The First Letter of John cuts through any warm and fuzzy notions of love with a decisive evaluation: we reveal our love for God through our love for one another. May this practical test guide and direct our actions, powered by the love of Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday after Epiphany
***************
The First Letter of St. John offers a beautiful and moving reflection on how God’s love moves in and through us into the world. May the Lord’s love flow through us today!
Mass Readings – Wednesday after Epiphany
***************
The multiplication of the fishes and loaves in the Gospel of Mark uses the same language that we use to describe what happens at Mass when the priest takes the bread and wine. May we be nourished every time we go to pray, so that we can nourish others with the gift of our lives.
Mass Readings – Tuesday after Epiphany
***************
Study: Find out about your baptism. When was it? Who performed it? Who are your Godparents? Who else was present?
Pray: Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
Serve: How can you live your baptismal call today? How can your faith inspire or assist another?
Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord
A few years ago I was having lunch when I ran into Fr. Bob Koszarek, a retired priest from our diocese. When I asked him what brought him out for lunch he said, “I am celebrating the anniversary of my baptism.” The comment struck me, especially when he followed it up with, “Do you know the day of your baptism?”
The answer is no. Yet as I prepare for Mass this week I have made a commitment to find out. We claim (rightly so) that baptism is a crucial sacrament in the Church – the gateway to all other sacraments whereby we are configured to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Most people know if they have been baptized; my sense is that very few know the actual date.
Our faith is a precious gift – worth fighting for, worth dying for. Perhaps today we pause to recall just how precious it truly is…Jesus Christ poured out his blood on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life. His baptism was the revelation of the Trinity, where we hear the Father’s voice from heaven as the Spirit descends upon the Son in the form of a dove. Our baptism allows us to participate fully in God’s presence for the grace and guidance we need.
I invite us today to claim our baptism. Some simple steps:
Our baptism is not a one time event. Rather, it is an ongoing expression of Christ working through us. May the Baptism of the Lord inspire us to live our faith with joy as we engage our lives with his power.
***************
***************
Bautismo de Cristo, Juan Fernandez Nararrete; circa 1567, The Prado, Madrid, Spain.
Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.
Now that the holidays are passed many people kick off the New Year with a resolution. Here’s one to consider for the good the soul: making Mass a weekly habit, and inviting as many people as possible to join us.
***************
The intensity of the quest of the Magi and the treasures they offered the Christ child can teach us about the conviction and quality we bring to the Lord each and every day.
Mass Readings – Epiphany of the Lord
***************
The invitation of Jesus to “come and you will see” to two people will become for them a life changing experience as they spend time with the Lord. The same is true for us; may we actively create opportunities to drawn near to Christ, so that we might be filled with His grace.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
***************
The First Letter of St. John offers a message of consolation and challenge. As children of God we are part of the Lord’s family, united in his love; yet this membership means that we take seriously the destructive role of sin as we strive to live in a manner that is worthy of Heaven.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
***************
John the Baptist offers an example of discipleship in the Gospel today. As the crowds flock to his preaching and baptism of repentance, John consistently redirects their attention toward Jesus. May we do the same in our lives today.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
***************
As we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, we acknowledge that she is also our Mother. Given to us by Christ, we claim this relationship every time we affirm our faith in her Son.
Mass Readings – Mary, the Mother of God
***************
Note: I took this picture of the icon of Mary and Jesus in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem during my pilgrimage to the Holy Land last month.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 