Sundays Readings: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18/2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18/Lk 18:9-14Lecturas del Dia MADE RIGHT BEFORE GODAlthough the opening lines of today’s first reading claim that the Lord “knows no favorites” (Sirach 35:15) and is “not unduly partial toward the weak” (35:16), the remainder of the passage makes it clear that the Lord does indeed pay special…
PERSISTENCEExodus recounts the journey of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to the land promised to their ancestors. It was not an easy journey. In today’s reading, they are attacked by Amalek and his soldiers, members of one of the peoples who live in the land through which the Israelites are traveling. Moses was…
THE GIFT OF SALVATIONNaaman and the leper who returned to Jesus saw God’s hand in their healing. Only through God’sintervention could they have been cured. Through this recognition of God’s presence and action in theirlives, they grew in faith. For what are you grateful? Pause for a moment to reflect on all of the blessingsin…
THE GIFT OF FAITHFaith is a gift. When the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, they were going to thesource of that faith with their request. God is the giver of all good gifts, including faith. When we put our faith in Christ, we believe that God is with us, even though we cannot…
CARE FOR EACH OTHERDon’t delude yourselves, Jesus says through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. We really are supposed to care for others. It is not enough to go to Mass and occasionally serve at a parish or outreach function. We cannot remain complacent and consider ourselves followers of Jesus. No matter how…
PRIORITIESMake a choice. God or money, material things, earthly pleasure. This is what Jesus asks us to do in today’s Gospel. The Pharisees and scribes, and many people, want it both ways. God and wealth. But Jesus knows that “no servant can serve two masters.” It is not that wealth is inherently bad, but the pursuit of it to the exclusion of…
Sunday’s Readings: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14/1 Tm 1:12-17/Lk 15:1-32Lecturas del Dia RELYING ON GOD’S LOVEImagine being among those who heard Jesus address the Pharisees and scribes in the encounter we hear in today’s Gospel: “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he…
Sunday’s Reading: Wis 9:13-18b/Phmn 9-10, 12-17/Lk 14:25-33Lecturas del Dia LIMITS Today’s readings continue the theme of humility explored last Sunday. All three readings today encourage us to admit that we have limits, and God has none. The poignant poetry of Wisdom resonates with all of us who have ever struggled for peace in situations we cannot control: “For the corruptible bodyburdens the…
Sunday’s Readings: Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29/Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a/Lk 14:1, 7-14Lecturas del Dia HUMILITY Today’s readings praise the virtue of humility and offer concrete ways for us to become more humble. The Book of Sirach suggests a practical reason for acting with humility: humble people are more likeable than the arrogant. Even God “finds favor” with…
Sunday’s Readings: Is 66:18-21/Heb 12:5-7, 11-13/Lk 13:22-30Lecturas del Dia GOD’S PEOPLE GATHEROur readings today remind us of the larger story of the Bible, of God’s purposes and promisesfor the world. Because of humanity’s rejection of God, as told in Genesis, human communities werefirst dispersed. Isaiah proclaims that one day God will gather these communities to…