Poor St. Peter! One minute he is named by Jesus as the rock upon which the Church will be built, and the next minute he is chastised by the Lord for falling prey to temptation. Welcome to the spiritual life! Yet this spiritual battle of building up and tearing down is part of our journey of faith, inviting us to always keep our focus on Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 18th Week of the Year
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Jesus offers a word of praise to his Heavenly Father for the goodness he has poured out on creation. This grace is not because of our own perfection; rather, the Lord meets us in our weakness and blesses us with his merciful love. It begs a simple question: Are we open to receive it?
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 15th Week of the Year
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The faith of the Roman centurion reveals his complete trust in the authority and power of Jesus. His example inspires us to turn to the Lord with open hearts and allow God’s grace to work in and through our lives.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 12th Week of the Year
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Our faith acknowledges the presence and power of sin in our world today. Temptation is all around us, working to ensnare us and lead us astray. The solution? Jesus comes into our world to free us from the chains of sin and lead us into the grace that only God can provide.
Mass Readings – 10th Sunday of the Year
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This feast day fosters both personal piety and a communal connection within the Church to Jesus Christ, our savior, redeemer, brother and friend. The Lord offers his heart for the salvation of the world as he gives his life on the Cross. May the love in his heart fill up what is lacking in ours!
Mass Readings – Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
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Study: Recall a time when you had to confront your sinfulness. What were the obstacles you faced?
Pray: Consider adding an Examination of Conscience to your daily prayer.
Serve: How can you extend mercy and forgiveness to others right now?
Mass Readings – 10th Sunday of the Year
There are a number of themes that surface in the Scripture readings this week:
Sin is real. While we do not live in a world that wants to call attention to the times when we choose something contrary to the will and commandment of God, we know by experience and observation that it happens everyday. What’s more, we often find ourselves hearing a thousand different excuses for the shortcomings and failures of those around us…offering every possible reason why:
and so it goes…
Yet what we find in the first reading is a clear acknowledgement of the sin of Adam and Eve through the temptation of the serpent. In their weakness our first parents fell from grace and transmitted original sin into the spiritual DNA of humanity. In our moments of humble insight we understand just how wounded we are and how easy it is to slip into behaviors that lead us away from God and one another.
The Lord, however, does not leave us in this plight alone. Rather, the Psalmist reminds us that the Lord extends mercy upon us, and St. Paul teaches that the spirit of faith empowers us to face the trials of this life with the gift of grace.
The source of this grace is found in Jesus Christ, who claims us as his family through our willingness to do the will of the Heavenly Father. In other words, God sends his Son to give us the help we need to return to Him!
Yes there is sin. But we draw near to the one who overcomes the power of sin and restores what was lost. May we call upon God for the grace we need to acknowledge our sins, accept the Lord’s mercy, and live in the light of Jesus Christ!
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014.
Jesus responds with wisdom and insight when questioned about his authority. As his disciples we call upon the Lord for the grace, power and authority we need to live our lives with the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 8th Week of the Year
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Study: Reflect on a time when you encountered a difficult experience. Where did you find your strength?
Pray: Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you, especially to unite with others in challenging situations.
Serve: How can you help foster unity in your life? What can you do to bring people together?
Mass Readings:
Pentecost Sunday at the Vigil Mass
Pentecost Sunday Extended Vigil
Pentecost Sunday Mass During the Day
It can be somewhat confusing to know what readings to follow – depending on the day and the options available a person can hear a number of different Scripture readings this weekend. Stepping back for a moment, however, we can tease out some major themes that surface on this important feast of the Church:
In many respects this feast marks the birthday of the Church. The disciples, having watched the Lord ascend to Heaven, are now “on their own” to carry out the Good News of Christ. The point, of course, is that they are not alone! Filled with the Holy Spirit their hearts are transformed and their lives forever changed. They have become willing instruments empowered by the Spirit to speak and act for the glory of God. They don’t look anything like their former selves – timid, fearful, and self-serving; they now fearlessly engage the world with the conviction that Jesus is Lord.
And as they are strengthened by the Spirit one sign increasingly becomes apparent – the unity of believers as a self evident sign that God’s grace is at work. Several approaches underscore this sense of unity:
Language, cooperation, fruitfulness, and forgiveness are all hallmarks of the Spirit’s presence in our lives. All are crucial and take an enormous amount of effort – supported by the POWER of the Holy Spirit!
Is there a place in our lives today that would benefit from unity? Are there relationships and situations that require healing and strength to grow? Do we recognize circumstances (perhaps beyond our control) that cry out for the Lord’s intervention? If so, then we can confidently turn to the Spirit for the grace we need to face what lies before us.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful , grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
There is a cost to following the Lord: sometimes we must endure the hardship of hate in this world and contend with forces that would seek to destroy the goodness in our lives. Yet we do not stand alone; Jesus Christ gives us the strength we need to face this hardship with the power of his grace.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter
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Study: When in my life have I had to let go of something, someone, so that growth could happen?
Pray: Am I struggling right now to let go? Ask God for help – wisdom and strength – to do it.
Serve: Is there someone in my life that needs help letting go of a past mistake or hurt? How can I help them?
Pastoral Note: The 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent provide an option for using the “Year A” readings at Mass for the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, but for those who follow the usual cycle the reflection is offered below.
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of Lent
The Gospel of John today offers an image that contains the central idea of the Christian faith:
Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
John 12:24
Picture a grain of wheat in your hand. It is a tiny, lifeless thing; alone it can be crushed for flour. Yet if that grain is allowed to fall to the ground two things will happen.
First, the grain will die to itself. That is, it will cease to be a GRAIN of wheat. Its hull will be broken down and disintegrate, the kernel will lose its appearance, and it will no longer be able to be used for flour!
Second, the grain will become something new. The grain will be transformed into a new and living creation, full of life and possibilities. It will not resemble the grain – it will be vastly larger, living, able to grow, and full of new potential.
Simply put, as the grain of wheat “died” to its old self, a new life was able to burst forth. The old passed away, making new hope and opportunity available. This is the Paschal Mystery – a journey from death to life.
Like the grain of wheat, Jesus will also make this journey; from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, his life will be a process of transformation, change, and new life. Through his death, he will not only be raised to life, but he will become the instrument by which God saves us as well.
What does this mystery mean for us? If this journey from death to life is our own, how do we live it out? How do we experience the Paschal Mystery in our lives? Here are four ideas for reflection:
1. Death – we no longer need to be afraid!
2. Life – we let go of our selfishness – to grow!
3. Sin – we “die” to our faults; God’s grace fills us.
4. We become like Christ – if he did it, so can we!
The Paschal Mystery makes sense, because we encounter the process of death to life in so many everyday experiences. It is not an easy journey, but when we open our hearts to this mystery, we allow God’s transforming grace to work within us, remaking us into a new creation, alive in Christ!
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Note: This post was originally published on March 15, 2015.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 