Mass Readings – 30th Sunday of the Year
Our encounter with God’s mercy happens when we do three things:
When these three take place we can say from our heart: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
Study: Consider a time when you experienced mercy. What did it feel like?
Pray: Are you struggling to be merciful to someone right now? Ask the Lord for help!
Serve: Is there an act of mercy you can do for someone in need today? How can you make it happen?
Mass Readings – 30th Sunday of the Year
The readings this Sunday could have been chosen for the Year of Mercy. Take a look:
As Pope Francis constantly reminds us, the name of God is Mercy. Jesus shows us repeated examples of the mercy and love of the Father, inviting us to both receive God’s grace and then live with mercy toward one another.
It’s a simple message, direct and to the point. Yet we know from our own experience how hard it can be to practice mercy in our world today! We suffer injury, offense, misunderstanding and hassle in our daily interactions with one another. People get under our skin. We get angry. We lose our focus.
And thus this simple message continues to speak to our hearts, heal our souls, and guide us into the grace that comes when we foster forgiveness and pursue peace. Mercy is a practical application of the Great Commandment to love one another; mercy becomes our homework for holiness by which we put the example of Jesus into our own daily practice.
God’s mercy washes us clean and heals the wounds caused by sin. As we seek the Lord’s mercy in our lives, may we allow this gift of mercy to move through us and touch the lives of those we meet.
Mass Readings – 29th Sunday of the Year
Life is filled with challenges and difficulties, and we are often encouraged to “hang in there” when times get tough. But where do we find our strength? The readings this Sunday inspire us to turn to the Lord for the grace to continue.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 28th Week of the Year
We are reminded that the Holy Spirit will teach us in the Gospel today – guiding our words and actions as we draw closer to the Lord and one another.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Friday of the 28th Week of the Year
Jesus reminds us to not be afraid. Why? The Letter to the Ephesians states that we have been chosen by God and sealed with the Holy Spirit!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 28th Week of the Year
The Letter to the Ephesians gives us hope to turn to Christ when we have sinned and kept others away from God.
Study: Reflect on the last time you encountered a difficult situation. Where did you find the strength to continue?
Pray: Are you or someone close to you going through tough times right now? Ask God for renewed strength!
Serve: Are there people you know who are struggling right now? What can you do to support them?
Mass Readings – 29th Sunday of the Year
We often tell loved ones to “hang in there” when the going gets tough. God provides us with strength for the journey, and we see examples of this in the readings this week:
Let’s face it: sometimes life is hard! In these moments we discover strength within us that we never knew before, but we also come to recognize how we need help from the Lord and those around us.
And while no one likes difficulty, it is often through our persistence in the face of obstacles that we grow and mature. Challenges can become opportunities in which we exercise our will to continue. Like athletes who train with weights, the resistance we face helps us become strong.
As you ponder these readings and consider the challenges of life, give some thought to these points:
In the midst of tough times God is present with grace, wisdom and strength. May we call upon the Lord as we face our challenges today with persistence.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Friday of the 27th Week of the Year (Our Lady of the Rosary)
Jesus casts out a demon and speaks to the crowd of God’s power over evil…and our need to stay close to the Lord as we reject it.
Study: Reflect on a time when you experienced healing. Who helped you?
Pray: Pray for the sick, especially those that you know.
Serve: How can you help be an agent of healing today? What circumstances or situations can you address to (re)connect others?
Mass Readings – 28th Sunday of the Year
Both Elisha and Jesus heal lepers in the 1st Reading & Gospel today. Take a moment to note these points about the encounter between Jesus and the 10 lepers in the Gospel of Luke:
Leprosy was (and still is) a horrible disease. Not only did it cause physical hardship as the body wasted away, but it separated lepers from loved ones in order to prevent them from catching the same sickness.
The encounter with Jesus changes this. The Lord not only restores their physical health, but at the same time he also returns them to their families and friends. They have their lives restored in body, heart and soul.
The sense of gratitude expressed by the leper who thanks Jesus touches two key points: First, he expresses gratitude for what God has done. Second, he is able to touch Jesus – something that he couldn’t do before because of the disease. This sense of thankfulness and connection reveals what can happen when we open our hearts to the Lord.
So where do you need healing in your life today? May we call upon the Lord with grateful hearts, as we seek healing…body & soul.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 26th Week of the Year
The disciples rejoice that they can accomplish great deeds in the name of Jesus. May we allow the Lord to work through our lives as well!
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
