Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9 Responsorial: Psalm 116:1-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: James 2:14-18 Gospel: Mark 8:27-35 Get behind me, Satan. (Mark 8:33) Try to imagine the look on Peter’s face when Jesus rebuked him. He must have gone from a beaming smile to a forlorn frown in […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7 Responsorial: Psalm 146:7-10 2nd Reading: James 2:1-5 Gospel: Mark 7:31-37 The burning sands will become pools. (Isaiah 35:7) Isaiah’s promises seem extravagant, don’t they? If we look at them literally, they are quite marvelous. God will permanently alter the Holy Land […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Responsorial: Psalm 15:2-5 2nd Reading: James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27 Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Be doers of the word. (James 1:22) In today’s second reading, James compares the Scriptures to a mirror. When we read the word of God, or […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:21-32 Responsorial: Psalm 34:2-3, 16-21 Gospel: John 6:60-69 Master, to whom shall we go? (John 6:68) Preparing the Israelites to recommit themselves to their covenant with God, Joshua recounted the many ways God had delivered them from […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Proverbs 9:1-6 Responsorial: Psalm 34:2-7 2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20 Gospel: John 6: 51-58 Be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) Today is exam day. And to make it a little easier, we have reprinted today’s second reading: 15Watch carefully how you live, not […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 19:4-8 Responsorial: Psalm 34:2-9 2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:30–5:2 Gospel: John 6:41-51 Get up and eat! (1 Kings 19:5) Elijah was downcast. Queen Jezebel had just ordered his death. Just a few days earlier, Elijah had found himself in a moment of […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Responsorial: Psalm 78:3-4, 23-25, 54 2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 Gospel: John 6:24-35 Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self. (Ephesians 4:23-24) There are usually two sections to an epistle by St. Paul. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Kings 4:42-44 2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6 Responsorial: Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18 Gospel: John 6:1-15 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing. (John 6:2) If you want a key to understanding the Gospel of John, you could probably […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6 2nd Reading: Ephesians 2:13-18 Gospel: Mark 6:30-34 He . . . broke down the dividing wall of enmity. (Ephesians 2:14) In almost poetic language, St. Paul invites the Ephesians to marvel at the unity they are experiencing. Many […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Amos 7:12-15 Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14 2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14 Gospel: Mark 6:7-13 He chose us in him, before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) In June of last year, the United Nations estimated that there were 7.6 billion people living on Earth. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24 Responsorial: Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15 Gospel: Mark 5:21-43 If I but touch his clothes . . . (Mark 5:28) If you could use only one word to describe today’s story of the woman’s […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6 Responsorial Psalm: 139:1-3, 13-15 2nd Reading: Acts 13:22-26 Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80 Being Filled with the Holy Spirit and the Joy of the Lord All were amazed. (Luke 1:63) What do you think is the most amazing thing about John the […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Ezekiel 17:22-24 Responsorial: Psalm 92:2-3, 13-168 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 Without parables he did not speak to them. (Mark 4:34) Did you know that you are quirky? It’s true. The fact that you are taking time out to read […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Genesis 3:9-15 Responsorial: Psalm 130:1-8 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 Gospel: Mark 3:20-35 We are not discouraged. (2 Corinthians 4:16) If anybody had a right to be discouraged, it was St. Paul. During the course of his ministry, he was beaten, shipwrecked, betrayed, […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Exodus 24:3-8 2nd Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15 Responsorial: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18 Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 This is my body. (Mark 14:22) It’s a well-known saying: We are what we eat. But what happens when we take that saying and apply it to our spiritual […]
THE angel Gabriel, in the mystery of the Annunciation, informed the Mother of God that her cousin Elizabeth had miraculously conceived, and was then pregnant with a son who was to be the precursor of the Messias. The Blessed Virgin out of humility concealed the wonderful dignity to which she was raised by the incarnation […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 2nd Reading: Romans 8:14-17 Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 Knowing and Experiencing More Deeply the Great Love and Mercy of the Trinity In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Acts 2:1-11 Responsorial: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 Gospel: John 20:19-23 Pentecost, A Time to Say Yes to the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Call for your Life Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22) Imagine being one of […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Acts 1:1-11 2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23 Responsorial: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 Gospel: Mark 16:15-20 The Ascension of Jesus Christ, A Day of Great Joy and Celebration This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven . . . (Acts 1:11) When we […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 2nd Reading: 1 John 4:7-10 Responsorial: Psalm 98:1-4 Gospel: John 15:9-17 Allowing God, through the Holy Spirit, to Stretch the Way We Think and Act They were astounded. (Acts 10:45) Today, the Sacrament of Confirmation follows Baptism and Eucharist. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31 Responsorial: Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32 2nd Reading: 1 John 3:18-24 Gospel: John 15:1-8 Opening Ourselves More to the Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Hearts Let us love . . . in deed and truth. (1 John 3:18) In today’s second reading, John […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 2nd Reading: 1 John 2:1-5 Responsorial: Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9 Gospel: Luke 24:35-48 Opening Our Minds and Hearts to God’s Glorious Plan The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead. (Acts 3:15) Let’s […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 4:32-35 2nd Reading: 1 John 5:1-6 Responsorial: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 Gospel: John 20:19-31 Letting the “Peace of Christ Control Your Hearts” (Colossians 3:15) Peace be with you. (John 20:19) It’s tempting to stay shortsighted when we think about these words of […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43 2nd Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 Responsorial: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Gospel: John 20:1-9 Receiving the Good News of Jesus Christ and Sharing It with Others Not to all the people, but to us. (Acts 10:41) Happy Easter! On behalf of everyone […]
