Category: Daily Reflections

“A Shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” –Isaiah 11:1 Out of what appears to be a dead, hopeless situation, the Lord can cause new life to sprout and rise up (see Is 11:1). Your stump might be a broken family devastated beyond reconciliation, a ruined marriage without the possibility of reuniting, or a drug-addicted child, whose mind and life cannot be rebuilt. You look at the mess, and you see a dead stump. How can any life come out of this death? David’s kingdom was splintered after his son Solomon died. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was defeated...

“If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” –Romans 10:9 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” –Romans 10:13 Are you saved? The Biblical answer for a Christian to that question is: “I have been saved by Christ’s death and resurrection.” “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us” (Ti 3:4-5). “He saved us; not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through...

“Men will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with great power and glory.” –Luke 21:27 Happy New Year! Today is the first day of Advent and of the Church year. The Church’s new year not only begins earlier than that of the world, but is also ushered in differently. The world’s new year is inaugurated with New Year’s Eve parties, much drinking, and self-indulgence. The Church begins its new year with the warning: “Be on guard lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares” (Lk 21:34). Another difference between our new year and...

“Be on the watch. Pray constantly for the strength to escape whatever is in prospect.” –Luke 21:36 On this last day of the Church’s year, we read about the last day of all years. This last day is called the “great day.” Jesus warns us: “The great day will suddenly close in on you like a trap. The day I speak of will come upon all who dwell on the face of the earth” (Lk 21:34-35). If we watch and pray constantly for strength, we will stand secure before Jesus as He returns to take us off this burning planet...

“The heavens and the earth will pass away, but My words will not pass.” –Luke 21:33 In the USA, the day after Thanksgiving is known as “Black Friday,” and is one of the busiest shopping days of the entire year. Consumers flock to shopping malls in great throngs, looking for the best deals, hurrying from store to store to buy Christmas gifts for everyone on their list. At times the Black Friday atmosphere is so intense that people get manhandled in the frenzied rush to buy. However, the consumeristic secular culture is a “beast” (see Dn 7:7) which continually devours...