Category: Verse for the day

“Many Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him on account of Lazarus.” –John 12:11 Mass Readings: March 26 First: Isaiah 42:1-7; Resp: Psalm 27:1-3,13-14; Gospel: John 12:1-11 Listen to the Mass Readings. Jesus’ death saved Lazarus from dying. Once Jesus was killed by crucifixion, there was no longer any need for the chief priests to kill Lazarus as well (see Jn 12:10). Jesus then died in Lazarus’ stead. Jesus’ death saved Barabbas from dying. When Jesus was condemned to death, Barabbas was set free (Mt 27:20ff). Jesus died in Barabbas’ place. Jesus’ death can likewise save us...

“Then Jesus, uttering a loud cry, breathed His last.” –Mark 15:37 Happy Holy Week! May this be one of the greatest weeks of the greatest year of your life. In one week, in every Catholic church in the world, at every Mass on the first day of the Easter season, we will be challenged to make the greatest act of faith and love in our lives by renewing our baptismal promises. We will be invited to give our lives totally to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and thereby reject Satan, all his works, and all his empty...

“If we let Him go on like this, the whole world will believe in Him.” –John 11:48 Mass Readings: March 24 First: Ezekiel 37:21-28;Resp: Jeremiah 31:10-13; Gospel: John 11:45-56 Listen to the Mass Readings The chief priests, the Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin were led by Caiaphas, the high priest, to consider it necessary to put Jesus to death (Jn 11:50). Otherwise, they feared the Romans would be threatened by Jesus’ popularity, and they would sweep away the Jewish sanctuary and nation (Jn 11:48). Forty years after they had killed Jesus to solve their “problem,” the Romans nonetheless swept away their...

“I hear the whisperings of many.” –Jeremiah 20:10 Mass Readings: March 23 First: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Resp: Psalm 18:2-7; Gospel: John 10:31-42 Listen to the Mass Readings Because Holy Week, the Triduum, the Easter octave, the Easter season, and Pentecost are tremendous opportunities to grow in holiness, Satan will try to rob us of these special days with the Lord. Satan is well aware that we have been planning for some time to reject him, all his works, and all his empty promises at Easter. Satan wants to make us his slaves through sin and make a mockery of the renewal...

“Never have we been slaves to anyone. What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be free’?” –John 8:33 Jesus said: “I give you My assurance, everyone who lives in sin is the slave of sin” (Jn 8:34). Everyone who sins is a slave. Even everyone in debt is a slave, for “the borrower is the slave of the lender” (Prv 22:7). Therefore, the world is full of slaves. However, slaves can be freed from slavery to sin and the world by offering themselves to Christ to become slaves of justice (Rm 6:18). “That is why, if the Son frees...