Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28 Responsorial: Psalm 25:4-9 2nd Reading: Philippians 2:1-11 Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32 The Importance of Unity in Christ Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5) Time for a quiz! What will make Paul’s joy “complete” (2:2)? […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9 Responsorial: Psalm 145: 2-3, 8-9, 17-18 2nd Reading: Philippians 1:20-24, 27 Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Understanding God’s Justice Compared to Our Human Sense of Justice I will give you what is just. (Matthew 20:4) Let’s talk about justice. The landowner in Jesus’ […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Sirach 27:30–28:7 Responsorial: Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12 2nd Reading: Romans 14:7-9 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35 Responding to God’s Boundless Mercy and Love How often must I forgive? (Matthew 18:21) In his very first Sunday homily as the Holy Father, Pope Francis proclaimed, “This is the […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9 Responsorial: Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: Romans 12:1-2 Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27 The Importance of Reasoning in Faith or Thinking as God Does You are thinking . . . (Matthew 16:23) Poor Peter! He had just confessed that Jesus was the “Messiah, […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Responsorial: Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8 2nd Reading: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28 Making Our Homes a House of Prayer My house shall be called a house of prayer. (Isaiah 56:7) Around the year AD 350, a popular […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14 2nd Reading: Romans 9:1-5 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-23 Being Bold in Following the Lord and Serving Him O you of little faith. (Matthew 14:31) Have you ever seen a toddler take a few wobbly steps and then […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 Responsorial: Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,9 2nd Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-19 Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9 He was transfigured before them. (Matthew 17:2) A radiant Messiah, an out-of-body experience, time-traveling superstars from the past, and talking clouds—the transfiguration is one of the […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Responsorial: Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 2nd Reading: Romans 8: 8:28-30 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52 What It Means to Treasure the Kingdom of Heaven The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. (Matthew 13:44) Who would […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11 2nd Reading: Romans 8:18-23 Responsorial: Psalm 65:10-14 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23 Bearing Fruit in Our Lives through Humble, Faithful, and Repentant Hearts My word shall not return to me void. (Isaiah 55:11) In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of seed sown […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10 2nd Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 Following Jesus with New Zeal and Childlike Faith You have revealed them to little ones. (Matthew 11:25) Life is an adventure for little children. Give a young boy […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 2nd Reading: Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Responsorial: Psalm 89:2-3, 16-19 Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42 Being a Generous Giver to Reflect God’s Generosity to Others Can something be done for her? (2 Kings 4:14) In a farewell speech at the end of […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13 2nd Reading: Romans 5:12-15 Responsorial: Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33 Experiencing Jesus’ Love and Mercy, and Loving Him in Return Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. (Matthew 10:33) Most of Jesus’ words […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Responsorial: Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 Gospel: John 6:51-58 Joyfully Receiving the Gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Eucharist I am the living bread. (John 6:51) Every time Mass is celebrated, a miracle […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Responsorial: (Psalm) Daniel 3:52-56 Gospel: John 3:16-18 Worshipping and Adoring God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 Responsorial: Psalm 104:1,24, 29-31, 34 Gospel: John 20:19-23 Celebrating Pentecost, The Birthday of the Church They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4) At his son’s twenty-first birthday party, the proud father began […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 1:1-11 2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23 Responsorial: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 Jesus, Seated at the Right Hand of the Father, is Worthy of Our Praise . . far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18 Responsorial: Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20 Gospel: John 14:15-21 Resisting Satan’s Temptations and Harassments There was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:8) Today’s first reading tells us three things: evil exists (Acts 8:7); we have […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 6:1-7 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9 Responsorial: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 Gospel: John 14:1-12 Trusting in the Lord’s Great Love during Difficult Times Do not let your hearts be troubled. (John 14:1) There is no way anyone in the upper room was […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:14, 36-41 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:20-25 Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6 Gospel: John 10:1-10 What It Means to be “Cut to the Heart” by the Gospel Message They were cut to the heart. (Acts 2:37) Here it was, Peter’s very first sermon, and […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-14, 22-33 2nd Reading: 1:17-21 Responsorial: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 Knowing Jesus More Deeply through Reading and Reflecting on Scriptures Their eyes were opened and they recognized him. (Luke 24:31) Don’t you wish you could have been there when […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:42-47 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Responsorial: Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24 Gospel: John 20: 19-31 Rejoicing in God’s Divine Mercy and Great Love Rejoice. (1 Peter 1:8) Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. It’s a special day for us to reflect on […]
The resurrection of the dead is one of the most consoling truths of Christianity. To die forever would be the most terrible of all destinies. The plant and the animal, unendowed with reason, die, never to live again; but they have not, at least, any apprehension as to what death is. To die is to […]
Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross about midday, expired thereon in the afternoon, and was taken down in the evening toward sunset, or the sixth hour. According to the language of St. Paul, thus did He, by His blood, pacify heaven and earth. If this form of expression convey not simply the reconciliation of […]
