Tagged: Daily Reflection

“As they were coming down the mountain…” –Mark 9:9 Peter said to the transfigured Jesus: “How good it is for us to be here!” (Mk 9:5) Peter may have been “beating around the bush.” He may have been speaking not so much of the goodness of being on the mountain as of the badness of carrying the cross with Jesus in “the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23:4, RSV-CE; see also Mt 16:22). Compared to the valley of the shadow of death, the mountaintop looked great. After Peter had made his remarks, “a cloud came, overshadowing them, and...

“You have great faith! Your wish will come to pass.” –Matthew 15:28 The Israelites in the desert were called to move into the land occupied by the pagan Canaanites. In comparison to the Israelites, the pagan Canaanites were considered “dogs” (see Mt 15:26). But it was the Israelites, chosen by God to live in the Promised Land, who lacked faith (see Nm 13:28ff). How ironic that a woman of the Canaanites, who were descended from those not chosen to live in the Promised Land, would have “great faith” (Mt 15:28), while the Israelites “suffered for [their] faithlessness” (Nm 14:32), and...

“Why, then, did you not fear to speak against My servant Moses?” –Numbers 12:8 “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Nm 12:1). “So angry was the Lord against them that when He departed, and the cloud withdrew from the tent, there was Miriam, a snow-white leper!” (Nm 12:9-10) ” ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rm 12:19). The Lord stands up for His people. He takes personally any attack on us. Remember that Jesus flattened Saul and said: “Saul, why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4) when Saul went after the Church. Because the Lord avenges His...

“If this is the way You will deal with me, then please do me the favor of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face this distress.” –Numbers 11:15 The Israelites were willing to give up their freedom because they felt that the Egyptian food was tastier than God’s miraculous manna (Nm 11:4ff). Moses was willing to give up living rather than carry the burden of a complaining people (Nm 11:15). Esau gave up his birthright rather than be hungry a few minutes longer (Gn 25:30ff). Demas gave up loving and serving the Lord in favor of...

“I Myself am the Bread of life.” –John 6:35 Do you believe that Jesus is “truly, really and substantially” present in Holy Communion? (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1374) Before Jesus revealed that He would give us His body and blood in Communion, He performed the amazing miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish (Jn 6:11ff). Then Jesus walked on the water (Jn 6:19ff). In this context of miracles, Jesus declared: “My flesh is real food and My blood real drink” (Jn 6:55). Under these circumstances, you would think we would believe anything the Lord said, even if...