Category: Prayers

“Let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.” –Jeremiah 18:18 Mass Readings: March 15 First: Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62; Resp: Psalm 23:1-6; Gospel: John 8:12-20 Those who persecuted Jeremiah were very “religious.” They were concerned about teachings from the priests, counsel from the wise, and messages from the prophets. James and John were also very “religious.” Motivated by their mother, they were not seeking big salaries or many possessions. They just wanted to work for the Church by being Jesus’...

“He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies Me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” –Psalm 50:23 Mass Readings: March 14 First: Isaiah 43:16-21; Resp: Psalm 126:1-6; Second: Philippians 3:8-14; Gospel: John 8:1-11. The Lord commands us to praise Him (Ps 50:14); it is a due sacrifice we offer to God (Ps 96:8), just as the other sacrifices we owe Him. It takes humility to praise God, humility to recognize our sinfulness before Him (Is 1:16ff). We cannot praise Him without acknowledging our own humble position before Him. He is all-powerful...

“Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate.” –Luke 6:36 Mass Readings: March 13 First: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Resp: Psalm 7:2-3,9-12;Gospel: John 7:40-53 The Church emphasizes that we, God’s children, must be like God our Father. We must be compassionate and merciful as is God our Father (Lk 6:36). We must be “good to the ungrateful and the wicked” as is God our Father (Lk 6:35). God the Father graces us to become like Himself by calling us not to judge and condemn other people (Lk 6:37). “The Father Himself judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son” (Jn...

“Bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails.” –2 Timothy 1:8 Mass Readings: March 12 First: Wisdom 2:1,12-22;Resp: Psalm 34:17-21,23;Gospel: John 7:1-2,10,25-30 As a baptized child of God, you have a share in the blessings of the gospel (1 Cor 9:23; Eph 1:3). Likewise, you also have a share in the hardship the gospel of Christ requires (2 Tm 1:8). Jesus in His mercy brings His disciples hope in the midst of hardships. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus takes three disciples up a mountain and allows them to experience His transfigured brilliance and glory (Mt 17:1ff). St. Peter...

“You have heard the commandment, ‘You shall love your countryman but hate your enemy.’ My command to you is: love your enemies.” –Matthew 5:43-44 Mass Readings: March 11 First: Exodus 32:7-14; Resp: Psalm 106:19-23; Gospel: John 5:31-47 Alexander Pope captured in a few words a great Biblical insight when he wrote: “To err is human; to forgive divine.” It is humanly impossible to forgive. Yet God, Who forgives by His divine power, offers us the grace to forgive. This is obvious because the Lord commands us to forgive: immediately (see Mt 5:25), repeatedly, even 70 x 7 (Mt 18:22), sacrificially...