It’s the classic test of the depth of our response to the Lord’s command…to be able to love those hostile people who make our lives painful and unbearable. Can we follow the example of Christ and love our enemies?
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 1st Week of the Year
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The prophet Ezekiel, the author of Psalm 130 and Jesus all highlight the crucial need to turn away from sin and direct our hearts to the Lord.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 1st Week of Lent
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All of the readings today reveal the power of a fervent prayer from the heart. Prayer does not “change God’s mind,” but rather it draws our souls into a deeper union with the one who knows what we need.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent
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The Sign of Jonah – a call to repent – is the sign that Jesus gives to the crowds…and He continues to offer this powerful sign to us today.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent
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The Lord’s Prayer has strengthened the faith of millions of Christians through the centuries. May these words speak to our hearts today as we draw near to Christ and one another.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent
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Study: Consider a time when you experienced the Lord’s presence. How did the experience help you live your life?
Pray: Are you facing a tough time right now? Ask the Lord for courage, strength and wisdom.
Serve: How can you help someone see the “big picture” as they work through their challenges?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Lent
This week the Gospel of Matthew shows the transfiguration of Jesus. Having brought Peter, James and John up the mountain, the Lord is revealed in his heavenly glory – surrounded by Moses and Elijah – as the Father’s voice booms out: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him!”
For a brief moment the disciples see Jesus as he stands in Heaven. Together with great figures from salvation history, Jesus displays the power and authority he has as the Son of God. It is inspirational, terrifying, awesome and mighty.
It’s also very brief.
The moment fades, and the fear experienced by the disciples passes away as the Lord tells them not to be afraid, but rather to tell no one of the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.
There are times in life when we face tremendous obstacles, challenges that test us to the extreme. In the midst of difficulty we sometimes get a short reprieve – a moment where we can pause, step back, and see the big picture – so that we can keep our perspective and understand why we do what we do.
The transfiguration is one of those short pauses where the three disciples gain an insight into who Jesus is and what he must accomplish. As we engage the struggles of our lives, may we experience moments of God’s presence, empowering us to keep going in the face of adversity.
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Note: This post was first published on March 6, 2017.
How do we foster our faith in Christ? One way is to consider how do we foster our love for the Lord, and we can use human examples to help us.
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The contrast between the temptation of Adam and Eve by the serpent and the three temptations of Jesus by Satan offers us some crucial insights into how we face the temptations in our lives today.
Mass Readings – 1st Sunday of Lent
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 