Daily Reflections

Fortitude

Fortitude

By Paul Verderber / July 29, 2024 /

The Gospel for today is what some call the “weeds in the field” Gospel. I have worked in agriculture for most of my career, so I appreciate the parable. However, what strikes me from the reading is the need for Fortitude, one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit…

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Our Lady of Walsingham

England and Our Lady of Walsingham

By Fr. Marcelo Javier Navarro Muñoz, IVE / July 28, 2024 /

This summer I had to go to England twice. The first trip was for a conference on Catholic Priesthood at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham (London). The conference was organized by both the Theology Department of St Mary’s and Ave Maria University (Florida) hosting a great variety of speakers. It…

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On the Eucharist: God Works through Us

God Works Through Us

By Erin Szurgot / July 28, 2024 /

There were three parts of today’s Gospel that I think are very impactful to meditate with. First, the feeding of the five thousand foreshadows the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states “the miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes…

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Moving Towards a Supportive Humanity

Moving Towards a Supportive Humanity

By Fr. John Opara / July 27, 2024 /

A reflection on the importance of being supportive and nurturing growth in relationships and communities—supportive humanity. An adage states: “If you cannot help, do not hinder.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares the Parable of the Weeds, where a man sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and…

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Feast of Saints Joachin and Anne

Saints Joachim and Anne: Grandparents

By Arlene Braganza / July 25, 2024 /

Today is the feast of Saints Joachim (sometimes spelled Joaquin) and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the grandparents of Jesus. There is no mention of them in the Scriptures, but tradition has it that they were childless and advanced in years when, after much praying and fasting,…

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St. James: Lessons in Overcoming Obstacles

What Makes Us Strong

By Fr. Luke Ijezie / July 24, 2024 /

A conversation on what we can learn through the life and works of St. James Sometimes we wonder how we succeed in overcoming obstacles and persecutions that ordinarily seem insurmountable. As Christians, we often find ourselves championing noble causes and waging battles that are far beyond our human strength. Knowing…

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A Call to Prayer

A Call to Prayer

By Nicole Buchholz / July 23, 2024 /

Reflecting on today’s readings about God calling Jeremiah and the parable of the sower moved me to pray for all people discerning a vocation to the priesthood or some form of consecrated life within our Church. This reading from Jeremiah was read in the Mass of my consecration, as I…

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Our Relationship with Christ: the vine and the branches

Our Relationship with Christ

By Fr. Cyriacus Uzochukwu / July 22, 2024 /

My dear friends, today is the feast of St. Brigid of Sweden. Today’s gospel sees Jesus speaking metaphorically to his disciples. His words remind me of an African proverb which says that if a lizard departs from the tree of her habitat, little children will roughly mangle her. That is…

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St. Mary Magdalene

St. Mary Magdalene

By Lizzie Gildner / July 21, 2024 /

The National Eucharistic Congress just took place over the past several days here in the United States. As some might know, it is the first congress happening in 83 years! Although I am not able to attend, I look forward to hearing about the outpouring of graces and fruits from…

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Sheep Without a Shepherd

Sheep Without a Shepherd

By Deborah van Kroonenburg / July 20, 2024 /

We were dizzy with exhaustion and exhilaration when we gathered together again with the Lord. This was our first taste of the authority which lay naturally on the shoulders of our Master but which we had not received ourselves, until now. We had done what Jesus said and we had…

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