The emptiness that Qoheleth describes and Herod the tetrarch experiences both point to a common theme: a life without God is no life at all.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 25th Week of the Year
Category Archives: Ordinary Time
Daily Mass: Without life in Christ, all things are vanity. Catholic Inspiration
Daily Mass: What is the Lord’s task for today? Catholic Inspiration
As Jesus empowers his disciples to minister to the people, we are reminded that the Lord continues to invite us to serve in His name to those in our lives.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 24th Week (St. Pius of Pietrelcina)
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Daily Mass: Hearing and acting on the Word of God. Catholic Inspiration
As I spend time today with my Mom on her birthday, I pause to thank God that my parents shared their faith and helped me live it.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 25th Week of the Year
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26th Sunday of the Year: A call to action.
Study: When in your life have actions “shouted down” the words we hear?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the strength to be consistent in what we say and do.
Serve: How do my words encourage others? How do my actions show my care and support?
Mass Readings – 26th Sunday of the Year
It seems like there are certain phrases that get said throughout our lives. These words are commands, invitations, and requests to make things happen – and they come in many forms:
“Take out the trash”
“Clean your room”
“Do the dishes”
“Come to my…” (athletic game, concert, etc.)
“Would you volunteer at…” (pick one!)
“Help me with…”
Let’s face it. We are asked to do many things throughout this life. From chores and tasks to acts of kindness and civil responsibility, many of these actions are simply part of our existence on this earth.
Yet once we hear these words we are asked to respond. This happens in two crucial ways:
* What we say (our WORDS)
* What we do (our ACTIONS)
When we are confronted with a request or invitation how we respond says a lot about who we are. If our words and actions are in agreement everything is fine – “yes” means yes and “no” means no. But if we say one thing and do another, then the weight of our choice is measured in our actions.
This is the message of the Gospel today. Jesus speaks of two sons who receive a request from their father. One says yes but does not act, the other says no but changes his mind and acts. In the end, the one who acted did his father’s will.
We journey through life confronted by countless choices everyday. Some things we know should be done, others should not. Some things are options that could be done; we have to weigh the priorities of our time, energy, ability, and need. Yet what we discover is that we are defined not by what we say, but by what we do.
As people of faith we have other commands to follow: Love God; Love one another; Repent and forgive; Work for justice; Seek peace. Indeed our faith is reflected not in our words but our actions; even the Golden Rule “Do to others as you would have them do to you…” (Mt 7:12) is nothing more than a reminder that actions speak louder than words.
Note: This post was originally published on September 23, 2014
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25th Sunday of the Year: A generous heart for the Lord. Catholic Inspiration
The parable of the generous landowner reveals a crucial insight about God and an invitation to becoming greathearted toward those around us.
Mass Readings – 25th Sunday of the Year
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Daily Mass: Will we have a body in Heaven? (Answer: Yes!)
St. Paul addresses an issue that people often wonder about: Will we have a body in Heaven? The answer is yes, but it will be much more!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 24th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Catholic Inspiration
St. Paul speaks of the crucial aspect of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the life of the faith. Indeed, the resurrection of the Lord opens the door between this life and the next.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 24th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: Give thanks to the Lord. Catholic Inspiration
The Psalm response echoes the grace revealed in the Gospel of Luke. When we count our blessings we open our hearts in faith to the healing power of Jesus Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 24th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: When we become living examples of love. Catholic Inspiration
St. Paul’s famous passage in 1st Corinthians (often used at weddings) challenges us to “put on love” in all that we think, say and do.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 24th Week (Cornelius & Cyprian)
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25th Sunday of the Year: We call upon the Lord for a generous heart.
Study: How have I reacted in the past when someone I know has been particularly blessed or fortunate? Am I supportive or jealous?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace and wisdom to celebrate sincerely with others when they have received special gifts or opportunities.
Serve: How can you support others in their moments of blessing? How might you be generous with gratitude for another person’s good fortune?
Mass Readings – 25th Sunday of the Year
Consider the following possible situations and scenarios:
- Your neighbor that you have known for over twenty years has just won the lottery.
- A high school classmate that you didn’t talk to very much in school makes it big in Hollywood.
- A relative gets left a hefty sum of money from your old uncle and goes on a long trip around the world.
- A kid who used to ride your bus to school is now the executive at the company – and is your boss.
- A fellow employee in another office gets a big bonus for a successfully completed project.
- Your best friend has the opportunity to have a special audience with the Pope – through a connection with a friend in the Vatican.
All of these scenes have one thing in common: through an encounter with generosity and/or opportunity another individual benefits and possesses rewards that we do not share.
How do we react? How do our attitudes and actions change toward those who have received unexpected (and sometimes unearned) generosity? While I know that I hope that I would be good natured, polite, friendly, and supportive – a part of me echoes with the sentiments of the workers in today’s Gospel.
There is a sense of justice, a feeling that we should get what we deserve that goes against the grain of the message today. The last workers got the same wage, even though they only worked a fraction of the time. It’s not fair!
In reality, the story went beyond fairness. No worker was cheated. No worker was denied a fair and agreeable wage. The Master simply wanted to be generous out of concern and care for others.
The fact is, God is generous to all of us. There are moments when we have fallen short of the Lord’s justice through sin and temptation. Yet like the workers today, we receive God’s generosity even when we have not earned it. May we live accordingly.
Note: This blog was originally published on September 14, 2014.
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: Our faith in Christ unites us in heart and mind
- Daily Mass: It is the Holy Spirit, and not our ego, that directs our faith
- Study, Pray, Serve: 3rd Sunday of Easter
- 2nd Sunday of Easter: Peace be with you
- Daily Mass: The Holy Spirit emboldens us to live our faith
- Daily Mass: We seek to do the will of God
- Daily Mass: Knowledge of Scripture is knowledge of Christ
- Daily Mass: We receive the gift of God and share it with others
- Daily Mass: Christian faith speaks to the mind and the heart
- Daily Mass: Our lives give witness to our faith in Christ
Three Great Things 