Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 4th Week of the Year (St. John Bosco)
The two healing miracles in the Gospel of Mark today reveal the healing power of the Lord, inspiring us to draw near to the one who knows our need and longs to touch our hearts with his grace.
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Study: Reflect on a time when you were able to help someone in a profound moment of need. What gave you the “push” to help?
Pray: Is there a situation in your life that requires action but you find yourself in need of guidance? Bring this concern to the Lord in your prayer.
Serve: How can you be Salt or Light to someone today? How can your life enhance the quality and dignity of another?
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year
We see some beautiful themes surface in the readings this week:
Throughout these readings the Lord’s power is manifested every time we cooperate with God’s grace through works of charity and service. Things like:
When we do these things we discover that God provides the strength, wisdom, direction and guidance to carry them out. The Lord takes our effort, reinforces it with grace, and blesses our work in ways we never imagined. Like a brilliant light shining in the darkness, the glory of Jesus Christ pierces the pain and struggles of this life and offers us hope to continue on our way.
And when we let the Lord work through us we become Salt & Light. Our lives, invigorated by God’s love, become conduits for Divine Charity to touch hearts and lives in our world today. It is the Lord’s power at work in our lives, and we are blessed every time we say “Yes!” to the call of Christ to serve those in our midst.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of the Year
Humility happens when we are simultaneously aware of our sins and acknowledge God’s grace. When we bring together this understanding of our sinfulness and God’s mercy we can be honest with ourselves and thus approach the Lord and others with a humble heart.
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Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 3rd Week of the Year (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Both St. Paul and Jesus teach about the crucial role of faith, and their words inspire us to trust in the Lord as we follow God’s call.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Friday of the 3rd Week of the Year
Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven as a mustard seed that grows slowly and steadily, reminding us to be open to the Lord’s grace in our lives today…so that we continue to grow to full stature as disciples of Christ.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Sts. Titus and Timothy
We are invited to stir into flame the gift of our faith, allowing the grace of God to work in and through our lives with the Light of Christ.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle
St. Paul’s conversion shows how God calls us to make changes in our lives as we draw close to Jesus Christ and proclaim the Good News. The Lord reaches out to us in our weakness, inspiring us to turn away from our sins and become living witnesses to the world.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of the Year (St. Francis de Sales)
Jesus teaches in the Gospel today that all who do God’s will are part of his family. Through prayer, Scripture, sacraments and fellowship we become spiritually fruitful as we offer our lives to the Lord.
Study: How do you recognize a humble person? What qualities do you look for in others?
Pray: Do you struggle with pride (the opposite of humility) in some aspect of your life? Ask the Lord to soften your heart.
Serve: Is there a way you can help someone without calling attention to yourself? How might you do a random act of kindness today, without any desire for personal acknowledgement?
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of the Year
Let’s take a quick overview of the readings this week:
Throughout these readings the notion of humility surfaces, and this virtue often serves as a foundation for our life of faith. Here are some reasons why…
First, humility sets us in right relation with God. About the time we get caught up in ourselves, something happens that derails our plans and reminds us that we are not the center of the universe. When we see our lives in a larger context (the country, the world, the solar system…you get the idea) we suddenly discover that we are in fact very, very small. As the creator of all we look to the Lord with a deeper understanding and consideration that our lives – a bit of dust for a blink of an eye – are nothing compared to the glory and grandeur of God.
Second, humility sets us in right relation with others. Every person we meet is created in the image and likeness of God, and our lives are sustained by the Father’s will alone. The same grace that forgives us our sins also extends to our sisters and brothers…and if the Lord lavishes mercy upon all in their moment of need, then perhaps we might want to cut them a little slack in their shortcomings as well. Simply put, we can be kind, patient and forgiving with others as God has been with us.
Third, humility helps us honestly assess our human hearts. Seeing ourselves in proper relationship with the Lord and one another, we can embrace our lives (with their blessings & burdens) and live our faith in a genuine and engaging way. We see our sins with greater clarity, comprehend God’s mercy more fully, and live with gratitude the gifts we’ve been given with joy as we bring aid and assistance to one another. In other words, humility helps us to be authentic: we know ourselves better so we can share our lives more fully with one another.
Through humility we place God first as we sincerely and honestly reach out to those around us. A humble person is open, honest, easy to get along with and helpful in a moment of need. May our faith in Christ teach us humility, and help us to humbly respond to those the Lord sets before us today.
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of the Year
We know firsthand the different types of darkness that occur in daily life: fear, grief, loss, pain, anger, loneliness, rejection and doubt. In these moments we call upon the Lord – who casts out the darkness – so that we can live in the Light of Christ.
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Three Great Things 