Daily Reflections

  We have one of Jesus’s more confusing statements in today’s gospel: “the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” What does this mean? There have been two consistent explanations, and they are both valuable to reflect on. The first explanation might be that to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is…

  This week it is all about freedom. Today Jesus warns us about the freedom of God’s will and knowledge: “there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed!” Jesus tells us that our lives are not entirely our own; his will and desire also have freedom it must enjoy. Even our attempts to hide,…

  We continue reflecting on the Christian freedom won for us in Christ. In our gospel today, Jesus continues the “woes” to those in authority and those with influence. What Jesus is highlighting is a critical component to genuine freedom in Jesus; others have it as well. Liberty, devoid of Christian freedom, begins to encroach…

  St. Paul continues his instruction on what it means to be free in Christ Jesus. Freedom in Christ is freedom from the slavery of sin, which blinds us from doing good in all circumstances. Today, St. Paul helps us recognize the works of sin so as not to be enslaved by them, and he…

  What does St. Paul mean when he says, “for freedom, Christ set us free?” What is this freedom? Freedom is a powerful word here in the United States, and we have many expectations that come with the use of the word. There are certain parallels, but it means so much more in the Christian…

  What a curious phrase of Jesus: that this generation is only given the sign of Jonah, and that Jesus is that sign. What does this mean? There are two ways to answer this. First, Jonah, if you remember, was in the belly of a great fish before being hurled onto the shore of Nineveh,…

  We must die with Christ! These are scary but true words. Death in Christ makes up, in part, the core of Christian life, that we must die with Christ to live with Christ. Now, before you run out and think I am crazy, let us examine what this means and why it is so…

  Today is a great and glorious day feast day! We know it as Our Lady of the Rosary but it is also known as Our Lady of Victory or Our Lady of Lepanto, for more information go to this link: https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/our-lady-of-the-rosary-and-the-battle-of-lepanto/. The picture I included today has our Lady in full body armor as…

  Jesus is our friend, praise God! The stupid Galatians, as St. Paul says have forgotten that this—they are too wrapped up in worldly desires. Jesus says in the gospel today, “‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing…

  Today we celebrate a great polish saint who always reminds us that no matter how difficult life can be, like what we heard in the first reading, that God’s Divine Mercy will bring us peace and joy. I am of course talking about St. Faustina Kowalska, the secretary of Divine Mercy. From her diary…

  St. Paul and St. Francis were party animals and didn’t care about the Church. “Saul, Saul” the Lord Jesus said, “Why are you persecuting me?” “Francis,” the Lord said to him at San Damiano “build my Church!” In our responsorial psalm today, we hear “O LORD, you have probed me and you know me.…

  Brothers and Sisters, in this first reading, it feels like St. Paul is telling us to be aware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. In his own words, he is telling the Galatians to be on their guard, especially if someone makes the gospel about themselves. The gospel belongs to the Holy Trinity alone. For…

  Today’s readings remind me of one thing: war. The prophet Habakkuk says to the Lord “How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not intervene.” It makes me wonder what Habakkuk’s faith was like, and better yet, what is your…

  Towards the end of today’s Gospel passage, Jesus makes a very important statement for us to consider. Jesus says. “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” The first question to look at is…

  In today’s Gospel, we encounter a Jesus that we do not normally encounter. We encounter a stern Jesus who pronounces words of woe and condemnation upon those cities that have not accepted him and his proclamation of the Gospel. Even though it makes us uncomfortable to encounter such a stern Jesus, it would be…

  I can remember back 40 years, to 1982, when the biggest movie of the year was E. T. The Extraterrestrial. In this movie, the extraterrestrial is stranded on earth when his ship leaves suddenly. The extraterrestrial befriends a young boy and the boy’s family, who call him E. T. The entire movie is about…

  In the Gospel for today, Jesus has three encounters that together illustrate the difficulties that may be encountered in following Jesus as a disciple. For me, the first encounter is the most telling. The person offers himself as a disciple, telling Jesus “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus’ response to this would-be…

  In today’s Gospel, Jesus and his disciples are traveling toward Jerusalem, and they want to pass through a Samaritan village on the way. However, the Samaritan village refuses to welcome Jesus because his destination is Jerusalem. So, Jesus and the disciples have to go around the village. However, James and John want to call…

  In the Gospel for today, the disciples of Jesus are once again caught arguing about who among them was the greatest. Concern for status was always a big concern for them, and a source of conflict for them. But we should not be too critical of them for this. After all, we all too…

  Our Gospel reading for today is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man lives a sumptuous life, while Lazarus sits at his gate, covered with sores, and unnoticed by the rich man. In the parable, both men die, but their fates after death are very different. We find comfort in…

  We believe, as Catholics, that those who wrote the books of the Bible were ordinary human beings. and yet. they were definitely inspired by God to do so. That’s a big deal. This means that the prophets and evangelists felt a divine call to preach and write for the people, but they could and…

  The popular reading from Ecclesiastes where we find today’s first reading is rich with nuggets of practical wisdom. Notice the nugget: “There is a time to be silent, and a time to speak.” We all experience that rush to speak when our “brilliant” idea suddenly bubbles up! But is it a time to be…

  Journalists will often ask a bystander about what they saw and heard. It would appear that the Evangelist Luke is using this technique to report on the impact of what we could call the Jesus Movement. The followers of Jesus were hitting the road to tell the people about the Good News of Jesus,…

  Caravaggio, the early 18th-century painter, was known for his ability to capture the raw emotions of important human events. His painting entitled “The Call of St. Matthew” shows a panorama of shocked faces as Jesus simply and directly calls Matthew, the tax collector, to a new lifestyle. There is a natural realism in the…

  Down through the ages, the Book of Proverbs has lived up to its purpose, namely short thoughts of practical wisdom for those who seek it. Two of those bright little gems catch our attention in today’s first reading: The plans of the diligent are sure of profit, but all rash haste leads certainly to…

  When Jesus used the image of putting a lamp on a lamp stand rather than under a bucket, he must have caught people’s attention. They realized that the small smoky, flickering oil lamp was truly their only weapon against the darkness. How different this is for us with our vast variety of lighting devices.…

  The virtue of integrity usually means respect for the truth. But it’s hard these days to know if something is fake or is the real thing. We can encounter this doubt whether listening to the news, having a group conversation, or speaking with a stranger. Integrity becomes that inner compass that comes to our…

  “as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.” Isn’t it true that, again and again, we must choose this Christian life as our way into Christ? It’s as if…

  “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.” Where is my hope anchored? Is it in this life which I can taste, touch, and feel secure? Or, is it in my heart where I am allowing life’s circumstances—both those arising from inside of me…

  “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother.’” Today we focus upon a mystery—Mary’s part in Christ’s redemption of the world. This mystery can help us play our part in salvation history.…

  “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” The Church today celebrates the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Briefly, the origin of this feast is this: Early in the fourth…

  “Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it.” As we work and live side-by-side with one another, this first reading from First Corinthians today has a helpful word for us. I don’t have to be everything, do everything, or know everything in the community. I just have to be faithful to my…

  “Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.” Every now and then one comes across someone, who is not of our own, who disarms our smugness as a believer. The centurion in today’s Gospel is such an example. Such a disarming experience need not alarm our faith. It should, rather, arm our…

  This is a story about forgiveness. It is also a theology of God—God in relationship to us, very close to us. Forgiveness is a way of tremendous creative power, for the one giving and the one receiving. It is a Godly ability: human in its need and expression, Godly in its power to transform…

  Today’s Gospel is from the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. If we look back over the whole sermon (see Luke 6:20-49), which we heard this week, what might we gain from such a spiritual treatise? There is no other teaching quite like it. The kingdom of God values the opposite of what…

  Today the Church commemorates a Spanish missionary who is known for his ministry to Africans as they arrived in slave ships on the shores of Cartagena in 17th century Colombia. For nearly 40 years, Pedro Claver, “slave of the slaves forever,” as he called himself, cared for their bodily and spiritual needs. It is…

  Today the Church celebrates the birthday of Mary, the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus. Her birth is not recounted in Sacred Scripture, but the circumstances of her marriage to Joseph and of the birth of her son are (in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2). From these sacred stories and from the…

  If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! (1 Corinthians 9:16). Let me be honest. I feel unworthy to preach, and even to write these reflections: underqualified, immature in the faith,…

  That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11). What could I say about being called and justified? These apostles were called by…