blessed
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Blessings abound in today’s readings. Just try reading the first reading from Zephaniah 3 and not feel blessed. I suspect your reaction will be, “Thank you, Lord!” The Gospel reading today is the story of the Visitation from Luke 1. Mary goes to visit her pregnant, and much older, relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth, filled with the […]
The Virgin Birth
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A survey from 2013 shows some interesting facts about Americans. 68% of American adults believe that Jesus is God or the Son of God (same thing – it’s called the Trinity). Yet only 57% believe in the Virgin birth. There is quite a bit of division within Christianity these days. Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox all have […]
Speechless
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Today the Church gives us two stories of men whose births were announced by an angel, Samson and John the Baptist. There are many similarities between the two, as the readings show us. In the first reading from Judges 13, the angel of the Lord appears to Samson’s mother (whose name is never mentioned in […]
Righteous Joseph
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Today in the first reading from Jeremiah 23, the Lord says, “Behold, the days are coming when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is right and just in the land.” I’m sure that, looking at this prophecy, the people were […]
Rejoice!
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Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. Today we light the pink, or rose, candle on the Advent wreath. It is called Gaudete Sunday because of the opening antiphon of the Introit Gaudete in Domino semper (Rejoice in the Lord always). The opening words of the second reading from 1 Thessalonians are these, […]
God of Surprises
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Today’s first reading is from the Book of Sirach. The author talks of Elijah, “whose words were a flaming furnace.” Then in the Gospel reading from Matthew 17, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answers and tells them that “Elijah has already come.” But the scribes […]
Wisdom and Her Works
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In the first reading today from Isaiah 48, God says, “I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.” Going the way God wants us to go is rarely the easy way. But it is always the way of wisdom. In our Gospel […]
Not Forsaken
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Today in the first reading from Isaiah 41, we get a greater understanding of God’s hand at work in our lives. God says, “Fear not, I will help you.” The responsorial, from Psalm 145, drives this home…”The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.” And in the Gospel reading from […]
Fly Like an Eagle
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We’re back in Isaiah for our first reading today. The final verse in today’s reading is Isaiah 40:31. I’ll talk about it in a moment. Our Gospel passage today is a short one, from Matthew 11. Jesus tells the people, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you […]
Our Loving Mother
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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego on a hill in Tepeyac, Mexico, in December of 1531, she declared, “I am your most merciful Mother; I want to show my loving clemency and compassion to those who call upon me in their […]
Be Strong, Fear Not!
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I’m hearing more and more about how so many people are frightened today. Not just because of terrorist attacks or random violence. Sure, that’s part of it, but it goes to something much deeper. Today’s readings give us hope and some powerful advice. In the first reading from Isaiah, we read this: “Strengthen the hands […]
Pointing the Way to Jesus
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Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. For the Gospel reading, we go to the beginning of the Gospel according to Mark. It all starts with John the Baptist. John knew that he had a job to do – to point the way to the Messiah. It would seem that John did not know that […]
The Teacher
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As you read today’s first reading from Isaiah 30, I hope your mind is immediately drawn to Jesus. We see these prophesies so perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading today, we see Jesus sending out the Twelve, with authority. He tells them, “Without cost you have received; […]
Mary’s Immaculate Conception
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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Holy Day of obligation. Let’s talk briefly today about what the Immaculate Conception is, and isn’t. Probably the most common misconception (no pun intended) that people have is that the Immaculate Conception refers to the moment when Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary. […]
All Talk, No Action
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Having a strong foundation is vital – for buildings and for people. Having a strong foundation is one of the themes we see in today’s readings. In our Gospel reading today from Matthew 7, Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but on the one who […]
Behold our God!
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In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 15, Jesus feeds a great multitude. He says, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd…I do not want to send them away hungry.” The disciples gave Him seven loaves and a few fish. Jesus fed the whole crowd. Afterwards, there were seven baskets of fragments left […]
Revealing the Father
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Our first reading today is from Isaiah 11. “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” This is a prophecy about how the Messiah, Jesus, would descend from the line of David. (Jesse was David’s father.) We’ll see this reading again as we […]
The Universal Church
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The word “catholic” means universal. We see prophesies about the universality of the Church in today’s readings. In the first reading from Isaiah 2, the prophet says of the mountain of the LORD, “All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: ‘Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house […]
Advent and Doing Right
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Christmas is in the air! Can you feel it? Certainly all of the retailers hope you can. The world hammers us with Christmas. And there is certainly nothing wrong with getting into the “Christmas spirit.” But Holy Mother Church has a different idea about these weeks leading up to Christmas. That is why we celebrate […]
Drowsy Hearts
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In the Liturgical year, this might be considered New Year’s Eve. The new Church year starts tomorrow with the First Sunday of Advent. The theme of the Advent readings is always stay awake; be prepared, for you know not the hour. That theme has also been consistent recently. Today is no different. In the Gospel […]
His Words Will Not Pass Away
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In our first reading today from Daniel 7, the prophet is privileged to get a vision of heaven. He sees “One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven.” It was Jesus. The One whose “kingship shall not be destroyed. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth […]
Brother Act
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Today is the feast of St. Andrew. Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. In the first reading from Romans 10, St. Paul asks a number of questions…”How can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” Did you know that the word “apostle” means “one who is […]
The Handwriting on the Wall
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I think that many people are unaware that many common expressions actually oringinated in the Bible. Today is another example of that. We’ll talk about it in a sec. For our Gospel passage today, we’re back in Luke 21, with Jesus talking about the end of time. I talk often about how Christianity is not […]
The End of Days
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Ever heard the expression “feet of clay?” It means when someone has a fatal flaw. Usually someone admired or thought highly of. We use the expression when someone lets us down. Really, we all have feet of clay. Well…at least I do. Anyway, that expression came from today’s first reading from Daniel 2. Daniel interprets […]
The Benefits of Following God’s Ways
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Today and for the rest of this week, we’re going to meet and learn about the Prophet Daniel. Today’s first reading is the beginning of the book of Daniel. We’ll talk about him in a moment. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 21, we see the story of the widow’s mite. Jesus witnesses a […]
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
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Today the Church celebrates the end of the liturgical year. Fittingly enough, it is the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or more commonly referred to as Christ the King. All of the readings today point to the kingship of Christ. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus talks about […]
Wickedness
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 20, some Sadducees ask Jesus a trick question regarding the resurrection of the dead. (The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.) Jesus answers the question and in the end affirms our belief in the Communion of Saints when He says, “[God] is not God […]
Follow the Money
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In the first reading today from 1 Maccabees 4, we read about the origins of Hannukah. Do you know what that Jewish feast, celebrated to this day, is all about? Read and find out! In the Gospel reading from Luke 19, we see Jesus throwing the merchants out of the temple area. The big shots […]
The Time of Your Visitation
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Another great story today from 1 Maccabees. Today we meet Mattathias. Mattathias had had enough of the baloney (this is a family blog) that was being shoved down the throats of his people. When he sees a fellow Jew offering sacrifice to a false god, “his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him […]
Parenting for Eternity
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In our first reading today from 2 Maccabees 7, we meet yet another fascinating character. She is a mother who exhibits amazing faith and bravery. Some may think otherwise, but I think so, and I’ll tell you why in a moment. In the Gospel passage from Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable about three servants […]
A Model of Courage
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In today’s readings, we meet two great characters of the Bible! The first is one who is probably very little known, the other very well known, especially with kids. He is Zacchaeus. You know the story…Zacchaeus is a little squirt of a guy who climbs up a tree to see Jesus. Jesus calls out to […]
A Bumpy Ride
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In the Gospel reading today from Luke 18, Jesus is on his way to Jericho when a blind man on the side of the road shouts out, “Son of David, have pity on me!” The crowd around tries to silence him, but he shouts all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Jesus […]
Sins of Omission
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Today’s first reading from Proverbs talks about a worthy wife. I am blessed to have one myself. In the second reading, St. Paul tells the Thessalonians that they are “children of the light and children of the day.” And in the Gospel reading from Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. In the […]
Will He Find Faith?
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The time is coming when all things will be made new. Our first reading today from Wisdom 18 and 19 speaks of this. In the Gospel reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells a story about a widow and a judge. The judge is dishonest. He fears neither God nor man. The widow asks him to […]
Seeing the Creator
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In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus talks about what things would be like on the day of His return. The first Christians were convinced that that day was very soon. They knew they needed to be ready. We need to live out our faith as if that day is imminent as well. In […]
Wisdom
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Our first reading today is again from the Book of Wisdom. What an amazing book! In it, Wisdom is always referred to as a female personal pronoun, she. More in a moment. In the Gospel reading today from Luke 17, the Pharisees want to know from Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus […]
The 90-10 Rule
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I’m awfully glad that I am not a prominent politician; a world leader or government official. First of all, I love what I do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But beyond that, leaders of people have a gigantic responsibility. Today’s first reading from Wisdom 6 gives us a glimpse of what God expects from […]
Trophies for All!
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Today’s first reading from Wisdom 2 and 3 is one that we recently heard – on All Souls’ Day. It is one that those of us who have lost loved ones can take great comfort in. In the Gospel reading from Luke 17 we hear Jesus say, “When you have done all you have been […]
Causing Others to Sin
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Are you familiar with the Book of Wisdom? If not, be sure to follow along with the readings this week as our first readings will be from this amazing book. Reading it will truly give you wisdom. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one […]
The Ten Virgins
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Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 25 can be a tricky one. Jesus tells His disciples a parable, the message of which He sums up at the end. “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” The parable is about ten virgins awaiting a bridegroom in anticipation of a wedding feast. Five […]
Trustworthy
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In the Gospel reading from Luke 16, Jesus talks about being trustworthy in matters great and small. Jesus said, “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” Honesty/trustworthiness is a virtue that we […]
The Dishonest Steward
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If anyone had a right to boast, it was St. Paul. A prolific writer, eloquent speaker, man of great charisma…the guy had it all. But he would never boast of himself. In today’s first reading from Romans 15, he says, “For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through […]
Zeal for God’s House
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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of he Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. This Basilica, constructed by the Emperor Constantine, is called the mother church of Christendom. The readings today all refer to buildings in one way or another. The first reading talks about the temple in Ezekiel 47. The second reading talks about how […]