Category: Daily Reflections

“Whose head is this and whose inscription is it?” –Mark 12:16 The Pharisees and Herodians were able to identify the owner of the Roman coin because of what was stamped on it. The seal on the coin marked it as belonging to Caesar. When we were baptized into Christ, we too were stamped with an image, “sealed” with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22). We were “formed anew in the image of [our] Creator” (Col 3:10), and now we “share the image of His Son,” Jesus (Rm 8:29). God marked us with His own seal to identify us...

“The man replied, ‘The woman whom You put here with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.’” –Genesis 3:12 Most of us are very familiar with the story of the fall. Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation and thwarted God’s plan. Because our first parents were disobedient, we suffer the wounds of original sin. Shortsightedly, we could label Adam and Eve the ultimate scapegoats. But we and they are family! “The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living” (Gn 3:20). Have you pondered your lineage? Eve gave...

“When the day of Pentecost came it found them gathered in one place.” —Acts 2:1 Father Otto Rauschenbach, a Maryknoll missionary in South China, was killed by bandits on May 14, 1945. Because of the war, Father Otto had to hide in the mountains. He knew that if he came out of hiding, he was risking his life. Yet Father wanted to celebrate Pentecost with his people so he tried to return to his parish (cf Lk 22:15). However, he was murdered before he got to his parish and before he could celebrate Pentecost Mass. Would you risk your life...

“Paul invited the prominent men of the Jewish community to visit him.” —Acts 28:17 Tomorrow is the great feast of Pentecost. The first Christian Pentecost was an international, multicultural event. People of many languages gathered to worship God. The Holy Spirit prompted the apostles to praise God publicly in other languages, and all the various groups of people understood them (Acts 2:6). One reason for the great power and conversions at Pentecost was that many diverse people were gathered together (Acts 2:5-6). The Holy Spirit used the first Pentecost to unite people who had been separated. Since God is the...

“I issued orders that he be kept in custody until I could send him to the emperor.” —Acts 25:21 St. Paul’s ongoing imprisonment featured a mockery of justice. Accusers charged him with nonsensical “crimes.” He experienced interminable delays as he was handed from one authority to another. It seemed like Paul was “for nothing, uselessly,” spending his strength (Is 49:4). Yet from an evangelistic standpoint, the aimless circumstances were not useless or aimless at all. As persecutions and mismanagement increased, so did Paul’s opportunities to spread the Gospel, witness to Jesus, and evangelize. Paul wasn’t frustrated or worn down, partly...