Tagged: Daily Reflections

“This Spirit He lavished on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be justified by His grace.” ––Titus 3:6-7 Justification is a word often thrown around in today’s climate of denominationalism. Different Christian faith traditions have chimed in with competing definitions, causing confusion. Where can we find a brief and clear statement of the doctrine of justification? Notice what St. Paul wrote to his protégé, St. Titus: “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us; not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us...

“The grace of God has appeared, offering salvation to all men. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age.” –Titus 2:11-12 St. Paul gave St. Titus the responsibility of giving orders to the old and young men. Titus should “tell the older men that they must be temperate, serious-minded, and self-controlled; likewise sound in the faith, loving, and steadfast” (Ti 2:2). He should “tell the young men to keep themselves completely under control,” while he himself was to set a good example for them (Ti 2:6-7). Titus was not...

“Everyone, however, must be careful how he builds.” –1 Corinthians 3:10 As of 324 A.D., the Lateran Basilica in Rome is the Pope’s own Cathedral Church. This basilica is the mother church of the entire Christian world. Yet today’s Mass readings don’t simply talk of stone and mortar; they also talk about the Church not made by human hands, the temple of Jesus’ Body (Jn 2:21). Each day, this temple, the Church, is being built upon the sure foundation, Jesus the Christ (1 Cor 3:10-11), and the Rock of St. Peter upon which Christ has built His Church (Mt 16:16-18)....

“At the start of my evangelizing, when I left Macedonia, not a single congregation except yourselves shared with me by giving me something for what it had received.” —Philippians 4:15 We Christians are now working under exceptionally difficult circumstances. About one-third of the people conceived in the USA over the last twenty years have been killed by surgical abortion. Many more have been killed by abortifacient pills and devices. This means far fewer workers are available for God’s harvest. Moreover, many Christians remain immature. They cannot be entrusted with greater responsibilities in God’s work because they have not been faithful...

“Unfortunately, many go about in a way which shows them to be enemies of the cross of Christ.” —Philippians 3:18 Our lifestyle shows the world whether we are friends or enemies of the crucified Jesus (Phil 3:18). We, His disciples, testify to our belief in His crucified love by the way we go about denying ourselves and carrying our own crosses (see Lk 9:23). Your own life screams to the world that you are a friend or an enemy of the cross of Jesus. What is your life saying? What crosses would you run away from if Jesus offered them...