Category: Daily Reflections

“No prophet gains acceptance in his native place.” –Luke 4:24 When Jesus comes to town, He comes not to do what we want but what He wants. He comes not to take orders from us but to give orders to us. He will do things beyond our understanding (see Is 55:8-9). He will expect us to trust Him as Lord. When Jesus came to His hometown as Lord, He was not accepted. As He began His public ministry, the people of Nazareth threatened to murder Him by throwing Him over a cliff (Lk 4:28-30). This was a preview of the...

“I beg you through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship.” –Romans 12:1 As part of a total commitment of our lives to the Lord, we offer our bodies to Him as living sacrifices. This means the Lord (and no one else) determines what we eat and drink, our bodily habits, under what conditions we use our sexual organs, how we think, how we dress, how we use our eyes, how we use our tongues, where we go, and several other aspects of life involving our bodies....

“The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God.” –1 Corinthians 1:18 The five foolish bridesmaids in today’s Gospel reading thought they were ready for the bridegroom’s coming, but were wrong (Mt 25:12). We too may be deceiving ourselves about our readiness for Christ’s final coming, our readiness for death, and the depth of our relationship with the Lord. Our reaction to the message of the cross can be a window into our souls. For example, when we are faced with...

“Who is the faithful, farsighted servant whom the Master has put in charge of His household to dispense food at need? Happy that servant whom his Master discovers at work on His return!” –Matthew 24:45-46 By desiring to receive Jesus each day, each hour, each moment into our hearts, we are in position to be ever ready to receive Him when He comes again. It becomes our habit, our nature, to receive Him. If we truly receive Him, we will truly share Him and serve Him, for He lives in us. We will be impelled by this love (2 Cor...

“Now it is your turn: fill up the vessel measured out by your forefathers.” –Matthew 23:32 Jesus faulted the religious leaders of His time for being so concerned about their outside but not their inside. Jesus said: “You present to view a holy exterior while hypocrisy and evil fill you within” (Mt 23:28). This is a perennial, deep-seated problem. For example, many more people go to the beauty parlor than to Confession. Many plan for decades for the few years of their retirement but give much less consideration to the state of their soul and to eternity following retirement. Human...