Category: Daily Reflections

“More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?” –Jeremiah 17:9 Mass Readings: March 16 First: Numbers 21:4-9; Resp: Psalm 102:2-3,16-21;Gospel: John 8:21-30 Because the human heart is more tortuous, twisted, and deceitful than all else and is beyond remedy, we should: give our hearts to the Lord, Who alone probes the mind and tests the heart (Jer 17:10), receive a new heart through Baptism (Ez 36:26), live our Baptism by loving the Lord with all our hearts (Mt 22:37), go to Confession frequently and regularly to prevent our hearts from becoming hardened (see...

“Let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.” –Jeremiah 18:18 Mass Readings: March 15 First: Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62; Resp: Psalm 23:1-6; Gospel: John 8:12-20 Those who persecuted Jeremiah were very “religious.” They were concerned about teachings from the priests, counsel from the wise, and messages from the prophets. James and John were also very “religious.” Motivated by their mother, they were not seeking big salaries or many possessions. They just wanted to work for the Church by being Jesus’...

“He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies Me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” –Psalm 50:23 Mass Readings: March 14 First: Isaiah 43:16-21; Resp: Psalm 126:1-6; Second: Philippians 3:8-14; Gospel: John 8:1-11. The Lord commands us to praise Him (Ps 50:14); it is a due sacrifice we offer to God (Ps 96:8), just as the other sacrifices we owe Him. It takes humility to praise God, humility to recognize our sinfulness before Him (Is 1:16ff). We cannot praise Him without acknowledging our own humble position before Him. He is all-powerful...

“Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate.” –Luke 6:36 Mass Readings: March 13 First: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Resp: Psalm 7:2-3,9-12;Gospel: John 7:40-53 The Church emphasizes that we, God’s children, must be like God our Father. We must be compassionate and merciful as is God our Father (Lk 6:36). We must be “good to the ungrateful and the wicked” as is God our Father (Lk 6:35). God the Father graces us to become like Himself by calling us not to judge and condemn other people (Lk 6:37). “The Father Himself judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son” (Jn...

“Bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails.” –2 Timothy 1:8 Mass Readings: March 12 First: Wisdom 2:1,12-22;Resp: Psalm 34:17-21,23;Gospel: John 7:1-2,10,25-30 As a baptized child of God, you have a share in the blessings of the gospel (1 Cor 9:23; Eph 1:3). Likewise, you also have a share in the hardship the gospel of Christ requires (2 Tm 1:8). Jesus in His mercy brings His disciples hope in the midst of hardships. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus takes three disciples up a mountain and allows them to experience His transfigured brilliance and glory (Mt 17:1ff). St. Peter...