Category: Prayers

“He called His disciples and selected twelve of them to be His apostles…Simon called the Zealot…” –Luke 6:13, 15 Mass Readings: October 28 First: Ephesians 2:19-22;Resp: Psalm 19:2-5;Gospel: Luke 6:12-16 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus places His heaven-sent ministry in the hands of Simon and Jude, along with ten other apostles. Simon was called the Zealot (Lk 6:15). Zealots were similar to what we would today call “terrorists.” Why would Jesus entrust His ministry and His reputation to a terrorist? Imagine the outcry today if a bishop hired a terrorist to lead a major diocesan ministry! Before meeting Jesus,...

“Who can free me from this body under the power of death?” –Romans 7:24 Mass Readings: October 27 First: Romans 7:18-25; Resp: Psalm 119:66,68,76-77,93-94; Gospel: Luke 12:54-59 Listen to the Mass Readings If we’re honest with ourselves, we will have to admit that we may have not been honest with ourselves. This is because, if we had been honest, we would have had to admit that there is something very wrong with us. No good dwells in us (Rm 7:18). We have “the desire to do right” but “not the power” (Rm 7:18). “What happens is that” we “do, not...

“When you were slaves of sin, you had freedom from justice. What benefit did you then enjoy?” –Romans 6:20-21 Mass Readings: October 26 First: Romans 6:19-23; Resp: Psalm 1:1-4,6; Gospel: Luke 12:49-53 Listen to the Mass Readings Every human being is both enslaved and free. We can choose to be “slaves of sin” (Rm 6:20) and thus free from justice, or we can be “freed from sin” and “slaves of God” (Rm 6:22). If we choose slavery to sin, we “will reap a harvest of corruption” (Gal 6:8), things that we will be “ashamed of, all of them tending toward...

“Who in your opinion is that faithful, farsighted steward?” –Luke 12:42 Mass Readings: October 25 First: Romans 6:12-18; Resp: Psalm 124:1-8; Gospel: Luke 12:39-48 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, will return in glory, riding on the clouds, escorted by the angels amid mighty trumpet blasts (see Mt 25:31; 1 Thes 4:16). When He arrives, He will surprisingly “put on an apron,” seat His humble disciples “at table, and proceed to wait on them” (Lk 12:37). In contrast, those who in their pride have chosen to not do the Lord’s will...

“As sin reigned through death, grace may reign by way of justice leading to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” –Romans 5:21 Mass Readings: October 24 First: Romans 5:12,15,17-19,20-21; Resp: Psalm 40:7-10,17; Gospel: Luke 12:35-38 Listen to the Mass Readings The body of Christ is broken. The culture of death is becoming even more oppressive. Millions of babies do not survive long enough to be born. The unfaithfulness of Christians is scandalous. Under these circumstances, you would think we would be depressed and even despairing. However, “despite the increase of sin, grace has far surpassed it” (Rm 5:20). Pope...