Category: Bible Reading & Meditation
“Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.” –Psalm 19:5 Christians are living in love (Jn 15:9-10) with God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:8, 16). Impelled by love (2 Cor 5:14), we publicly “confess with [our] lips that Jesus is Lord” and Love (Rm 10:9). We are not ashamed of the Good News of God’s love, although it is crucified love (Rm 1:16). Love is to be expressed and shared — no matter what the consequences in a hateful world (see Prv 27:5). In God’s love, we are bound to overturn...
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“I am not worthy to have You under my roof. Just give an order.” –Matthew 8:8 On this second day of Advent, we must be careful to get off to a good start. We need to come to the Lord, to Mass, to prayer, and to repentance when the Lord orders us to “come” (see Mt 8:9). We also need to do good, do justice (Is 1:17), and do His will when Jesus commands us: “Do this” (see Mt 8:9). Jesus is God and He alone knows how to prepare us for His special coming this Christmas. Consequently, with the...
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“You must be prepared in the same way. The Son of Man is coming at the time you least expect.” –Matthew 24:44 Happy Advent! Advent is about the three comings of Christ: 1) Jesus first came to earth as a Baby, humble and lowly, at Bethlehem (Lk 2:4ff). 2) Jesus will come again at His Second Coming on the last day (Mt 24:30-31). This coming will be as majestic as His first coming was humble (1 Thes 4:16; Lk 21:27). 3) The third coming of Jesus is the coming of the Eucharistic Jesus into our souls today. Jesus’ coming in...
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“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” –Luke 21:34-35, RNAB Jesus connects two very different things in today’s Gospel passage: drowsiness and anxieties (Lk 21:34, RNAB). Generally, anxiety would seem to be associated with sleeplessness rather than drowsiness. Cares and worries tend to keep us awake rather than lull us to sleep. Yet Jesus, in His wisdom, links anxiety with spiritual slumber. He classifies anxiety as a drug that blinds us to the need for spiritual preparation. When Jesus...
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“I also saw the spirits of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and the word of God, those who had never worshiped the beast or its image nor accepted its mark on their foreheads or their hands.” ––Revelation 20:4 We are a Church founded upon martyrs. Archaeology shows the spread of the early Church can be traced by following the relics of saints, and martyrs were the most honored of the saints. Altars were often constructed over their bones. St. Stephen demonstrated the power of martyrdom with his Christ-like witness (see Acts 7:59-60). Stephen’s faithfulness influenced...
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