Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Sodom, it would be standing today.” –Matthew 11:23 The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum did not convert despite the many miracles Jesus worked within their borders (Mt 11:20ff). However, Jesus said that Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, some of the most wicked cities in history, would have converted in response to the same miracles (Mt 11:21, 23). Jesus also said that those who believe in Him will do greater works than He had done (Jn 14:12). Therefore, if we believe in Jesus, we have more than enough firepower to convert...

“He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to nought for Me discovers who he is.” –Matthew 10:39 To be disciples of Jesus, we must love Jesus more than we love our fathers, mothers, sons, or daughters (Mt 10:37). To some this seems difficult, but many people feel so upset with their family members that it wouldn’t be hard to love them less. However, to be disciples of Jesus, we must do something else which is almost unthinkable. We must deny our very selves (Lk 9:23), lose ourselves (Lk 9:24), bring ourselves “to nought”...

“Now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” –Isaiah 6:7 A seraph touched Isaiah’s lips with a hot ember from the heavenly altar (Is 6:6). The seraph said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged” (Is 6:7). Something from heaven touched Isaiah’s lips, and his lips were then opened to speak the prophetic Word of God. How blessed we are, for something sent from heaven touches our lips also: the Eucharist, the body of Christ (Jn 6:32-33; Catechism, 1402). Like Isaiah’s ember, the Eucharist touches our lips,...

“I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.” –Hosea 14:9 God calls us “oaks of justice, planted by the Lord to show His glory” (Is 61:3). However, if we sin and refuse to repent, “the Lord, the Lord of hosts, lops off the boughs with terrible violence; the tall of stature are felled, and the lofty ones brought low; the forest thickets are felled” (Is 10:33-34). Nevertheless, we can eventually accept the grace to repent, then we will “strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth” our shoots (Hos 14:6). We will produce many leaves (Hos 14:8) and...