Category: Verse for the day

“What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah?” –Hosea 6:4 The Israelite worshippers sang a hymn which expressed their confidence that God would respond favorably to their offerings and sacrifices: “He will heal us…He will bind our wounds…He will raise us up, to live in His presence…as certain as the dawn is His coming” (Hos 6:1-3). Jesus painted a similar picture in today’s Gospel reading. The Pharisee offered sacrifices of tithes, fasting, and a life of holy deeds (Lk 18:11-12). Just as his ancestors did, he prayed confidently to God, offering another splendid sacrifice...

“You shall conceive and bear a Son and give Him the name Jesus. Great will be His dignity and He will be called Son of the Most High.” –Luke 1:31-32 Today we remember the astonishing fact that God became a baby — a tiny human being attached to the wall of a teenage girl’s uterus. The almighty, infinite God became human flesh smaller than your fingernail. No one ever imagined it or prayed for it. God’s Incarnation was so astounding that to the present day we don’t know what to think of it. Why would He do such a thing?...

“When someone stronger than he comes and overpowers him, such a one carries off the arms on which he was relying and divides the spoils.” –Luke 11:22 Lent is the imitation of Jesus’ forty days in the desert where He overcame the temptations of Satan and cast him out (Mt 4:3-11). We should not only imitate Jesus in resisting temptation but also in driving Satan out. Furthermore, we should disarm and despoil Satan (Lk 11:22) and bring down his strongholds (2 Cor 10:4), especially through use of the weapons of prayer and fasting (Mt 17:21, NAB; Gospel of Life, 100)....

“Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations.” –Deuteronomy 4:6 Because of their disobedience, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. They may have assumed they were obeying God, but Moses warned them that they were not obeying carefully enough (Dt 4:6). Jesus’ disciples probably thought they were obeying Him. However, Jesus proclaimed that He expected them to obey even the smallest part of a letter of the law (Mt 5:18; see also Ps 119:112). Then they were to obey the spirit of the law (2 Cor 3:6) and...