Category: Prayers

“But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me One Who is to be Ruler in Israel.” –Micah 5:1 Mass Readings: September 8 First: Micah 5:1-4; Resp: Psalm 13:6; Gospel: Matthew 1:1-16,18-23 Listen to the Mass Readings The “little town” of Bethlehem was too small to be on the map of the tribe of Judah, even though it lay within Judah’s borders. God, however, has a different map, and Bethlehem was big in His plans, for it would be the birthplace of the Ruler of Israel and Savior of the...

“They caught such a great number of fish that their nets were at the breaking point.” –Luke 5:6 Mass Readings: September 7 First: Colossians 1:9-14; Resp: Psalm 98:2-6;Gospel: Luke 5:1-11 Listen to the Mass Readings Spiritual fruitfulness is based on obeying Jesus, especially when He commands us to do something beyond our human understanding. When we obey the Lord for no reason other than that He said so, we will see the glory of God (see Lk 5:5). When we are spiritually fruitful, a war explodes. The Lord is calling us to overcome fear, repent of sin, and do greater...

“…moved as you are by the hope held in store for you in heaven.” –Colossians 1:4 Mass Readings: September 6 First: Colossians 1:1-8; Resp: Psalm 52:10-11; Gospel: Luke 4:38-44 Listen to the Mass Readings How does a Christian keep keepin’ on in the midst of trials and persecutions? Hope. How can we have the courage to face death for the sake of the gospel? Hope. How can we rejoice even in adversity and consider it a privilege to suffer for Jesus’ sake? Hope. “In hope we were saved” (Rm 8:24). Contrary to the common saying, hope does not spring eternal...

“Build one another up.” –1 Thessalonians 5:11, RSV-CE Mass Readings: September 5 First: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9-11; Resp: Psalm 27:1,4,13-14; Gospel: Luke 4:31-37 Listen to the Mass Readings I am attending morning Mass in an older church building. Laborers are repairing the roof, and the steady pounding of their hammers makes it difficult to hear the lector as he proclaims today’s first reading. Then the lector proclaimed the phrase “build one another up” (see 1 Thes 5:11, RSV-CE). It was easy to make the connection between the physical repairs taking place to build up the church structure, and the work necessary...

“He has sent Me to bring good news to the poor.” –Luke 4:18, our transl. Mass Readings: September 4 First: Genesis 2:4-9,15 ;Resp: Psalm 90:2-5,12-14,16; Gospel: Matthew 6:31-34 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus declared that His mission was to proclaim the Good News of freedom to the poor. He said He was carrying out this mission at that very moment (Lk 4:21). Then He told the people He was not going to heal them but heal other people instead (see Lk 4:23-27). What kind of Good News is that? The people obviously saw no Good News in Jesus’ prophetic...