Category: Daily Prayer

“To you has been given a knowledge of the mysteries of the reign of God, but it has not been given to the others.” –Matthew 13:11 Mass Readings: July 27 First: Exodus 19:1-2,9-11,16-20; Resp: Daniel 3:52-56; Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17 Listen to the Mass Readings Less than one-third of the people on earth have been baptized into the Church and have become children of God. If you are in that number, consider yourself very blest. Less than one-fifth of the world has received Holy Communion – even once. A smaller percentage of these people have the opportunity of going to Mass...

“Continually we carry about in our bodies the dying of Jesus.” –2 Corinthians 4:10 Mass Readings: July 25 First: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Resp: Psalm 126:1-6; Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28 Listen to the Mass Readings Although James and John wanted prosperity and success, Jesus wanted them to take up the cross (see Mt 20:22ff). Jesus invites us not only to suffer in the pattern of His death (Phil 3:10) but even to be crucified with Him (see Gal 2:19). Furthermore, He calls us to make the cross not only an occasional moment in our lives but to “continually…carry about in our bodies...

“Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today.” –Exodus 14:13 Mass Readings: July 24 First: Exodus 14:5-18; Resp: Exodus 15:1-6; Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42 Listen to the Mass Readings If we stand our ground, we will see the victory of the Lord, for He will fight for us (Ex 14:14). Moses made this promise before the Lord rescued the chosen people by drowning the Egyptians in the Red Sea. This is a symbol of Baptism. When we stand on the ground of our Baptism, we will see the Lord’s victory. We must stand...

“We do not know how to pray as we ought.” –Romans 8:26 Jesus said there is “the necessity of praying always and not losing heart” (Lk 18:1). We are to “never cease praying” (1 Thes 5:17). Jesus prayed early in the morning (Mk 1:35) and late at night (Lk 22:39-41). Because we are His disciples, we imitate Him and pray so much that we are in the spirit of prayer during all daily activities. Jesus continues to invite us to watch and pray at least one hour with Him (see Mt 26:40). Because we communicate with God in prayer, it...