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Wednesday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Fasting, almsgiving and prayer are all staples of the Christian disciple’s life. They are praiseworthy things, to be sure. But Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel reading that they are not things to be done for praise. No one should even know that we have done these things, because in receiving praise for…
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Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings My grandmother on my dad’s side was a holy woman and loved to read the Scriptures. Except for the Old Testament. She used to say that the Old Testament was bloody and murderous and not very edifying. It’s easy to understand what she meant when you read the readings we’ve had in the…
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The Immaculate Heart of Mary
Today’s readings My mother has a lot of stories about me when I was growing up, as you might well guess. Some of them are nice, some of them embarrassing, and since she’s here a lot, none of you are allowed to ask her about them! I am guessing that even the nice stories about…
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The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Today’s readings I remember when I was growing up, often visiting my dear grandmother. She and I were best friends in so many ways. I remember when we visited that she had a beautiful framed picture in the living room, given a spot of honor where everyone could see it, and that picture was of…
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Wednesday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Giving the right example is incredibly important for the disciple. We don’t want to lead anyone astray either through carelessness or through bad intent. That’s why Elijah decided to have it out with the prophets of Baal once and for all. He proved conclusively – through the power of God – that there…
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Monday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings Sometimes God’s blessings can be challenging. For example, we might not think that those who are meek and those who mourn are blessed. And we certainly wouldn’t celebrate the blessings of those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, would we? It’s even more challenging when we remember that the word “blessed”…
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The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today’s readings During World War II, the officers of the Third Reich’s secret service forcefully recruited many 12- and 13-year-old boys into the Junior Gestapo. The harshly treated boys were given only inhumane jobs that they were to perform without rest or complaint. After the war ended, most had lost contact with their families and…
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Friday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings I love the Scriptures. They speak to us of the very essence of God. The Scriptures aren’t words dictated by God, but rather, the Holy Spirit inspired the authors of the Scriptures with the truth that comes from God himself. All Scripture, as Saint Paul reminds us today, is “useful for teaching, for…
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St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Today’s readings One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He and his companions were pages in the court of Mwanga, the Bagandan ruler. He protected his fellow pages, aged 13 to 30, from the immoral demands of Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed…
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Wednesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Todays readings Jesus clarifies for us that God is a God not of the dead, but of the living. God is all about life. He gives us the great gift of life on this earth, and we must zealously defend and respect life. He gives us the hope of life eternal in the kingdom, and…
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