Category: Message of the Day

DOING YOUR OWN THING?

“He died for all so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for Him Who for their sakes died and was raised up.” –2 Corinthians 5:15 Many people think that living for themselves, doing their own thing, getting their way is the goal of life. However, after they try this for a while, they feel empty. At first, they think that the cause of their emptiness is failing to get their own way in everything. So they try to do their own thing even more, but this makes matters even worse. Finally, they begin to suspect...

RIGHT IN THE MOUTH

“My mouth shall declare Your justice, day by day Your salvation.” –Psalm 71:15 The Lord has promised to place His words in your mouth, as He did for Jeremiah (Jer 1:9; see also Mt 10:20). From that day, He will “set you over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10). With God’s Word in your mouth, you will be a world force. In fact, the Lord will not only occasionally place a word in your mouth; He will fill it (see Ps 81:11) with...

BAND OF BROTHERS

“Who are My brothers?” –Matthew 12:48 Jesus transformed the relationship between husband and wife when He said that the Biblical provisions for divorce were no longer necessary (Mt 19:6ff; Dt 24:1-4). He transformed motherhood when He commanded His mother Mary to be the mother of all His disciples (Jn 19:26-27; cf Rv 12:17). Jesus transformed the meaning of fatherhood, sonship, and daughterhood when He told us to call God our Abba, that is, Father (Mt 6:9; Rm 8:15; Gal 4:6). This made us brothers and sisters of Jesus and of each other. Jesus said: “Whoever does the will of My...

JESUS ON JUDGMENT

“The Lord has a plea against His people, and He enters into trial.” –Micah 6:2 Jesus promises that on Judgment Day we will be judged on whether we repented at His preaching (Mt 12:41). In some sense, Jesus is preaching in the circumstances of everyday life, but most literally Jesus Himself is preaching at the Eucharistic liturgy (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1088). This does not mean that every word the priest or deacon says during the homily is straight from the Lord. Yet it does mean that, by virtue of the nature of Jesus’ priesthood and the nature of...

PRAYER IS EVEN BETTER

“Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it.” –Luke 10:42 Hospitality was a responsibility and privilege highly valued by the Jewish people. In offering hospitality, we may be entertaining angels (Heb 13:2) or even God Himself (Gn 18:17ff). Abraham and Sarah, for example, offered hospitality to God and two angels. As a result, God promised them they would miraculously have a son, although both were almost a hundred years old (see Gn 18:10ff). Hospitality is the breeding ground of promise, blessing, and miracles. As awesome as hospitality is, Jesus claimed that prayer is even...