Category: Prayers

“The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God.” –1 Corinthians 1:18 The five foolish bridesmaids in today’s Gospel reading thought they were ready for the bridegroom’s coming, but were wrong (Mt 25:12). We too may be deceiving ourselves about our readiness for Christ’s final coming, our readiness for death, and the depth of our relationship with the Lord. Our reaction to the message of the cross can be a window into our souls. For example, when we are faced with...

“Who is the faithful, farsighted servant whom the Master has put in charge of His household to dispense food at need? Happy that servant whom his Master discovers at work on His return!” –Matthew 24:45-46 By desiring to receive Jesus each day, each hour, each moment into our hearts, we are in position to be ever ready to receive Him when He comes again. It becomes our habit, our nature, to receive Him. If we truly receive Him, we will truly share Him and serve Him, for He lives in us. We will be impelled by this love (2 Cor...

“Now it is your turn: fill up the vessel measured out by your forefathers.” –Matthew 23:32 Jesus faulted the religious leaders of His time for being so concerned about their outside but not their inside. Jesus said: “You present to view a holy exterior while hypocrisy and evil fill you within” (Mt 23:28). This is a perennial, deep-seated problem. For example, many more people go to the beauty parlor than to Confession. Many plan for decades for the few years of their retirement but give much less consideration to the state of their soul and to eternity following retirement. Human...

“Let no one seduce you, no matter how.” –2 Thessalonians 2:3 Many kinds of lies deceive people into believing the wrong thing or not believing the right thing. Some believe “an oracular utterance, or rumor, or a letter” (2 Thes 2:2) without testing the Spirit (1 Jn 4:1). Some don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received in the Bible (2 Thes 2:15). Others don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received by word or letter through the Church (2 Thes 2:15). If we don’t go by the Bible, we’ll be deceived, for “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of...

“The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” –Revelation 21:14 The holy city, the Church in glory, is founded on the apostles (see also Eph 2:20). This gives us an objective criterion for recognizing the Church founded by Jesus. The Church founded by Jesus can historically trace herself back to the apostles through the ordination of its bishops. By recognizing Jesus’ Church, we know who to believe on such critical matters of faith and morals as: • Do we receive the Body...