Category: Verse for the day
“Reform your lives and believe in the gospel!” –Mark 1:15 Jesus began His public ministry proclaiming a direct command and challenge to everyone He saw. He proclaimed the need to repent and reform. The word for repent in this Gospel passage text is the Greek word metanoia. This word does not simply mean to be sorry for our sins, as appropriate as this is. The word means literally to turn around and go in the opposite direction. This repentance means to make a 180-degree turn in our lives if the direction in which we are traveling leads us away from...
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“The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; ‘Repairer of the breach,’ they shall call you, ‘Restorer of ruined homesteads.’ ” –Isaiah 58:12 Mass Readings: February 17 First: Isaiah 58:9-14; Resp: Psalm 86:1-6;Gospel: Luke 5:27-32 Listen to the Mass Readings If we fast this Lent in a way pleasing to the Lord (see Is 58:3-6), we will see the Lord do many miracles. For example, light will rise for us in the darkness (Is 58:10). The Lord will guide us always and give us “plenty even on the parched...
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“Jesus said to them: ‘How can wedding guests go in mourning so long as the groom is with them? When the day comes that the groom is taken away, then they will fast.’ ” –Matthew 9:15 Mass Readings: February 16 First: Isaiah 58:1-9; Resp: Psalm 51:3-6,18-19; Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15 Listen to the Mass Readings In accord with Jewish tradition, Jesus associated fasting with mourning. Not in accord with any tradition, Jesus taught that His kind of fasting was to be preceded by a wedding banquet. In some cultures, people fast before a wedding and a wedding banquet, but I don’t...
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“Jesus said to all: ‘Whoever wishes to be My follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in My steps.’ ” –Luke 9:23 Mass Readings: February 15 First: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Resp: Psalm 1:1-4,6; Gospel: Luke 9:22-25 Listen to the Mass Readings Because of our fallen human nature, we are addicted to self. By nature, we constantly think about ourselves and are so far out of touch with reality that we automatically think of ourselves as the center of the universe. To free us from our addiction to self, God became a man. He was...
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“Then the Lord was stirred to concern for His land and took pity on His people.” -–Joel 2:18 God is a God of mercy. Jesus has revealed that nothing causes more joy in heaven than a repentant sinner. The Lord apparently cannot resist a humble, contrite, repentant heart (Ps 51:19). Those of us who are parents are blessed to get a glimpse of the heart of God in this area. When my children have approached me truly sorry for what they have done wrong, my fatherly heart melts with love for them. If I want good things for my children,...
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