Divine Mercy Sunday Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:42-47 Responsorial: Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Gospel: John 20: 19-31 Rejoicing in God’s Divine Mercy and Love, A Foundation of Our Lives Jesus came . . . and stood in their midst. (John […]
The Gospels tell an incredible story. A virginal conception. Miraculous healings. Even people coming back from the dead. How are we to know that it’s not all just a fanciful fabrication? There is much evidence for the reliability of the Gospels, but here is one of the strongest bits of evidence I know. Think for […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43 Responsorial: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 2nd Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 Gospel: John 20:1-9 Having a Personal Encounter with the Risen Lord during this Easter Season They did not yet understand. (John 20:9) Happy Easter! Christ is risen! Sin is defeated, and […]
Terrorism is nothing new. It’s probably as old as the human race. In fact the cradle of civilization, now Iraq, was the home of the most infamous terrorists of antiquity, the Assyrians. Their goal was to conquer their neighbors in a way that would minimize initial resistance and subsequent rebellion. To do this, they knew […]
Surely, the Blessed Mother would have taken on the suffering of her Son, Jesus Christ if it were possible. That is what loving mothers always wish they could do. Instead, Mary suffered alongside her Son, because that too is what mothers do. We go to Mary to get closer to Jesus for that very reason. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: Procession Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11 1st Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7 Responsorial: Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 2nd Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Gospel: Matthew 26:14–27:66 (or Matthew 27:11-54) Hearing Jesus’ Voice to “Come Out” of Our Tomb of Sin and Come to Him Blessed is he who comes in the […]
Shortly before his martyrdom, St. Paul penned a letter to his friend Timothy. The great apostle seems to have known that death was near, and his bittersweet words are imbued with a sense of urgency. St. Paul comforts and commends his young protégé, while exhorting him to sacrifice. “Do not be ashamed of the testimony […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Genesis 12:1-4 Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Responsorial: Psalm 51:3-6, 12-13, 17 2nd Reading: Romans 5:12-19 Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11 Staying Faithful to Commitments/Prayer during this Lenten Season of Grace If you are the Son of God . . . (Matthew 4:3, 6) What father would send his […]
Shielding my eyes from the blinding sun, I sensed, rather than heard, a presence to my left as I stood in line waiting to board the plane. His face was about five inches from mine. I could see his lips moving but could hear nothing. Finally I faced him squarely and he repeated himself. “What’s […]
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Sirach 15:15-20 Responsorial: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Gospel: Matthew 5:17-37 Using Our Free Will to Choose Jesus and Follow Him as Lord and Savior Before man are life and death, . . […]
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 58:7-10 Responsorial: Psalm 112:4-9 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16 Answering the Lord’s Call, “Your Light Must Shine Before Others” . . . that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. […]
Discomfort does not excuse us from evangelizing. After all, Jesus was uncomfortable on the cross. And if Scripture and the Catholic Catechism of the Church are to be taken seriously, it seems that we have no excuse. “Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are sacraments of Christian initiation. They ground the common vocation of all Christ’s disciples, […]
The Presentation of the Lord (Feast) Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Malachi 3:1-4 Responsorial: Psalm 24:7-10 2nd Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18 Gospel: Luke 2:22-40 The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, A Prophetic Promise Fulfilled This man was . . . awaiting the consolation of Israel. (Luke 2:25) […]
Elvis Grbac can look back and remember two of his top football achievements. The six-foot-five quarterback was selected to the Pro Bowl while with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001 and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. Despite reaching the pinnacle of the football world, Grbac knows there are more […]
The Baptism of the Lord Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Responsorial: Psalm 29:1-4, 9-10 2nd Reading: Acts 10:34-38 Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17 Following in Jesus’ Footsteps and Proclaiming the Good News to Others He shall bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1) Today marks the […]
“Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entering the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke […]
My wife and I sat on the couch, the room dark except for a strand of colored lights wound around the Christmas tree and the flickering candles in the Advent wreath. We’d just finished reading our Advent reflection and saying the Rosary. Now we sat together and watched snow swirl outside the window. This time […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 Responsorial: Psalm 24:1-6 2nd Reading: Romans 1:1-7 Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24 Advent, A Season of Signs of the Coming of Emmanuel, God-with-Us Ask for a sign from the Lord. (Isaiah 7:11) Things were looking bad for King Ahaz of Jerusalem. He was […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 2nd Reading: Romans 15:4-9 Responsorial: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12 Advent, A Season of Prophesies Being Fulfilled A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. (Isaiah 11:1) Have you ever seen a Jesse Tree? It’s an ancient […]
There is more to Christmas than just Christ’s birth. It serves as the beginning of an epic, and Advent is the prologue whereby we prepare for the first spellbinding chapter. There’s a thread running through Christmas that ties into so many other Christological elements, including Christ as Divine Lover, in concert with the poetry of […]
First Sunday of Advent Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 2nd Reading: Romans 13:11-14 Responsorial: Psalm 122:1-9 Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44 Advent, A Season of Preparing for Jesus’ Coming You also must be prepared. (Matthew 24:44) This is it—we have lit the first Advent candle. Christmas is less […]
One of the most intriguing aspects of Thanksgiving is that we give thanks around a table of food with people, typically family members, we may not care for. Though this point may be denied by some, it is fact of life that not everyone gets along. Sin, by our own free will can lead us […]
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Malachi 3:19-20 Responsorial: Psalm 98:5-9 2nd Reading: 2 […]
