Category: Memory Verse

“Give Your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge Your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” —1 Kings 3:9 A person decides to live his Christian life when he decides to do God’s will instead of his own will (see Mt 26:39). Solomon prefigured this when he sought God’s heart and will rather than his own well-being, prosperity, or victory (1 Kgs 3:11ff). Once we decide to do God’s will and get involved in God’s life, we, as human beings, naturally and rightly develop a sense of belonging and ownership. Our service to the Lord becomes not just God’s...

“King Herod came to hear of Jesus, for His reputation had become widespread.” —Mark 6:14 King Herod heard about Jesus. This could have been the opportunity for Herod to believe in Jesus (see Rm 10:17) and be saved from self-destruction. Yet Herod jumped to the wrong conclusion that Jesus was actually St. John the Baptizer raised from the dead (Mk 6:16). Possibly Herod was prone to believe this falsehood because he carried guilt from murdering John to save face and look good before the guests at his birthday party (Mk 6:26). Herod murdered John because he was proud, and this...

“I am going the way of all mankind.” —1 Kings 2:2 In today’s Mass readings, King David dies. A quick summary of David’s life could read like this: David’s courage was spectacular (1 Sm 17:34ff). David’s triumphs were spectacular (1 Kgs 17:49ff). David’s sins were spectacular (2 Sm 11:2-24; 2 Sm 24:2-26). David’s repentance was spectacular (Ps 51:3ff; 2 Sm 12:13ff). David’s worship was spectacular (see 2 Sm 6:14 and all the psalms of praise he wrote). Scripture quotes the Lord as giving this summary of David, a summary to which all of us can aspire: “I have found David…to...

“He could work no miracle there, apart from curing a few who were sick by laying hands on them, so much did their lack of faith distress Him.” —Mark 6:5-6 Will you travel somewhere today? I drove to morning Mass, and then to work. I had faith that the roads were in good condition, that no bridges were going to collapse, and the roads on which I was driving still led to the same places they led yesterday. I had faith in these structures made by the Ohio Department of Transportation. People have faith in worldly things, such as roads....

“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” —2 Samuel 19:1 David grieved deeply upon hearing of the death of his son Absalom, who had rebelled against him. However, the true grief of this situation is that it might have been prevented if David had a heart for reconciliation with Absalom a few years earlier. A rift had occurred in David’s family. David’s son Amnon raped Absalom’s blood sister Tamar. David took no action to deal with the situation; he simply “became very angry” (2 Sm 13:21)....