Category: Daily Reflections

Jesus “entered the temple and began ejecting the traders saying: ‘Scripture has it, “My house is meant for a house of prayer” but you have made it “a den of thieves.” ‘ He was teaching in the temple area from day to day.” –Luke 19:45-47 Mass Readings: November 18 First: Acts 28:11-16,30-31; Resp: Psalm 98:1-6; Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus ejected the traders from the temple not only by turning over their tables but also by proclaiming a prophecy from Jeremiah and by teaching every day. The Holy Spirit uses the prophetic word like a “two-edged sword” to judge and purify...

“I wept bitterly because no one could be found worthy to open or examine the scroll.” –Revelation 5:4 Mass Readings: November 17 First: Sirach 26:1-3,15-18,24;Resp: Psalm 31:4-5,8-9,20,24-25;Gospel: Matthew 25:31-40 What is God’s plan for the world and for your life? If you don’t know God’s plan, perhaps Jesus has wept over you and said: “If only you had known the path to peace this day; but you have completely lost it from view!” (Lk 19:41-42) You too should weep bitterly. However, we don’t have to be ignorant of God’s plan, for Jesus “has won the right by His victory” to...

“Holy, holy, holy…” –Revelation 4:8 Mass Readings: November 16 First: Revelation 4:1-11; Resp: Psalm 150:1-6; Gospel: Luke 19:11-28 The book of Revelation gives us a vision that lifts our minds and our spirits from an earthly to a heavenly perspective. St. John’s vision helps us to set our hearts on heaven rather than earth (Col 3:1-2). More than anything else on earth, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass enables us to have not only a heavenly perspective, but even a heavenly experience. In the Mass, Jesus is present in the Eucharist. Jesus Himself said: “I Myself am the Living Bread...

“…heed the Spirit’s word to the churches.” –Revelation 3:22 Mass Readings: November 15 First: Revelation 3:1-6,14-22; Resp: Psalm 15:2-5; Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 In His seven letters to the churches in chapters 2-3 of Revelation, Jesus uses the word “repent” seven times. When’s the last time you wrote a letter that mentioned the word “repent” even once, much less seven times? Since Jesus is the same today as He was two-thousand years ago (Heb 13:8), He surely wants churches and individuals to make repentance a top priority. There are 168 hours in a week. It’s not uncommon for parishes to schedule...

“At that very moment he was given his sight and began to follow Him, giving God the glory.” –Luke 18:43 Mass Readings: November 14 First: Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5; Resp: Psalm 1:1-4,6; Gospel: Luke 18:35-43 In the coming year, a world in slavery can be freed, debts can be forgiven, and the dispossessed can have their lands and lives restored to them (see Lv 25:8ff). Because our society is so far removed from God’s Biblical order and because we are in such great need, most people, even Christians, don’t see how freedom will ever happen. Can we realistically expect bankers to...