Jesus sidesteps a potential trap and offers us a rich spiritual insight as we put God first and center in our lives.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 9th Week of the Year
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Author Archives: Fr. Andrew Ricci
About Fr. Andrew Ricci
Mary, Mother of the Church. Catholic Inspiration
This feast day, which always falls on the Monday after Pentecost, recalls the crucial role that Mary plays in salvation history as both Mother of God and Mother of the Church.
Mass Readings – Mary, the Mother of the Church
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The Most Holy Trinity
Study: Reflect on the strongest relationships in our lives. What qualities and characteristics are present?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the guidance to see where we can build and renew our relationships.
Serve: Are there people around us that we need to forgive or assist? What steps can we take right now to start this process?
Mass Readings – The Most Holy Trinity
One God…Three Persons.
That’s the Trinity, and when you get right down to it, this central mystery of the Christian faith is just that – mystery. I have heard and used many images as illustrations to aid in understanding the Trinity:
- Shamrock – one leaf, three petals
- Water – one substance, three states (solid, liquid, gas)
- Numbers – one meaning, many languages (five, cinque, etc…)
These examples (and many like them) try to get at the notion of how something can be the same and different at the same time. How unity and diversity can be present at the same time; how the individual and the communal are manifested simultaneously.
It’s a mystery.
And at the heart of the mystery we have a communion of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – a revelation that God comes to us in communion and invites us to be communion with others. We are not alone! God (in communion) invites us into this communion to create communion with one another.
Where do we find communion in our lives? Some obvious places:
- Home & Family
- Work
- School
- Neighborhood
You get the idea. Wherever two or more are present, the opportunity for communion is possible. The point: How strong is the communion we have have with God and one another? How united are we in faith, hope, and love?
May we reflect on the current state of our relationships today and renew them, allowing the grace of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to bless the communion we have with those around us.
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Trinity, Andrei Rublev; 1411-1427 (est.), Tempera, 142 cm x 114 cm, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
This post was originally published on May 26, 2015.
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Monday Conversation: The power of Holy Communion in our lives. Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew and Dan Tracy recall some powerful memories that took place over twenty years ago, showing how our connections in sacred and secular ways can have profound and lasting effects in our Catholic faith…especially when we speak about the crucial role of Mass and receiving the Eucharist.
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Pentecost: Come Holy Spirit! Catholic Inspiration
The Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples, empowering and transforming them with grace. May we call upon the gift of the Spirit in our lives today, embracing the gifts we have received and sharing them in the world.
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Daily Mass: Finishing one chapter to begin another. Catholic Inspiration
As we finish our Easter readings from the Acts of the Apostles, we see how both Peter and Paul commit their lives to the Lord. As a chapter of their lives comes to an end, they point us to the beginning of our final destination: eternal life!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: What we can control when we can’t control anything. Catholic Inspiration
St. Peter and St. Paul remain true to the Lord even though they will be imprisoned and killed. May their example inspire us to choose Christ when all other choices have been taken away.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: Our union with the Lord gives us strength. Catholic Inspiration
The contrast between the unity that Christ prays for and the uproar around St. Paul reveals our constant need to seek out ways to grow closer together through the love of God.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: To live our faith with all our heart. Catholic Inspiration
St. Paul’s farewell expresses his heartfelt commitment to the people of Ephesus – heart and mind, body and soul – as he gave them his very best during his three years among them.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: Our crosses come in many shapes and sizes. Catholic Inspiration
St. Paul speaks plainly about the imprisonment and hardships that await him, yet his courage to face his Cross inspires us to pick up our own.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: We persevere with the faith of Christ
- Daily Mass: A case of mistaken identity
- Study, Pray, Serve: 6th Sunday of Easter
- 5th Sunday of Easter: Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
- Daily Mass: Living for the Lord comes with a cost
- Daily Mass: Christ is our way, our truth, and our life
- Daily Mass: Christ fulfills salvation history
- Daily Mass: The power of fasting and prayer
- Daily Mass: We respond to God's presence in our lives
- Daily Mass: Peter explains how the faith extends to the Gentiles
Three Great Things 