Category: Daily Reflections

“We will serve the Lord, our God, and obey His voice.” –Joshua 24:24 Mass Readings: August 19 First: Joshua 24:14-29; Resp: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-8,11; Gospel: Matthew 19:13-15 Listen to the Mass Readings Joshua and millions of other parents have proclaimed throughout the centuries: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Jos 24:15). When the people responded to Joshua that they too were going to serve the Lord, Joshua questioned whether they could do it. “Joshua in turn said to the people, ‘You may not be able to serve the Lord’ ” (Jos 24:19). Serving the Lord is...

“I now say to you, whoever divorces his wife (lewd conduct is a separate case) and marries another commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” –Matthew 19:9 Because Jesus is God: His death on the cross has saved all people from their sins (see Ti 2:14). He has risen from the dead and will raise us from the dead (see Rm 1:4). He will come again to take us with Him (Jn 14:3). He has superseded the Old Testament and has forbidden divorce (Mt 19:7-8ff). He gives those celibate for God’s kingdom the power to...

“This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst.” –Joshua 3:10 Mass Readings: August 17 First: Joshua 3:7-11,13-17; Resp: Psalm 114:1-6; Gospel: Matthew 18:21–19:1 Listen to the Mass Readings Our God is living. He is present. He acts. He shows He is living by expressing His love for us in tangible ways. All other so-called gods are “the handiwork of men. They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; they have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not; they have hands but feel not; they have feet...

“I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over.” –Deuteronomy 34:4 Mass Readings: August 16 First: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Resp: Psalm 66:1-3,5,8,16-17; Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20 Listen to the Mass Readings In American culture, movies and novels typically conclude with a happy ending. After a long struggle, the author lets justice prevail and the good guys triumph. God, the Author of Life (Acts 3:15), is also into happy endings. His happy ending is “immeasurably more than we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20) – “life on high in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Yet it is sometimes difficult...

“Now have salvation and power come.” –Revelation 12:10 Mass Readings: August 15 First: Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6,10; Resp: Psalm 45:10-12,16; Second: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Gospel: Luke 1:39-56 Listen to the Mass Readings Because the Lord has created us, He knows us perfectly. He knows how to break through our resistance to His will. He knows how to penetrate our hearts and transform us. He knows how to love us. In His infinite wisdom, He has decided to do especially astounding miracles of conversion, repentance, deliverance, and healing on this day when we celebrate the taking of Mary to heaven. This makes...