Tagged: Daily Reflection

“Why are You doing what is prohibited on the sabbath?” –Luke 6:2 Keeping the sabbath is a sign to show that we want to be holy and that the Lord makes us holy (Ex 31:13). Keeping the sabbath is to be considered a perpetual covenant between us and the Lord (Ex 31:16). Therefore, the Mosaic law commanded that anyone who does not keep the sabbath “shall be put to death” and thereby “rooted out” of God’s people (Ex 31:14). Aware of this teaching in Exodus on keeping the sabbath, we can see why some Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for “picking...

“They will surely fast in those days.” –Luke 5:35 In Isaiah’s time, people were confused about fasting. The Israelites cried out to the Lord: “Why do we fast, and You do not see it? Afflict ourselves, and You take no note of it?” (Is 58:3) Isaiah prophesied: “Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” (Is 58:5) In Zechariah’s time, people were also confused about fasting. Bethelsarezer asked the priests and the prophets: “Must I mourn and abstain in the fifth month as I have been doing these many years?” (Zec 7:3) The Lord answered: “When...

“They…left everything, and became His followers.” –Luke 5:11 Once St. Peter saw that Jesus, the Carpenter, knew far more about fishing than he did, he realized he didn’t need a boat or nets to have a great catch. All he needed was Jesus. Peter knew how to fish in the Sea of Galilee, but in an instant, he realized that in comparison to Jesus, he knew nothing. In that moment, Peter then knew that nothing brought fruitfulness like following Jesus in everything. The accomplishments of a lifetime of fishing didn’t begin to compare with what could be accomplished through obedience...

“He it was who told us of your love in the Spirit.” –Colossians 1:8 The Colossians received love in the Spirit. We also must receive God’s love, for “the man without love has known nothing of God, for God is Love” (1 Jn 4:8). “If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor 13:3). We receive God’s love by God’s grace. We can’t “make love.” Love is a gift and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). We can’t produce love; we...

“You are not in the dark, brothers, that the day should catch you off guard, like a thief.” –1 Thessalonians 5:4 How much did you think about the Second Coming of Christ this week? If you’re like many Catholics, the message of His coming again goes in one ear and out the other. However, through His Word and the Mass, Jesus constantly warns us that He is coming again. When you attend Sunday Mass, you hear the message of the Second Coming of Christ at least twice and as many as four times, depending upon the prayers and responses chosen....