Lenten Resources

Monday of the First Week of Advent

December 2, 2024

  There is a definite beauty to the season of Advent. Though it begins on the first Sunday reminding us of the second coming of Christ, it moves day by day to have us consider how to prepare for that coming, as well as to recall the longings of ancient Israel for the long-awaited Messiah.…

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First Sunday of Advent

December 1, 2024

    Today is a day of new beginnings! Today we begin the season of Advent. The cycle of the Church’s liturgy begins anew. We begin again the cycle of celebrating and reflecting on the mysteries of our salvation. These are the themes of advent: the cycle of salvation—the time of salvation. The coming of…

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Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle

November 30, 2024

  This is the feast of St. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, the first two apostles called by Jesus. Today’s gospel from Matthew 4:18-22 recalls that event: “Jesus…saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me,…

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Friday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

November 29, 2024

  In the first reading from the Book of Revelation we hear a dramatic description of the overthrow of Death and Hades. John speaks of the holy ones who have turned to Christ—those souls who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and the word of God, who have come to life and now…

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Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time – Thanksgiving

November 28, 2024

  In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah enumerates the glorious acts of the Lord, the many blessings bestowed upon a people he calls his own: “The loving deeds of the Lord I will recall: …He became their savior in every affliction,” his love and pity redeemed them, he lifted them up and carried them…

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Wednesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

November 27, 2024

  It is a tradition at Conception Abbey that a mass is celebrated during Thanksgiving week as a commemoration of the departed members of our monastic community and the deceased loved ones of our personal families. The readings are of the weekday. In the first reading from the Book of Revelation we see a vision…

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Tuesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

November 26, 2024

  In today’s gospel from St. Luke, Jesus tells of the destruction of the temple and speaks of the end time when there will be earthquakes, famines, plagues and mighty signs from the sky. Jesus urges his disciples to remain faithful: “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified.” But Jesus is…

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Monday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

November 25, 2024

  Our first reading from the Book of Revelation paints a scene of the “holy ones” who delight in eternal peace: “…with him [the Lamb] a hundred and forty-four thousand…were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne” Who are these one hundred and forty-four thousand who follow the Lamb? The answer…

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The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

November 24, 2024

  Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This Sunday opens the 34th and last week of the Church’s liturgical year, presenting us each day with reflections on the second coming of Christ in glory. In the gospel of today’s liturgy from St. John, Jesus, a gentle, poor…

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Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

November 23, 2024

  The Gospel for today is a discourse between the Sadducees and Jesus. The Sadducees ask Jesus a question on marriage and how the laws of marriage would follow one into the afterlife. Our Lord proceeds to speak on how there is no marriage between those who are found worthy and are risen in the…

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Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

November 22, 2024

  So often in prayer, when we read a beautiful scripture passage, or a touching reflection in a spiritual book or saint’s journal, our soul is enriched by the words that are so clearly called forth by the Holy Spirit. We may feel inspired to follow the words we read at that moment because, in…

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Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 21, 2024

  As Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He wept over the city, expressing profound sorrow for its spiritual blindness. His tears reveal the depth of His love and compassion for the people who have failed to recognize the time of their visitation. This moment highlights the duality of Jesus’ mission: He is both the Savior…

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Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

November 20, 2024

  In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares a parable as he is walking to Jerusalem. He knows that he will soon be leaving this world, and the people following him believe that the Kingdom of God will soon be upon them. What they don’t know is how this will happen. Jesus tries to prepare the people…

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Tuesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

November 19, 2024

  In today’s readings we hear hard words about being lukewarm. Revelation tells us that it is better to be either too hot or too cold than to be lukewarm. So what is being lukewarm? It is saying, “I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,” seemingly believing in God but rejecting…

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Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

November 18, 2024

  Do you ever feel jealous of the saints? It seems impossible not to have a firm faith if you bear the marks of Christ’s crucifixion on your body like St. Francis of Assisi, or if our Lord comes to you in visions like he did for St. Faustina. Their stories are remarkable for the…

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Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 17, 2024

  ‘He Calls Us to Suffer with Him.’  “For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.” – Heb 10:14 This passage comes from our second reading from Mass today, and is centered on Jesus acting as The High Priest, making the ultimate single sacrifice; to suffer and die on…

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Saturday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

November 16, 2024

  In the Gospel for today, there is a parable with an odd interaction between a merciless judge and a persistent widow. This parable is not as rich in imagery as maybe the story of the prodigal son or as economic as the parables of the talents. Why are we now getting a judicial lesson…

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Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

November 15, 2024

    We often live our lives as though we expect to live forever. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul admonishes Christians to wake up from their spiritual slumber, reminding them to understand the present time. “Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). The “present time” Paul refers…

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Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

November 14, 2024

  In Luke’s Gospel today, Jesus asserts that no one can observe the Kingdom of God, for it is among you. There are many instances in our daily lives where we can become distracted and look where our Lord is not. One way these distractions work is that you “look there or look here” while…

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Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin

November 13, 2024

  “Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.” “O LORD, you have probed me, and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand.” Today’s responsorial psalm has an important lesson in store for us. God knows us and desires to pour his love upon us. Today’s psalm reminds us, “O LORD,…

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Memorial of St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

November 12, 2024

  Today, we celebrate the Memorial of St. Josaphat, a bishop martyred on this day in 1623. St. Josaphat is most well-known for his zeal in uniting the Eastern and Western Churches. From a young age, he desired to give his life to the service of our Lord and started to study the lives of…

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Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop

November 11, 2024

  “Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones…” How often, when we present ourselves to others, do we mention our slavery to God? I mean just think: “Nice to meet you Joe; my name is Gabriel, slave of God and messenger of…

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Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 10, 2024

  “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.” Jesus is giving us a very important message in today’s readings. It is a message of trust and gift of self. Complete trust includes death to self. In the first reading, we hear Elijah ask…

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Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

November 9, 2024

  “The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!” (Responsorial Psalm 46) Today, Jesus invites us to live in him because he is the living water that flows and brings life and freshness to the soul. “Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that…

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Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

November 8, 2024

  In today’s readings, we are confronted with the parable of the dishonest steward, which is often considered one of the most confusing parables in all the Gospels. “Why is the steward being commended for stealing from his master?” But the parable’s message is not that what the steward has done was morally right, but…

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Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

November 7, 2024

  “Rejoice with me ….” “…the Pharisees and scribes were grumbling….” But Jesus, in the two parables he uses, says, “Rejoice with me….” In all the years since Jesus died and rose, followers of Jesus have struggled with the reality of sin. In youth we may have the idea that we can eventually get over…

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Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

November 6, 2024

  “Great crowds were traveling with Jesus ….” A life of following Jesus is continually a life of “estimation:” That is, we are continually being placed in a question like, ‘What do I think of Jesus Christ?’ ‘What does he mean to me?’ What is this “life” he offers?’ Etc. This questioning is a call…

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Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

November 5, 2024

  “they all began to excuse themselves.” Fr. Bernard Lonergan has written that religious conversion is “the habitual acceptance of God’s gift of love flooding our hearts through the Holy Spirit He has given us.” I suggest this thought is as good as any in commenting upon our Gospel today. For it is the parable’s…

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Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop

November 4, 2024

  “When you hold a lunch or a dinner…” I would like to expand the meaning of our Lord’s words here. Without taking away from the literal meaning, our Lord gave these words, I’d like to expand them into our daily lives. I take St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians today, for a…

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Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 3, 2024

  Today the Sacred Scriptures speak to us about the first and greatest commandment that Jesus left us: the command to love God above all things. Like so much of the Christian life, it is better learned by doing it than asking how it is done. A story from the Hasidic masters exemplifies this. The…

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The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

November 2, 2024

  “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” (Benjamin Franklin). Each generation, each individual, discovers death anew. A youth generally does not consider death at all. Eventually a person may attend a funeral or…

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Solemnity of All Saints

November 1, 2024

  Illustrations of Jesus smiling with friends around him in a meadow on a sunny day are appealing. Images of saints with serene faces clothed in light while serving others are inspiring. I am sure that such scenes actually happened. The Beatitudes, blessings spoken by Jesus, actually happened, too.  But these paint a slightly different…

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Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

October 31, 2024

  “they all began to excuse themselves.” Fr. Bernard Lonergan has written that religious conversion is “the habitual acceptance of God’s gift of love flooding our hearts through the Holy Spirit He has given us.” I suggest this thought is as good as any in commenting upon our Gospel today. For it is the parable’s…

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Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

October 31, 2024

  “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6: 21). Living out the message of today’s Mass readings is impossible unless we know what and where our treasure is. And, therefore, where our heart is. Changing things that are external can be helpful to identifying our values. Such as getting adequate…

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Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

October 30, 2024

  It takes either a lot of child-like trust or a lot of maturity to be a follower of Jesus. Paradoxically, time-tested maturity can lead to child-like trust. Kids see something and want it. They don’t consider whether or not it is safe, healthy, ethical or legal. Sometimes, they get the big bag of candy, devour it,…

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Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

October 29, 2024

  The reading today from Ephesians makes some people cringe.  It seems so outdated. Of course, St. Paul was living in a different time and in a different culture.  But if the Word of God is timeless, it needs to speak to all times and all places. The timeless and universal message is choosing to…

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Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles

October 28, 2024

  The Catholic Church venerates all of the Apostles, and today, in a special way, Sts. Simon and Jude. St. Paul says that the household of God was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Although not much is revealed in Holy Scripture about Simon and Jude, it is known that Jesus handpicked…

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Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 27, 2024

  Today’s Gospel story about the blind Bartimaeus can be read and interpreted literally. The calling of a blind man by Jesus resonates very well with the reading from Jeremiah, in which the Lord gathers the remnant of Israel (including the blind) to Himself. The restoration of sight by Jesus the High Priest also dovetails with the…

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Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

October 26, 2024

  Here we are, Saturday, another great day for MIZZOU football (hopefully) and another great Saturday to honor Our Lady! St. Maximilian Kolbe said simply, “Jesus is our love. Mary is our hope; you can do all things through her.” If we ask Our Lady for help, she will come to our aid, and the…

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Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

October 25, 2024

  In our Alleluia verse today, we hear, “Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” I remember being home in Kansas City and going to Mass with my family. After Mass, my nephew Bennett said to me “Br. Max, let’s go to…

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