Category: Prayers

“What you have whispered in locked rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.” –Luke 12:3 “From heaven the Lord looks down” (Ps 33:13). Does He look down as a cosmic Big Brother, waiting for the chance to shout our sins and failures from the rooftops (Lk 12:3)? Jesus took our shame upon Himself. He was shamed as He was crucified naked in public, dying the shameful death of a criminal. The Lord loves us so intimately that He is interested in everything about us. Because He is present within us (see Jn 6:56; 17:23), He loves us completely and even...

EVANGELIST, AND MISSIONARY “I have no one with me but Luke.” –2 Timothy 4:11 St. Luke was a physician (Col 4:14). Physicians usually have greater powers of observation than most other people. This enables them to make better diagnoses. Traditionally, Luke also has been known as an artist. Artists likewise have greater powers of observation. Luke accompanied St. Paul in his missionary work (see 2 Tm 4:11). For many years, Luke saw firsthand the wondrous works of the Holy Spirit in the Church’s first generation. Luke probably completed the final editing of his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles...

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s lead.” –Galatians 5:25 Sometimes you will find that most of the verses of the Scripture passages for Mass each day are acceptable even to pagans, secular humanists, and fallen-away Catholics. For example, in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus points out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and tells the Bible lawyers not to burden people without helping them (Lk 11:43-46). Many anti-Christians certainly agree with Jesus on these two points. In today’s reading from Galatians, the fruit of the Spirit is described as love, joy, and peace (Gal 5:22). Almost everyone...

“Let Your kindness come to me, O Lord.” –Psalm 119:41 In today’s first eucharistic reading and Gospel passage, the Galatian Christians and the Pharisees are admonished by St. Paul and Jesus, respectively. These two groups seem to have been unable to grasp that God prefers to work through merciful love and loving-kindness rather than through religious practices motivated by attempts to justify ourselves with the Lord. Jesus challenged the Pharisees – and us, too – to “go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice’ ” (Mt 9:13; see also Hos 6:6). Let...