Daily Reflections
Listen Carefully to the Command In 1854, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a poem commemorating “The Light Brigade”, a British cavalry unit which fought a battle against the Russians during the Crimean War. Because of poor intelligence and poorly communicated orders, half of the brigade’s six hundred men were killed, wounded,…
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The prophet Joel, in the first reading (Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2), invites the people to deeper commitment to the life of faith. The prophet is concerned with strengthening formal observances of prayer, such as the temple liturgy, and an inward conversion. Furthermore, a fast and a solemn assembly of the people…
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Today is the memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. This celebration commemorates the central role of our mother Mary in the history of our salvation. The rosary summarizes the gospel and more. It presents the gospel message from the perspective of Mary, who was part of the entire…
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Today’s Gospel, from Luke, is going to be the focus of my reflection. Like most GVM subscribers, you have heard certain Bible stories many times. You may have read them, heard them in church, heard a podcast, or someone told you about them. You may not know the whole reading,…
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The anger of Jonah in today’s first reading is palpitating and smoking. He is enraged to the point of death. Why? He preached the Word of God to the people of Nineveh, and they turned to God, abandoning their evil ways. God then showed them his loving mercy and compassion.…
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Often in mission life the missionary encounters a particular family that accepts the faith wholeheartedly, and this family, this household, becomes the center of the faith for the town or broader community. New Testament We see this in Paul’s second missionary journey when he and his band arrive in Philippi.…
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Today we honor St. Francis, one of the most well-known Saints. Because of his love for animals, we traditionally have the “blessing of the animals” today. I get a kick out of the kids dragging their animals to the church grounds to be blessed. It can be a scene of…
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Last Sunday we were at lunch with a group of singles, married couples, and widows. Some Catholic, others exploring Christianity for the first time. Some married within the (Catholic) faith, others outside it. Given the presence of a bachelor in our company, the discussion soon turned to marriage; in particular,…
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We all want to feel safe, at all times and every place. Today we celebrate Messengers of God, whose role is to keep us safe until we attain full salvation—the blessedness of beholding the face of God. The Catechism teaches that, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded…
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As a boy of fourteen years old, the life of one girl moved mine more than any other—showing me the way of love. The girl is Thérèse, from the little city of Lisieux in Calvados, France. She is popularly known as the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. To her, I…
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