The Liturgy Podcast from Spirit & Song: Recent Episodes
OCP.org
Liturgy Podcast is a weekly liturgy planning resource for musicians, liturgists, homilists, youth groups, faith sharing groups, and all who look to the liturgical readings for inspiration and nourishment.
"The way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us." The Holy Family inspires our families to be holy.
"Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. For today a great light has come upon the earth." Good news! The birth of Jesus Christ brings much needed light into our world.
"When [the shepherds] returned home to tell everyone what they saw, all were astonished." Like the shepherds, let us return home from this morning liturgy and share the joy of Christmas with our families and friends.
"I proclaim to you good news of great joy: Today a Savior is born for us." We adore the infant who became our salvation. He is the Prince of Peace.
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" The Gospel of Matthew's carefully crafted genealogy of the Messiah is upended by divine intervention. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary.
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Mary's tender and trusting faith inspires us as we journey from Advent to Christmas.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say again: Rejoice!" In our Christian joy, we help prepare for the coming of Christ into the world.
"Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you." Through Mary, we are inspired to join her in saying "Yes" to God.
"The Lord will make the glory of his voice heard in the joy of your heart." This Advent, let us look for ways to brighten our hearts with the light of Christ.
"Show us, Lord, your love, and grant us your salvation." Advent is our season of hope and quiet joy as we await the coming of Christ.
Jesus said to the Samaritan leper after his healing: "Stand up and go! Your faith has saved you." Our best way to say Thank You is to proclaim God's goodness.
"My kingdom does not belong to this world." Jesus is our King, but his reign is not over some expanse of territory on this earth. Instead, Jesus reigns in our hearts.
"The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction." In the darkness of our modern world, we cling to the hope and promise of Jesus Christ.
"Let hearts that seek the Lord rejoice!" Bartimaeus teaches us to seek Jesus confidently and follow him on his way of the Cross.
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." There is no resurrection glory without first suffering the pains of the cross.
"Like the deer that years for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God." Jesus invites us to take to heart his words to the deaf person in today's Gospel: "Be open!"
"The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord." In today's readings, Jesus and Saint James teach us that religion is not "obligation" but, rather, a compassionate heart.
Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?" Jesus concludes his teaching on the Bread of Life by calling us to faith. How do we respond?
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever." We might be more concerned on the here and now, but Jesus is focused on the eternal.
"Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honor of the Virgin Mary." The Assumption of Mary teaches us that if we are open to the Holy Spirit, God will do great things through us. With Mary, we will share in the risen glory of her Son.
"Glorious things are spoken of you, O Mary, who today were exalted above the choirs of Angels into eternal triumph with Christ." Through her Assumption, Mary shares in the Easter victory of her Son.
"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." The Eucharist is Jesus' own life, given freely on the Cross so that we would share in his eternal life.
"The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs." In the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus revealed the loving, caring and lavish generosity of God.
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile..." Without prayer, our ministry runs the risk of being self-serving. We need time alone with Jesus. Listen to him!
"In him we were chosen so that we might exist for the praise of his glory." We are called to bring the Good News of Jesus to all. We cannot do this alone; we minister only within community - "two by two."
"He was not able to perform any mighty deed there. He was amazed by their lack of faith." Jesus knows rejection and understands our discouragement. May our faith be strong so that we, too, may accept rejection and rise with him to healing and new life.
"Do not be afraid; just have faith." God often does not answer prayers in the way WE want them answered. We need to trust God's wisdom and mercy.
"He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' The wind ceased and there was great calm." We need to remember who is in the boat with us! Jesus has the power to calm our storms.
"The kingdom of God... is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth." The growth of God's kingdom begins with the tiniest seed: a small act of love.
"I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord." The Eucharist is Jesus' promise of eternal life, a covenant with us that was ratified by his blood.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..." Since we are created in God's image, every relationship of ours is an opportunity to reflect the divine love of the Most Holy Trinity.
"The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world . . ." The Holy Spirit takes us as we are and empowers us to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
"The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us." The Pentecost Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.
"Father, I pray that they may be one as we also are one." We join Jesus in prayer as we await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." At his Ascension, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and evangelize the world.
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." A genuinely loving relationship is an encounter with God, for God is love.
"Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us." Easter joy! We are one with Jesus.
"The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, alleluia." Our Easter joy is revealed in the love of Jesus our shepherd.
"The Christ had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead; in his name repentance and remission of sins must be preached to all the nations." Easter is a call to action for us to give witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Divine Mercy reminds us that our love for God is a call to love one another.
"The Lord is truly risen, alleluia." From the silence of the Empty Tomb emerges the Good News that we must proclaim to the world: Jesus is alive!
"Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here." The Sacred Paschal Triduum concludes with the Easter Vigil in which our RCIA Elect are received into the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation.
"Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured." The Sacred Paschal Triduum continues with the solemn celebration of the Lord's Passion.
"We should glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection, through whom we are saved and delivered." One might think that a Eucharistic hymn might serve as an Entrance chant for Holy Thursday, but the Church chose a text that sings of the fullness of the three days of the Sacred Paschal Triduum.
"When the centurion who stood facing [Jesus] saw how he breathed his last, he said: Truly this man was the Son of God!" Even in the face of suffering and death, may we always be so bold to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." As our RCIA Elect make their final preparations for the Easter sacraments, they are inspired by Martha's profession of faith.
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified..." The end of our Lenten journey beckons. The Cross lies ahead!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..." Let us rejoice in the saving love of God, a love proven by Jesus' embrace of the Cross.
"Sir, give me this water so that I may not be thirsty." We pray for our RCIA Elect as they encounter Jesus and journey with him toward the living waters of baptism.
"We proclaim Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. But to those who are called - Jews and Greeks alike - Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." The Cross is the ultimate sign of God's love.
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." At the Transfiguration, Jesus is revealed as God's beloved Son. Lent is our time to listen up!
"This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." We journey through Lent with Jesus, who leads us through the desert to the saving waters of Baptism.
"Be reconciled to God... Behold, now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation." Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey. It is an invitation to deepen our relationship with God.
A leper came to Jesus. "If you wish, you can make me clean." Jesus said, "I do will it. Be made clean." If Christ shows compassion to one who is ostracized from the community, can we not do the same?
"He cured many who were sick with serious diseases, and he drove out many demons." "To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak." Let us embrace our weakness and humbly turn to Christ for healing and peace.
"The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority." We are invited to humbly accept the authority of Jesus as we listen to his Word.
"The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." On Word of God Sunday, Jesus calls us to go fishing with him and proclaim the Good News.
"Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Jesus calls us to follow him. What is our response?
"Your light has come. The glory of the Lord shines upon you!" Through his Epiphany, Jesus invites us to make a difference in the world by loving others as he loves us.
"The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. . . And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." Jesus Christ is Son of God and Son of Mary. He is our Prince of Peace.
"The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him." What makes the Holy Family holy? One word: FAITH.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son..." Good news! The birth of Jesus Christ brings much needed light into our world.
The shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place which the Lord has made known to us." Like the shepherds, let us return home from this morning liturgy and share the joy of Christmas with our families and friends.
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord." Tonight we adore the infant who became our salvation. He is the Prince of Peace.
"She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." The Gospel of Matthew's carefully crafted genealogy of the Messiah is upended by divine intervention. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. . ." Mary's patient time of trusting and waiting was fulfilled when she gave birth to God's Son.
"A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!" "He is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Our liberation from sin has been God's plan all along. God's loving forgiveness was foretold from of old.
"May it be done to me according to your word." Through Mary, we are inspired to join her in saying "Yes" to God. On this day, we celebrate her great love for God.
"Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." In the midst of the busiest month of the year, the Church invites us to focus our minds and hearts on the coming of Christ.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me . . ." Christ shepherds his people compassionately. He has given us a mandate to join him in reaching out with love to the least of our brethren.
When we realize the blessings God has given us, our best way to say Thank You is to proclaim God's goodness. As Jesus said to the Samaritan leper after his healing: "Stand up and go! Your faith has saved you."
"Come, share your master's joy!" We know not when the Lord will return in glory but until then, we live in his light.
"As for the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father only." The focus of today's Gospel is on the end times, but that is not a cause for fear. It's a call to hope in the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus teaches us an invaluable lesson in humility and discipleship.
"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb." The saints are our role models as they lead us to Christ.
"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." By placing love of neighbor on equal footing with loving God, Jesus single-handedly moved morality forward in one giant leap.
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God." If we render to God what belongs to God - our hearts, our very selves - then that which we render to Caesar will be put into proper perspective.
"The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike..." Jesus' invitation is a call to conversion of heart, to turn away from sin and enter a life of grace.
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes." Jesus was rejected. As his disciples, we, too, face rejection for our beliefs. But Christ is our cornerstone, the rock of our faith.
"He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." On the cross, Jesus taught us that obedience is conversion of heart to the Father's will.
"The last will be first, and the first will be last." We rejoice in the boundless mercy of God, who inspires us share his love generously.
Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "Not seven times but seventy-seven times." God's infinite mercy surpasses the limitations of the human heart.
"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Jesus is here in our midst! He is the heart of our Church community.
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." To follow Jesus is not all glory and grandeur. To follow Jesus means being open to the Cross.
Jesus said to his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." In union with the whole Church, we join Peter in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Jesus said to the Canaanite woman, "Great is your faith! Let it be done as you wish." The prejudices of humanity can muddle things up, but God brings salvation to ALL who have great faith.
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Mary, through her Assumption, shares in the Easter victory of her Son, who conquered death and fulfilled his promise of eternal life.
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Mary, through her Assumption, shares in the Easter victory of her Son, who conquered death and fulfilled his promise of eternal life.
"When the disciples saw [Jesus] walking on the sea they were terrified... and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, 'Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.'" The Lord can save us from the storms of life, but do we have the faith to believe?
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." Who is Jesus Christ? Is he the central person in your life? Only YOU can answer these questions for yourself. And when you do, Jesus gently says, "Rise, and do not be afraid."
"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." Oneness with Christ lies at the heart of those who choose God's kingdom!
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants." Our capacity to grow in God's love has no limits if we allow the Holy Spirit to leaven our lives.
"The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit." As disciples of Christ, we are called to listen to the Word of God and let it take root in the world.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Humility helps us transcend hardships and burdens that may come our way as we proclaim the Good News to the world.
"Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me... Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." Are we ready to put aside things that get in the way of following Jesus?
"Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge... So do not be afraid." We will more effectively witness to Christ by our deeds, with kindness and compassion; and with a courage that is born of Jesus' deep and abiding love for us.
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Jesus calls us each by name. How do we respond?
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." On this great solemnity, we celebrate Jesus' gift of himself in the holy Eucharist.
"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life . . ." We might not fully understand the nature of the Most Holy Trinity, but love gives us a handle that helps us grasp the mystery!
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. . ." The Holy Spirit takes us as we are and empowers us to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ according to the gifts and talents that we each were given.
"See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life." The Pentecost Extended Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.
"I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours, and everything of yours is mine. I have been glorified in them." We belong to Jesus, and he prays to his Father on our behalf.
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." At his Ascension, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and evangelize the world.
"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth." As baptized Christians, we share in the divine life of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus invites us to be One with God. We invite others to this divine unity in the way we offer ourselves in service to those in need.
"He walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice." Jesus, our Good Shepherd, patiently seeks us and calls us to return to him so that we might have life abundantly.
"And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them." Easter joy! We recognize Jesus in each other, in the Word, and in the breaking of the bread.
"Peace be with you! When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord." The Divine Mercy of our Risen Lord brings healing and forgiveness.
"For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead." If death is the common door through which we all must enter, then the Empty Tomb gives us a hopeful glimpse of what lies on the other side.
"We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God the Father, we too might live in newness of life." The Sacred Paschal Triduum concludes with the Easter Vigil in which our RCIA Elect are received into the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation.
"But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole; by his stripes we were healed." The Sacred Paschal Triduum continues with the solemn celebration of the Lord's Passion.
"If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet." On Holy Thursday, we are called to love and serve God by loving and serving those around us who seek Christ's healing touch.
"Truly, this was the Son of God!" Our solemn celebration of Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, followed by the Gospel proclamation of his Passion.
"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus presents us with his promise of eternal life.
"You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. . . Live as children of light!" Jesus is our light. Do we believe this?
"If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." Jesus calls us to the waters of eternal life.
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid."
"Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights." If we are one with the Spirit and nurtured by God's Word, we, too, will be able to face the temptations that lead us astray.
"When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees you in secret will repay you." Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey. It is an invitation to deepen our relationship with God.
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Jesus teaches that holiness is the way to divine perfection.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill." In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges us with a call to holiness.
"Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." We do good works of compassion not for our own glory, but for the glory of God.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Jesus is challenging us to have a heart like God's so that we, too, may not only embrace the poor but become poor ourselves.
"Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone." In the midst of our daily struggles and uncertainties, the Word of God brings us clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.
"I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." We are called to proclaim Jesus Christ to the world!
"Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. . ." At the Epiphany, God is revealed to all nations and peoples through Jesus Christ.
"And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart..." Son of God and Son of Mary, Jesus brings peace on earth to people of good will.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son..." Good news! The birth of Jesus brings much needed light into our world.
The shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place which the Lord has made known to us." From this early morning liturgy, let us return home and share with our loved ones the Good News that Jesus Christ is born!
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown." A child has been born to us! He is the Prince of Peace.
"For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her." The Gospel of Matthew's carefully crafted genealogy of the Messiah is upended by divine intervention through the conception of the Son of God within Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her." Joseph's unwavering faith inspires our celebration of Emmanuel - God-with-Us!
"Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God." On Gaudete Sunday, we rejoice as our celebration of Christmas draws near.
"I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Through Mary, we are inspired to join her in saying Yes to God's will. She is the First Disciple and our model of holiness.
"On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious." During Advent we are uplifted by the poetry of the prophet Isaiah, who points to a world transformed by the coming of the Lord.
"It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." The joyful season of Advent begins!
"And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth... May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you." On this day of blessings, we pray the Eucharist, the great feast of thanksgiving, as we gather with family and friends in our parish community.
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." In the midst of our troubled world, across this vast universe, in life and in death, Jesus Christ is our Lord and King.
"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified. . . By your perseverance you will secure your lives." With our lives and our hearts focused on Jesus, we need not fear calamities past, present, or future.
"They are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise." In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches about the meaning of the resurrection from the dead.
"Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven." On this holy day, we celebrate our unity in Christ with the Communion of Saints.
"Today salvation has come to this house..." God makes us worthy, despite our sinfulness.
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus teaches us to pray with humility, which opens our hearts to our need for God.
"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
"Stand up and go; your faith has saved you." Our response to God's goodness is a heartfelt Thank You. Go out and proclaim God's praise!
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." Faith is God's gracious gift, unmerited by anything that we can say or do. We are merely servants, empowered by faith, to serve God and serve others.
"The Lord raises up those who are bowed down." In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus challenges us to care for the poor who are so close to his heart.
"Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor." Today's readings challenge us to act more compassionately on behalf of the poor by placing God above the values of the world.
"We must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that God loves us more than we could ever imagine.
"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." If we want to follow Christ, it means facing opposition and carrying a difficult cross. We are strengthened by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
"When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you." The Eucharist is the heavenly banquet here on Earth. Who do we invite to the table of the Lord?
"Go out to all the world and tell the Good News." Today's readings teach us about the universality of God's kingdom.
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord... He has remembered his promise of mercy." Mary's deep love for her Son inspires our own faith. She leads us to the risen glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus." As disciples of Christ must be prepared to endure opposition for our beliefs. Jesus keeps us focused on our journey to the Kingdom of God.
"You must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect the Son of Man will come." We must always be ready to spring into action when Jesus calls us to help him establish the Kingdom of God.
"Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges us to not trust in our possessions but in God's providence.
"For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them the Our Father, a remarkable prayer of intimate trust in God's generous love.
"Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." Listening to God's Word is equally important to doing God's Word.
"Which of these three was neighbor to the robber's victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." The Parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to be instruments of God's mercy.
"Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'" Our joy is in our identity with Jesus, not in what we do. Our names are written in heaven because we are his beloved sons and daughters.
"For freedom, Christ set us free... But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather serve one another through love." With the total commitment to Christ comes the freedom to love!
"He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock." Until the Lord comes again, may we be nourished and satisfied in the Eucharist.
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. . . and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Since we are created in God's image, every relationship of ours is an opportunity to reflect the divine love of the Most Holy Trinity.
"The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.
"O my people! I will put my Spirit in you that you may live..." The Pentecost Extended Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.
"Father, I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one." Jesus prays for his disciples and brings them into community with God.
"And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." At the Ascension, Jesus gave his disciples the promise of the Holy Spirit.
"Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." The Church is the community of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
"As I have loved you, so you also should one another." Jesus is alive in our world today through our love for each other.
"A great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, people and tongue... stood before the throne and before the Lamb." Easter joy continues! We renew our zeal to follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Â
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord. You know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." In our Easter joy, Jesus calls us serve others.
"Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever." The Divine Mercy of Jesus gives us the courage to seek forgiveness from God, and to forgive others.
"For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead." We have no idea what the path to pandemic recovery will entail. The Empty Tomb teaches us to not to despair but to live in Easter hope.
"Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised." The Sacred Paschal Triduum concludes with the Easter Vigil's splendid liturgy in which our RCIA Elect are received into the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation.
"You ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you also should do." In the Eucharist, Jesus calls us to love and serve God by loving and serving one another.
"You ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you also should do." In the Eucharist, Jesus calls us to love and serve God by loving and serving one another.
"He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross." Our solemn celebration of Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, followed by the Gospel proclamation of his Passion.
"Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." As our RCIA Elect make their final preparations for the Easter sacraments, they are inspired by Martha's profession of faith in Jesus as the resurrection and the life.
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." God's mercy surpasses our human inclination to pass judgment on others. After all, are we not all in need of mercy and forgiveness?
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Jesus opens our eyes so we can see his light.
"Let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life again." The lure of sin leads to isolation and despair, but our loving God is always ready to embrace us and welcome us home.
"Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst." We pray for our RCIA Elect as they listen to Jesus and journey toward the living waters of baptism.
"If you do not repent, you will perish as they did." Jesus shares a parable that gives us hope during this holy season as we learn to repent and seek God's forgiveness.
"This is my chosen Son. Listen to him." The Transfiguration is a vision of Jesus' risen glory that inspires us as we journey through the challenges of Lent. Listen to Jesus!
"Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil." The Holy Spirit and the Word of God! That is the key to our Lenten journey with Jesus.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites... Anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey toward Easter joy.
"A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks." Jesus offers practical wisdom for living in Christian community.
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you... Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Jesus challenges the world with his call to universal love.
"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord." These words from the prophet Jeremiah go hand in hand with Jesus' teaching in the Gospel of Luke: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours."
"Simon Peter fell at the knees of Jesus and said, 'Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.' Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid.'" We are called to join the apostles and go fishing for the Kingdom.
"They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." Being a Christian in today's world is not easy. Jesus teaches us to trust and love.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor..." Jesus is the Word of God who embodies the Scripture he proclaims.
"Do whatever he tells you." " From the miracle at Cana, Mary's wisdom guides us as we strive to follow her Son.
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." The Baptism of Jesus is a celebration of God's mercy and the call of our own baptism.
"Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. . . We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." At the Epiphany, God is revealed to all nations and peoples through Jesus Christ.
"All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart..." Son of God and Son of Mary, Jesus brings peace on earth to people of good will.
"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are." The Holy Family inspires our families to be holy.
"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen." Let us go forth from this early morning liturgy and share with our loved ones the Good News that Jesus Christ is born!
"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen." Let us go forth from this early morning liturgy and share with our loved ones the Good News that Jesus Christ is born!
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord." On this joyous night, let us join the angels in singing, "Glory to God in the highest!"
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means God Is With Us." The Gospel of Matthew's carefully crafted genealogy of the Messiah is turned on its head by divine intervention through the conception of the Son of God within Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Mary's tender and trusting faith inspires us as we journey from Advent to Christmas.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say again: Rejoice! Your kindness should be shown to all. The Lord is near." Â
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Mary said Yes and submitted humbly to God's will. She is our model of holiness.
"Jerusalem, take off the robe of mourning and misery! Put on the splendor of glory from God forever... For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory." Advent is our season of joy!
"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay... But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand." Advent is our season of hope.
"Stand up and go! Your faith has saved you." On this wonderful day, we are privileged to pray the Eucharist, the great feast of thanksgiving, as we gather with family and friends in our parish community.
"My kingdom does not belong to this world." Jesus is our King, and he leads us to a kingdom that transcends the standards of the world. Jesus reigns in our hearts.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." In the darkness of our modern world, we cling to the hope and promise of Jesus Christ.
"This poor widow, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood." Our Lord is present in the poor, so we too must become poor - to live in a spirit of hope, and with a generosity of heart.
"They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out: Salvation comes from our God." We celebrate our unity in Christ with the Communion of Saints, and we look to them as models of faith and perseverance for these troubled times.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength . . . You shall love your neighbor as yourself." How do we love the God whom we cannot see? Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor, whom we see every day!
"Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Bartimaeus teaches us to seek Jesus confidently and follow him on his way of the Cross.
"Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant... For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Â Our discipleship in Christ turns us not inward but outward in service to others.
"Go, sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven." Â Jesus challenges us to renounce the values of the world. That is how we will find the Kingdom of God.
"So they are no longer two but one flesh. What God has joined together, no human being must separate." Â In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us his teaching on marriage and divorce.
"Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets!"Â As disciples in service to others, Jesus calls us to a life of holiness.
"If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."Â Jesus calls us to be disciples who are rooted in humble service to those in need.
"What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Â Jesus challenges us to take up our cross. Saint James follows by telling us tells us bluntly: Do it!
"Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ." Â Jesus invites us to take to heart his words to the deaf person in today's Gospel: "Be open!"
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." Â In today's readings, Jesus and Saint James teach us that religion is not "obligation" but, rather, a compassionate heart.
"Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Â Jesus concludes his teaching on the Bread of Life by calling us to faith. How do we respond?
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord... The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name."Â We are inspired by Mary's great faith and deep love for her Son. She leads us to the risen glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."Â Mary is the First Disciple, whose total devotion to God is a model for our own discipleship.
"Whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world."Â The Eucharist is Jesus' own life, given freely on the Cross so that we would share in his eternal life.
"Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted..." In the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus revealed the loving, caring and lavish generosity of God.
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile..." We need time alone with Jesus. Listen carefully in the midst of our busy lives. He is calling us to prayer!
"Jesus began to send them out two by two... He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick." We are called to bring the Good News of Jesus to those around us - our families, our friends, the people in our lives.
"To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good... All of us have been given to drink of the one Spirit." Although we cannot see the Holy Spirit, we can sense the Spirit working through us in this school year.
"Mary said to the servers, 'Do whatever he tells you.' " Jesus listened to his mother. So should we!
"He was not able to perform any mighty deeds there. He was amazed by their lack of faith." May our faith be strong and allow Jesus to touch and heal our world.
"Do not be afraid; just have faith." Jesus wants to bring us the healing that we need - if only we can turn to him in faith.
"Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" We need to remember who is in the boat with us! Jesus has the power to calm our storms.
"The kingdom of God... is like a mustard seed. Once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants..." The growth of God's kingdom begins with the tiniest seed: a small act of love.
"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many." The Eucharist is Jesus' promise of eternal life, a covenant with us that was ratified by his blood.
"You received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . . and joint heirs with Christ." Since we are created in God's image, every relationship of ours is an opportunity to reflect the divine love of the Most Holy Trinity.
"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also will testify. . ." The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.
"In those days, I will pour out my Spirit. And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth." The Pentecost Extended Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.
"Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. . ." We join Jesus in prayer as we await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
"But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs." At the Ascension, Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission to proclaim the Good News to all.
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you." A genuinely loving relationship is an encounter with God, for God is love.
"I am the good shepherd and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father." Our Easter joy is revealed in the love of Jesus our shepherd.
"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached... You are witnesses of these things." Easter is a call to action to give witness to the Good News!
"In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments." Divine Mercy reminds us that our love for God is a call to love each other as God's children.
"For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead." What is the message of Easter for a world ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic?
"Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here." The Sacred Paschal Triduum concludes with the uplifting celebration of the Easter Vigil.
"Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured. He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins. By his stripes we were healed." The Sacred Paschal Triduum continues with the celebration of the Lord's Passion.
"If I, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet." In the Eucharist, Jesus calls us to love and serve God by loving and serving one another.
"He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." After five weeks of Lenten prayer and preparation, we enter Holy Week and the celebration of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection.
"Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." Martha expressed her faith in Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life. We are invited to do the same.
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified..." The end of our Lenten journey beckons. The Cross lies ahead!
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Jesus our Shepherd strengthens us as he helps us see the light.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..." Today we rejoice in God's saving love, even as we walk with Jesus on his way of the Cross.
"Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit." We pray for our RCIA Elect as they listen to Jesus and journey toward the living waters of baptism.
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." What zeal do we have for the house of the Lord? It is where we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in our celebration of the Eucharist.
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." At the Transfiguration, the disciples were in awe as they caught a glimpse of Jesus' divine glory. They were glad to be there, even as they struggled to understand.
"The Spirit drove Jesus to the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days..." We journey through Lent with Jesus, who refreshes us through saving waters of our baptism.
"We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. . . Behold, now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation." On Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten journey of conversion and renewal.
A leper came to Jesus. "If you wish, you can make me clean." Jesus said, "I do will it. Be made clean." As followers of Christ, we bring his healing to the world.
"To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak." "Let us go to the nearby villages that I may preach there also." Let us embrace our weakness as we join Christ in evangelizing the world.
"The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority." When faced with the reality of evil in this world, do we turn to Jesus?
"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand." On Word of God Sunday, Jesus calls us to join him in announcing the Good News of God's reign.
"Rabbi, where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and you will see." Jesus calls us to follow him. What is our response?
"And a voice came from the heavens, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.'" The Baptism of Jesus is a celebration of our own baptism.
"We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." Jesus Christ is Savior and King for every nation and all peoples!
"When [the shepherds] saw this, they made known the message about this child. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart..." Son of God and Son of Mary, the Prince of Peace calls us make this New Year a year of peace.
"When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord." Joseph and Mary dedicated their infant child to God. Their faith is a model of holiness for our own families.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son..." Christmas joy! The birth of Jesus brings much needed light into our world.
"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place." In the City of David, God's promise of salvation has been fulfilled as the Eternal Word is born of Mary, Jesus the Lord.
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord." At his very birth, Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, was Savior and Lord. Tonight, we adore the infant who became our salvation.
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Although the Gospels do not record a single word from the lips of Joseph, his faith speaks volumes!
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." Mary, the Mother God, found favor with God through her openness to his will. With the Advent of Christ's birth, we renew our own commitment to follow wherever he leads.
"Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing! Give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." Our Advent journey is nearly complete. Let us all rejoice!
"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.'" On this joyful solemnity, we celebrate Mary's great Yes.
"'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.' John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." To prepare for the coming Lord, we turn from our old way of life to seek the face of God with greater fervor.
"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.'" Jesus has promised to that he will come again. Advent reminds us that we are to prepare and to be ready for that glorious moment.
"Stand up and go! Your faith has saved you." As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, let us be thankful for the gift of faith that grounds our families and binds us together in love.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne." At the end of the liturgical year, we profess our faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Father is reconciling all things to himself in the Lord Jesus.
"For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night." As we approach the end of the liturgical year, we are reminded that we are to be vigilant and watchful as we await the coming of the Lord.
"Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Today's Gospel focus is on the end times, but that is not meant to strike fear in our hearts. Rather, it is a call to hope in the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb." We celebrate our unity in Christ with the Communion of Saints, even as we look to them as models of faith and perseverance for these troubled times.
"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." God is love. Jesus is the incarnation of love. Salvation for us is being transformed into love through the action of the Holy Spirit.
"He said to them, 'Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.'" This is first of three Sundays until the national election in the United States. Today's gospel reminds us that we are pilgrims on earth and our true citizenship is in heaven.
"Go out into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find." Jesus presents his Parable of the Wedding Feast. All are welcome!
"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will remain." These words from the Gospel Acclamation present to us the teaching of today's readings.
"Jesus said to them, 'Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.'" Jesus consistently said that the Kingdom of God is extended far beyond those we would normally expect and that the religious are to be people of mercy.
"Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last." The Lord has been gracious and generous with us. We hope and work so that others may come to know the Lord's immense generosity.
"So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart." Let us be mindful of God's infinite mercy that surpasses the limitations of the human heart.
"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Jesus is with us! His love is the heart of our community.
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Losing regard for self, we offer ourselves in sacrifice to the Body of Christ: Jesus as head of the body, and all of the members.
"But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." A most unlikely disciple, Jesus allowed Peter to recognize his true identity and handed him the authority to lead the Church.
Jesus said, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done as you wish." God's merciful love transcends human boundaries and limitations.
"The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." Mary leads us to her Son, our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.
"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." The Blessed Virgin Mary heard the Word, observed the Word, carried the Word, and gave the Word to the world. During this solemnity, we celebrate her and the place that has been prepared for in the Body of Christ by God the Father.
"He cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter." In the face of all trouble, we can cry out to the Lord who hears us and saves us.
"He said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied." Jesus continues to feed the Church through the Eucharist.
"Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come. The glory of the Lord shines upon you." Be radiant! Be a light for your classmates, for your friends, and for your family through your enthusiasm for life and kindness to those around you.
"But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." As we begin the school year with much uncertainty, we trust that God holds us and our future in his loving hands.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Oneness with Christ lies at the heart of those who choose God's kingdom!
"If you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest." Weeds and wheat in our lives and in the Church grow side-by-side. God will make all things right at the harvest.
"But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear." We are to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of God in order for it to take deep root in our lives.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Humility lies at the heart of Jesus and is the key for being a faithful disciple.
"Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me... Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us that discipleship is a challenging life. But when we give our whole self to Jesus, God will provide for our needs.
"Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Our cares and concerns are known by the Father and his care is always a single breath away.
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me." In the Eucharist, we are united in Christ Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent to bear fruit.
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." Saint Paul's iconic Trinitarian greeting expresses how the Christian community can live together in God's love.
"All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim..." The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.
"Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink." Jesus has not left us alone. He has sent his Holy Spirit to us to satisfy every thirst we have.
"They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word." As Jesus prepared to take his place with the Father, we were not left alone because of his promise to send us the Holy Spirit.
"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." On his Ascension, Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission to bring his Good News to all.
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves." After a very difficult year, we celebrate all that God has done in the life of our young people.
"Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope but do it with gentleness and reverence." If we allow the Spirit to dwell within us, that will be enough to change the world.
"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.'" When things feel out of our control, God extends his hand to us and asks us to commit our destiny to him.
"A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." On this "Good Shepherd Sunday" the Church shows that Jesus has come to give everlasting life for the sheep whom he loves.
"Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" Easter joy! We recognize Jesus in each other, in the Word, and in the breaking of the bread.
"In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." God has chosen us to be his children. Being sealed with the Holy Spirit gives a share of eternal life that is to come.
"You might have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith... may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Divine Mercy sustains us through the trials and sufferings that life throws our way.
"Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb." Alleluia! Christ has risen as he said and, in him, we have victory over suffering and sin, pain and death.
"Do not be afraid! I know you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said." The Easter Triduum concludes with the amazing celebration of the Easter Vigil.
"Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured. He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins. By his stripes we were healed." Jesus' suffering and death reveal a love that is beyond our capacity to fully comprehend.
"If I, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet." The Easter Triduum begins with the celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.
"The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, 'Truly, this was the Son of God!'"
"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." In the Sacrament of Matrimony, we give our life away for another and become a witness of selfless love to the Church.
"He cried out in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!' The dead man came out..." Jesus stands in front of the dead areas of our lives and calls out to us to come into new life.
"You were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light!" Jesus helps us see the light and strengthens us to handle adversity and rejection.
"If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." Through our baptism, Jesus invites us to deepen our relationship with him.
"And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light." In Jesus's transfiguration, we see the glory that is his by nature, and that glory we will receive by grace.
"At that time, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." As the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so we are led into this season of conversion by the same Holy Spirit.
"Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God." On Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten journey of conversion and renewal.
"So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." The call to holiness extends to all of the faithful, and the call is to reach the destiny for which we are created.
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Jesus desires for his disciples to have holiness that goes beyond external behavior. Our holiness is to flow from a complete transformation of our personhood.
"Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." Christ the light has come. We wait for the promised Holy Spirit when we are aflame with the love of God and become the light of the world.
"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people: a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." On this blessed day, we join Simeon and Anna in proclaiming Jesus as the light of the world.
"I urge you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose." On this Word of God Sunday, we listen as God's Word moves us from division toward unity.
"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world... Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God." John the Baptist inspires us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
"After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'" The words spoken over Jesus when he was baptized are also spoken over us. In Christ, we are beloved and pleasing to God.
"They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother." Let us share the joy of the Magi! Jesus Christ is Savior of the world.
"The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace." Son of God and Son of Mary, the Prince of Peace calls us to make this New Year a year of peace.
"When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.'" Just as the Lord gave direction to St. Joseph, so we wait on God's word and are obedient to follow.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." The Word through which all things were created humbled himself to share our humanity so that we may share his divinity.
"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen." As we go forth from this morning liturgy to celebrate the day with our families, let us not forget to share with our loved ones the Good News that Jesus Christ is born!
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord." The Son of God comes not in divine majesty but simply, as one of us: poor, wandering, and unwelcome.
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Perhaps the greatest title for Jesus, "Emmanuel" reminds us that our God loves us and has completely joined himself to us.
"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home." Joseph's unwavering faith inspires our celebration of the coming of Emmanuel - God-with-Us!
"This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you." John the Baptist proclaimed that Jesus is coming in power to heal, to save, and to set free.
"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.'" On this joyful solemnity, we celebrate Mary's great Yes.
"John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!'" Advent helps us reflect on how we fall short of the glory to which we are called. We heed the words of St. John the Baptist and repent.
"Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come." The joyful season of Advent begins!
"I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way..." On this Thanksgiving Day, we offer thanks to the Father for every good that we have, especially for his Son, Jesus, and for giving us a share of his Holy Spirit.
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell." We profess our faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, through whom the Father is reconciling all things to himself.
"By your perseverance you will secure your lives." No matter what calamities and hardships come our way, Jesus is our hope and our strength.
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." As the liturgical year winds down, we ponder death and the final things. We are encouraged by our hope in the Lord's resurrection.
"'Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.' And he came down quickly and received him with joy." God sees us and invites us to friendship with him. When we accept God's friendship, we are filled with joy.
"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God." In baptism, we became adopted daughters and sons of the Father and received the destiny of being Saints like those we celebrate today.
"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Everything we have is a gift from God. We come before the Lord of Mercy to give thanks for his generosity, and to ask that our hearts be as merciful as God's.
"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Jesus teaches us to strengthen our faith by praying unceasingly!
"And one of [the lepers], realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him." Praise is our grateful response for the goodness of God.
"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' The Lord replied, 'If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." When we surrender ourselves to Christ, he meets every need and we are free to serve.
"When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham." Since the very origins of Christianity, the Gospel has uniquely found a home with the poor and the marginalized.
"You cannot serve both God and mammon." Today's readings challenge us to act more compassionately on behalf of the poor by placing God above the values of the world.
"Let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life again; he was lost and has been found." The father's mercy to his wayward son reveals the joy of God's love for us.
"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." Following Jesus means being formed into the pattern of his death, as Saint Paul says. Taking up the cross of Christ also means that we will know his resurrection.
"When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." A heart transformed by the love of Christ extends that love to all for the very sake of love.
"I have come to gather nations of every language. . . They shall proclaim my glory." Today's readings teach us about the universality of God's kingdom.
"Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus." The author of the Letter to the Hebrews encourages us on our Christian journey.
"From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name." We stand as the newest in a long line of generations who rejoice in the work of salvation that God has done through a simple young girl who said "Yes" to God's will for her.
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Mary, through her Assumption, shares in her Son's risen glory. She is our model of Christian hope.
"Be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks." Being a disciple of Jesus requires us to be ever vigilant and never complacent. We are to be "ready to greet him when he comes again."
"The things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?" To whom do our hearts belong? To whom do our possessions belong? The Gospel challenges us to store up treasure in heaven.
One of the disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Jesus said, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name." The Our Father is our model for Christian prayer.
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." Christian action must spring from hearing the Word of God.
"Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?' He answered, 'The one who treated him with mercy.' Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'" The imitation of Christ is clear: We are to extend the mercy of God to everyone we meet.
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." The evangelized are not full evangelized until they become the evangelizer. Let us pray for all believers to identify as missionary disciples.
"No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." If we are serious about following Jesus, it means no turning back. But that total commitment to Christ gives us the freedom to love.
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied." On this great solemnity, we give thanks for Christ's gift of the Eucharist.
"He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine." The triune God invites us to share and to participate in the divine life they share with each other. It is the very meaning of salvation.
"Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ shares with us his divine nature as the love of God has been poured into our hearts and remains with us forever.
"'Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink...' [Jesus] said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive." The Pentecost Extended Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.
"Holy Father, I pray . . . that they may all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you." Jesus prays for unity among all who believe in him.
"And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Christ remains with us even though he ascended. He remains with us in power as we await the promise of the Holy Spirit.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." As the Easter Season winds down, we look ahead to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit who will lead us to all truth.
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever." We rejoice with our young disciples who receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time.
"This is how all will know that you are my disciples: if you have love for one another." Jesus is alive in our world today through the love that we share with each other.
"My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." Easter joy continues! We renew our zeal to follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
"Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.'" Seeing the Risen Lord, Peter was invited to share in the work and ministry of Jesus. We, too, are called to be missionary disciples.
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we remember St. Faustina's prayer, "Jesus, I trust in you." We are to probe God's mercy, to trust and believe just as Thomas was asked to believe.
"Simon Peter went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there... The other disciple also went in. He saw and believed." The Lord is truly risen. Alleluia!
"He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said." Through his passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus defeated the final enemy, death. The gates of heaven are opened wide; the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever!
"When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, 'It is finished.' And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit." The disobedience of Adam has been rendered completely powerless through the obedience of Jesus the Christ.
"I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." Jesus shows that way of discipleship is the way of service.
"He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Holy Week begins with the celebration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, followed by the solemn Gospel proclamation of his suffering and death.
"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Jesus asked this of Martha. Today, this question is directed to our RCIA candidates, and to the whole Christian community.
"Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She replied, 'No one, sir.' Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.'" We take comfort in the merciful care of Jesus. He sees our sin; he raises us up, and he invites us to sin no more.
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As our RCIA candidates approach the Easter sacraments, Jesus helps them to see the light and gives them strength to handle adversity and rejection.
"But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." On Laetare Sunday, we rejoice because of the lavish love that has been given to us through the Father's mercy and the forgiveness of our sins.
"'If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." As our RCIA candidates await their baptism, let us pray for them and recall how our own baptism calls us to give witness to Christ as the Savior of the world.
"'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future." During the Lenten season, the Master of the Garden does deep work within us so that we may bear the good fruit of eternal life.
"This is my chosen Son. Listen to him." At the Transfiguration, the disciples experienced a glimpse of Jesus' divine glory.
"Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil." On our Lenten journey, we are inspired by Jesus' openness to the Holy Spirit.
"Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense." We begin the solemn season of Lent by acknowledging how we have fallen short of our call to be conformed into the image and likeness of Christ.
"Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye." When we have encountered the mercy of God, especially in the Eucharist, we are compelled to offer mercy to others.
"Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." As people who have experienced the Father's mercy, we are to offer mercy and forgiveness to others.
"Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours... But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation." Jesus' Great Sermon in the Gospel of Luke is a challenge for disciples yesterday and today.
"When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him." Jesus calls us to join the Apostles and go fishing for the Kingdom.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests . . . Love never fails." As Love itself, God never fails us. As we seek to be conformed into the image and likeness of Love, we seek to never fail in loving God and in loving others.
"Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it..." Incorporated into Christ's body, we take up the full mission of the Christ through his Church. We serve his purpose through the gifts we have been given.
"Do whatever he tells you." These are the words of Mary to the stewards at the wedding feast of Cana. Her wisdom guides us as we strive to follow her Son.
"I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." The Baptism of Jesus is a celebration of our own baptism.
"Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you." The long-expected Savior has come and calls all nations into communion with him.
"All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." The deepest reflection of Mary's heart is the deepest truth of the universe: the Son of God has become human and is the Lord of all creation.
"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are." The Holy Family is our model of holiness.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..." On this Mass During the Day, we reflect on the meaning behind the wondrous events of the Incarnation story.
"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place." In the City of David, God's promise of salvation has been fulfilled as the Eternal Word, Jesus the Lord, is born of Mary.
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord." At his very birth, Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, was Savior and Lord. Tonight, we adore the infant who became our salvation.
"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel..." Merry Christmas! The Vigil Mass begins the four-fold liturgical celebration of the Nativity of the Lord.
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Mary's joyful faith inspires us as we transition from Advent to Christmas.
"One mightier than I is coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." John the Baptist declares that when Jesus comes he will immerse us in the Holy Spirit to set the world ablaze with the power and the presence of God.
"Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low." Just as Mary held the Word of God preparing to bring our Savior into the world, so we, too, are dwelling with the Word in order to bring Jesus to the world.
"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.'" On this joyful solemnity, we celebrate Mary's great Yes.
"They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory... Your redemption is at hand." The joyful season of Advent begins!
"Pilate said to him, 'Then you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world.'" At the of the end liturgical year, we profess our faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. There is a coming kingdom that will have no end.
"Stand up and go! Your faith has saved you." As we gather for Thanksgiving Day, let us be thankful for the gift of faith that grounds our families and binds us together in love.
Faith asks for us to give everything and to trust that God will supply everything we need.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart . . . You shall love your neighbor as yourself." With these words, Jesus provides the fundamental pursuit of the Christian.
We celebrate our unity in Christ with the Communion of Saints in this week's episode of The Liturgy Podcast, presented by Ken Canedo
"Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Bartimaeus teaches us to always seek the Lord confidently, no matter what other people think.
"Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all." Many spiritual writers have observed that the virtue of humility is the gateway to all other virtues. Christ calls us to be servants.
"At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions." Salvation is found when we are able to live in freedom and to have God alone to be enough for us.
"What God has joined together, no human being must separate." Jesus gives his teaching on marriage and divorce.
"There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me." We are all called to serve the Lord.
"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me." Jesus teaches us that discipleship is not self-serving or glory-seeking. We are called to humble service.
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Discipleship is the challenge of the Cross.
"He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, 'Ephphatha!'-- that is, 'Be opened!' -- And immediately the man's ears were opened." God has spoken and God continues to speak. As he opens eyes and ears, we pray, too, that we would be aware of God's work in our lives.
"He summoned the crowd again and said to them, 'Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." Holiness is found, not in our external piety, but within a heart that is set doing the will of God.
"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." We ask for the new school year to be consecrated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we ask for him to shepherd us through the coming months.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." We ask for Mary to be with us as we begin a new school year and we ask that she lead us to her son, Jesus.
"Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." In spite of doubts and the demands of discipleship, Peter came to believe that Jesus possessed the words of everlasting life.
"For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." Jesus gives his new and everlasting life to those who have united themselves to his destiny. In the Eucharist, we unite ourselves to him and remain in him.
"The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." Mary leads us to her Son, our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.
"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." The Blessed Virgin Mary heard the Word, observed the Word, carried the Word, and gave the Word to the world. During this solemnity, we celebrate Mary and the place that has been prepared for her in the Body of Christ by God the Father.
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever..."
"Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life." Jesus is the bread of life.
"Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining." As Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish for those who were gathered around him, he also continues to meet the needs of those who are his own.
"His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd." The Lord Jesus knows our frailty and is filled with compassion, not condemnation. Our response is to place all of our trust into his pastoral care.
"Do not be afraid; just have faith." In the gospels, the opposite of 'faith' isn't 'doubt'. It is fear. Our belief in the healing and restorative power of Jesus gives us the courage to face every difficulty in life that comes our way.
Through his obedience to God's will, Zechariah's mouth was freed to proclaim the truth that God is faithful to his promise to save his people.
The birthday of Saint John the Baptist falls on Sunday this year. We celebrate his Vigil Mass with great joy!
"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." The Eucharist is given to the Church to fill us with the Holy Spirit and to unite us as one body and one spirit in Christ.
"While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them" In the great Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus has given the Church a means to enter into his once and for all sacrifice for sin. In the Eucharist, the mercies of God are made new.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..." Through our baptism, we enter into the divine life of the Trinity.
We are made for a relationship with God and this is our deepest thirst. God more than satisfies us with his very self by pouring his Holy Spirit within our hearts.
On his Ascension, Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission to bring his Good News to all the world.
Salvation will be complete when all of the elect of God have been brought into the fullness of unity in Christ Jesus. This is the prayer of Jesus.
The Lord urges us to remain in communion with him. In the Eucharist, he provides the way for us to never be parted from him.
On this Good Shepherd Sunday, the Church shows that Jesus is both the Shepherd and the Paschal Lamb. He laid down his life for the sheep and became our Passover sacrifice.
Alleluia! Christ has risen as he said. In him, we have victory over suffering and sin, pain and death.
During our Baccalaureate liturgy we rejoice in the good work that God has begun in our young people and send them forth with hope that their future is filled with blessings from the Lord.
The Easter Triduum begins with the celebration of the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.
The truth that Jesus of Nazareth is the eternal Christ, the Son of God, is revealed when he surrendered himself fully to the Father on the Cross.
The Church rejoices as our bishop bestows the Sacrament of Confirmation on our young disciples who become fully initiated Catholic Christians.
Just as he did with Lazarus, Jesus stands at the opening to the graves in our lives and calls us to new life. The raising of Lazarus gives us hope and confidence that we will have everlasting life.
We prepare the liturgy for young disciples who will dine on the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus for the first time.
The whole Church rejoices when people are united in Holy Matrimony. This union is a sign of unity between all Christians and a symbol of Christ's closeness to his Church.
With clean hearts and open eyes, we continue to prepare for new life in the Easter sacraments.
The image of Christ crucified keeps us focused on the unimaginable depth of God's love and mercy.
In solidarity with those preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments we come to the Lord on this 3rd Sunday of Lent.
In the cleansing of the temple, Jesus offers a prophetic sign: He is the new Temple and all will be united in his sacrificial offer to the Father on the Cross.
In the Transfiguration, Jesus is revealed as the Son of God. It is in him and through him that we have eternal salvation.
Jesus' time in the desert prepared him for his journey to the Cross. Let us join him in prayer during this holy season of Lent.
This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. The long expected Savior has come! Jesus now begins his ministry of reconciling all things to the Father. (Robert Feduccia)
As the Church holds up to us the Holy Family as our model, we may feel a heart pierced by the reality of hurt in our families.
In Jesus Christ, the true light of the world has been born and it is a light that shines throughout the earth.
[The shepherds] went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light . . . Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord."
...[And] he named him Jesus." In Hebrew, "Jesus" or "Yeshua" means salvation. Let us rejoice and be glad because God's salvation is made known with the birth of his Son, Jesus.
We hear Mary's "yes" to God's will for her life. Her "yes" to the Lord's will brought the Word to birth. We, too, are to say "yes" to God's will so that the Word may be incarnate in us.
Mary's penultimate "yes" leads to the ultimate of "yes" of Jesus in Gethsemane. As Mary was prepared to give her "yes," let us ask to be prepared for the will of God to be done in our lives.
In this season of Advent, we are reminded to constantly prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord.
At the end of the liturgical year, we profess our faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Father reconciles all things to himself in our Lord Jesus. (Robert Feduccia)
When we are finally aware of the blessings God has given us, our best way to say "Thank You" is to do what Jesus told the leper he healed: Go out there and proclaim the goodness of God!
As we approach the end of the liturgical year, we are reminded of our need to be vigilant and watchful as we await the coming of the Lord.
The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Humility is the heart of our service to others.
In Baptism, we became adopted daughters and sons of the Father and received the destiny of being Saints like those we celebrate today.
"He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The cross has a vertical beam and a horizontal beam. These beams serve as a symbol that complete discipleship is loving God and loving othe
When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.
If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love.
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Jesus said to his disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Live a life worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord.
"Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Through the work of God's grace in the Blessed Virgin Mary, God the Father brought about the
"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Jesus will save us from the storms of life, if we have faith to believe
From the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." We behold Christ's glory today in Word and Sacrament. Transfigure us, O Lord
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
"The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought." The Holy Spirit is always present to us to aid us when we are troubled, even in our prayer.
"Just as the rain and snow come down, giving seed to the one who sows, so shall my word be." We baptized Christians bear the responsibility to listen to the Word of God and let it take root so God's Kingdom may be fulfilled.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." If even the humblest are considered the greatest by God, then we live with astonishing hope.
"We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him." We rejoice in the greatest victory. When we unite ourselves to Christ Jesus, we unite ourselves to his resurrection from the dead.
The Good News of Jesus Christ is that we are known by God the Father; loved by God the Father; and called to an eternal relationship of love -- God the Father in Jesus his Son and through the Holy Spirit.
"The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" In the great sacrament of the altar, we experience the reality that we will enjoy for all eternity in heaven. We are filled with the Holy Spirit; we are united together as one Bod
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." We honor the Blessed Trinity when we reach out in love to those around us.
"Receive the Holy Spirit." We know that Christ is risen from the dead because he has given us a share of his Spirit. If the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells within us then we know that we, too, shall rise from the dead.
They devoted themselves with one accord to prayer." On this seventh Sunday of Easter, we are one with Jesus as he prays for his disciples.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." After Jesus' ascension, his ministry of reconciling all things to the Father continues through the ministry of the Holy S
"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." We are not orphans; we are adopted by the Father through baptism into Christ Jesus. Now we enjoy the Father's gaze of love that he gives to his Son.
During our baccalaureate service we rejoice in the good work that God has begun in our young people and send them forth with hope that their future is filled with blessings from the Lord.
We prepare the liturgy for young disciples who will dine on the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus for the first time. They will eat the Bread of Heaven.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, we remember St. Faustina's prayer, "Jesus, I trust in you." As we probe God's mercy, we trust and believe as St. Thomas was asked to believe.
The disobedience of Adam has been rendered completely powerless through the obedience of Jesus the Christ.
Through his passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus defeated the final enemy, death. The gates of heaven are opened wide; the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever!
On Palm Sunday we commemorate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, even as we remember his saving death upon the Cross.
The Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus changed her life. How do we respond to his call?
We begin the solemn season of Lent by acknowledging how we have fallen short of our call to be conformed into image and likeness of Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that Lent is a time to enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ in the desert.
The light of Christ Jesus dwells in all the baptized and this light is the fire of our mission.
After rejoicing that the long expected savior has come, Jesus now begins his ministry of reconciling all things to the Father.
In the City of David, God's promise of salvation has been fulfilled as the Eternal Word is born of Mary, Jesus the Lord.
In this season of Advent, we are praying the Kingdom of God to rise within our world and bring the joy that comes from living in that kingdom.
On this great solemnity, we unite as one and proclaim Jesus Christ as King of the Universe.
As the liturgical year draws to a close, we are reminded that we will share in the Lord's resurrection.
God's mercy is generous. Our response must be an attitude of praise that compels us to go and proclaim our faith to all.
Christians are called to be the conscience of society and advocate for the poor and needy.
In the words of Pope Francis, Jesus is so closely united to the suffering it is as though they form one body.
It has been said that humility is the Cardinal Virtue. Those who seek God with a humble heart will find God and be found by God.
In the midst of life's trials and the cross, God offers shelter and shade in might of his love for us.
One of the disciples said, 'Lord, teach us to pray . . .' Jesus said, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.' The Our Father is our model for Christian prayer. "
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
The Easter Triduum begins with the celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.