Category: Daily Reflections

“I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for Your commands.” –Psalm 119:131 During Mass, are we concentrating on the next sale at work or the ballgame that evening? (see Am 8:5) Amos urges us to listen intently to the Word of God, for a time is coming when there will be a famine for hearing the Word of God (Am 8:11). Those who live in countries where they are persecuted for their faith in God understand all too well the spiritual starvation in such a famine. We must work at listening to God. Listening to the Lord sacrificially is...

The Lord “delivered me from all my fears.” –Psalm 34:5 St. Peter was in prison, perhaps a day away from death. God sent an angel to miraculously rescue Peter (Acts 12:7ff). St. Paul likewise faced imminent death, but the Lord rescued him from the lion’s jaws, perhaps literally (2 Tm 4:17). The early Christians were frequently martyred by being thrown to hungry lions. On these above occasions, the Lord rescued Sts. Peter and Paul from death. However, both of them were eventually martyred for their faith, proving their sincere devotion to the Lord Jesus, witnessing to Him with their very...

The Lord “delivered me from all my fears.” –Psalm 34:5 St. Peter was in prison, perhaps a day away from death. God sent an angel to miraculously rescue Peter (Acts 12:7ff). St. Paul likewise faced imminent death, but the Lord rescued him from the lion’s jaws, perhaps literally (2 Tm 4:17). The early Christians were frequently martyred by being thrown to hungry lions. On these above occasions, the Lord rescued Sts. Peter and Paul from death. However, both of them were eventually martyred for their faith, proving their sincere devotion to the Lord Jesus, witnessing to Him with their very...

“Prepare to meet your God.” —Amos 4:12 Will we meet God as Judge or as Savior? This question illustrates why it is so critical to prepare to meet God (Am 4:12). The heavenly Father has tirelessly sent messengers, prophets, and teachers to “make straight His paths” into the hearts of all people (see Mt 3:3). God tells His prophets everything so that they might better prepare our hearts (Am 3:7). God has revealed everything necessary for our meeting with Him. So will we be ready for the meeting with God? Will we have listened? Jesus says that if we don’t...