Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 5th Week of the Year
Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of Mark that we are called to keep our focus fixed on God, so that all our actions – big or small – do not take on a life of their own but always point back to the Lord.
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Study: Reflect on a time when you had to make a decision that had profound consequences. What helped you decide wisely?
Pray: Do you have a major decision in life right now? Bring your concerns before the Lord for wisdom and guidance.
Serve: How can you empower another to make good and holy choices today?
Mass Readings – 6th Sunday of the Year
Let’s start with a quick recap of the readings:
The first reading from the Book of Sirach makes it clear that we have the freedom to make choices in our lives for good or evil, life or death. This concept of Free Will – that we are so free that we can reject even God himself – comes with sobering consequences: Those who choose life will find it, and those who choose destruction will find it…
The Psalm response encourages us to choose the Lord. As we seek to know the Lord through Prayer, Scripture, Fellowship and Sacraments we conform our hearts to Christ. Following the Lord means that we seek instruction, learn God’s commands, and then apply our faith in all aspects of our lives.
The second reading reveals the mystery of God’s wisdom, hidden through the ages and revealed in Christ, which is granted to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit – requested by Jesus and given by the Father – that our minds and hearts receive the Good News and act on it with conviction and power.
Finally, in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus sets a new standard of living. Using four precepts of the Law of Moses, the Lord demands that we go farther than what was formerly prescribed:
The Lord makes it clear that he is doing something new, building upon the precedent of the Law and moving far beyond it. Jesus calls his disciples to a deeper level of commitment, moving beyond the moral code to a morality that is written upon our hearts. We find ourselves more aware of the destructive power of sin, turning away from its snare and embracing a life in Christ.
And thus we find ourselves back at the first reading. We have a choice. No matter what has gone before we can make a break from the past and choose life! Today we seek Jesus and ask for the grace we need to choose Him with all our heart.
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Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year
Jesus proclaims to his disciples that they are the light of the world, an uplifting testament to the opportunity we have to make a difference in our world as we offer the gift of our lives to God.
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Mass Readings – Saturday of the 4th Week of the Year
Christ, the Great Shepherd, looks upon our weakness with compassion and reaches out to guide and strengthen us for the journey through this life and into the next.
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Mass Readings – Friday of the 4th Week of the Year
The death of John the Baptist recalls the fact that doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason does NOT mean that life will always be easy. In fact, our faith in Jesus Christ will sometimes put us squarely in the face of opposition…and we recognize that we might suffer even as we serve the Lord with all our heart.
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Mass Readings – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
As Mary and Joseph present their infant son in the Temple, they encounter Simeon and Anna who give praise to God for the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises – the Messiah has come bringing light into the world! As his disciples may we continue to share this light as we present ourselves for service to God and one another.
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Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 4th Week of the Year
In the Book of Hebrews we are reminded to treat our trials as discipline, something that Jesus encountered when he preached at Nazareth. As we live our faith today may we consider our struggles and difficulties as “homework for holiness” through which God strengthens our faith and renews us in grace.
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Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 4th Week of the Year (St. John Bosco)
The two healing miracles in the Gospel of Mark today reveal the healing power of the Lord, inspiring us to draw near to the one who knows our need and longs to touch our hearts with his grace.
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Archive of all of Fr. Andrew’s homilies and podcast presentations
Study: Reflect on a time when you were able to help someone in a profound moment of need. What gave you the “push” to help?
Pray: Is there a situation in your life that requires action but you find yourself in need of guidance? Bring this concern to the Lord in your prayer.
Serve: How can you be Salt or Light to someone today? How can your life enhance the quality and dignity of another?
Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year
We see some beautiful themes surface in the readings this week:
Throughout these readings the Lord’s power is manifested every time we cooperate with God’s grace through works of charity and service. Things like:
When we do these things we discover that God provides the strength, wisdom, direction and guidance to carry them out. The Lord takes our effort, reinforces it with grace, and blesses our work in ways we never imagined. Like a brilliant light shining in the darkness, the glory of Jesus Christ pierces the pain and struggles of this life and offers us hope to continue on our way.
And when we let the Lord work through us we become Salt & Light. Our lives, invigorated by God’s love, become conduits for Divine Charity to touch hearts and lives in our world today. It is the Lord’s power at work in our lives, and we are blessed every time we say “Yes!” to the call of Christ to serve those in our midst.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of the Year
Humility happens when we are simultaneously aware of our sins and acknowledge God’s grace. When we bring together this understanding of our sinfulness and God’s mercy we can be honest with ourselves and thus approach the Lord and others with a humble heart.
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 