Daily Reflections
In the end, it all hinges on free will. In St. Paul’s marvelous letter, he reminds the Romans and us of that “happy fault” that caused sin to enter the world yet won for us so great a redeemer. And through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus, the Christ, we are…
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St. Luke the evangelist can be particularly dear to us because he is the “evangelist of Our Lady.” Only from him did we get handed down to us the accounts of annunciation, visitation, the scenes of Christmas, and the presentation in the temple of Jesus. And we can say he…
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I always grin when I think about the Apostles getting snarky with one another, especially when James and John’s mom steps in to ask Jesus what His plans are for her boys (not as explicit in St. Mark’s version). We all have a propensity to want to know the future.…
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Acknowledgment is a common courteous behavior parents teach their children in their earliest years. Parents want their sons and daughters to acknowledge a person’s presence as well as gifts they have received. Acknowledgement is a way of saying that the person matters. In the beginning of today’s Gospel, Jesus is…
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It is essential to understand the Church’s teaching about faith to help us appreciate Abraham’s faith in God. He is credited as being righteous, as we heard in the first reading. Faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by Him (CCC 153). The exercise of faith is…
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Paul bases his ministry on the belief that all human beings, of whatever race, are called to salvation through Jesus Christ. By contrast, today’s Gospel alludes to the murder of many prophets in Old Testament times. Old Testament terms often resonate in Paul’s writings. They include: the justice of God,…
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The word of God today challenges us on how coherent our lives as Christians are. The word of God is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path. (Cf. Psalm 119, 105) It is also this lamp that exposes the contradiction in us, not to humiliate us,…
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“Let Me Show You My God” “Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.” Rom…
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Last night I had an incredible opportunity to attend an event hosted by a conservative Christian non-partisan, lobbying organization group that is firm on defending the values of traditional family, life at conception, and religious freedom. My mind is still spinning from the energy and passion the guest speakers spoke…
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“I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”—Wis 7:7 Friends, today I invite you to consider this question: What do you seek? What is the deepest desire of your heart, your mind? If God granted you one gift of your choosing, what would that be? In…
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