Mass Readings – Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent
Paul testifies at Antioch that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation, descendant of David and heralded by the prophets…the Lord of all creation. And he taught us to serve one another – giving us the example of the foot washing – that we might understand that God’s love is comprehensive and accessible to all.
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Study: Reflect on a challenging time in your life. How did you give and/or receive strength from others?
Pray: For what particular strength do you need to ask the Lord? Come to the “Living Stone” who is Jesus and seek the strength you need!
Serve: Where can you cooperate with others right now? How can your strength help others ?
Imagine a piece of construction brick or stone. At a distance the pieces look the same, with similarities in color, texture, shape, and size. Yet on closer examination we perceive that every piece of brick or stone is different; when seen clearly each stone is unique.
We use stones all the time in our building and construction. We use them in walls, fireplaces, foundations, and paving. Stones possess an inherent toughness – they are the bones of the earth – which makes them useful and vital in life.
In the second reading we hear how the Scriptures use the image of a stone in our life of faith. Peter writes that all people should come to Jesus, a living stone, so that we might be built into a spiritual house. Following the example of Jesus, we become “living stones” that all might see God’s kingdom here on earth.
Stones remind us of two important points. First, stones are strong, and we are called to live our faith with the same durability and toughness. Life is not easy, and there are times when we recognize our weakness and failures. Yet through our relationship with Christ we gain strength and power that we do not have by ourselves. Through Christ our talents and gifts become strong resources to be used by God.
Second, in construction stones are used in cooperation with others, and this same cooperation is part of our human experience. Take a stone or brick out of a wall and it becomes weaker; take a person out of a community and a change is felt. Simply put, just as a stone adds strength to those around it, so to our lives make a profound difference on those around us.
As living stones we offer our God-given strengths and abilities to build up God’s people here on earth. Sharing our lives, we become a powerful tool through which Jesus Christ continues to be revealed to all people through time.
Stones teach us about strength and cooperation. These insights are part of every human experience and are used throughout our lives. As God’s living stones we discover that our faith gives us power when we work together with those around us. May that power help us to build God’s kingdom, leading others to Christ.
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This Post was originally published on May 11, 2014.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter
“God so loved the world…” These words remind us that Christ comes to us in love, transforming our lives and empowering us to go forth with God’s grace to share this love with those around us.
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Photo credit: The Passion of the Christ, 2004.
Mass Readings – Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Mary Magdalene is transformed from sorrow to joy in the light of the Risen Lord. She is sent forth by Jesus to proclaim a message of hope to the disciples, reminding us that we are also called to share the Good News of the resurrection through the witness of our lives.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: When have you experienced a profound moment of change and growth? What brought it about?
Pray: Open your heart to Jesus Christ. Let the joy of the resurrection transform your life.
Serve: Claim your faith! Let your love for the Lord direct your thoughts, words, and actions – in whatever you face today.
Easter Day Readings Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (posted April 20, 2014)
In the early hours of that first Easter Day we celebrate an incredible hope as word spread through the city of Jerusalem – Jesus is alive.
His followers had been crushed by the agony of the Cross. Lost – beyond all sense of pain, sorrow, and grief – from the darkness of their fear and despair they passed on the message: we have seen him, we have touched him, we have eaten with him – the Lord has been raised!
I have always been struck by the transformational effect the resurrection of Jesus had upon his disciples:
The same disciples who once fled for their lives will now go out into the world to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. They will face persecution, suffering, and martyrdom in order to testify to the truth of Easter Day: the Resurrection of Christ. What’s more, they will do this with an overwhelming sense of conviction and strength.
No one can ignore the power of this effect. The encounter with the Risen Lord changes everything. What is there to be afraid of? Jesus has broken the chains of sin and death – we can face anything in this world with confidence. Jesus has triumphed, and in the light of Easter Day we now draw on his strength to face our battles with joy.
The death of Jesus on the Cross was for our sins; the resurrection of Jesus was for our lives. The power of Easter Day directs our attention to the sacred and precious gift of life. Life is worth fighting for, worth dying for, and worth living for – in this world and the next. The resurrection reveals God’s love for our lives; we are worth the sacrifice of the Cross and empowered to live with faith, hope, and love.
How will we live this great promise of faith? How will we allow the power of Easter to transform us? For remember: the moment we acknowledge the truth of the resurrection our lives fundamentally change. Directed by the saving work of Christ we now engage the world on new terms: we witness through word and action the love of Jesus each and every day. With our eyes fixed on heaven we boldly walk this earth as his disciples. We live our lives with real truth and power. We live our lives as God’s sons and daughters.
The authentic witness of our faith is THE WAY that people truly discover Jesus. It was true for the disciples on that first Easter Day, and it is true for disciples today.
Perhaps today is the day that our faith takes on a deeper meaning and purpose in our lives – placing Jesus first in all that we say and do. May this Easter Day fill our hearts with grace and power to live in the light of Christ. May we let the Lord into our hearts and allow our lives to be transformed by his love.
Christ is alive! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 4th Week of Lent
Jesus will judge us by our deeds and the consequences will be eternal. Yet this just judge is also our savior who knows our sins and has paid the price with his own blood. When we stand before him and look upon the face of Compassion, will we accept his mercy as we acknowledge our sins?
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 1st Week of Lent
“Love your enemies” might be one of the toughest lines in the Bible to carry out. Yet this command – to love as God loves us – is the test of our discipleship. May we call upon the Lord for the grace we need to follow the example of Jesus, loving one another…even our enemies.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Mass Readings – Friday of the 6th Week of the Year
Jesus invites us to “take up our Cross” and follow him. While God does not will suffering, the Lord permits it for the sake of a far greater commandment: Love one another. As we carry our crosses today, we do so out of love for one another, as the Lord – who shows his love on the Cross – loves us.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Reflect on a moment when you felt completely and entirely loved. How did that experience shape your life?
Pray: Is there a person in your life right now who is difficult to love? Ask the Lord for an infusion of grace!
Serve: How can you say “I love you” with an action? How can you show others the love in your heart?
Mass Readings – 7th Sunday of the Year
A couple of major themes surface in our readings this week:
In the first reading and Psalm we see the Lord’s command to love one another. This might catch some people by surprise; after all, the Old Testament is filled with examples where the people of God are anything but loving to those they encounter! Point: love of neighbor is a clear commandment of God.
The Gospel of Matthew sets the bar higher as Jesus builds on this command and calls us to conversion. We are not only called to love our neighbors and family, but we are also called to love our enemies and persecutors! Like last week, Jesus takes the commandments of the Old Testament and moves far beyond them. We are called to love with our whole heart…loving one another the way God loves us.
The second reading goes in a different direction. We hear from St. Paul that our bodies are temples of the living God, and as such we encounter the Spirit of God in the person of everyone we meet.
A consideration for today: put the love of God into practice! We are cherished, treasured, forgiven and esteemed by the Lord – who loves us even on our worst days. Following this example we can act accordingly…loving those around us with the love of Jesus Christ.
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
