Category: Daily Prayer

He “gave them power.” –Luke 9:1 Mass Readings: September 27 First: Ezra 9:5-9; Resp: Tobit 13:2-4,7-8;Gospel: Luke 9:1-6 Listen to the Mass Readings When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He “gave them power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases” (Lk 9:1). Moreover, He did not allow them to take walking staff, traveling bag, bread, money, and extra clothes (Lk 9:3). Jesus made it clear that power and simplicity were essential to His mission. Worldly power is often complex. For example, armies, weapons, politics, and the media all are powerful and very complicated. In contrast, power...

“His mother and brothers came to be with Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd.” –Luke 8:19 Mass Readings: September 26 First: Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20; Resp: Psalm 122:1-5 Gospel: Luke 8:19-21 Listen to the Mass Readings How many of us are crowded? Our lives, minds, and schedules are crowded. We have so many demands pressing in on us. We can hardly breathe. We feel crowded out from Jesus. We can’t seem to reach Him. We feel on the outside looking in (Lk 8:20). What can we do before we’re crushed by the crowd? We can obey Jesus,...

“He puts it on a lampstand so that whoever comes in can see it.” –Luke 8:16 Mass Readings: September 25 First: Ezra 1:1-6; Resp: Psalm 126:1-6; Gospel: Luke 8:16-18 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus said there were four groups of people in this world. He compared these groups to a footpath, rocky ground, ground that produces briers, and good ground (Lk 8:5ff). Only one of the four groups receives God’s Word so as to bear fruit. This means that we who share God’s Word can expect a lot of failure. This makes us feel like keeping God’s Word to...

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.” –Isaiah 55:8 Mass Readings: September 24 First: Isaiah 55:6-9; Resp: Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18; Second: Philippians 1:20-24,27; Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Listen to the Mass Readings So often people think or say: “The Lord’s way is not fair!” (Ez 18:25) The laborers in the vineyard who worked all day were saying, in essence, the same thing. Seemingly, God treats the weak, sinful, marginalized, forgotten ones better than He treats the ones who faithfully serve Him. While the Lord lovingly pursues the lost, late ones, He goes so far...

“The Twelve accompanied Him, and also some women…” –Luke 8:1-2 Mass Readings: September 22 First: 1 Timothy 6:2-12; Resp: Psalm 49:6-10,17-20; Gospel: Luke 8:1-3 Listen to the Mass Readings When we were baptized, we became disciples of Jesus. Disciples accompany Jesus. They help preach and proclaim “the good news of the kingdom of God” (Lk 8:1). Because Jesus’ disciples have “been cured of evil spirits and maladies” (Lk 8:2), they are eager to use their authority and power from Jesus to heal and free others (see Mt 10:1). Disciples also assist the leaders of the Church out of their means...