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Thursday of the Twenty-first Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings When I was little, I often remember my grandmother saying “thank God for small favors!” Now that’s a holy and pious thought, and I’ll have you know my grandmother was certainly holy and pious. But when she said it, it was usually because someone had just done the least they could possibly do,…
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Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Todays’ readings Whenever you hear the stories of the saints, if you can’t read between the lives that they are always and everywhere pointing to Christ, then you’re missing the point. That’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to studying the saints, which by the way, is a very praiseworthy endeavor. One of…
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Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today’s Readings “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Those are kind of chilling words, in a way. We’ve been so conditioned to think that the spiritual life has to be easy. We are a society that has no patience…
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Saturday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings You may often have heard me speak of one of my favorite spiritual principles, and that is: “it’s not about me.” Today, we have two wonderful Scriptural examples of that very principle. First we have Ruth, a foreigner, who came to the aid of her mother-in-law Naomi in her time of need. Naomi…
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St. Pius X
Today’s readings | Today’s saint Yahweh-shalom is what Gideon called the altar he built to the LORD at Ophrah. “The Lord is our peace” is how we would translate that Hebrew name into English. It was certainly divine revelation that gave him that thought, because the oppression Gideon’s people were suffering under the Midianites was…
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Lord of All Hopefulness
One of my favorite hymns from the Liturgy of the Hours is “Lord of all Hopefulness,” based on the Irish tune Slane. I found these two versions on YouTube, and think they are both good in their own way. The first is Winchester Quirister Harry Sever. This second one, I can’t tell if it’s offered…
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Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings The Church’s Catechism tells us that “Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and…
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Saturday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” My family has had a plaque with that very verse on it for as long as I can remember. This has always been one of my favorite quotes from Scripture. But it certainly is a hard thing to say, and Joshua makes…
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Thursday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s readings God always gives us a way out. The Israelites could celebrate that twice. Twice they came up against the obstacle of the deep waters. The first was on the way out of Egypt, and Moses was able to raise his hands with the power of God and part the waters of the Red…
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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today’s readings There is no Scripture story telling us about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast is based on a strong Tradition that developed in the early Church and has been venerated ever since. Remember that we Catholics believe that Tradition which has come from the early Church is as much a…
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