Category: Verse for the day
“You will grieve for a time, but your grief will be turned into joy.” –John 16:20 Because of the outbreak of the coronavirus, we in Ohio were not able to take part in public Masses for over two months. We “grieved” the loss of the Eucharist (see Jn 16:20). When the day arrived that we could attend Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist, our grief was turned to joy (Jn 16:20). Tomorrow begins the Pentecost Novena, nine days of praying for and preparing to receive the Holy Spirit in a life-changing way at Pentecost. Jesus insisted that His apostles wait...
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“When He comes, however, being the Spirit of truth He will guide you to all truth.” –John 16:13 For many, this Easter season has been fantastic. Others have been discouraged. They may feel like St. Paul after his failure at Athens. When Paul started speaking to the Athenians about Jesus’ Resurrection, some interrupted and sneered at him. Others brushed him off, telling him to come back some other time (Acts 17:32). Although a few did become believers, this was the worst response in the Bible to Paul’s preaching of the Gospel. You may also feel like a failure. You may...
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“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” –Acts 16:31 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). We are “transformed by the renewal” of our minds (Rm 12:2). “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). For example, after Sts. Paul and Silas were arrested, stripped, flogged, and put into maximum security (Acts 16:22-24), the natural reaction would be for them to feel sorry for themselves. However, they focused on God rather than themselves, as they prayed and sang hymns into the night (Acts 16:25). Then when...
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“All this I tell you, that My joy may be yours.” —John 15:11 Jesus promises us we can have His joy, the joy of God enthroned in heaven. We receive this joy by keeping God’s commandments as Jesus kept the Father’s commandments (Jn 15:10). This may come as a surprise to many because we think joy depends on doing our own thing rather than God’s thing. However, let the facts speak for themselves. Possibly never before has a culture been so preoccupied with feeling good, pleasure-seeking, and selfish pursuits. Yet we are very discontent. Alienated youth, depression, drug and alcohol...
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“No more than a branch can bear fruit of itself apart from the vine, can you bear fruit apart from Me.” –John 15:4 The first words God said to newly created humanity were: “Be fertile and multiply” (Gn 1:28). Among Jesus’ last words before His Ascension were: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name ‘of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ ” (Mt 28:19). Immediately before His Ascension, Jesus commanded us to be His witnesses “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus expects us to...
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