Category: Daily Prayer

“The field is the world.” —Matthew 13:38 Mass Readings: August 1 First: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9,28; Resp: Psalm 103:6-13; Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43 Listen to the Mass Readings The field is the world. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” to give up all that He owned, purchase that field, and die in agony on His cross so the field and its inhabitants might not perish, but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16; Mt 13:44). The field is full of people. Jesus loves all people, for they are made in His image and likeness (Gn 1:27). To Jesus, this...

“What did this people ever do to you that you should lead them into so grave a sin?” –Exodus 32:21 Mass Readings: July 31 First: Exodus 32:15-24,30-34; Resp: Psalm 106:19-23; Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35 Listen to the Mass Readings Aaron’s leadership style was to satisfy the people. When the people approached him with a problem, Aaron didn’t consider God’s wishes. Instead, he tried to satisfy the people’s desires. Not succeeding, he simply “let the people run wild” (Ex 32:25). Under Aaron’s weak “leadership,” sinfulness, chaos, and confusion reigned instead of godly order (see 1 Cor 14:33, 40). Diotrephes, an early Christian...

“The reign of God is like a buried treasure which a man found in a field.” –Matthew 13:44 Just because we’re in the Lord’s dragnet doesn’t mean He will retain us at the end of the world (Mt 13:47ff). Just because we’re in the Lord’s field, it doesn’t mean we are God’s wheat. We may be weeds to be burned (Mt 13:40). Just because we go to church doesn’t mean we are automatically living in God’s kingdom. Doing Christian things and living in the midst of Christians doesn’t make us Christians (see Lk 13:26-27). We are Christians and followers of...

“The evil one approaches him to steal away what was sown in his mind.” –Matthew 13:19 Mass Readings: July 28 First: Exodus 20:1-17; Resp: Psalm 19:8-11; Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23 Listen to the Mass Readings How much of God’s Word have you heard over the years at home, in church and school, through reading and teaching? How much of God’s Word do you know and live? The difference in the answer to these two questions shows us how much the evil one has robbed us. Many of us have been exposed to God’s Word for years but have little to show...