LET THEM TALK

"David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the Lord with abandon." –2 Samuel 6:14

A characteristic of David's life is that he gave himself to "the Lord with abandon" (2 Sm 6:14). David didn't hold back on giving to God, no matter what others said about him.

David was upset that Goliath was insulting God (1 Sm 17:26) and was determined to defend God's honor by fighting the giant. David's brothers "grew angry with David," insulting and belittling him (1 Sm 17:28). ...

ARE YOU PRO-CHOICE?

David said: "I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.' " –1 Samuel 24:11

David spared Saul's life when he had a perfect chance to kill his tormentor. David was a seasoned warrior who had killed many opponents (e.g. see 1 Sm 23:5; 30:17ff). The only reason he held back his hand was because Saul carried the anointing of leadership from God. Saul had been chosen by God (1 Sm 10:1).

Jesus "summoned the men He Himself had decided...

TRUE HUMILITY IS GLADNESS

"Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: 'They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.' " –1 Samuel 18:8

King Saul won a great victory in battle through the catalyst of young David's courageous defeat of the fierce Goliath. When the cheerleaders greeted the victors with the fight song, Saul was given opening honors and credit for thousands (1 Sm 18:7). Because of his pride, however, all Saul could focus on was that David receive...

"THE SWORD IN THE STONE"

"Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war." –Psalm 144:1

David killed the giant Goliath with a stone and a sword (1 Sm 17:49, 51). Jesus is "the Stone Which the builders rejected" and "the Keystone of the structure" (Mt 21:42; Ps 118:22). The Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God and prayer (Eph 6:17-18), is the Sword. We will be victorious over giants – such as Planned Parenthood, secular humanism, materialism, rac...

"A LIVING SACRIFICE" (Rm 12:1)

"I have come to sacrifice to the Lord." –1 Samuel 16:5

Sacrifice is defined as "a giving up of something for the sake of something or someone else." We Catholics are used to making sacrifices, but do we make our whole life "a living sacrifice," as Jesus would have us do? (Rm 12:1) We can do so by:

• participating frequently in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, fully aware that we are sacrificially giving our all to Jesus,
• attending Mass to give back to the...

RUNNING A RED LIGHT

"Samuel said to Saul: 'Stop!' " –1 Samuel 15:16

As we begin a new year, the Lord may be saying to us what He said to Saul. He may be saying: "Stop!" The Lord told Saul to stop disobeying Him, stop deceiving himself, and stop hating himself (1 Sm 15:17ff). However, Saul went right through the stop sign. He attempted murder, became involved in the occult, and finally crashed by committing suicide.

Will we go through a stop sign as Saul did? Will we run a red light tell...

THE SLEEPING GIANT

"Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was." –1 Samuel 3:3

When Samuel was a child, God's people were spiritually asleep. Their leaders were weak, fat (1 Sm 4:18), lustful (1 Sm 2:22), greedy (1 Sm 2:14ff), and almost blind (1 Sm 3:2). "A revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent" (1 Sm 3:1). When God would move and someone occasionally woke up, they were told to go back to sleep (1 Sm 3:6).

The Church, God's people in our ...

ONE MORE WAY TO REJECT GOD

"He prayed to the Lord, however, Who said in answer: 'Grant the people's every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting Me as their King.' " –1 Samuel 8:6-7

The Lord is very concerned about the structures in which we live. He made us to live in certain interconnected ways. So, if we make any unauthorized changes, the whole system gets messed up. For example, the chosen people were called to be a loose federation of tribes with God as their King. Ho...

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT

"It was a disastrous defeat." –1 Samuel 4:10

I've been gazing at a statue of the Pieta. Mary has just suffered a disastrous loss. Before her very eyes, her Son Jesus was brutally tortured and crucified. She stood near His cross (Jn 19:25), pierced with a sword of sorrow (Lk 2:35) far more painful than any spear. Now she is holding the body of her Son, looking heavenward in a gaze of docility tinged with unspeakable suffering. Though Mary suffered a disastrous loss, she...

P.U.I.

"In her bitterness she prayed to the Lord, weeping copiously." –1 Samuel 1:10

Hannah was having a bad day. In fact, she was having several bad years. She wept in her bitterness and misery (1 Sm 1:10-11). Even Hannah's prayer became a problem. Eli the priest misunderstood her condition and accused her of Praying "while Under the Influence" of alcohol (see 1 Sm 1:14). Everything seemed to be going wrong for Hannah, but the Lord changed her barrenness into fruitfulness, her weeping in...

WHEN THE STAR FADES...

"We observed His star at its rising..." –Matthew 2:2

In their homeland, the Magi saw a great star at its rising. Greatly impressed, they set out on their journey to follow the star to greet the newborn King at Whom they believed the star pointed. After they had traveled for a time, they could no longer see the star. They were past the point of no return, and were not sure where God was now leading them. But the Magi did not give up on God's leading; they did not qui...

PEACEMAKING

"The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!" –Numbers 6:24-26

For almost fifty years, the popes have been calling us to devote this first day of the year to praying for peace and justice. Few Catholics have listened to the popes, and we have reaped the wages of our disobedience in war and death (see Rm 6:23).

May this New Year's Day be new. May we obey and be peacemakers (se...

THE PAIN AND PROMISE OF FAMILY

"The Child's father and mother were marveling at what was being said about Him." –Luke 2:33

Many people idealize the Holy Family. Because Jesus is God, Mary is immaculate, and Joseph is holy, their family relationships must have been almost perfect. However, that's not the picture the Bible gives us of the Holy Family. The only scene from Jesus' childhood that we are told about is when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus for three days. You can imagine the peasant co...

CHRISTMAS AND DEATH

"It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not experience death until he had seen the Anointed of the Lord." –Luke 2:26

At Christmas we remember loved ones who have died. These memories may be painful, but we can't help remembering. At Christmas we can experience accelerated growth in our relationship with the Lord. Because of our love for Him, the sting of death can be taken out of our lives (1 Cor 15:55). We no longer dread the memories of past Christma...

HERODS CAN BECOME "HOLY INNOCENTS"

"...Rachel bewailing her children; no comfort for her, since they are no more." –Matthew 2:18

Why does the Lord permit evil? Why did He allow "the massacre of all the boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and its environs"? (Mt 2:16) One explanation is that He loves the Herods of the world so much and wants to save them all (see 1 Tm 2:4). The suffering of these innocents is the most powerful means in God's plan of salvation for changing the most har...

"IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD" (Jn 1:1)

"When they hand you over, do not worry about what you will say or how you will say it. When the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say." –Matthew 10:19

Christmas is a celebration of God's Word. On the first day of Christmas, the Church proclaims twelve readings at the various liturgies of the Christmas Masses. On the second day of Christmas we remember St. Stephen, who preached God's Word so powerfully he became the first martyr, and who...

'TWAS THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

"Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, uttered this prophecy: 'Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel because He has visited and ransomed His people.' " –Luke 1:67-68

Today may literally be one of the most important days of your life. This is Christmas Eve. The Lord in His love has planned this day for you before He created the world. Today you may be on the threshold of the fulfillment of ancient prophecies in your life. Today is probably a very...

A DUMB CHRISTMAS?

"At that moment his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God." –Luke 1:64

Are you spiritually dumb? This Christmas, will you talk about your love for Jesus freely and openly? Or are you tongue-tied like Zechariah?

Zechariah's tongue was loosed to praise the Lord when he obeyed the archangel Gabriel by naming his son "John" (Lk 1:63). If you want your tongue loosed, go back to a point in your life where you disobeyed the Lord. You m...

FAITH-PRAISING

"My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my Savior." –Luke 1:46-47

Mary's Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55) should be compared with the songs of praise by Hannah (1 Sm 2:1-10) and Zechariah (Lk 1:68-79). While Mary's prophetic praises stand out in many ways, the greatest difference is in their contexts. Hannah praised the Lord at the presentation of Samuel. She had been through the shame of barrenness (1 Sm 1:7). The birth of Samuel had changed all th...

A COMMON FAITH?

"But now you will be mute – unable to speak – until the day these things take place, because you have not trusted my words. They will all come true in due season." –Luke 1:20

Both Manoah and Zechariah had wives who were "barren and had borne no children" (Jgs 13:2; Lk 1:7). In a message from an angel, God promised each of these men that he would miraculously become a father of a son (Jgs 13:7; Lk 1:13). God also revealed to these men that their sons would be lifelong n...

"MAN-IFESTED" (Rm 16:26)

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." –Luke 1:35

King David wanted to build a temple for God so the Lord could have a house on earth in which to dwell (2 Sm 7:2ff). God told King David that He never asked for a house on earth (2 Sm 7:7), and besides, no house or temple on earth could contain Him anyway (see 1 Kgs 8:27). In fact, the earth isn't big enough to hold even the books which would have to be written about...

PROPHET-ABLE

"Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary. It was of her that Jesus Who is called the Messiah was born." –Matthew 1:16

The coming of Jesus the Messiah was the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies over hundreds of years. For example, it was prophesied centuries before Christ that the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah and the line of David. The coming of Jesus into the world this Christmas is also preceded by prophecy.

We find many "dry bones" in this worl...

DON'T RUIN GOD'S PLANS FOR CHRISTMAS

"The Pharisees and the lawyers, on the other hand, by failing to receive his baptism defeated God's plan in their regard." –Luke 7:30

God is all-powerful and all-loving. He wills to love us with an everlasting love (see Jer 31:3). However, God has given us the freedom to defeat His plan in our regard. We can deprive ourselves from receiving God's love by refusing to be baptized in, that is, immersed in repentance (Lk 7:30).

This Christmas season, the...

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

"But afterward he regretted it and went." –Matthew 21:30

We're halfway through Advent and some of us have not even started to prepare the way of the Lord. About two weeks ago, when the Spirit asked us to watch and pray, to fast and give alms, to repent and believe, many refused and said: "No, I will not" (Mt 21:30). Some are beginning to realize they made a terrible mistake and are regretting these past two weeks.

Repent! The Lord is merciful. Decide to enter into...

THE CONQUERING QUEEN-MOTHER

"Blest are you among women and blest is the Fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" –Luke 1:42-43

The title "Guadalupe" is probably a misunderstanding of the Indian word, "Tecoatlaxope," meaning: "she will crush the serpent of stone." This is a prophetic revelation that Mary is "a great sign...a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Rv 12:1). Mary leads all Chr...

PREPARING TO PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS

"Elijah has already come, but they did not recognize him." –Matthew 17:12

The prophetic ministry of Elijah prepared the way for John the Baptizer's prophetic ministry. John prophesied "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Lk 1:17). Jesus even stated that John "is Elijah" (Mt 11:14). Elijah prepared the way for John, who came to "prepare the way of the Lord" (Mt 3:3).

God prepared the way for His Son's coming for centuries. He sent prophet after prophet....

WOMAN-LIBERATION

"The woman answered, 'The serpent tricked me into it.' " –Genesis 3:13

In the wake of the first sin, on the worst day in history, the Lord said to the serpent: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel" (Gn 3:15). God's curse of the serpent is a promise of mercy for us. The woman and the snake will hate each other and be at war. The offspring of the woman will have a decided...

SPECIAL EFFECTS

"We have seen incredible things today!" –Luke 5:26

Our society, and our human nature, is fascinated with the sensational. Movie and TV producers understand this, and so they frequently substitute special effects for substance and quality content, knowing that sensationalism attracts people.

The Lord, on the other hand, Whose ways are so high above our ways (Is 55:8-9), focuses on internals rather than on the outward appearance (1 Sm 16:7). He knows that the most spectacu...

THE LOVE CONNECTION

Jesus "proclaimed the Good News of God's reign, and He cured every sickness and disease. At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity." –Matthew 9:35-36

In a world of bad news, God's Word is Good News. In His Word today, the Lord promises to answer our prayers, provide all our needs, give us clear direction, make us fruitful, be our light, and heal our wounds (Is 30:19-21, 25-26). The Lord loves us and expresses His love in many personal and practical ways...

LET'S OBEY GOD IN DETAIL

"Jesus warned them sternly, 'See to it that no one knows of this.' But they went off and spread word of Him through the whole area." –Matthew 9:30-31

Jesus healed two blind men, and "warned them sternly" not to let this healing be known (Mt 9:30). It wasn't yet the right time in God's plan to spread the news of Jesus' works. The groundwork for revealing Jesus' identity hadn't yet been fully laid, and without the foundation, misunderstanding could result. Nonethele...

HARD ROCK

"Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock." –Matthew 7:24

On this fifth day of Advent, the Church reads to us about "a strong city" (Is 26:1), "a nation of firm purpose" (Is 26:3), and a house "solidly set on rock" (Mt 7:25). God's Word is calling us to be strong, firm, and solid by building our lives on obedience to the Lord, the "eternal Rock" (Is 26:4). If we are totally committed to Jesus and obey His Word, our li...

FISH STORY

"Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men." –Matthew 4:19

After Andrew met Jesus, "the first thing he did was seek out his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah!' " (Jn 1:41) With his first cast, Andrew caught not just a man but the fisher of men and women, Simon Peter. Andrew, on his first try at evangelism, caught the man who would later catch three thousand on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Moreover, that was just the beginning. Because of this ex...

THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

"Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit." –Luke 10:21

God's plan, including His plan for Christmas, is hidden from the learned and the clever, and revealed to the merest children (Lk 10:21). This does not mean that Christmas is for kids. "Merest children" are not people young in age; they are adults who completely depend on the Lord and have become "merest children" by the Spirit (see Mt 18:3). Thus, Christmas is neither for kids nor adults, but for people of any age ...

HAPPY OLD YEAR!

"I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its sheath of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind." –Daniel 7:15

Today is the last day of the Church year. As we look back over the year or years, we may be confused and even disappointed. The writer of the book of Daniel assures us that the Lord knows beforehand all that has happened or will happen (Dn 7:16). The Lord is in control. Out of respect for our freedom and in His infinite wisdom, He allows things...

THE MAN AND THE BEASTS

"As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a Son of Man coming, on the clouds of heaven." –Daniel 7:13

The writer of the book of Daniel apparently believed that history is not so much human as beastly. Our rulers have been like lions, bears, leopards, or monsters (see Dn 7:3ff). In their power, they were often inhuman. Of course, all governments give the impression of being human, but they don't always act that way (see Dn 7:8). Their behavior shouts...

THANK YOU, JESUS

"May your God, Whom you serve so constantly, save you." –Daniel 6:17

Daniel and Jesus shared several striking things in common. They both were arrested, convicted, and given the death sentence. King Darius unsuccessfully worked to free Daniel (Dn 6:15), while Pontius Pilate was equally unsuccessful in freeing Jesus. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions, and the stone blocking the opening of the den was sealed (Dn 6:18). The stone blocking Jesus' tomb was also sealed (Mt ...

"THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL"

"Suddenly, opposite the lampstand, the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace." –Daniel 5:5

"King Belshazzar gave a great banquet" (Dn 5:1). At this banquet, a hand wrote on the wall. This hand was not part of a body, but was just floating in space. Tomorrow, most of us in the United States will also have a banquet: Thanksgiving dinner. Very likely there will be "handwriting on the wall." For instance, after ...

INSECURE?

"The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future." –Daniel 2:45

The gold Babylonian, silver Median, bronze Persian, and iron Hellenistic kingdoms have crumbled (Dn 2:36ff). The great Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed with not one stone left on another (Lk 21:6). The U.S.A. is a young country which may not grow old. "The world as we know it is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31). "The heavens will vanish with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire" (2 Pt 3:10). ...

NO-KNOW?

"In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom." –Daniel 1:20

We all need to know things which are humanly impossible to know. We need to know things about the future and about our hearts and those of others. Otherwise, we will make very poor decisions in marriage, work, parenting, ministry, finances, etc. Yet, we can't know the future or the hearts of people (Jer 17:9).

Many...

RIGHT

Jesus "will sit upon His royal throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. Then He will separate them into two groups." –Matthew 25:31-32

When Christ the King returns in glory at the end of the world and on Judgment Day, we will hear King Jesus say to us one of the following two statements (Mt 25:31). Those whom King Jesus has placed at His right hand will hear the words: "Come. You have My Father's blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of th...

YOURDEATH

"All seven died." –Luke 20:31

How will you die? Will it be at your home or at a nursing home? Will you die suddenly or slowly? Will you die in pain or in peace or in both? Will you die alone or surrounded by family and friends? Will you live to see Jesus' Second Coming and thereby not die?

These are good questions. A more important question, however, is: "Will we die as sons and daughters of the resurrection?" (see Lk 20:36) Or will we die in sin (Jn 8:21, 24), spiritually bli...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

"Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness on the anniversary." –1 Maccabees 4:59

We remember anniversaries of both good and bad events. The Maccabees celebrated "the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled" the Temple (1 Mc 4:54). "On that very day it was reconsecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals. All the people prostrated themsel...

THE COST OF FAITHFULNESS

"Mattathias answered in a loud voice...'We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree.' " –1 Maccabees 2:19, 22

Mattathias would not be manipulated or intimidated into compromising his faith. He refused to be a hypocrite and a phony. He refused to be lukewarm and sickening to God (Rv 3:16). For Mattathias to be uncompromised and faithful, he had to flee "to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city ...

REAL FAITH

"Seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king." –2 Maccabees 7:1

The members of this family were maimed, scalped, amputated, fried, and murdered one by one while the remaining family members were forced to watch. This family's courage was supernatural. The basis of their courage was faith in God, our Creator and our Resurrection. At his death, the second brother said: "You are depriving us of this present life, but the Kin...

TREED?

"He first ran on in front, then climbed a sycamore tree which was along Jesus' route, in order to see Him." –Luke 19:4

The world is full of Zacchaeuses: people not so much small of stature (Lk 19:3) as small of heart. We are surrounded by petty, mean-spirited, little people. We are sometimes that way ourselves. We need to see Jesus to become big-hearted, great-souled men and women of God.

Like Zacchaeus, we need a tree to climb so we can see Jesus. We are too petty to see over...

"I WANT TO SEE"

"Jesus asked him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' 'Lord,' he answered, 'I want to see.' " –Luke 18:40-41

Spiritual blindness may be more common in our Western culture than spiritual sight. So many have been blinded by secular humanism, "the god of the present age" (2 Cor 4:4). If we are not totally blinded to our condition, we will cry out: "Jesus, Son of David, have pity" on us (Lk 18:38). No matter if we are as blind as the self-righteous Pharisee (Lk 18:9ff), ...

USE OR LOSE

"His master said to him, 'Well done! You are an industrious and reliable servant. Since you were dependable in a small matter I will put you in charge of larger affairs. Come, share your master's joy!' " –Matthew 25:21

The Lord expects us to be good stewards not only of the money He has given us, but also of our time, talents, spiritual gifts, and graces. Our greatest responsibility as stewards is to be "servants of Christ and administrators of the mysteries of God" (1 C...

THE WORD ON DELAY

"Will He delay long over them, do you suppose?" –Luke 18:7

Because the Lord is outside of time, His perspective on timing is far different than ours (see 2 Pt 3:8; Is 55:8-9). In our humanity, we might "consider it 'delay' " on God's part (2 Pt 3:9) when it seems He's doing nothing. However, if God seems to be moving slowly or not at all, it's because He is showing "generous patience" (2 Pt 3:9) either to us or for the sake of others. If He "delays, wait for" Him (H...

"ALWAYS PREPARED"

"Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the reign of God would come, [Jesus] replied..." –Luke 17:20

At the end of the world, there will be terrible suffering. Jesus said: "A time will come when you will long to see one day of the Son of Man but will not see it" (Lk 17:22). "Those times will be more distressful than any between God's work of creation and now" (Mk 13:19).

At the end of the world, many will be confused. "They will tell you He is to be found in this p...

LIFE AFTER DEATH

"We would have you be clear about those who sleep in death, brothers." –1 Thessalonians 4:13

We can become clear on life after death by listening to the Church. It has listened to the Spirit, prayed over the Bible, and will give us a clear understanding of life after death.

When we die, we are judged and our spirits immediately go to heaven, hell, or purgatory. Heaven is God's home where we perpetually worship the Holy Trinity, see Jesus face to face, and share pe...

BIG THINGS AND LITTLE THINGS

"If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater; while anyone unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater." –Luke 16:10

Priscilla and Aquila literally "risked their necks" for the sake of St. Paul and the Gospel (see Rm 16:3-4, RSV-CE). This is no exaggeration; Paul was martyred when Roman soldiers severed his neck. Risking thousands of dollars is a little thing in comparison to risking your life for the Gospel. Paul...

HOLINESS,THE HOLY SPIRIT,AND THE HOLY FATHER

"Who are these people all dressed in white? And where have they come from?" –Revelation 7:13

Some of the most important questions in life are: "Will I grow in holiness, go to heaven, and see Jesus face to face?" (see 1 Jn 3:2) "Will I be at the everlasting family reunion in heaven?" "How do I become holy and go to heaven with all the holy ones?"

The Church teaches that we become holy by living the Beatitudes. This comes as quite a shock ...

A CHRISTIANITY THAT DOESN'T PAY

"No, when you have a reception, invite beggars and the crippled, the lame and the blind. You should be pleased that they cannot repay you." –Luke 14:13-14

How many begging, crippled, lame, or blind people have you had over for supper lately? Most people would probably answer: very few or none. Most Christians in Western culture don't take Jesus' command literally. However, considering the historical and Biblical context of this passage, it is very l...

THE MESSAGE, NOT THE MESSENGER

"We thank God constantly that in receiving His message from us you took it, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God." –1 Thessalonians 2:13

As a teenager, I attended daily Masses said by Father O'Hare (not his real name). His style rubbed me the wrong way; it was hard for me to concentrate on his homilies. God used him to teach me to concentrate on the message, not the messenger (1 Thes 2:13). Here are some words of God from vario...

"A CHOSEN RACE" (1 Pt 2:9)

"He called His disciples and selected twelve of them to be His apostles." –Luke 6:13

Jesus called a number of disciples together and chose twelve of them to be His apostles (Lk 6:13), the ones He would specially form and mold to be the foundation of His Church (Eph 2:20; Rv 21:14). The entire basis for the Church rests on the fact that Jesus selected some for special leadership. This means that the Church is not a democracy, nor did Jesus intend for it to...

A "WHOLE" IN MY HEART

"You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart." –Matthew 22:37

We disciples are called to holiness. We are also called to "whole-liness." We are to love God with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole mind (Mt 22:37).

It all begins with God's love for us. "The love of God [is] poured out in our hearts" (Rm 5:5). God's poured-out love fills our hearts with love for Him and for others (Mt 22:37). So "we, for our part, love because He first love...

I'M EXHAUSTED FOR HIM

"Why should it exhaust the soil?" –Luke 13:7, RNAB

Most plants pull nutrients out of the soil. Repeated growing of certain crops can literally exhaust the soil over a period of time (see Lk 13:7, RNAB). Every few years, farmers rotate a crop of leguminous plants, which replenish the soil with nutrients, to make the soil more fertile.

Jesus calls us to be good soil, bearing thirty-, sixty-, or a hundredfold for Him (Mk 4:20). Part of being good soil for Jesus ...

SETTLERS

"When you are going with your opponent to appear before a magistrate, try to settle with him on the way." –Luke 12:58

If we can know the time when it will rain or get hot, we can know the time to settle with our opponent (Lk 12:54-58). The verses which immediately follow this passage indicate that we settle with our opponent by repenting of not bearing fruit, that is, of not leading people to Jesus (Lk 13:3, 5, 6). We either repent of not leading people to Christ or be han...

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

"I have come for division." –Luke 12:51

Jesus came to divide families, "three against two and two against three" (Lk 12:52). These divisions are tragic because they are due to the refusal by family members to give their lives to Jesus and love Him.

However, divisions are not all bad. "There may even have to be factions among you for the tried and true to stand out clearly" (1 Cor 11:19). Through divisions, those who are lukewarm in their faith turn cold. And Jes...

NO LIMITS

"More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted." –Luke 12:48

Jesus has come that we might have abundant life, life to the full (Jn 10:10). He plans to fill our cup to overflowing (Ps 23:5) and lavish the Holy Spirit upon us without measure (Jn 3:34; Ti 3:6), just as He changed water into a huge amount of wine (Jn 2:6ff). God will open the floodgates of heaven to bless us with a superabundance if we obey Him in generous trust (see Mal 3:10).

In view of God's ...

DAILY BREAD IS DAILY LOVE

"Then I will say to myself: You have blessings in reserve for years to come. Relax! Eat heartily, drink well. Enjoy yourself." –Luke 12:19

Jesus didn't encourage the man who had "blessings in reserve for years to come" (Lk 12:19). Instead, He called him a fool (Lk 12:20). Jesus usually calls us to live from "day to day." He taught us to pray: "Give us today our daily bread" (Mt 6:11). Similarly, after the Exodus the Lord commanded His people not to save th...

G.P.

"Grace and peace be yours." –1 Thessalonians 1:1

Paul almost always began his letters by wishing the churches "grace and peace." Grace is the presence and power of God. We need grace because we cannot live for Christ by our natural power. We need God's supernatural power. We accept grace because we have faith in the God of grace, because we have a personal relationship with Him.

Peace in the Bible is not what our culture means by peace. Many people consider peace to be a sens...

Mass Readings: October 15

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FAITH-FULL

"All depends on faith, everything is grace." –Romans 4:16

Because all depends on faith, we pray: "Lord, 'increase our faith' " (Lk 17:5). However, Jesus wondered if He would find any faith on the earth when He would return (Lk 18:8). We must either move mountains by faith or be moved and manipulated by the forces of the mass apostasy preceding Jesus' s...

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KNOW JESUS; NO FEAR

"Fear nothing, then." –Luke 12:7

Three-hundred and sixty-five times, once for each day of the year, the Lord commands us in the Bible: "Do not be afraid" (Lk 12:4). Pope John Paul II repeatedly proclaimed, prayed, and prophesied: "Do not be afraid." Although Satan tries to use fear to manipulate and even to enslave us (Heb 2:15), we can overcome the t...

Mass Readings: October 13

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JUST NOW

"He did so to manifest His own justice." –Romans 3:25

"Just yesterday, I was just just, just as he was." The preceding sentence contains grammatically correct English. It shows the many usages of the word "just." The sentence can be more clearly stated: "As recently as yesterday, I was merely fair, exactly as he was." The English word "just" is just plain confus...

Mass Readings: October 12

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DOCILITY, NOT HOSTILITY

"Teacher, in speaking this way You insult us too!" –Luke 11:45

Jesus speaks strongly of lifestyle changes in today's Gospel reading. He gives the Pharisees and lawyers a direct warning of the consequences of their hypocrisy and pride (Lk 11:42ff). The lawyers disregarded Jesus' loving and expert warning and claimed He was insulting them (Lk 11...

Mass Readings: October 10

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STRIVE FOR HOLINESS (Heb 12:14)

"...called to holiness..." –Romans 1:7

We are "called to holiness" (Rm 1:7). The secular culture cherishes the idea that holiness restricts our desires, implying that holy people are not free to do what they "really" want. However, "God has not called us to immorality but to holiness" (1 Thes 4:7). Only the holy "live in freedom – but not a...

Mass Readings: October 9

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THE ULTIMATE FINANCIAL SECURITY

"My God in turn will supply your needs fully, in a way worthy of His magnificent riches in Christ Jesus." –Philippians 4:19

The Philippians had contributed financially to Paul's ministry on several occasions. Paul called their financial contributions a kindness (Phil 4:14), a share in his hardships (Phil 4:1...

Mass Readings: October 8

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BLEST

" 'Rather,' He replied, 'blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it.' " –Luke 11:28

Because you are hearing and living God's Word, you are more blest than Mary was in being the physical mother of God. However, this does not mean you are more blest than Mary. Mary is blest among women (Lk 1:28, 42) and called blest by all ages (Lk 1:48) not primarily b...

Mass Readings: October 7

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RE-POSSESS THE RE-POSSESSED

"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it wanders through arid wastes searching for a resting-place; failing to find one, it says, 'I will go back to where I came from.' " –Luke 11:24

Pope John Paul II seemed to be preoccupied with what he called the "new evangelization." This means leading to Christ the people of formerly Christian countri...

Mass Readings: October 6

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SELF-CLEANING OVEN

"Then you will again see the distinction between the just and the wicked; between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him." –Malachi 3:18

In the prophet Malachi's time, prosperity was considered a sign of divine approval. Malachi lamented that evildoers prospered at the expense of those who were just. Malachi wondered why God would bless evil...

Mass Readings: October 5

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WORMING OUR WAY OUT

"I would be better off dead than alive." –Jonah 4:8

Jonah was so despondent that he became suicidal because 120,000 Ninevites repented and were spared destruction. Jonah wanted them to get what they deserved.

The next thing that made Jonah despondent was a worm. He seemed to be more upset by the worm than by spending three days in a fish's belly. He wa...

Mass Readings: October 4

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BETTERING YOURSELF

"Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." –Luke 10:42

In yesterday's Scripture reading, Jesus told us to be good neighbors like the Samaritan who gave hands-on service to the beaten man whom he found on the road (Lk 10:33-36). In today's reading, we meet another good neighbor, Mart...

Mass Readings: October 3

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LISTENING TO EVERYBODY BUT...

"This is the word of the Lord that came to Jonah." –Jonah 1:1

Jonah is both strikingly similar and dissimilar to Jesus. Jonah and Jesus are the only two people in the Bible who fell asleep in a boat during a storm (Jon 1:5). Jonah's storm was stopped by "sacrificing" him, throwing him overboard (see Jon 1:14-15). By Jesus' sacrificial death...

Mass Readings: October 2

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REJECTED!

"The Stone Which the builders rejected has become the Keystone of the structure." –Matthew 21:42; Psalm 118:22

It is so easy to reject Jesus. Our lives are like houses (see Mt 7:24). If we have the opportunity to make Jesus the Cornerstone of our lives, but do not do so, then we have rejected Him. If we refuse to provide for an...

Mass Readings: October 1

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"SEEK YE FIRST"

"Turn now ten times the more to seek Him." –Baruch 4:28

Our hearts have been disposed to stray from God (Bar 4:28), that is, we have been tempted to sin. Some of these temptations have been very strong. However, the Lord calls us to seek Him with a zeal ten times stronger than our strongest temptations. When we seek the Lord this zealously, we will h...

Mass Readings: September 30

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VOICE LESSONS

"We have been disobedient to the Lord, our God, and only too ready to disregard His voice." –Baruch 1:19

Jesus commented that His sheep "recognize His voice" and "follow Him" (Jn 10:4). Jesus' followers "will not follow a stranger; such a one they will flee, because they do not recognize a stranger's voice" (Jn 10:5).

Sometimes the Lord's voice is not eas...

Mass Readings: September 28

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I SIMPLY LOVE TO REPAIR

"How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?" –Nehemiah 2:3

Nehemiah was noticeably sad because Jerusalem and its walls needed major repairs. Those promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus have repeatedly emphasized the need for reparation, that is, repairin...

Mass Readings: September 27

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LIGHTEN UP!

"In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' " –Zechariah 8:23

Jesus always attracted people to Himself. The rich, poor, pagans, religious, sinners, and other groups of people flocked to ...

Mass Readings: September 26

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THE GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

"Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in My eyes also, says the Lord of hosts?" –Zechariah 8:6

The people of Jerusalem had been disobeying God for centuries. Zechariah prophesied the impossible: that the people of that city and maybe even our cities would...

Mass Readings: September 25

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"OBEDIENCE IS BETTER..." (1 Sm 15:22)

"Which of the two did what the father wanted?" –Matthew 21:31

We Christians have told God we will obey Him, but many of us haven't. We have persisted in mass disobedience for years. Unbelievers have told God they will not obey Him, but many of them have changed their minds and do what God wants. Jesus ...

Mass Readings: September 24

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THE CIRCLE OF FIRE

"I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows." –Jeremiah 31:13

The chosen people had sinned. Thereby, they had been defeated, debased, and exiled. Jerusalem, its Temple, and the people's lives were in ruins. After generations of degradation, the people could hardly conceive of anything but further...

Mass Readings: September 23

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THE COURAGE TO WORK

"Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?" –Haggai 2:3

It's discouraging to see how bad things have become. It's discouraging to think that even our best efforts are very inadequate and possibly inferior to what we've done before (see Hg 2:3). It's discouraging to have your best work be overshadowed by the damage inflicted for years b...

Mass Readings: September 22

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THE PLEASURES OF GOD

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it.' " –Haggai 1:7-8

If you asked yourself: "Am I happy?", what would be an honest answer? Many people are more busy than blessed (see Hg 1:6), more stuffed than nourished, and more jaded than exhilarated (see H...

Mass Readings: September 21

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I'D LOVE TO ...

"As He moved on, Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his post where taxes were collected. He said to him, 'Follow Me.' " –Matthew 9:9

We hear the Lord knocking on the door and calling us by name (Rv 3:20). We sense something inside drawing us to Jesus. He is still calling today's "Matthews" to follow Him. Nonetheless, we are afraid to say "Yes." We'...

Mass Readings: September 20

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CHURCH, SACRIFICE, AND PASSOVER

"They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel." –Ezra 6:14

For the work on the house of God to be completed, we must build the building, make the sacrifices, and celebrate the Passover (Ezr 6:14, 17, 19). We have usually been successful in physically building the building. We have met in homes, built parish...

Mass Readings: September 19

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OUTSIDE THE BOX

"The Lord inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation..." –Ezra 1:1

The greatest tragedy in the history of the Jewish people is the fall of Jerusalem and exile to Babylon in 587 B.C. For decades, Jews lived in Babylon with no temple and no hope of liberation. Then King Cyrus became the new king of Persia. Cyrus was a pagan who worshipped the fal...

Mass Readings: September 18

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LIFE MEANS...

"For, to me, 'life' means Christ." –Philippians 1:21

What does life mean to you? Some of us would answer: "Life" means family, friends, and work. Life means church on Sunday, Thanksgiving dinners, a new car, or a wedding in the family.

Paul doesn't talk like this. He bluntly asserts: "Life" means Christ. Paul had "c...

Mass Readings: September 17

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A STIFLING TRIO

"Their progress is stifled by the cares and riches and pleasures of life and they do not mature." –Luke 8:14

Jesus identifies three things that stifle the Word's progress in our lives if we don't surrender them to His lordship:

1. cares. We are to cast our cares upon Jesus, because He cares for us (1 Pt 5:7). He is more than "able" (Heb 7:25) to deal with o...

Mass Readings: September 13

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DADS WITH DIGNITY

"He must be a good manager of his own household, keeping his children under control without sacrificing his dignity." –1 Timothy 3:4

A major qualification for a bishop or deacon in the early church was for a man to be a "good manager" of his children (1 Tm 3:4, 12). He had to keep "his children under control without sacrificing his dignity" (1 Tm...

Mass Readings: September 11

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THE STREAM OF MERCY

"Moved with pity, the master let the official go and wrote off the debt." –Matthew 18:27

Al...

Mass Readings: September 10

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HEART-BURN

"Each man speaks from his heart's abundance." –Luke 6:45

The next time you encounter someone who is in love, pay close attention to what they say. What do they talk about? They talk incessantly about the person they love. He tells all his friends about how wonderful she is. She says that he's always on her heart. They are speaking from their heart's abunda...

Mass Readings: September 9

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EYE-BEAM

"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,' yet fail to see the plank lodged in your own?" –Luke 6:42

St. Paul is a living example of Jesus' parable of a person failing to see the beam in their own eye. Paul describes his pre-conversion years as follows: "I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man filled w...

Mass Readings: September 7

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LUKE TO MATTHEW TO JESUS

"Then, raising His eyes to His disciples, [Jesus] said: 'Blest are you poor.' " –Luke 6:20

In Matthew's Gospel, the Beatitudes are addressed to Jesus' disciples in the third person (Mt 5:3-10). In Luke's Gospel, they are in the second person. Therefore, in Luke, it's harder to assume that the Beatitudes are meant for someone else.

In Matth...

Mass Readings: September 4

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BIG MOUTH

"If your brother should commit some wrong against you, go and point out his fault, but keep it between the two of you." –Matthew 18:15

If we have been wronged, it's absolutely essential to keep it to ourselves. Only after having talked to the other person are we free to bring someone else into the situation or refer it to the Church...

Mass Readings: September 2

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COMING FAST

"When the days come that the Groom is removed from their midst, they will surely fast in those days." –Luke 5:35

Jesus taught that ...

FLORIDA (Catholic Online) - Good marriages are the product of genuine love for each other and the Creator.  The true joy of marriage is sharing one's life.  When two people agree to share their entire lives together, they expect better not worse, richer not poorer, and good health not sickness.  Yet all marriages experience a variety of these contrasts.  As problems overtake them, couples need to share their fears, frustrations and failures to establish the honesty that marriage requir...

Mass Readings: August 31

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HEALING THE MIND

Jesus "stood over her and addressed Himself to the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them." –Luke 4:39...

Mass Readings: August 30

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BODY BUILD

"Build one another up." –1 Thessalonians 5:11, RSV-CE

I am attending morning Mass in an older church building. Laborers are repairing the roof, and the steady pounding of their hammers makes it difficult to hear the lector as he proclaims today's first reading. Then the lector proclaimed the phrase "build one another up" (see 1 Thes 5:11, RSV-CE...

Mass Readings: August 29

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HEAD-LINES

"Stand up and tell them all that I command you." –Jeremiah 1:17

John the Baptizer called the religious leaders of his time a "brood...

Mass Readings: August 28

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SUPER DUPER

"You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped." –Jeremiah 20:7

God doesn't really dupe us. It just seem...

"Adoration has a valid and solid motive. The Eucharist, in fact, ... differs from the other Sacraments in that it not only produces grace, but permanently contains the very author of grace. When therefore the Church commands us to worship Christ hidden beneath the Eucharistic veils, and to ask him for supernatural and earthly gifts, which we always need, she manifests the living faith wherewith she believes in the presence of her Divine Spouse beneath those veils, shows forth her gr...

Mass Readings: August 27

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TOTAL STEWARDSHIP

" 'Well done! You are an industrious and reliable servant.' " –Matthew 25:21

On Judgment Day, we will be held account...

Mass Readings: August 26

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YOU'RE FIRED

"The foolish ones said to the sensible, 'Give us some of your oil. Our torches are going out.' But the sensible ones re...

In the person of St. Louis IX were the qualities which form a great king, a hero of romance, and a saint! With his death, the century of knights ended. One day a messenger, breathless with haste, burst in upon the king with surprising and exciting news. "Your majesty," he cried, "hasten to the Church! A great miracle is occurring there. A priest is saying holy Mass, and after the consecration, instead of the host there is visible on the altar Jesus Himself in His human figure. Everyb...

Mass Readings: August 25

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THE LAST WORD

"Who is the faithful, farsighted servant whom the Master has put in charge of His household to dispense food at need...

But anyone who would approach this gracious sacrament while guilty of deadly sin would receive no grace from it, even though such a person would really be receiving me as I am, wholly God, wholly human. But do you know the situation of the soul who receives the sacrament unworthily? She is like a candle that has been doused with water and only hisses when it is brought near the fire. The flame no more than touches it but it goes out and nothing remains but smoke. Just so, this soul ...

St. Bonaventure tells how Francis of Assisi "burned with love for the Sacrament of our Lord's Body with all his heart, and was lost in wonder at the thought of such condescending love, such loving condescension. He received Holy Communion often and so devoutly that he roused others to devotion too. The presence of the Immaculate Lamb used to take him out of himself, so that he was often lost in ecstasy."

Of this continuing condescension Francis says, "Every day he humbles himself j...

Mass Readings: August 23

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GULP!

"You strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!" –Matthew 23:24

The Pharisees have long been gone, but many still swallow camels today. You may be a modern-day Pharisee if:

• You lead the fight to have kneelers in your church but continue to vote for pro-abortion politicians.
• You often hint that you want your spouse to lose weight but neglect for months at a...

Mass Readings: August 22

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THE PROOF IS IN THE FAITH

"We constantly are mindful before our God and Father of the way you are proving your faith, and laboring in love." –1 Thessalonians 1:3

The Christians of Thessalonica were proving their faith so well that their proven faith was celebrated "not only in Macedonia and Achaia" but "throughout every region" (1 Thes 1:8). Could your faith be accurately ca...

Pope St. Pius X had extensive pastoral experience before being elevated to the papacy. The most glorious actions were his decrees urging the frequent reception of Holy Communion and lowering the age for First Holy Communion.

O Most sweet Jesus, who came into this world to give to all souls the life of Your grace, and who, to preserve and increase it in them, willed to be the daily Remedy of their weakness and Food for each day, we humbly beseech You, by Your Heart so burning with l...

Mass Readings: August 21

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THE KEYS

"I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." –Matthew 16:19

Eliakim was given "the key of th...

Mass Readings: August 20

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GLEANER-GOD

"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." –Matthew 23:12

The Lord will event...

You should adore our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes himself present to us on the altar, so that we might offer him the homage and adoration we owe. Pray that just as he changes the lower earthly nature of bread and wine into his body and blood he might change and transform also the sluggishness, coldness and dryness of our earthly and arid heat into the fire, tenderness and agility of the holy divine affections and dispositions of his divine and heavenly heart. Then you should remember...

The Blessed Sacrament is God. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is simply divine worship. Turn it which way we will, throw the light of love and knowledge now on one side of it, now on another, still the result is the same, the one inexhaustible sweet fact of the Real Presence. In the hands of the priest, behind the crystal of the monstrance, on the tongue of the communicant, now, and for a thousand times, and almost at our will and pleasure, there are the Hands and Feet, the Eyes a...

Mass Readings: August 18

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BAPTISMAL, EUCHARISTIC VICTORY

"Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. 'If You deliver the Ammonites into my power,' he said, 'whoever comes out of th...

In the desert of Sinai, God's caring love supplied the only means of survival for the Chosen People; likewise, through the Holy Eucharist, Jesus has supplied us with all our needs for our journey. Like the Israelites, we need food for our journey. Each day Jesus invites us to the inexhaustible fount of nourishment in the eucharistic banquet.

Each day as we come to join our eternal High priest in celebrating the Eucharist, we are assured that we are not journeying alone, but that Je...

Mass Readings: August 17

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MERCY WATCH

"Begin with the last group and end with the first." –Matthew 20:8

Let's look at the parable of the laborers through the lens of discipl...

"I do not know," the pastor had said, "whether she will see the Saviour today." This occurs only when she has passed the night in expiatory suffering. Then she can receive an entire host, although ordinarily she swallows a small part with difficulty. The parish Mass was over now and the pastor took his time, even though his little lamb was almost passing away with longing for the sacred food. I almost felt like begging him in sympathy to hurry. First the children were dismissed in o...

Mass Readings: August 16

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"SUNDAY OBLIGATION"

"While his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to save it from the Midianites, the angel of the Lord appeared ...

Saint Tarcisius, the boy martyr of the Holy Eucharist, is called the Patron Saint of First Communicants.

It was to young Tarcisius that the Blessed Sacrament was entrusted to be carried, as inconspicuously as possible, as Holy Viaticum to imprisoned Christians who had been condemned to death.

One day when Tarcisius refused to show them what he was carrying, a band of pagan Roman ruffians attacked him and beat him with sticks before stoning him to death.

When his assailants turned...

Mass Readings: August 15

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"IN JOYFUL HOPE"

"He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places." �...

Saint Maximilian desired to write a book on the teaching of the Church with a chapter entitled "Dogma: The Most Blessed Sacrament", perhaps eventually to be published as a booklet. He wished to write of dogma "in a popular, lively style, illustrating the doctrine with miracles attested by competent witnesses (for example, bearing on the Eucharist)". The constant demands of the apostolate did not permit him to write such a work. But in the material for a book on the Immaculate, we fi...

On 16th September, 1903, the Bishop, Monsignor Dubillard, was carrying the ostensorium. Amongst the last stretchers of the sick was one on which lay the daughter of General Clement. For seventeen years she had suffered most severe pains, and her leg, reduced to a state of inflexibility, had lesions even to the bone. Her doctor and friends said it was folly to expect a cure. Yet she would go to Lourdes. The journey was a real martyrdom. She fainted three times while being conveyed fro...

We who hold faithful to what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, believe that Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist.  We believe it on the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who promised to give us His flesh to eat and blood to drink, at the lakeside of Galilee (John 6, 48-60), and who fulfilled that promise at the Last Supper (Matt. 26: 26-28; Luke 22: 19-20; Mark 14: 22-24; 1 Cor. 11: 23-25).  We have also the divine, infallible testimon...

PRAYER TO OUR LADY: Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we turn to you, O Virgins of virgins, our Mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not despise our petitions, but in your mercy hear us and answer us. Amen.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY, ASSUMED INTO HEAVEN: Immaculate V...

Healing is a complex subject, and depending upon the meanings ascribed to the word "healing", can range from physical to spiritual refreshment and relief to the enlightenment of the entire planet. The word "healing" is related linguistically to the word "wholing", and carries with it the connotation of making something fragmented into something complete. Beginning perhaps with a physical impulse, healing (and "wholing") becomes a spiritual experience meant to reunite us with the inmost...

Mass Readings: March 29

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QUESTIONS ON FORGIVENESS?

"Peter came up and asked Him, 'Lord, when my brother wrongs me, how often must I forgive him? Seven times?' " –Matthew 18:21

Most of us are like Peter. We have many questions about forgiveness.

1. "How often must I forgive?" Seven times, that is, indefinitely, or, as Jesus emphatically states, seventy times seven times, that is, indefinitely...

Rv 1  —  HAPPY HOUR

"Happy is the man who reads this prophetic message, and happy are those who hear it and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near!" —1:3

The book of Revelation is addressed to slaves of Jesus Christ. It was written to make us happy. It focuses on Jesus. If we're not happy when we read Revelation, we're not getting the message. This is either because we're not totally committed to Christ, or we don't have our eyes fixed on Him.

Prayer: Jesu...

Jude   —  HATING THE SIN AND LOVING THE CHURCH

"I was already fully intent on writing you, beloved, about the salvation we share. But now I feel obliged to write and encourage you to fight hard for the faith delivered once for all to the saints." —Jude 3

"Certain individuals have recently wormed their way into your midst" (4). "They pervert the gracious gift of our God to sexual excess and deny Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord" (4). "These men are blotches on your Christian...

3 Jn  —  FIGHTING IN CHURCH

"Therefore, if I come I will speak publicly of what he is doing in spreading evil nonsense about us." —10

John wrote to Diotrephes, the leader of a local church, to ask the church to provide hospitality for missionaries from John's community. Diotrephes not only refused to welcome the brothers himself; he even hindered those who wished to do so and expelled them from the church (10). So John told Gaius to defy Diotrephes and provide for the missionarie...

2 Jn  —  SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE (Eph 4:15)

"In truth I love each of you — and not only I but also all those who have come to know the truth." —1

Love is not the permissiveness of letting everyone do their own thing. "Love is based on the truth" (2). True love is "tough love." We should love people enough to tell them the truth, and even to break off fellowship with them if they do not "remain rooted in the teaching of Christ" (9).

Prayer: Father, may I accept the suffering, s...

1 Jn 1  —  DO YOU KNOW HIM OR JUST ABOUT HIM?

"God is Light; in Him there is no darkness." —1:5

Some members of John's community did not have a deep personal relationship with Jesus. This left them open to all sorts of confusion and deception from the evil one. Some maintained they had fellowship with Jesus, were free of the guilt of sin, and even that they had never sinned. However, they were liars or self-deceived because they did not know Jesus personally.

Prayer: Jesus, ma...

2 Pt 1  —  FOR SURE

"It was not by way of cleverly concocted myths that we taught you about the coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we were eyewitnesses of His sovereign majesty." —2 Peter 1:16-17
"Besides, we possess the prophetic message as something altogether reliable." —2 Peter 1:19

Jesus promised He would come back a second time. Seventy years later, He still hadn't returned and many people wondered whether His promise was true. Many people today are also doubtf...

1 Pt 1  —  OBEDIENCE SCHOOL

"By obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a genuine love of your brothers." —1 Peter 1:22

Peter described the Christian life as "a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and purification with His blood" (1:2). The church of Peter's time was being made holy through purification and obedience in the midst of suffering.

Prayer: Father, may I express my faith and love by obeying Your commands that I most resist.
Promise: "Praised be the Go...

Jas 1  —  LONG DIVISION

"A man's anger does not fulfill God's justice. Strip away all that is filthy, every vicious excess." —James 1:20-21

James' church, like ours, was divided. The worldliness of the church promoted selfishness and division. James lists various steps toward unity:

1. We should rejoice even in bad circumstances because when our faith is tested this makes for endurance and maturity.
2. We must ask for God's wisdom to deal with disunity.
3. "Let the brother in humble circums...

Heb 1  —  "ALWAYS ABLE"

"When He had cleansed us from our sins, He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs." —Hebrews 1:3-4

The book of Hebrews was written to encourage Christians who were suffering persecution (13:22). The encouragement given in this book is not superficial but based on the ultimate realities. We have reason to be encouraged because the Son of God has become man, ...

Phlm   —  THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

"Perhaps he was separated from you for a while for this reason: that you might possess him forever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially dear to me; and how much more to you, since now you will know him both as a man and in the Lord." —Philemon 15-16

The early church changed social structures through evangelization. Paul led Philemon, a slave owner, to the Lord. Later he led Onesimus, Philemon's runaway s...

Ti 1  —  BLESS THIS MESS

"In his teaching he must hold fast to the authentic message, so that he will be able both to encourage men to follow sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." —Titus 1:9

The church of Crete was a mess. Paul said: "There are many irresponsible teachers, especially from among the Jewish converts — men who are empty talkers and deceivers" (1:10). "They are upsetting whole families by teaching things they have no right to teach — and all for...

2 Tm 1  —  STIR-FRIED

"I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God bestowed when my hands were laid on you. The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly Spirit, but rather One that makes us strong, loving, and wise." —2 Timothy 1:6-7

When Timothy told Paul he was thinking of quitting his ministry in Ephesus, Paul refused to accept Timothy's resignation. He told Timothy to stir up the Holy Spirit in his life and bear his "share of the hardship which the gospel entails" (1:8).

1 Tm 1  —  CHANGES

"I have a solemn charge to give you, Timothy, my child. This charge is in accordance with the prophecies made in your regard, and I give it to you so that under the inspiration of these prophecies you may fight the good fight and hold fast to faith and a good conscience." —1 Timothy 1:18-19

Paul told Timothy "to stay on in Ephesus in order to warn certain people there against teaching false doctrines" (1:3). The situation was bad but the Lord could change any...

2 Thes 1  —  "BLESSED ASSURANCE"

"In God's communities we can boast of your constancy and your faith in persecution and trial." —2 Thessalonians 1:4

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians again because they were suffering more persecution and confusion. He assured them: "You endure these as an expression of God's just judgment, in order to be found worthy of His kingdom — it is for His kingdom you suffer" (1:4-5). The Lord "will provide relief to you who are sorely tried, as well as t...

1 Thes 1  —  BEAUTIFUL BABY CHRISTIANS

"Our preaching of the gospel proved not a mere matter of words for you but one of power; it was carried on in the Holy Spirit and out of complete conviction." — 1 Thessalonians 1:5

The Thessalonians were baby-Christians when Paul wrote to them. Paul was praying for them constantly, and they became models "for all the believers of Macedonia and Achaia" (1:7). He wrote: "Throughout every region your faith in God is celebrated" (1:8). The peop...

Col 1  —  FULL-FILLED

"It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in Him and, by means of Him, to reconcile everything in His person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of His cross." —Colossians 1:19-20

In Christ is absolute fullness. In Him, we can attain:

1. "full knowledge" of God's will (1:9),
2. full sufferings (1:24),
3. "His word in its fullness" (1:25),
4. "the full measure of wisdom" (1:28), and
5. "full assurance" (2:2).

Prayer: Jesus, may I be "compl...

Phil 1  —  JOY ON DEATH ROW

"I long to be freed from this life and to be with Christ, for that is the far better thing; yet it is more urgent that I remain alive for your sakes." —Philippians 1:23-24

Philippians seems to be a collection of letters for the purpose of encouragement. Paul tells the Philippians that he thinks of them all the time. He thanks God for them and the way they "have all continually helped promote the gospel from the very first day" (1:5). He loves them "w...

Eph 1  —  WHO AM I?

"Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens!" —Ephesians 1:3

Who are you in Christ? You are a saint and a believer who is chosen to be blameless and full of love. You are an adopted child of God, forgiven of sin, and redeemed through Jesus' blood. You are predestined to praise the Father's glory and to carry out His plan, "namely, to bring all things in the heavens and on e...

Gal 1  —  CONFUSION OR COMMITMENT?

"Some who wish to alter the gospel of Christ must have confused you." —Galatians 1:7

Paul exclaimed: "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel not in accord with the one we delivered to you, let a curse be upon him!" (1:8) Paul emphasized that the gospel he proclaimed was "no mere human invention" but "came by revelation from Jesus Christ" (1:11, 12). If we have first-hand experience of Jesus, we will not be unstable i...

2 Cor 1  —  MAKING MATTERS WORSE

"If we are afflicted it is for your encouragement and salvation, and when we are consoled it is for your consolation, so that you may endure." —2 Corinthians 1:6

Once again, the Corinthians have Paul beside himself. He writes more to them than to anyone else. They drive him to write his most personal letter. In Asia, Paul was crushed beyond his "strength, even to the point of despairing of life" (1:8). The Corinthians only made matters worse by ...

1 Cor 1  —  CROSS PURPOSES

"The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God." — 1 Corinthians 1:18

Of all the churches in the Bible, Corinth may have been the most similar to the churches of today. Corinth was sharply divided, bound by sexual sin, and crazy about sports. In His mercy, the Lord richly endowed them "with every gift of speech and knowledge" (1:5). However, they were in...

Rm 1  —  ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

"I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation, the Jew first, then the Greek." —Romans 1:16

Paul planned to make Rome an evangelistic base for his mission to Spain (15:24). He wrote to the Roman Christians to prepare them for this by promoting unity between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. In the course of expressing the basis of this unity, Paul revealed in depth the fallen condition o...

Acts 1  —  THE UPPER ROOM

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth." —1:8

In an upper room, Jesus gave us His body and blood in Holy Communion at the Last Supper. In an upper room, Jesus baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit. The upper room was a place of prayer. For nine days, "together they devoted themselves to constant prayer" (1:14).

T...

Jn 1  —  CREATION AND RE-CREATION

"In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God." —1:1

God created the world in seven days. Likewise, in seven days (see 1:29, 35, 43; 2:1), Jesus, God's Son, began the re-creation of the world by calling His first disciples and changing the water into wine (2:1ff).

Prayer: Jesus, may I be a new creation and be baptized "with the Holy Spirit" (1:33).
Promise: " 'Rabbi,' said Nathanael, 'You are the Son of G...

Mt 1  —  VIRGIN BIRTH

"A family record of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers." —Matthew 1:1-2

Our heavenly Father has the nerve to begin the New Testament, the greatest revelation of all times, with what appears to be a page from the phone book. His ways are certainly not our ways (Is 55:8). God's meaning here is that all Israelite history leads to the miraculou...

The Lord concludes the Old Testament with a special message from the prophet "Malachi," a name which means "My messenger." Malachi warns us to prepare for the Messiah's coming by faithfulness in worship, priesthood, marriage, tithing, and family. If we are serving the Lord in these basic areas of life, we are ready for His final coming. Amen.

This book announces a series of dramatic, overwhelming visions. It is a basis for the book of Revelation and prophesies aspects of Jesus' Passion. Zechariah leaves us breathless as he leads us into the depths of God's mysterious plan of salvation. To begin to experience the unique prophetic vocation of Zechariah, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about these five prophecies of Jesus' Passion (see 9:9; 11:12-13; 12:10; 13:7; 14:3-4). You will experience the fear of the Lord which is t...

Many of the Jews had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem eighteen years before Haggai's prophecies but still had not started to rebuild the temple. Instead, they had remodeled their own homes. Haggai prophesied that the people would be discontent and plagued by tragedies until they made rebuilding the Temple their top priority. So the people began to rebuild the Temple. From the day on which the foundation was laid, God blessed the people. Although the new Temple seemed like nothing ...

Zephaniah prophesied during the years 640-630 B.C. He was one of the few prophets who was immediately successful. His prophecies were part of the great reform of King Josiah of Judah. Zephaniah prophesied the day of destruction for Judah and the nations because of their idolatry. However, a remnant of Judah would be spared. The Lord will rejoice over this remnant and even sing joyfully because of it. Eventually, even the nations will join the remnant in adoring the Lord.

When Habakkuk saw Judah about to be destroyed, he asked God the perennial question: "Why?" The Lord explained the situation, but Habakkuk had to live by faith. He finally decided to do that and promised God that he would rejoice and exalt in Him no matter what.

Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was nicknamed "the bloody city." It had slaughtered, enslaved, and mutilated its victims by the thousands. Nahum was happy to prophesy its destruction. Reading this book together with the book of Jonah helps us understand why Jonah did not want the Ninevites to repent and be spared.

Micah, a country boy, prophesied especially against the capital cities of the Northern and Southern kingdoms. He recognized the complicity between political and religious leaders who created a system that manipulated and oppressed the poor through real estate and banking. Despite the gross injustices, Micah had hope; he prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and lift up the remnant to restore His people after the nation was destroyed.

Jonah ran away from God's call because of his unforgiveness toward the Ninevites, who were brutal enemies of the Israelites. The Lord sent a large fish and a little worm to teach Jonah a lesson. The worm may have been more successful than the whale. In the midst of God's jokes, He leaves us with the question: "Is our unwillingness to evangelize rooted in unforgiveness?"

Following Amos and preceding Jonah, Obadiah continues the condemnations from Amos and precedes the vengeance of Jonah by putting forth twenty-one verses of venom. He prophesied that Edom would be destroyed for taking advantage of Judah and oppressing it after the Babylonian exile. This vengeful attitude is in stark contrast with the mercy and forgiveness of the crucified Christ.

Amos warned the Northern kingdom of its imminent destruction. It was oppressing the poor and defiling its worship due to its pleasure-seeking life-style. Amos prophesied that almost all of the nation would be destroyed for its sins, although a remnant would be spared.

Joel considered the natural disaster of a locust plague to be a call to repentance and a preview of the end of the world. If we repent, the Holy Spirit will be poured out on us to prepare us for victory as the world ends.

The Old Testament concludes with the twelve minor prophets. It's best to read them all together, like twelve chapters of one book.

The book of Hosea compares God's love for His people to marrying a harlot. We commit adultery by compromising with the world. The Lord will take us back, if we only repent.

The book of Daniel was written during the bitter persecution of the chosen people by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king. The book assured God's people of victory by the Lord's sovereign power. We are to obey the Lord, not compromise with the world. We are to keep our eyes fixed on God's throne and not man's brutality. "In all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us" (Rm 8:37).

After a dramatic experience of God's glory (chapter 1), Ezekiel prophesied that the Lord would give His people a new heart and a new spirit (chapter 36) in creating a new Jerusalem (chapter 48). Ezekiel's prophecies could make dry bones rattle and rise from the dead (chapter 37). He prophesied about the end of the world (chapters 38-39) and the wonderful heavenly stream (chapter 47). Ezekiel's visions of God and his prophecies are a main source for much of the last book of the Bible...

The prophet Baruch wrote hundreds of years after the Babylonian exile. Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, and Nehemiah had attempted to restore the temple, walls, and people of Jerusalem. But the renewal needed renewal. The message is: "Back to the basics"—confessing our sins, living God's word, prophesying to the dry bones (Ez 37), and not compromising with the idols of the world.

In five laments the author tries to express the utter horror of the fall of Jerusalem. As painful as it is, it's good to relive suffering, pain, and death. When we face the reality of our sins and their devastating effects, we may also discover the reality of Jesus, the Savior.

Jeremiah prophesied for over forty years. The nation seemed to listen to him at first, but later they refused to repent and therefore died in their sins (see Jn 8:21). Jeremiah's message was primarily "violence and outrage" (20:8). He became extremely unpopular and according to tradition was killed by his own people. By worldly standards, he lived and died a failure. By God's standards, Jeremiah was victorious because he was faithful. The Lord still uses Jeremiah to change the heart...

The first part of Isaiah (chapters 1-39) is a call to repentance. Only through repentance can we stand in the presence of the all-holy God. This call was not heard, and as a result, the Israelites were destroyed as a nation and sent into exile in Babylon. The second part of the book (40-66) is a prophecy of restoration. Yet how can a dead nation come to life? How can a scattered and defeated nation be restored? How can sin be atoned for? How can God be just without destroying us? Th...

This book is the ultimate expression of Wisdom literature. It takes secular wisdom and puts it in the context of the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of true wisdom. When we fear the Lord, we can discern the good and bad of secular wisdom. However, without the fear of the Lord, theology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines become mere exercises in futility and confusion. Nothing makes sense or is truly helpful to us, unless we are centered on the Lord.

The secular humanism of our day is undermining the Christian faith. In the last century before Christ, many Jewish people were also losing their faith because of the influence of secular humanism. The writer of Wisdom answers the secularists' objections against Judaism and Biblical revelation. Secularists are hung up on death and tragedy. Wisdom shows how these things are not contradictory to the idea of a loving God. God created a world of justice and harmony, but Satan, by using o...

The Christian life is a relationship with the Lord, a total commitment of unconditional love. It is analogous to marriage but much greater. Our relationship with the Lord is the deepest personal relationship possible for a human being.

Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, convincingly argues that all human activity is meaningless. This book is ultra-depressing, but accurate and realistic, considering it was written before Christ. Life is worth living only because of Jesus' love poured out in His death and resurrection.

This book is an attempt to benefit from secular wisdom by seeing it in the perspective of the fear of the Lord. This book reveals how to live a life pleasing to the Lord, it does not tell us how to receive the power to do it. Only in Christ are we able to live the Proverbs and thereby live a life pleasing to the Lord (see Rm 7:21-25).

The book of Psalms contains some of the greatest words ever written, sung, and prayed. Unlike other books of the Bible, this book is to be read every day of our lives. It is the prayer book of the Church.

The psalms are often lyrics of songs for worship or outlines of liturgical services. When you read the Psalms, try to imagine the movement of the people at worship in the Temple. Also, remember that the Psalms are poetry. Therefore, they are more to be proclaimed than explained. Fi...

Job suffered several catastrophes in one day. His ten children were killed and his fortune lost. Later, he himself was afflicted with severe boils. Job prayed to die. Job's three friends and later, a young man named Elihu, tried to make sense out of Job's sudden destruction. Finally, the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. God's presence overshadowed even Job's terrible sufferings, and Job was rendered speechless. This book does not explain the meaning of suffering; rather, it point...

This book recounts many of the same events as 1 Maccabees narrates, but the perspective is different. In 2 Maccabees, there is much greater emphasis on God's intervention than on man's works (see 3:24-30; 10:29-30; 11:8; 15:12-16). Prayer is seen as the major weapon in warfare and not as a supplement to physical force. Because of the resurrection of the dead, the martyrs have a greater victory than the military men. This book is invaluable in helping us understand and practice what ...

The Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, gradually introduced and then mandated a secular way of life for the Jewish people. He did this by building a gymnasium and instituting anti-religious laws. Throughout history, secular entertainment and politics have often been used to undermine Christianity. The Maccabees resisted to the point of abandoning their possessions, shedding their blood (see Heb 12:4), and giving up their lives.

This book gives the origins of the Jewish feast of Purim. The word "pur" means "lot," referring to the lot cast by Haman to determine the time for the extermination of the Jews. Haman's plan was dramatically reversed. The Jews were able to destroy their enemies instead of being destroyed. This reversal was due to the fasting, courage, and wisdom of Queen Esther. This supernatural reversal of a plan for destruction into overwhelming victory is celebrated in the feast of Purim and pre...

Because the Israelites did not join the Assyrian alliance, the Assyrians attempted to force them to die of thirst. However, the beautiful widow Judith saved the nation by beheading the drunk Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army. This again is the Exodus theme. God's people are victorious even in impossible circumstances for the sole reason that they are God's people.

Tobit was a faithful Jewish believer in exile. He would often make the trip alone to Jerusalem to worship in the only true Temple. In addition to the loneliness of exile, Tobit suffered when he became a fugitive and all his property was confiscated. He later was blinded and impoverished. Nevertheless, Tobit was faithful to the Lord despite the isolation, loneliness, and suffering.

Tobit prayed that the Lord would kill him and put him out of his misery. Sarah, his future daughter-in-...

The walls of Jerusalem were in ruins for over 140 years. Nehemiah fasted, prayed, and obeyed, and the Lord used him to accomplish the monumental task of rebuilding the walls despite constant opposition and harassment. This was all done to make it possible for the Jewish people to engage in the Temple worship and live the holy Law. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Chronicler knew that the chosen people would be restored in power if only they worshipped the Lord in Spirit and truth (Jn 4:23). ...

By His sovereign power, the Lord used King Cyrus of Persia to provide for the restoration of the altar and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Even after opposition halted the work, the Lord used King Darius of Persia to complete the work.

Although exterior restoration of the Temple was eventually completed, the people were not restored interiorly. A symptom of this was mixed marriages with pagans. The Lord again used a Persian king, Artaxerxes, to send Ezra to Jerusalem. Ezr...

This book concludes that the only hope for the chosen people is Temple worship. Therefore, Solomon's construction and dedication of the Temple is emphasized. However, when the Temple worship was defiled by idol-worship, the nation split, deteriorated, and finally the Northern kingdom was destroyed. There was hope through the renewal of Temple worship under Hezekiah and Josiah. However, both of these kings died tragically. Temple worship was the answer, but who could purify the Templ...

In the late 400s B.C., it was very obvious that the chosen people were weak, scattered, and defeated. The Chronicler exhorted the people to praise the Lord by focusing their attention on the promises God made concerning the Davidic kingship and the Temple worship.

Christianity today is also weak, scattered, and often defeated. Like David, we must bow down and worship the Lord in the power of the Spirit. We will praise our way out of bondage and prison (see Acts 16:25-26).

1 Kings ends on a happy note with the power of God manifested through Elijah. 2 Kings begins with Elijah and Elisha continuing to work wonders. Then we see the unfaithfulness, sin, and idolatry of king after king from both Israel and Judah. Every Israelite king is condemned, and of the kings of Judah only Hezekiah and Josiah are praised without reservation. Eventually, Israel is destroyed by the Assyrians, and Judah by the Babylonians. 2 Kings illustrates one Scriptural promise in a...

This book begins with the glory of Solomon and ends with the glorious works of Elijah. In the middle of this glory, there is a civil war, resulting in the split between the Northern and Southern kingdoms, and the beginning of the end for both kingdoms of the Israelite nation.

The destruction of Solomon's great empire was due to sin. Because of sexual lust (see Sir 47:19), Solomon was unfaithful to the Lord. Later, Jeroboam, the king of the Northern kingdom, committed the almost unp...

We obey Yahweh not only by obeying the letter of the law but also by expressing awe, reverence, and fear before the Lord. David showed this in 1 Samuel when he spared his bitter enemy, Saul, because Saul was the Lord's anointed (12:1 ff; 26:1 ff). Out of respect for the Lord, David executed the man who assisted Saul in suicide (1:14-16), commended the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul (2:4-5), mourned over Abner, Saul's general (3:31), executed the murderers of Saul's son, Ishba...

This book, as do all the Deuteronomic writings, illustrates the absolute necessity of obedience. If we truly believe in the Lord, we will obey Him. If we truly love Him, we will obey Him (Jn 15:10). Obedience is better than sacrifice (15:22). Through perfect obedience, the one Man, Jesus, saved the whole world and made atonement for all the sins that ever have or will be committed (Rm 5:19). The Christian life is simply "a life of obedience to Jesus Christ" (1 Pt 1:2). Because of di...

Ruth's husband and father-in-law died. When Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, planned to return to Bethlehem, she told Ruth to remain in Moab. Ruth's best chance of survival was to stay in her country where she could have a better opportunity to marry or receive some help. However, Ruth remained loyal to Naomi, although this could have been social and financial suicide. Ruth's faithfulness resulted in her becoming the great-grandmother of King David, from whose family came Jesus, the Mes...

The judges were twelve military leaders whom the Lord raised up in times of crisis. The Israelites were repeatedly in crisis because of their disobedience. They were blessed or cursed in direct relationship to their obedience or disobedience.

Therefore, repent. The Lord has called us to attack the gates of hell (Mt 16:18) and not merely endure a series of crises. You are a conqueror and not just a survivor. Repent! "Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Hime Who has...

The name "Joshua" is the same name as "Jesus." Jesus is our Way into the promised land and the land of promises. The Lord's promises are true despite adverse circumstances and delays. "For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late" (Hab 2:3). To inherit the promises, "keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all tha...

Think of collecting excerpts from the greatest sermons of Bishop Sheen, Billy Graham, and Pope John Paul II. What a powerful book that would be! Deuteronomy has collected some of the greatest sermons over hundreds of years so as to motivate God's people to obey Him and thereby enter the promised land. These great exhortations were put in the context of the eve of Moses' death. The great Moses, the liberator of the people from Egypt, was dying at the age of 120. These were his dying ...

The word "genesis" means "beginning." In this first book of the Bible, the Lord reveals the beginnings of creation, the sabbath, humanity, marriage, sexuality, sin, suffering, murder, and alienation. These beginnings are treated in the first ten chapters. The next forty chapters are concerned with the beginning of the chosen people. After the devastation of the Babylonian exile, the people are going back to their roots to see if they are really the chosen people. If your life has fa...

Mass Readings: March 28

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PROSPERITY GOSPEL?

"Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments." –2 Kings 5:5

Naaman, the army commander of Aram, was a leper. He brought a great treasury of wealth (2 Kgs 5:5) to the prophet Elijah, hoping to obtain a cure for his leprosy. Elijah sent his servant Gehazi to tell Naaman to wash seven times in...

"Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on.  Is not the life more than the meat:  and the body more than the raiment?  Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns:  and your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are not you of much more value than they?  And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubi...

"Jesus saith to them:  But whom do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said:  Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answering, said to him:  Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:  because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  That thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.  And wha...

"Again the high priest asked Him, and said to Him:  Art Thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God?  And Jesus said to him:  I am.  And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of Heaven.  Then the high priest rending his garments, saith:  What need we any further witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy.  What think you?  Who all condemned Him to be guilty of death."  (Mark 14:61-64)

1. Who is Jesus Christ?

   Jesus Christ is t...

"For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.  For God sent not His Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him."  (John 3:16-17)

1. Did God abandon the human race after Adam's sin?

   No, He promised to send a savior into the world and to open again the gates of Heaven.

"I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed:  She shall cr...

"The Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  (Matthew 13:41-42)

1. What is Hell?

    The place in the next world where the souls of the damned are condemned to suffer forever with the devils.

"If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him int...

"Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God.  Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not Him.  Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be.  We know, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him:  Because we shall see Him as He is."  (1 John 3:1-2)

1. What is Heaven?

    The place of perfect happiness in the next world.

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear he...

"And Jesus addressed them, and spoke to them again in parables, saying,  "The kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son...  And the marriage was filled with guests.  And the king went in to see the guests:  And he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.  And he saith to him:  Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment?  But he was silent.  Then the king said to the waiters:  Bind his hands and feet and cast him into the exter...

"Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth:  where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal.  But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven:  Where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.  For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also."   (Matthew 6:19-21)

1. What is a human being?

    A creature who has a body and soul.

"Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory an...

Mass Readings: March 26

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ROBED IN MERCY

"Quick! bring out the finest robe and put it on him." –Luke 15:22

Did you ever notice the similarity between this story of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11ff) and Old Testament stories? When Jesus said, "A man had two sons" (Lk 15:11), His Jewish listeners would have latched onto that right away. Adam had two sons, Cain and Abel (Gn 4:1-2). Abra...

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients;  and the number of them was thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:  The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and benediction."   (Apocalypse 5:11-12)

1. What is an angel?

    An angel is a spirit, that is, a creature who does not have a body.
2. Is an angel a real per...

"Ask, and it shall be given you:  seek, and you shall find:  knock, and it shall be opened to you.  For every one that asketh, receiveth:  and he that seeketh, findeth:  and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.  Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?  Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?  If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children:  how much more will your Father who is in Heave...

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days hath spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world."  (Hebrews 1:1)

1. What is the Bible?

    A collection of writings which were inspired by God.

"All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good wor...

1. What is the purpose of these lessons?

    To fill in what is missing in the lives of so many people - the knowledge and practice of true religion.

    "The heart of the wise seeketh instruction:  and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness."    (Proverbs 15:14).

2. Why is religion the most important study?

    Because God expects you to know what He has taught and what He wants you to do in this life.

    "Let no man deceive himself:   if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, le...

O my daughter! Would that the believers in the holy Catholic faith opened their hardened and stony hearts in order to attain to a true understanding of the sacred and mysterious blessing of the holy Eucharist! If they would only detach themselves, root out and reject their earthly inclinations, and, restraining their passions, apply themselves with living faith to study by the divine light their great happiness in thus possessing their eternal God in the holy Sacrament and in being abl...

One day, having a little more leisure... I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament, when I felt myself wholly penetrated with that Divine Presence, but to such a degree that I lost all thought of myself and of the place where I was, and abandoned myself to this Divine Spirit, yielding up my heart to the power of His love. He made me repose for a long time upon His Sacred Breast, where He disclosed to me the marvels of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart, which ...

Mass Readings: March 24

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HEART ATTACK

"More tortuous than all else is the human heart." –Jeremiah 17:9

More tortuous, twisted, and deceitful than all else is the human heart. The human heart is so tortuous that it will repeatedly murder millions of babies in the wombs of their mothers. The human heart is so self-deceived that it will call apathy "innocence," as we let the worst holocaust i...

Sacrifice is necessary in our lives if we want to realize the tenderness of God's love. Sacrifice is his love in action. God sent Jesus to teach us this love. And you will find out in your own life. Have you ever experienced the joy of loving? Have you ever shared something with the sick, with the lonely, together making something beautiful for God. This is something that has to come from within us. That is why Jesus made himself the Bread of Life–to create that in our life. If it is...

Mass Readings: March 23

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CRUCIFYING SELFISHNESS

"It cannot be like that with you." –Matthew 20:26

There is an attitude, a way of reasoning, which comes natural to us. This attitude is steeped in selfishness and is very displeasing to the Lord. It is expressed in the words of Jeremiah's persecutors. They thought this way: "Let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean t...