Tagged: message of the day

“My Lord and my God!” –John 20:28 At the elevation of the host at Mass, we proclaim with St. Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28) Jesus invited Thomas to touch His body, so that he might believe that Jesus was truly risen. In Holy Communion, Jesus likewise invites us to touch and receive His Body, that we might also grow in faith. There is a connection, then, between St. Thomas’ doubt and the physical body of Jesus. In the first letter of John, we are told that every true spirit recognizes Jesus Christ come in the flesh (1...

“As He moved on, Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his post where taxes were collected. He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ ” –Matthew 9:9 When your spouse dies, Jesus is there as Lord of the burial. As with Sarah’s burial, He wants to use this occasion to prepare others to enter the promised land (see Gn 23:20). When you’re attracted to someone of the opposite sex and even contemplating marriage, Jesus is there as Lord of the courtship. When you’re thinking about getting a job or changing jobs, Jesus is there to be Lord of your employment and...

“When Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralytic, ‘Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.’ ” –Matthew 9:2 When Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins, He claimed to do something only God can do. Thus, He claimed to be God. The only possible responses to this were to charge Jesus with blasphemy (Mt 9:3) or to worship Him as God. Jesus repeatedly claimed to be God when He claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath (Mt 12:8), the Son of God (see Jn 5:18), and the great I AM (Jn 8:24, 28, 58). Jesus is the Word made...

“She said to herself, ‘Let me not watch to see the child die.’ As she sat opposite him, he began to cry.” –Genesis 21:16-17 When children cry, they may be praying. The Lord hears the cry of the poor, especially poor little children. In response to children crying, the Lord sends the guardian angels of these children to deal with the problem. He sends angels to take custody of our lives (Bar 6:6). These guardian angels are not fat little babies themselves, as artists have often pictured them. Guardian angels are mighty creatures not to be trifled with (see Rv...

” ‘You are the Messiah,’ Simon Peter answered, ‘the Son of the living God!’ ” ––Matthew 16:16 How did Jesus intend to hand on the faith to future generations? Let’s look at the words of our Lord to St. Peter in today’s Gospel. “I for My part declare to you, you are ‘Rock,’ and on this rock I will build My church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it. I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on...