Tagged: Daily Reflection

“When they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. One of the soldiers thrust a lance into His side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” –John 19:33-34 Through our sins, we have partially caused Jesus’ crucifixion and death. After we committed this worst of all crimes, Jesus immediately gave us blood and water, flowing from His pierced side. The blood represents the Eucharist, Jesus’ body and blood. The water represents Baptism and eternal life. Thus, Jesus gave us the greatest gifts, Himself and eternal life, immediately after we participated in...

“He himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thereby large numbers were added to the Lord.” –Acts 11:24 St. Barnabas was extremely fruitful for God’s kingdom. This makes him one of the greatest saints, for we are known by our fruits (Lk 6:44). St. Barnabas bore fruit in risking his life to accept St. Paul (see Acts 9:27). Paul eventually became an apostle, the writer of many books of the New Testament, and one of the first Christian missionaries in addition to Barnabas. St. Barnabas bore fruit in forming Antioch, the first missionary church. He...

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets.” –Matthew 5:17 When the Bible speaks of “the Law and the Prophets,” it refers to the Old Testament. Peter preached from the Old Testament on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand people received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17, 25, 34). “The ministry of the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:8) began by the preaching of the ministry of the law. Jesus’ Transfiguration featured the Law, represented by Moses, and the Prophets, represented by Elijah (Lk 9:30). When Jesus was transfigured into a greater glory (Lk 9:29ff), He...

“It is through Him that we address our Amen to God when we worship together.” –2 Corinthians 1:20 At every Mass, the Eucharistic prayer comes to a climax when the priest elevates the body and blood of Jesus and proclaims: “Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.” At this climactic moment, the entire assembly responds “Amen.” We worship God together by addressing our Amen through Jesus to the Father in the Spirit (2 Cor 1:20). This is God’s plan for worship. Through Jesus...

Jesus “began to teach them: ‘How blest are the poor in spirit: the reign of God is theirs.’ ” –Matthew 5:2-3 Jesus proclaims that He alone knows the secret to happiness. He says that happiness is: choosing to be poor rather than rich (Mt 5:3), sorrowing in repentance for our sins rather than feeling good (Mt 5:4), becoming lowly rather than getting high (Mt 5:5), hungering for holiness rather than getting what we want (Mt 5:6), giving others a break rather than getting our rights (Mt 5:7), having nothing but Jesus rather than having everything (see Mt 5:8), dying for...