Category: Memory Verse

“Israel I would feed with the best of wheat.” –Psalm 81:17 Mass Readings: August 7 First: Numbers 11:4-15; Resp: Psalm 81:12-17; Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21 Listen to the Mass Readings Less than twenty-four hours before His death, Jesus took what appeared to be bread and wine and said “This is My body,” and “This is My blood” (Mt 26:26, 28). The obvious response to these seemingly absurd statements is: “How can He give us His flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52) Yet, before we dismiss Jesus’ words as those of a lunatic, we should remember that the Lord fed the entire Israelite...

“A surging stream of fire flowed out from where He sat.” –Daniel 7:10 When Jesus was transfigured, “from the cloud came a voice which said, ‘This is My Son, My Chosen One. Listen to Him’ ” (Lk 9:35). However, the apostles did not listen to Jesus, especially regarding His death on the cross and His Resurrection. Even after Jesus died and rose, they didn’t listen to Him. Jesus knew this would happen. He concluded one of His parables with the statement: “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if one should...

“He did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” –Matthew 13:58 Mass Readings: August 4 First: Leviticus 23:1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37; Resp: Psalm 81:3-6,10-11;Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58 Listen to the Mass Readings The people of Jesus’ native place lacked faith in Him (Mt 13:54ff). Because of their lack of receptivity, Jesus did not work many miracles there. This pattern is being repeated today. In our secular humanistic culture, many people have a crisis of faith. Under these circumstances, they may deprive themselves of seeing the power and glory of God in their lives. Without faith in Jesus, we live half-lives...

Jesus said: “The reign of God is also like a dragnet thrown into the lake, which collected all sorts of things.” –Matthew 13:47 Mass Readings: August 3 First: Exodus 40:16-21,34-38; Resp: Psalm 84:3-6,8,11; Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53 Listen to the Mass Readings At this moment, the dragnet is being pulled over the earth. It is collecting all sorts of things – churches, committed Christians, the lukewarm, sinners, denominations, ministries, the “religious,” church-goers, etc. The Lord will sift through this motley crew when the net is finally hauled ashore on Judgment Day at the end of the world. Then the angels will...

“The skin of Moses’ face was radiant.” –Exodus 34:35 Mass Readings: August 2 First: Sirach 24:1-4,16,22-24; Resp: Psalm 34:5,7,9-10,18-19; Second: Galatians 4:3-7; Gospel: Luke 1:26-33 Listen to the Mass Readings When “Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments” (Ex 34:29), he had the first halo ever seen. He got this halo by conversing with God (Ex 34:29) and on the occasion of receiving the Ten Commandments. Like Moses, we should receive haloes. In fact, we have a greater opportunity to receive a halo than did Moses (see Mt 11:11), for we have access to...