Tagged: message of the day

“In the temple precincts He came upon people engaged in selling oxen, sheep and doves, and others seated changing coins.” –John 2:14 As I write this, on a Sunday morning, we will soon celebrate Mass. The ushers are busily collecting money and lighting candles. Before Mass, there will be announcements. The first announcement will be about the $200 door prize for bingo this afternoon. During Mass, we will not preach because the bishop has a tape on the archdiocesan fund drive. After Mass, there will be two groups at the door. One will sell our monthly church lottery tickets. The...

“For years now I have slaved for you. I never disobeyed one of your orders, yet you never gave me so much as a kid goat.” –Luke 15:29 Have you been praying for years but haven’t received as much as a kid goat? Do you feel like a slave since for you Mass is primarily a Sunday obligation? Do you find yourself judging other Christians? Are you turned off by those charismatics who are always praising the Lord? If your answer to some of these questions is “Yes,” then you may be the older brother in the parable usually called...

“They took him and threw him into the cistern, which was empty and dry. Then they sat down to their meal.” –Genesis 37:24-25 The hardness of the human heart is fully portrayed in today’s readings. The brothers of Joseph moved quickly and easily from cold-blooded plotting of their brother’s death, to throwing him in the cistern to die, to sitting down to eat their dinner. It’s no different today, as an abortionist and his attendants can murder multiple babies in a day’s work, and then head out to a restaurant to enjoy their supper. Sadly, this even happens in the...

“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if one should rise from the dead.” –Luke 16:31 The human heart is so twisted and deceitful (Jer 17:9) that most of us, even in a world of instant communication, do not notice hundreds of millions of starving people at our doorsteps (see Lk 16:20). We have made our hearts so hardened that, even if someone were raised from the dead to warn us, we would not repent (Lk 16:31). If we ever change, it will be through God’s Word – from Moses’ Pentateuch...

“Such is the case with the Son of Man Who has come, not to be served by others, but to serve, to give His own life as a ransom for the many.” –Matthew 20:28 Most people recognize they have an inner desire to serve others. Millions are serving the poor, the sick, children, the elderly, the homeless, etc. At Christmas time, many people are even more conscious of their need to serve. However, service has a tendency to get out of hand. It feels good to serve, but it also hurts to serve. For example, Jeremiah was not only unappreciated...