Tag Archives: Thankful

Daily Mass: What are you thankful for today?

Photo by Min An on Pexels.com

On this Thanksgiving Day we pause to count our blessings as we cultivate gratitude for the gift of life.  

Mass Readings – Thanksgiving Day

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archives

St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions, pray for us!


Daily Mass: David gives thanks and praise to God. Catholic Inspiration

Photo by Snapwire on Pexels.com

David gives praise and thanks to God for the blessings he has witnessed. It begs a question for each one of us: when was the last time I counted my blessings?

Mass Readings – Thursday of the 3rd Week of the Year

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archives

St. Angela Merici, pray for us!


28th Sunday of the Year: Letting go of the things of this world. Catholic Inspiration

Photo by Kun Fotografi on Pexels.com

The Book of Wisdom and Mark’s Gospel challenge us to let go of worldly things and put the Lord at the center of our lives.

Mass Readings – 28th Sunday of the Year

***************


2nd Sunday of Easter: The Church proclaims the resurrection!

Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

Study: Consider a time when you experienced joy in the presence of others.  What caused it?

Pray: Draw near to the Risen Lord and ask for His grace in your heart to face whatever is before you today.

Serve: How can your life strengthen your family and friendships right now?

Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Easter

The readings today give us a snapshot of some key points that surfaced shortly after the Lord’s resurrection:

  • 1st Reading – Thankful praise and sharing in community life
  • Psalm – “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, His love is everlasting.”
  • 2nd Reading – Christ’s resurrection lets us rejoice in the midst of trials
  • Gospel – Doubting Thomas

What do we see?  Praise, gratitude, thankfulness, sharing, community life, overcoming doubt, facing trials, and rejoicing!  In other words, this is what happens to a group of people who have been transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And I want to live like this.

Frankly, I want all of us to live like this.  Filled with God’s grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, engaging life at full throttle, dealing with difficulty through the power of faith….is there any other way to live?

So…in the light of these concepts that emerged from the fledgling Church…what’s keeping us from this?  Has the resurrection of the Lord “sunk in” and touched our hearts?  Do we understand what it means to say “The Lord is risen!  He is risen, indeed!” as followers of Jesus Christ?

Do we get it?

We all have obstacles, challenges, and the reality of temptation and sin in our lives.  That was true for the Early Church as well.  But note this: they changed.  In the light of the Risen Lord their lives were forever altered: praising God, facing hardship, working together, filled with joy.

This is our invitation today, and it works in three simple steps:

  1. Accept the resurrection of Jesus Christ
  2. Bring the Lord’s power into your heart
  3. Change whatever is not worthy of Heaven and live in his Light

There is no better way to journey through this life!

***************

Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts

***************

Note: This post was first published on April 17, 2017.


Thanksgiving Day

What are you thankful for today?  What gifts do you recognize right now in your life and how do you share them gratefully with others?  How has God’s grace transformed your life?  Now go, and be a blessing in the world!

Mass Readings – Thanksgiving Day

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archive


Daily Mass: Drawing near to Jesus with a thankful heart. Catholic Inspiration

The healing of the ten lepers reveals the power of God’s grace.  The gratitude of the Samaritan shows a response that can teach us all a great deal about how we drawn near to the Lord with a grateful heart.

Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 32nd Week of the Year

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archives


Daily Mass: Justice and Mercy. Catholic Inspiration

Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 20th Week of the Year

Jesus offers a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven where merciful generosity embraces and transcends justice…reminding us that one day we will call upon the Lord for mercy when we stand before him at the end of time.

***************

Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


13th Sunday of the Year: Good News that offers hope.

Study: Recall a time when you received really good news.  How did it affect your life?

Pray: Reflect on the blessings of your life – perhaps even make a list – and take a moment in your prayer to thank the Lord.

Serve: It’s easy to take our blessings for granted; look for a way to help someone in your life recognize the gifts they have been given.

Mass Readings – 13th Sunday of the Year

There is a lot of Good News in the readings this week:

  • 1st Reading – Elisha offers hope to an aging couple
  • Psalm – “For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.”
  • 2nd Reading – Paul reminds us that we have died and risen with Christ
  • Gospel – Christ invites us to put Him first in our lives

As much as the world might try at times to make us think that bad news sells, deep in our hearts we long to hear Good News – words that inspire, give us hope, and energize our lives.

Good News reminds us that the Lord has a plan for our lives and invites us to trust as we make Jesus Christ the center of what we say and do.  Good News is not “pie-in-the-sky” that says just hang on long enough as you’ll get your reward; rather, we keep going because every day (good or bad) has unique lessons that can draw us closer to God and one another.  Good News proclaims that not only is there something fantastic at the end of the journey, but that the Lord himself will accompany us every step of the way.

Where do you see Good News in your life right now?  Where have you recognized Jesus Christ at work in your life?  Take a moment to thank the Lord for the blessings you have and help others to see the ways that they have been touched by God’s grace.  In other words: proclaim the Good News!

***************

Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: Thanksgiving Day. Catholic Inspiration

Three Great Things

Fr. Andrew’s Thanksgiving Day Mass Homily Podcast

What are you thankful for today?  When you count your blessings what comes to mind?  Gratitude is a powerful antidote for many spiritual sicknesses.  Take a moment today and consider the ways your life has been graced by God!


%d bloggers like this: