There is a lot to fret over in our culture but there is also a lot at our disposal to fight against it. One very powerful action we can take is the First Five Saturday devotion. If you have never done it before, I encourage you to do it now and stick with it. The […]
The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal have drawn more attention than any other Church-approved Marian apparition. The appearances of the Blessed Mother and the “Miracle of the Sun” happened 103 years ago and was witnessed by an estimated 60,000 people, even non-believers. The new Fatima move opening in theaters August 28, tells […]
21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23 Responsorial: Psalm 138:1-3, 6,8 2nd Reading: Romans 11:33-36 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 Making Our Homes a House of Prayer He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 22:21) Master of the palace: it was a […]
“More Catholic than the Pope.” There is nothing more quintessentially Catholic than the Papacy. When we think “Catholic,” we think Rome, the Vatican, the dome of St. Peter’s. But the roots of the papacy actually go back to Jerusalem and the messiah-kings who ruled there. Like most heads of state, David and his descendants, the […]
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Responsorial: Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8 2nd Reading: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Gospel: Matthew 15:21-2 Making Our Homes a House of Prayer My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. (Isaiah 56:7) All of […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14 2nd Reading: Romans 9:1-5 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-23 Worshipping the One True God at Mass Theirs [is] the worship. (Romans 9:3) Paul begins his long meditation on the mystery of Israel’s rejection of Christ by listing some […]
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” (John 14:27). Within those words of comfort is the key: not as the world gives. And so with the assurance of our faith, […]
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Responsorial: Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 2nd Reading: Romans 8:28-30 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52 Jesus Christ, the True Pearl of Great Price The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. (Matthew 13:45) […]
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11 Responsorial: Psalm 65:10-14 2nd Reading: Romans 8:18-23 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23 Listening to and Putting into Practice Jesus Words and Teachings You shall indeed hear but not understand. (Matthew 13:14) Any parent can tell you what it’s […]
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10 Responsorial: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14 2nd Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 What Does It Mean to be Baptized into Jesus’ Death and Resurrection? We are not debtors to the flesh. (Romans 8:12) Whether it’s […]
On December the 25th, we celebrate the big one—the birthday of Jesus, the Word of God made flesh. The Church actually does not celebrate the birthday of the saints, except that of Jesus’ mother. Generally, their special day in the calendar is the date of their death, their entry into eternal life. But there is […]
12th Sunday of Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13 Responsorial: Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 2nd Reading: Romans 5:12-15 Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33 Staying Close to the Lord and Allowing His Love to Shape Our Hearts My persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. (Jeremiah 20:11) […]
St. John Eudes was responsible for activating the devotion to Our Lady’s Heart and giving it the stimulus which grew into this modern feast. In 1942, Pope Pius XII confided the whole human race to the care of Mary’s Immaculate Heart in a solemn act of dedication, and established the feast celebrated today. The devotion […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 Responsorial: Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Gospel: John 6:51-58 Knowing and Experiencing the Love, Mercy, and Kindness of the Holy Trinity My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. (John 6:55) Have you ever […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 Responsorial: (Psalm) Daniel 3:52-56 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Gospel: John 3:16-18 Knowing and Experiencing the Love, Mercy, and Kindness of the Holy Trinity The Lord . . . proclaimed his name. (Exodus 34:5) Have you ever wondered why the […]
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 Receiving More of the Holy Spirit’s Power and the Gifts of the Spirit They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4) Before Jesus ascended […]
Recognizing God in Small Moments Recognizing God in the everyday moments are an art. Whether we are young, somewhere in the middle or old. Life has its slow times and the busy times. I think having eyes to see “His hand” in all we do is something that take patience! Think for a moment about […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 1:1-11 Responsorial: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 Being Used by Jesus to Help Build the Kingdom of God Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6) Amazing. After three years of […]
To know the Virgin Mary is to love her. One way we can get to know her better is through her visits from Heaven to Earth. Marian apparitions are simply ‘private revelations’ illuminating aspects of faith but not revealing new ones since, according to Catholic doctrine, the age of public revelation ended with John, the last […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 6:1-7 Responsorial: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9 Gospel: John 14:1-12 Trusting in the Lord’s Great Love during Difficult Times Do not let your hearts be troubled. (John 14:1) Not troubled? That’s hard to imagine! Jesus had just predicted […]
I stood by helplessly and watched as a text message received by one of my older children instantly transformed a situation that showed much promise into a state of uncertainty. My child was visibly disappointed and frustrated. All I could do was give a reassuring hug and offer some words of consolation. Throughout my work […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:14, 36-41 Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:20-25 Gospel: John 10:1-10 Following Jesus’ Example by Being A Shepherd for God’s People The shepherd calls his own sheep by name. (John 10:3) Good Shepherd Sunday often brings bucolic scenes to mind. […]
The atheist philosopher of the 19th century, Friedrich Nietzsche, once said: “if Christians want me to believe in their redeemer, they need to look more redeemed.” He was drawing the wrong conclusion from a perceptive observation. To Nietzsche most Christians looked just as burdened, clueless and lost as everybody else. When he looked into their […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33 Responsorial: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 2nd Reading: 1:17-21 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 Knowing Jesus More Deeply through Reading and Reflecting on Scriptures Hear these words! (Acts 2:14) Have you ever heard the word kerygma? It’s a Greek word that means “the […]
