The cruel death of John the Baptist offers a brutal reminder that our world is filled with forces of destruction. In the face of injustice we keep our eyes fixed on the Cross of Christ, so that we can acknowledge the evil around us with the strength of the Lord who triumphs over it.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 17th Week of the Year – St. John Vianney
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John the Baptist offers a strong and potent example of Christian witness for us today. John’s life served as a preparation for the messiah; he recognized the Lord from the very beginning and he embraced God’s call with fierce commitment. Now it’s our turn!
Mass Readings – The Nativity of John the Baptist (Vigil Mass)
Mass Readings – The Nativity of John the Baptist (Mass of the Day)
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Study: Recall a time when you were specifically chosen to carry out an important task. How did you respond?
Pray: Is there a challenge or difficulty facing you right now? Ask the Lord for the grace you need to carry it out.
Serve: Is there someone in your life that is having a tough time? How can your words inspire and encourage?
Mass Readings – The Birth of John the Baptist
John the Baptist is a powerful prophet, calling the people to repentance and directing them to Jesus. Let’s start with an overview of the readings this week:
While I have always been fascinated by this fiery prophet, I sheepishly wonder if I would want to be in deep conversation with him for very long! John conveys an urgent and intense conviction – now is the time for repentance – and I have always imagined that he would have the ability to look right through a person into the heart.
Yet this is exactly the instrument that was needed to prepare the way for Jesus. Chosen by God, John’s birth, life, ministry and death all serve as a crucial preliminary step for people to encounter the mission of Christ. John blazes the trail; Jesus leads people along the way.
John’s birth also teaches us that just as John was prepared for a specific mission, so we are also called by God to offer our lives in the world. As sons and daughters of the Lord, our lives are a blessing that is meant to be shared. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and now we have work to do that falls to our particular situation in life.
How are you being called to offer your life today? How do you see the Lord at work in your words and actions? May the example of John strengthen our resolve to share the gift of our lives!
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In the exchange between Mary and Elizabeth the two women give praise and thanks to God for the blessings they have witnessed. May we take their example to heart and do the same in our lives each and every day.
Mass Readings – The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Photo Credit: The Nativity Story, 2006.
Those little words, “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” have the power to bring healing and grace as we recognize our weaknesses and ask for mercy. May the example of Jonah and Jesus inspire us to speak them frequently from the heart!
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of the Year
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Study: Reflect on an experience in life when you have been called to do something. Who called you? What did it feel like?
Pray: Ask the Lord for guidance to discern how to follow Jesus Christ today.
Serve: Are there people in your life who are experiencing a calling? How can you help them discover their path?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of the Year
Have you ever had moments in life when you wish the answers were written in the sky with letters that were clear and easy to read? Where there is no doubt what to do; no hesitation that a certain choice is the best; no worry that something has been missed? The question surfaces frequently: How do we know the Lord’s call for our lives?
In the Scriptures today we have two examples where people are being called by God:
While each story presents a perspective that is unique, both have some points that are worth noting:
The same three steps continue today. God keeps inviting! The Lord’s grace ceaselessly pours out upon the earth, inviting and empowering us to draw closer to God and one another. Everything we have comes from the Lord, who takes the initiative to reach out to us in love.
Our response – both in word and deed – completes this initiative. Accepting the Lord’s call we grow in wisdom and strength, developing our God-given gifts for service in the world. As we continue to say yes to the Lord’s guidance we become more and more alive, become a conduit through which Christ’s mission touches the hearts and lives of others.
So how and where does the Lord speak today? Where do we look for the call? A few starting thoughts…
May we say yes to the Lord’s call in our lives, responding with full and open hearts, serving one another with the strength of Jesus Christ!
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Note: This post was originally published on January 12, 2015.
Today offers two options for the Gospel reading – the baptism of Jesus in Mark or the genealogy of Christ in Luke – and reveals to us the humble, simple and open manner in which the Lord meets us in our human weakness.
Mass Readings – Christmas weekday
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014
