Mary’s Magnificat of praise inspires us to live our faith with joy and power as we face all the circumstances of life.
Mass Readings – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Tag Archives: Mass
Daily Mass: Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? Catholic Inspiration
How do we measure greatness? Is it by strength, intelligence, resources or opportunity? Jesus shows the disciples today that greatness happens when we can become like children – trusting and allowing the Lord’s greatness to direct and empower our lives.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 19th Week of the Year (St. Maximilian Kolbe)
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20th Sunday of the Year: God prepares a feast for us!
Study: What are some of the things that make a dinner special for you? What makes it a feast?
Pray: Offer a prayer for those who go hungry this day – either because they lack food or the companionship to share it.
Serve: Is there someone you know with whom you could share a meal? How might you make your meal a feast with others?
Mass Readings – 20th Sunday of the Year
Growing up in a large Italian-American family, big dinners were a common occurrence. The usual suspects like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving were typical; but family gatherings (with all the adults talking and the kids talking louder) provided numerous opportunities for people to gather and make the simple task of taking nourishment a beautiful experience for body, mind, heart, and soul.
Tables were set, special foods chosen, delicacies prepared in advance…all these steps to make the dinner something special, something extraordinary.
They were feasts.
Indeed, whenever we take the time and effort to make dining an experience, we create opportunities that touch us on multiple levels. Good food is augmented by delightful conversation, enlivened with beauty, and woven together with human hopes and dreams. A feast is not just an abundance of food; it is a rich expression of God’s goodness working through others to nourish our lives in profound ways.
All of the readings point to different ways the Lord sustains our lives:
- Wisdom sets a rich table, calling us to abandon foolishness to follow her
- We “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” in the psalm response
- Ephesians invites us to be filled with the Spirit, living upright lives
- Jesus commands us to eat his flesh and drink his blood, that we might have eternal life
Every Mass provides us with the opportunity to draw near the altar and be renewed through our reception of Holy Communion. Christ sets the table for us, inviting us to turn away from destructive and harmful forces, so that we might receive the grace we need to continue on the journey of life.
Come to the Feast!
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Note: This post was first published on August 10, 2015.
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19th Sunday of the Year: From grumbling to grace. Catholic Inspiration
In the Scriptures we see a common theme: God’s response to the grumbling, griping, complaining and murmuring of others. May we live each day, not feeding our fears, but feasting on the faith that comes from the Bread of Life!
Mass Readings – 19th Sunday of the Year
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Daily Mass: God’s grace in the midst of our weakness. Catholic Inspiration
Jesus casts out a demon that was rendering a boy and his dad in torment. As the disciples admitted their helplessness, the Lord exhorts them (and us!) to grow in faith.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 18th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: Lessons from a grain of wheat. Catholic Inspiration
A single grain of wheat teaches us about the journey from death to life and the abundance that God provides through our offering. May we have the courage to embrace our faith and put it into practice!
Mass Readings – Friday of the 18th Week of the Year (St. Lawrence)
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Daily Mass: Building up the Church in the face on an attack. Catholic Inspiration
Poor St. Peter! One minute he is named by Jesus as the rock upon which the Church will be built, and the next minute he is chastised by the Lord for falling prey to temptation. Welcome to the spiritual life! Yet this spiritual battle of building up and tearing down is part of our journey of faith, inviting us to always keep our focus on Christ.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 18th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: A persistent faith
What gives you the strength to keep going, to persevere when opposition seems overwhelming? The Canaanite woman in the Gospel of Matthew offers us an example of persistence in faith as we follow the Lord in challenging times.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 18th Week of the Year (St. Dominic)
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Daily Mass: Facing our fears. Catholic Inspiration
St. Peter’s call to Jesus across the water offers us a number of aspects of fear as it appears in our hearts. From terror to doubt, from panic to illness…Christ comes and strengthens our faith so we can respond to his saving gift of grace.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 18th Week of the Year
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19th Sunday of the Year: An antidote to grumbling
Study: What are some of your regular chores? Which ones do you find boring, dreary, dull, or difficult?
Pray: Take a moment to count your blessings. Consider the many ways you have been blessed by God.
Serve: How can you help someone with a difficult chore? How can you assist another with a challenging task?
Mass Readings – 19th Sunday of the Year
Every summer my sister and I had a standard routine during school vacation. We would get up, have some breakfast, and face the dreaded work list. Our mother was the master of list making – with her perfect penmanship, she would write out the chores that needed to be done before Amy and I could go down to the beach for some fun. We would groan and complain,”This is SO HARD!” while mom just smiled and reminded us that we all have work to do to keep the house running.
One time when I was feeling particularly oppressed, I had the gall to ask, “What did you do?” and I discovered that my folks:
- Paid all the bills
- Kept up on all the maintenance of the house
- Provided for all our food and clothing
- Handled mysterious things like “insurance” and “taxes”
In other words, I quickly discovered that my life – even with my terrible chores – depended completely on them.
Both Elijah and the crowds in the Gospel discover a similar lesson today. Elijah was grumbling and the people were murmuring, but God fed them (both physically and spiritually) with food for this life and the next.
The point is simple: our lives are completely and entirely dependent upon God. While it is true and important to note that we all have work to do, it is crucial to remember that we have this work because God allows it. Our lives are supported every moment by the grace of the Almighty; the Lord sustains our lives so that we might offer them in our work…the “chores” that we get to do. What’s more, God nourishes us so that we can do these chores with strength, courage, and wisdom.
For several weeks now we have heard how God feeds us with heavenly bread; perhaps today we might take a moment in gratitude to thank the Lord for what we have received, so that we can do today’s work with an open mind and a willing heart. May our chores remind us that they are part of life – a gift which we have received from God.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: this blog was first published on August 4, 2015.
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: A powerful example of faith
- Daily Mass: The healing touch of Christ
- Daily Mass: Will we build our lives on rock or sand?
- Daily Mass: The birth of John the Baptist
- Daily Mass: The Lord offers three practical, spiritual insights
- Daily Mass: Stop judging!
- Study, Pray, Serve: 13th Sunday of the Year
- 12th Sunday of the Year: We face our fears with face in Christ
- Daily Mass: Do not worry!
- Daily Mass: What is the treasure of our hearts?
Three Great Things 