Jesus summons the Twelve and empowers them to carry out his ministry. The Lord continues to call disciples today, giving us the grace we need to do his work.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 4th Week of the Year
***************
Category Archives: Ordinary Time
Daily Mass: How strong is your faith? Catholic Inspiration
Jesus comments on the lack of faith he witnesses in his native place. This passage gives us a reason to pause and reflect on our faith, pondering how we might grow in our relationship with Christ.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 4th Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
Daily Mass: Jesus heals us. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord heals two people in the Gospel of Mark, inviting us to acknowledge our wounds and turn to Christ with trusting faith.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 4th Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
5th Sunday of the Year: Lord, send me!
Study: Recall a moment where you felt that God was prompting you to action. What motivated you to act? What held you back?
Pray: What grace do you need to carry out your current tasks? Storm heaven for the strength you require.
Serve: How can you make an ordinary action extraordinary? How can you do a little thing with great love?
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year
The readings incorporate the theme of being sent on mission:
- 1st Reading – Isaiah responding to the Lord’s invitation
- Psalm – Responding to the Lord’s call with songs of praise
- 2nd Reading – Paul’s recap of the response of the apostles
- Gospel – Jesus making “fishers of men” of the Peter & the apostles
In all these cases some common points surface:
- God takes the initiative and calls us
- We (however unworthy) are invited to respond
- God provides the grace and strength
- We are called to offer our lives in action
These are beautiful thoughts as we sit on the doorstep of Lent! Friends, God continues to call us – providing grace – that we might respond and offer our lives for service in the world. So let’s turn these points around from our perspective:
- How has the Lord called each one of us…today?
- What excuses or obstacles are keeping us from responding?
- What particular grace do we need from the Lord – ask for it!
- Remember: all action – great or small – that we offer will be blessed by God to make a difference in the world.
May our words follow the example of Isaiah in the first reading today: Here am I, Lord…send me!
***************
***************
Note: This post was first published on February 2, 2016.
Share this:
4th Sunday of the Year: We confront the tension of life with the love of Christ. Catholic Inspiration
Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we experience times in life that are filled with tension and difficulty. Yet following the example of St. Paul, we face these challenging moments with God’s grace as we embrace and live the love of Christ each and every day.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of the Year
***************
Share this:
Daily Mass: Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord teaches about the Kingdom of God using parables that explain that it is a process that starts out small. May these words give us strength to take the next step in our spiritual journey!
Mass Readings – Friday of the 3rd Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
Daily Mass: Let the light shine in our hearts. Catholic Inspiration
Jesus reminds us that not only does light reveal all hidden things, but that we are called to shine with the light of Christ in our daily lives.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
Daily Mass: Let the seed of Christ grow in your heart. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord’s parable (and explanation) remind us that Christ is not only the sower but the seed as well. God takes initiative and meets us in our hearts; how will we respond?
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
Daily Mass: We are part of God’s family. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord teaches us that as our actions conform to God’s will we are drawn ever closer into Christ’s family. In other words, our relationships are strengthened the more we align our lives to Jesus Christ through our words and actions.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of the Year
***************
Share this:
4th Sunday of the Year: When the going gets tough…keep going!
Study: Recall a time when you had to speak up in a difficult situation. How did you face it? What gave you strength to do it?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace to respond to challenging circumstances with love. Call upon the Holy Spirit for the gifts you need.
Serve: How can you support someone who is faced with a tough task right now? How can you help them?
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of the Year
Let’s start with a quick recap of the readings this week:
- 1st Reading: Jeremiah will be strengthened to preach a difficult message
- Psalm: We proclaim God’s goodness, especially when life is tough
- 2nd Reading: The Love of God shapes and directs our lives
- Gospel: Jesus encounters opposition at Nazareth
The first reading, psalm, and Gospel all refer to moments that challenge us. The prophets encountered it, the Psalmist sings about it, and the Lord himself met resistance and opposition to the message he proclaimed. But note this: in spite of the difficulty they did it.
Sometimes saying what needs to be said is unpleasant and unwelcome. We might want to avoid it or wish someone else could do it, but there are times in life when it’s up to us to deliver a tough message. We know what needs to be said…and that it’s up to us to speak.
The key is how we say it. How does our intention, our desire, and our tone convey a tough message? The answer is found in the second reading: Love. The love of Christ guides and directs every aspect of our lives – including those times when we are called to speak about a difficult topic.
This notion of “what” and “how” shows up repeatedly in the spiritual life:
- What refers to the issue, content, and “facts” of a situation or circumstance
- How refers to the manner in which it is conveyed – the way we do something
Our faith calls us to confront the reality of life, particularly when things are tough. We need not fear engaging a difficult situation; rather, we draw on the love of Christ to guide us – both in what we say and how we say it – trusting that the Lord will provide us with the grace we need.
Let’s face it: Life is tough! But when the going gets tough, the tough get going…guided by God’s love.
****************
***************
Note: This post was first published on January 26, 2016.
Share this:
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: We are invited into the family of Jesus
- Daily Mass: The call of St. Matthew
- Study, Pray, Serve: 26th Sunday of the Year
- 25th Sunday of the Year: It's not too late to turn to the Lord!
- Daily Mass: An insight into our temptations
- Daily Mass: What will we offer to the Lord today?
- Daily Mass: We approach Christ in need of mercy and forgiveness
- Daily Mass: We live our faith with zeal and conviction
- Daily Mass: Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows
- Daily Mass: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Christ
