RELIGIOUS parents never fail by devout prayer to consecrate their children to the divine service and love, both before and after their birth. Some amongst the Jews, not content with this general consecration of their children, offered them to God in their infancy, by the hands of the priests in the Temple, to be lodged […]
34th Sunday in Ordinary Time, From the dawn of civilization, kings have dreamed of possessing a world-wide dominion, a universal kingdom that would last forever. Some have come close to conquering much of the known world: Alexander, Genghis Khan, Augustus Caesar, to name a few. And some kingdoms have lasted a very long time, such […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 2nd Reading: Colossians 1:12-20 Responsorial: Psalm 122:1-5 Gospel: Luke 23:35-43 The Preeminence of Jesus Christ Our King Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (Luke 23:42) At the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, you will […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Malachi 3:19-20 2nd Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Responsorial: Psalm 98:5-9 Gospel: Luke 21:5-19 Living a Simple Life Fixed on the Lord We did not act in a disorderly way among you. (2 Thessalonians 3:7) The Thessalonian church was in a state of confusion […]
Dedicated in 324, AD, the Lateran Basilica is the oldest and ranks first among the four Papal Basilicas or major basilicas of Rome. It claims the title of ecumenical mother church (mother church of the whole inhabited world) among Catholics. As the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, containing the papal throne (Cathedra Romana), it […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 2nd Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5 Responsorial: Psalm 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15 Gospel: Luke 20:27-38 Living as a New Creation in Christ The Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3) […]
THE Church teaches us that the souls of the just who have left this world soiled with the stain of venial sin remain for a time in a place of expiation, where they suffer such punishment as may be due to their offences. It is a matter of faith that these suffering souls are relieved […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Wisdom 11:22–12:2 2nd Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:11–2:2 Responsorial: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14 Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 Opening Ourselves to God’s Transforming Love and Mercy The Lord is gracious and merciful. (Psalm 145:8) From the general audience of Pope Francis, January 13, 2016: “In Sacred […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Responsorial: Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23 Gospel: Luke 18:9-14 Living a Life Grounded on God’s Love, Not on Judging Others I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity. (Luke 18:11) Have […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 17:8-13 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14–4:2 Responsorial: Psalm 121:1-8 Gospel: Luke 18:1-8 Being Vigilant, Persistent, and Faithful in Prayer When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8) What a peculiar way to end this parable! Why […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Kings 5:14-17 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Responsorial: Psalm 98:1-4 Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19 Allowing Jesus to Bring Wholeness and Healing To Our Lives I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord. (2 Kings […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14 Responsorial: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 Gospel: Luke 17:5-10 Living as “Unprofitable Servants” of the Lord We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do. (Luke 17:10) Didn’t Jesus call us his […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Amos 6:1, 4-7 2nd Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Responsorial: Psalm 146:7-10 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31 Responding to God’s Call and Mission for Our Lives Lying at his door was a poor man. (Luke 16:20) Some theologians believe that few will go to heaven. Other […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Amos 8:4-7 2nd Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Responsorial: Psalm 113:1-2, 4-8 Gospel: Luke 16:1-13 Being Generous Stewards of God’s Gifts and Graces No servant can serve two masters. (Luke 16:13) Have you heard about the dying man who won the lottery? Concerned that […]
CONSTANTINE was still wavering between Christianity and idolatry when a luminous cross appeared to him in the heavens, bearing the inscription, “In this sign shalt thou conquer.” He became a Christian, and triumphed over his enemies, who were at the same time the enemies of the Faith. A few years later, his saintly mother having […]
THE birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the near approach of salvation to the lost world. Mary was brought forth in the world not like other children of Adam, infected with the loathsome contagion of sin, but pure, holy, beautiful, and glorious, adorned with all the most precious graces which became her […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14 2nd Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Responsorial: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19 Gospel: Luke 15:1-32 Forgiving Others as God has Forgiven Us This man welcomes sinners. (Luke 15:2) Fifteen years ago today, we saw the twin towers at the World Trade […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Wisdom 9:13-18 2nd Reading: Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Responsorial: Psalm 90:3-6, 12-17 Gospel: Luke 14:25-33 Answering Jesus Call to Follow Him No Matter What the Cost Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost? (Luke […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 2nd Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 Responsorial: Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11-2 Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14 Making Jesus the Center of Your Life A more distinguished guest . . . (Luke 14:8) In the second century AD, the scientist/astronomer Claudius Ptolemy presented […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21 2nd Reading: Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 117:1-2 Gospel: Luke 13:22-30 Receiving God’s Life-giving and Purifying Discipline God treats you as sons. (Hebrews 12:7) “Relationship.” The dictionary defines this word as “the way in which two or more people talk to, […]
IN this festival the Church commemorates the happy departure from life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and her translation into the kingdom of her Son, in which she received from Him a crown of immortal glory, and a throne above all the other Saints and heavenly spirits. After Christ, as the triumphant Conqueror of death […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 2nd Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4 Responsorial: Psalm 40:2-4, 18 Gospel: Luke 12:49-53 What Does It Mean to Fix Our Eyes on Jesus? . . . keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) At one point during the Israelites’ journey to […]
St. Teresa was canonized in 1998. “We bow down before the testimony of the life and death of Edith Stein, an outstanding daughter of Israel and at the same time a daughter of the Carmelite Order, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a personality who united within her rich life a dramatic synthesis of our […]
