Category: Verse for the day

“Some of them said, ‘It is by Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that He casts out devils.’ ” –Luke 11:15 Some people accused Jesus of driving out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. We may have sinned many times, but that’s one sin we likely have never committed. In our secularized society, many don’t even believe the devil exists. Consequently, they would not attribute any of Jesus’ works to the devil. Many are too ignorant or heretical to commit the sin referred to in today’s Gospel reading. In a few short weeks, at every Catholic Mass in the whole...

“Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true.” – Matthew 5:18 In the beginning of creation was the Word. In the beginning of the new creation of this Lenten-Easter time is also the Word. When God’s Word begins to come alive in our lives, we know that the risen life of Easter is not far behind. When our hearts begin to burn as Jesus explains to us the Scriptures, we know that...

“In the fire Azariah stood up and prayed aloud.” –Daniel 3:25 Lent is the imitation of Jesus’ forty days in the desert (Mt 4:1ff). It is a desert experience in which we undergo “a trial by fire” (1 Pt 4:12). In the midst of the flames, we are tempted to grumble against the Lord or blame other people for our trials. We must overcome these temptations and stand up in the fire to pray as Azariah did (Dn 3:25). By faith, we must face the harsh realities of our lives, repent of our sins, and commit ourselves to follow the...

“Coming to his senses at last” –Luke 15:17 Jesus mentions that the prodigal son came “to his senses at last” when his situation reached its lowest point. Jesus also forgave His persecutors from the cross, saying “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34). Through these two passages, Jesus is teaching us that it is quite possible that those who trespass against us might not be in their right mind. Jesus pleads with His heavenly Father to forgive His tormentors because of this very reason. He sees the best in each person and asks the...

“Let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, instead of doing away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh. His brothers agreed.” –Genesis 37:27 To Joseph’s brothers, brotherhood meant not killing their brother but selling him. We Christians are brothers and sisters with one another. At Mass, we are repeatedly addressed as brothers and sisters. Does brotherhood and sisterhood mean more to us than it did to Joseph’s brothers? Brotherhood and sisterhood should mean that: We are one as Jesus and the Father are one (Jn 17:21). “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with...