The words of John Baptist remind us of a crucial spiritual point, “He must increase, I must decrease.” May we seek to let Christ increase his rule in our hearts each and every day.
Mass Readings – Saturday after Epiphany
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Monthly Archives: January 2020
Daily Mass: The compassion of Jesus. Catholic Inspiration
As Jesus heals the leper in the Gospel of Luke, we witness the profound compassion of the Lord, who longs for our TOTAL healing – body, mind, heart and soul. May we draw near to Christ for this healing and in turn seek to be agents of healing whenever possible.
Mass Readings – Friday after Epiphany
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Daily Mass: Our love for God is revealed in our love for each other. Catholic Inspiration
The First Letter of John cuts through any warm and fuzzy notions of love with a decisive evaluation: we reveal our love for God through our love for one another. May this practical test guide and direct our actions, powered by the love of Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday after Epiphany
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Daily Mass: God loves us and commands us to love one another. Catholic Inspiration
The First Letter of St. John offers a beautiful and moving reflection on how God’s love moves in and through us into the world. May the Lord’s love flow through us today!
Mass Readings – Wednesday after Epiphany
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Daily Mass: The multiplication of the fishes and loaves. Catholic Inspiration
The multiplication of the fishes and loaves in the Gospel of Mark uses the same language that we use to describe what happens at Mass when the priest takes the bread and wine. May we be nourished every time we go to pray, so that we can nourish others with the gift of our lives.
Mass Readings – Tuesday after Epiphany
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The Baptism of the Lord
Study: Find out about your baptism. When was it? Who performed it? Who are your Godparents? Who else was present?
Pray: Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
Serve: How can you live your baptismal call today? How can your faith inspire or assist another?
Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord
A few years ago I was having lunch when I ran into Fr. Bob Koszarek, a retired priest from our diocese. When I asked him what brought him out for lunch he said, “I am celebrating the anniversary of my baptism.” The comment struck me, especially when he followed it up with, “Do you know the day of your baptism?”
The answer is no. Yet as I prepare for Mass this week I have made a commitment to find out. We claim (rightly so) that baptism is a crucial sacrament in the Church – the gateway to all other sacraments whereby we are configured to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Most people know if they have been baptized; my sense is that very few know the actual date.
Our faith is a precious gift – worth fighting for, worth dying for. Perhaps today we pause to recall just how precious it truly is…Jesus Christ poured out his blood on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life. His baptism was the revelation of the Trinity, where we hear the Father’s voice from heaven as the Spirit descends upon the Son in the form of a dove. Our baptism allows us to participate fully in God’s presence for the grace and guidance we need.
I invite us today to claim our baptism. Some simple steps:
- Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know Jesus and live as a Christian disciple
- Embrace your faith through study and prayer
- Serve others in the name of Jesus Christ (and with his help and strength)
- Allow your life to bring Good News to the World
Our baptism is not a one time event. Rather, it is an ongoing expression of Christ working through us. May the Baptism of the Lord inspire us to live our faith with joy as we engage our lives with his power.
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Bautismo de Cristo, Juan Fernandez Nararrete; circa 1567, The Prado, Madrid, Spain.
Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.
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Monday Conversation: A New Year’s Resolution for the Soul. Catholic Inspiration
Now that the holidays are passed many people kick off the New Year with a resolution. Here’s one to consider for the good the soul: making Mass a weekly habit, and inviting as many people as possible to join us.
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Epiphany: What the Magi can teach us. Catholic Inspiration
The intensity of the quest of the Magi and the treasures they offered the Christ child can teach us about the conviction and quality we bring to the Lord each and every day.
Mass Readings – Epiphany of the Lord
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Daily Mass: Come and See. Catholic Inspiration
The invitation of Jesus to “come and you will see” to two people will become for them a life changing experience as they spend time with the Lord. The same is true for us; may we actively create opportunities to drawn near to Christ, so that we might be filled with His grace.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
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Daily Mass: We are children of God. Catholic Inspiration
The First Letter of St. John offers a message of consolation and challenge. As children of God we are part of the Lord’s family, united in his love; yet this membership means that we take seriously the destructive role of sin as we strive to live in a manner that is worthy of Heaven.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- The Baptism of the Lord
- Daily Mass: The Lord takes delight in his people
- Daily Mass: An earnest prayer for healing
- Daily Mass: Our love for God directs us to love one another
- Daily Mass: Love drives out fear
- Daily Mass: God is love
- Daily Mass: We belong to God
- Study, Pray, Serve: The Baptism of the Lord
- Epiphany: What will we offer to the Lord?
- Daily Mass: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God
Three Great Things 