Category: Daily Reflections

“Peter spoke up and said, ‘Lord, if it is really You, tell me to come to You across the water.’ ‘Come!’ He said. So Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water, moving toward Jesus.” –Matthew 14:28-29 If you had asked Peter the day before he walked on the water: “Can you walk on water?”, Peter would have answered “No.” Peter could not walk on water unless Jesus told him to, and Peter obeyed Jesus’ command. This is a basic principle of the Christian life. For example, we must love our enemies (Lk 6:27, 35)...

“For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint.” –Habakkuk 2:3 God has given us visions, promises, high hopes. Over the years, some of these have not happened, and we have forgotten about them. Sometimes we remember these promises but do not hold on to our hopes because we don’t want more disappointments. However, the Lord tells us: “If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late” (Hab 2:3; cf 2 Pt 3:9). We must live by faith and not be afraid to expect God’s power in our...

“What profit would a man show if he were to gain the whole world and destroy himself in the process?” –Matthew 16:26 Every human being wants to show a profit. Most try to save their lives by taking control of things, working hard, and making things happen. That’s what the people of Nineveh did. They raised up great armies and undertook monumental campaigns. By human standards it appeared they were showing a profit, but it turned out just the opposite. The end result for Nineveh was: “Everyone who sees you runs from you, saying, ‘Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity...

“Keep your attention closely fixed on it, as you would on a lamp shining in a dark place.” –2 Peter 1:19 The Transfiguration shows our future, what will happen to us if we are truly faithful followers of the Lord. We are destined to a divine life if we “listen to Him” and heed His words (see Mk 9:7). God plans to make us “sharers of the divine nature” (2 Pt 1:4). If we remain in Jesus to the end of our life, when Christ appears, “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1...

“Jesus then said in reply, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your wish will come to pass.’ ” –Matthew 15:28 Jesus told only one person in the Gospels that she had great faith. Although I am sure Mary, Joseph, and others had great faith, the Canaanite woman was the only person mentioned in the Gospels to have been told by Jesus: “You have great faith!” (Mt 15:28) Pope St. John Paul II maintained that the primary reason for the various crises in our world is the crisis of faith. Under these circumstances, I would expect that the Lord is raising up...