Daily Reflections
We hear about the discussion of the disciples on the way to Caesarea Philippi arguing who among them is the greatest. We might call this aspiration towards greatness, “ambition.” Ambition is not bad. It can motivate us and energize us to do great things for ourselves and others. Ambition can…
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Today is the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian, twin brothers who were both physicians. By accepting no payment for their services, they attracted many to the Christian faith. These two saints are my birthday patron saints, interestingly, born in Arabia, as was I. Not much is known of them…
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What sustains life is hope. Without the hope of a better future, we can hardly survive the upheavals of the present. Here one recalls the opening words of the great Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, SPE SALVI facti sumus – “In hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the…
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Peter’s exclamation of “You are the Christ, the son of the Living God!” is a bold declaration of who Christ is. Yet, a moment later, his lack of faith in that statement earns him rebuke from Our Lord. Although not included in the reading today, in the verse directly after…
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My dear friends, the gospel today is a very interesting one. It calls to mind the incident that happened between John the Baptist and Herod the Tetrarch. Herod put John in prison and later murdered him in favor of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for the condemnation of…
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As I spent time in prayerful reflection writing this, I felt convicted. Everyone always talks about counting your blessings, but how often do we actually sit down and realize everything that God has done for each and every one of us? With all that is going on given the current…
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If you happen to enter the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, Caravaggio’s genius offers the visitor a view of The Calling of Matthew. It comes alive in all its dramatic force. It is well worth the time spent contemplating this painting, a form of graphic catechetical piece…
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The Lord upholds my life. This is the response of the Responsorial Psalm today. Stop and reflect for a moment. Does the Lord uphold your life? Yes, He does! But, do you let Him? What does it mean to live each day in this truth? The Lord, and He alone,…
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The more I think about it, the more I realize that there are two armies striving mightily to gain the upper hand. And the arena is both within and without. St. James poses the question: Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? He promptly…
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Going through the first reading today, I had a mental flashback to when I was growing up as a young boy in a family of 7 children. I remember the usual daily “moral instructions” from our parents then. My dad, a retired elementary school teacher, would often use this phrase,…
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