Today’s Gospel is taken from St. John and continues our short five-week break from Mark’s Gospel that we’ve been hearing during this liturgical year. The focus of the passages during these five weeks is the Eucharist and the Lord’s abundant love for each of us. So much power and promise are contained in the sixth chapter of John’s gospel, that […]
During this Liturgical Year (Year B), the gospel readings at Mass on Sundays are taken primarily from the Gospel of Mark. However, beginning this weekend, we will spend five consecutive Sundays hearing from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John and the focus will be on the Eucharist. To set the scene, we need to look back to last […]
“Our duty is to share the Lord. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to convert souls. We mustn’t show frustration or anger when people do not respond as we expect them to. We must simply remain faithful and love them.” Jesus said, “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against […]
The Gospel for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) comes from Mark 5:21-43 and consists of the accounts of two miracles Jesus performed. Jairus, a synagogue official desperate to save the life of his daughter, seeks out Jesus. On His way with Jairus to restore his daughter, Jesus encounters the woman with a hemorrhage. Mark frequently interrupts one story to […]
I have had numerous conversations over the years with other Catholic dads about the challenges of raising kids in today’s world. The discussions usually center on the bad cultural influences affecting our children, our hectic schedules and our well-intentioned desire to be better fathers. We mean well, but how do we move from conversation to action? The stakes are high, […]
“It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father.” (Pope St. John XXIII) I often feel completely lost and befuddled as a Catholic father in today’s world. How do I set the right example? How do I help my sons grow up with a strong Catholic faith? How do I prepare them […]
I have had numerous conversations with friends and professional acquaintances over the years on the subject of openly sharing our Catholic faith. I am always a little surprised at how often many of them express strong reluctance to being open about their beliefs. The reasons given have included many you may have heard before. “I don’t want to offend anyone.” […]
How do we integrate our faith with our work? If you think about it, most of us will likely spend the majority of our adult (awake) lives in the workplace. A typical eight hour work day accounts for a third of the total day, with the other two-thirds devoted to sleeping, family, friends, faith, and so on. In the practice […]
“Jesus wants to give us much more than free bread or liberation from earthly suffering. But we want to settle for much less.” In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear the continuation of the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish that we began last Sunday. John tells us that after Jesus performs the dramatic miracle, the people begin to […]
“The tongue can be a powerful instrument or a serious stumbling block in our quest for holiness.” As part of my move to full-time Catholic speaking and writing and setting a foundation for a new apostolate of sorts, I have been sifting through many of my old talks and articles. It has shown me where I have grown, spiritually and […]
“Do not let your anger and your wounds become uncharity.” Feeling Shepherd-less A few years ago, probably after something surfaced with the McCarrick scandal, I distinctly remember a moment in prayer when struggling with feelings of being shepherd-less. Many of you can relate, I am sure. In my prayer and struggle, I was trying to find consolation in thinking of […]
“There’s a danger of two extremes in misunderstanding our identity that can be remedied by reflecting on this passage from Paul.” The second reading this Sunday is an extraordinary prayer of praise that will likely get missed by most congregations. Second readings are rarely the subject of the homily, and Paul’s sentence structure is such that most of us in […]
Dr. Scott Hahn reflects on the Mass readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) Readings:Jeremiah 23:1–16Psalms 23:1–6Ephesians 2:13–18Mark 6:30–34 As the Twelve return from their first missionary journey in today’s Gospel, our readings continue to reflect on the authority and mission of the Church. Jeremiah says in the First Reading that Israel’s leaders, through godlessness and fanciful […]
Dr. Scott Hahn reflects on the Mass readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) Readings:Amos 7:12–15Psalms 85:9–14Ephesians 1:3–14Mark 6:7–13 In commissioning the Apostles in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives them, and us, a preview of His Church’s mission after the Resurrection. His instructions to the Twelve echo those of God to the twelve tribes of Israel on the […]
“The force be with you.” No, God is far from an impersonal force. The doctrine of the Trinity shows us just how personal and interpersonal, God really is. This post on the personal and interpersonal mystery of the triune God is offered as a reflection on the readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, (Year B) — Deuteronomy 4:32-34, […]
Without Pentecost, the Gospel is not truly Good News. For the seven gifts and Pentecostal charisms given by the Holy Spirit on this birthday celebration of the Church Catholic are essential for the success of our mission and indispensable for a joyful, victorious Christian life. As a teen, I thought the clergy were supposed to do everything. We laity were […]
This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by James Green. […]
This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by Laurie Klein. […]
What would you say is your greatest hope? What is the one thing you would identify if you were pressed to offer only one answer to this question: What is your greatest hope? Scripture actually has a great deal to say about this virtue of hope, not the least of which: “For whatever was written previously was written for our […]
This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by Mary R. Finnegan. […]
A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle […]
Encountering the Word — Your Daily Bible Verses Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (Psalm 51:1-2) Please share on Facebook and other social media you choose below. Print this entry
A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “Out of gratitude and love for him we should desire to be reckoned fools.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest) The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (1491 – 1556) is July 31. Please share on Facebook and other social media you choose below. Print this entry
Encountering the Word — Your Daily Bible Verses He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11) Please share on Facebook and other social media you choose below. Print this entry