Category: Sunday Reflections

Reflections for Sunday, June 21, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, June 21, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Job 38:1, 8-11 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Responsorial: Psalm 107:23-26, 28-31 Gospel: Mark 4:34-41 Trusting the Lord in All Circumstances The wind ceased and there was great calm. (Mark 4:39) Several years ago, a United States Coast Guard cutter was in port […]

Don't Fear the Reaping:  The Parable of the Mustard Seed
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Don’t Fear the Reaping: The Parable of the Mustard Seed

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Mk 4:26-34 It is the smallest of all seeds and becomes the largest of plants In his teachings Jesus frequently used parables. The word “parable” is derived from an ancient Greek word that means “comparison.” Parables are like brain-teasers: they compare differing realities and use one example to shed light on the deeper meaning of […]

Reflections for Sunday, June 14, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, June 14, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Ezekiel 17:22-24 2nd Reading: Corinthians 5:6-10 Responsorial: Psalm 92:2-3, 13-16 2 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 Allowing Jesus to Teach Us the Mysteries of the Kingdom To his own disciples he explained everything in private. (Mark 4:34) Jesus spent a lot of time explaining things […]

Corpus Christi and the Letter to the Hebrews
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Corpus Christi and the Letter to the Hebrews

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Heb 9:11-15 The blood of Christ will cleanse our consciences Among the writings that comprise the canon of the Christian Scriptures one work stands in a class by itself: the Epistle to the Hebrews. Each of the thirteen New Testament books is unique but Hebrews defies categorization. Is it a book, a letter, a sermon, […]

Reflections for Sunday, June 7, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, June 7, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Exodus 24:3-8 2nd Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15 Responsorial: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18 Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 Spending Time in Jesus’ Presence in Eucharistic Adoration This is my body. (Mark 14:22) Wouldn’t it be great if you could just pick up the phone and call God […]

Trinity Sunday:  The Great Commission
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Trinity Sunday: The Great Commission

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In the Bible big things happen on the mountain. God handed down to Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai amid a fiery earthquake and a trumpet blast from the angel. The prophet Elijah heard the voice of God and it strengthened him to pursue his vocation as “the prophet of the earth.” And on […]

Reflections for Sunday, May 31, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, May 31, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 2nd Reading: Romans 8:14-17 Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 Knowing and Experiencing More Deeply the Great Love of the Trinity I am with you always. (Matthew 28:20) What do these four images have in common: 1) […]

Reflections for Sunday, May 24, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, May 24, 2015

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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 Pentecost, A Time to Say Yes to Work of the Holy Spirit and No to Fear The doors were locked. (John 20:19) Fear can be such […]

Reflections for Sunday, May 17, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, May 17, 2015

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Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord 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: Mark 16:15-20 Experiencing a Fresh Infilling and Release of the Holy Spirit In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts […]

Reflections for Sunday, May 10, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, May 10, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 2nd Reading: 1 John 4:7-10 Responsorial: Psalm 98:1-4 Gospel: John 15:9-17 Winning the Battle Against the World, the Flesh, and the Devil Remain in my love. (John 15:9) We engage in a spiritual battle every day. On the one […]

Reflections for Sunday, May 3, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, May 3, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31 2nd Reading: 1 John 3:18-24 Responsorial: Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32 Gospel: John 15:1-8 Allowing Ourselves to be Pruned by God, To Bear Fruit for his Kingdom Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit. (John 15:5) A good […]

Reflections for Sunday, April 26, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, April 26, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 4:8-12 2nd Reading: 1 John 3:1-2 Responsorial: Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 29 Gospel: John 10:11-18 Following Jesus, the Good Shepherd Who Gives His Life for Us This is the fourth of seven “I am” declarations that Jesus makes about himself in […]

Reflections for Sunday, April 19, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, April 19, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 2nd Reading: 1 John 2:1-5 Responsorial: Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9 Gospel: Luke 24:35-48 Opening Our Minds and Hearts to God’s Glorious Plan He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45) We all know what it feels like when […]

Reflections for Sunday, April 12, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, April 12, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 4:32-35 2nd Reading: 1 John 5:1-6 Responsorial: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 Gospel: John 20:19-31 Allowing the Word of God to Deepen Our Faith These are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ. (John 20:31) The Gospel writers […]

Reflections for Sunday, April 5, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, April 5, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43 2nd Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 Responsorial: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Gospel: John 20:1-9 Allowing the Resurrection of Jesus to Strengthen Our Faith He had to rise from the dead. (John 20:9) At the first miracle, the wedding at Cana, Jesus turned […]

Reflections for Sunday, March 29, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, March 29, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7 2nd Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Responsorial: Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 Gospel: Mark 14:1–15:47 Following Jesus’ Example of Self-sacrifice and Compassion Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Mark 11:9) When artists talk about contrast, they’re referring to the […]

Hebrews and the Obedience of Christ
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Hebrews and the Obedience of Christ

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Heb 5:7-9 Christ learned obedience and became the source of eternal salvation The Letter to the Hebrews is a singular spiritual work, one of the most unique books in the Christian Scriptures. For centuries church fathers believed Hebrews to have been written by the Apostle Paul, the great epistoleer of the New Testament, though modern […]

Unless the Grain of Wheat
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Unless the Grain of Wheat

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All of us want the very best for those we love. But as we pursue it, we often have a rude awakening. The best turns out to be quite expensive, whether you are dealing with homes, cars, or colleges. To get it will cost much time and money, maybe even some blood, sweat, and tears. […]

Reflections for Sunday, March 22, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, March 22, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading:      Jeremiah 31:31-34 2nd Reading      Hebrews 5:7-9 Responsorial:    Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15 Gospel:              John 12:20-33 Welcoming Others into the Church and the Family of God Whoever serves me must follow me. (John 12:26)   You might wonder whether Jesus is giving the cold shoulder to […]

If God so Loves the World, Why is There a Hell?
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If God so Loves the World, Why is There a Hell?

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As the camera pans the crowd at a football game, you see a few fans holding up the sign. It simply says “John 3:16.” For years, evangelical Protestants have extolled this little bible verse as the heart of the Gospel. In their minds, if you only have a moment to tell people something about the […]

Reflections for Sunday, March 15, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, March 15, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16,19-23 2nd Reading Ephesians 2:4-10 Responsorial: Psalm 137:1-6 Gospel: John 3:14-21 Serving the Lord in Accordance with His Will for your Life We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared. (Ephesians 2:10) Wouldn’t […]

Reflections for Sunday, March 8th, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, March 8th, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion 1st Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Responsorial: Psalm 19:8-11 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:22-254 Gospel: John 2:13-25 Lent, A Time to Allow the Lord to Cleanse Us as His Temple Zeal for your house will consume me. (John 2:17) If you remember just one thing from today’s Gospel, remember […]

Reflections for Sunday, March 1, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, March 1, 2015

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Second Sunday of Lent Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion 1st Reading: Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 2nd Reading: Romans 8:31-34 Responsorial: Psalm 116:10,15-19 Gospel: Mark 9:2-10 Lent, A Time to Experience the Transforming Power of Christ He was transfigured before them. (Mark 9:2) Have you ever wondered why Jesus was transfigured? He never announced it. […]

Reflections for Sunday, February 22, 2015
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Reflections for Sunday, February 22, 2015

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Genesis 9:8-15 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Responsorial: Psalm 25:4-9 Gospel: Mark 1:12-15 Lent, A Time to Experience New Life in Christ I will establish my covenant with you. (Genesis 9:11) The story of Noah and the Great Flood assures us that destruction […]