Category: Memory Verse

“Consider your ways! You have sown much, but have brought in little.” –Haggai 1:5-6 Mass Readings: September 28 First: Haggai 1:1-8; Resp: Psalm 149:1-6,9; Gospel: Luke 9:7-9;Listen to the Mass Readings Today’s Reflection on the Mass Have you worked hard but gotten little out of it except a feeling of discontent? Have you eaten, bought, or consumed a lot but “not been satisfied”? (Hg 1:6) Have you stimulated yourself through drinking, distractions, sexual sin, sports, or entertainment but “not been exhilarated”? (Hg 1:6) Do you have a sense of emptiness and loss? We can be empty for many reasons. One...

He “gave them power.” –Luke 9:1 Mass Readings: September 27 First: Ezra 9:5-9; Resp: Tobit 13:2-4,7-8;Gospel: Luke 9:1-6 Listen to the Mass Readings When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He “gave them power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases” (Lk 9:1). Moreover, He did not allow them to take walking staff, traveling bag, bread, money, and extra clothes (Lk 9:3). Jesus made it clear that power and simplicity were essential to His mission. Worldly power is often complex. For example, armies, weapons, politics, and the media all are powerful and very complicated. In contrast, power...

“His mother and brothers came to be with Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd.” –Luke 8:19 Mass Readings: September 26 First: Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20; Resp: Psalm 122:1-5 Gospel: Luke 8:19-21 Listen to the Mass Readings How many of us are crowded? Our lives, minds, and schedules are crowded. We have so many demands pressing in on us. We can hardly breathe. We feel crowded out from Jesus. We can’t seem to reach Him. We feel on the outside looking in (Lk 8:20). What can we do before we’re crushed by the crowd? We can obey Jesus,...

“He puts it on a lampstand so that whoever comes in can see it.” –Luke 8:16 Mass Readings: September 25 First: Ezra 1:1-6; Resp: Psalm 126:1-6; Gospel: Luke 8:16-18 Listen to the Mass Readings Jesus said there were four groups of people in this world. He compared these groups to a footpath, rocky ground, ground that produces briers, and good ground (Lk 8:5ff). Only one of the four groups receives God’s Word so as to bear fruit. This means that we who share God’s Word can expect a lot of failure. This makes us feel like keeping God’s Word to...

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.” –Isaiah 55:8 Mass Readings: September 24 First: Isaiah 55:6-9; Resp: Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18; Second: Philippians 1:20-24,27; Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Listen to the Mass Readings So often people think or say: “The Lord’s way is not fair!” (Ez 18:25) The laborers in the vineyard who worked all day were saying, in essence, the same thing. Seemingly, God treats the weak, sinful, marginalized, forgotten ones better than He treats the ones who faithfully serve Him. While the Lord lovingly pursues the lost, late ones, He goes so far...