Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“Send me…to rebuild it.” –Nehemiah 2:5 Mass Readings: October 4 First: Sirach 50:1,3-4,6-7;Resp: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-8,11;Second: Galatians 6:14-18; Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 Listen to the Mass Readings Nehemiah set out to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem (Neh 2:5ff). God instilled in him a heart of concern for Jerusalem and prepared his way by granting him favor in the eyes of King Artaxerxes. While in prayer, St. Francis of Assisi, today’s saint, heard God command him: “Rebuild My Church.” Francis immediately set out to repair and rebuild several church buildings that had fallen into disrepair. Eventually in prayer, Francis discerned that the...

“Lord, would You not have us call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” –Luke 9:54 Mass Readings: October 3 First: Zechariah 8:20-23; Resp: Psalm 87:1-7; Gospel: Luke 9:51-56 Listen to the Mass Readings Elijah called down fire from heaven on three occasions (see Sir 48:3). The apostles thought it would be good if they did the same. They were right. They needed fire. But they were wrong. They needed fire not to destroy the Samaritans but to destroy the sin in their hearts. On the first Christian Pentecost, fire came down from heaven (Acts 2:3). This fire purified Jesus’...

“Your attitude must be that of Christ.” —Philippians 2:5 Mass Readings: October 1 First: Ezekiel 18:25-28; Resp: Psalm 25:4-9;Second: Philippians 2:1-11; Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32 Listen to the Mass Readings We can have not only the heart and mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) but also His attitude. Christ’s attitude was to empty (Phil 2:7) and humble “Himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8) The Lord’s attitude is “gentle and humble” (Mt 11:29). He came to serve, not to be served (Mt 20:28). He tells us to take the lowest place (Lk 14:10). The Lord “guides the...

“A man with a measuring line in his hand…” –Zechariah 2:5 Mass Readings: September 30 First: Zechariah 2:5-9,14-15; Resp: Jeremiah 31:10-13; Gospel: Luke 9:43-45 Listen to the Mass Readings In a vision, the prophet Zechariah raised his eyes and saw a man measuring Jerusalem in preparation for her restoration (Zec 2:6; see also Ez 40:3). St. John, the apostle and evangelist, was also given a measuring rod to “take the measurements of God’s temple and altar, and count those who worship there” (Rv 11:1). God’s people were measured to be protected from destruction. The Lord is still measuring people. On...