Catholic Daily Reflections
1,218 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 383 ratingsMy Catholic Life! presents the beauty and splendor of our Catholic faith in a down to earth and practical way. These daily audio reflections come from the "Catholic Daily Reflections Series" which is available in online format from our website. They are also available in e eBook or paperback format.
May these reflections assist you on your journey of personal conversion!
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Episodes
Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time - Stewards of Earthly Riches
November 09, 2023 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.39 MBJesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’” Luke 16:1–2 There is much to ponder in this parable and many lessons from which we can learn. To begin, the rich man should be understood as God and you as the steward. This is an important first lesson to learn because it reveals to us that,...
November 9, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - Being Shocked by Our Lord
November 08, 2023 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.18 MBJesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. John 2:19–21 We celebrate, today, the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the mother church of the entire Roman Catholic Church. It was given to the Bishop of Rome in the fourth century and remained the pope’s primary residence until the buildin...
Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time - Loving through “Holy Hate”
November 07, 2023 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.07 MBGreat crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25–26 After this startling opening line from our Lord, Jesus concludes today’s Gospel by saying, “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Thus, at first read it appears that we are called to not only ren...
Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time - You are Invited
November 06, 2023 12:00 - 5 minutes - 4.89 MB“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.” Luke 14:16–18 Do you ever excuse yourself from the will of God? Do you pass up His invitation to feast at the table of His great dinner? More than anything else, the invitation God has given us to this “great dinner” is the invitation to participate in the Holy Mass and...
Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time - The Reward of Eternal Glory
November 05, 2023 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.16 MB“When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” Luke 14:12–14 Is Jesus telling us that it is sinful to invite friends and family to a dinner party? Certainly not. He is teaching us about something ...
Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - Exalted Through Humility
November 04, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.42 MBJesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.” Matthew 23:1–3 Sometimes people’s words inspire us, but more often it is the witness they give with their actions that inspires. Additionally, when someone’s words do not match up with their actions, they are seen as hypocrites. Jesus is very hard on the scribes and ...
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time - The Freedom of Humility
November 03, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.34 MB“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.” Luke 14:8–9 This is an interesting parable. First of all, it must be noted that a true saint would not be embarrassed by such a humiliation. Instead, they would ...
Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time - Uncomfortable Situations
November 02, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 4.65 MBOn a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. Luke 14:1 Jesus accepted an invitation from this prominent Pharisee to dine at his house. The people at the dinner were “observing him carefully.” It’s somewhat easy to picture the scene. For most people, being invited to a dinner with many strangers who are observing them carefully may leave them feeling quite uncomfortable and self-conscious. But Jesus showed up w...
November 2, All Souls Day - Commemorating All Souls
November 01, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.07 MB“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” John 6:40 Yesterday’s Solemnity of All Saints gave us an opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in the fact that there are countless people who have gone before us who are now enjoying the glories of Heaven. These faithful souls lived lives that were grounded in God’s grace and have been fully purified of all sin. They now gaze at our good God fa...
November 1, Solemnity of All Saints - Honoring All Saints
October 31, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.35 MBWhen Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5: 1–3 Today we celebrate one of the most glorious solemnities within our Church! Every saint, canonized or not, is honored today. Our Gospel passage lays out the path by which these saints entered Heaven. While on earth, these great men and women lived lives that were poor in s...
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time - Planting the Seed, Over and Over Again
October 30, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.04 MBJesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Luke 13:18–19 This short parable should speak to many people far more than they realize. It should be a source of great encouragement to us all as we seek to build up the Kingdom of God through apostolic works. The mustard seed is very small. At first, when...
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time - The Burden of Scrupulosity
October 29, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.32 MBBut the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?” Luke 13:14–15 Why would the leader of the synagogue be “indignant” that Jesus cured a woman on the sabbath? She was crippled for e...
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - The High Calling of Love
October 28, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.63 MB“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37–40 Think about the many things you desire in life. What would make up that list? Perhaps there are many good things that would be included, such as a desire for strong family relationships, good health,...
October 28, Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles - Sent Forth by Christ
October 27, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.09 MBJesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles... Luke 6:12 Simon and Jude were among those very select few who were chosen by Jesus Himself to be His Apostles. Today’s Simon is not the same person as Simon Peter, and today’s Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot. Little is known about these two Apostles. Simon is referred to as a zealot in th...
Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time - The Convictions of Your Heart
October 26, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.11 MB“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Luke 12:57–59 The Church Fathers offer many different interpretations of this passage. Among them, Saint Bede says that...
Thursday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time -A Blazing Fire of Mercy
October 25, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MBJesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” Luke 12:49–50 There is much that we can take from these teachings of our Lord. Not only did Jesus say, “I have come to set the earth on fire…” He also said that it’s His desire that this fire be “blazing!” Fire is powerful. A blazing fire, for example, can purify the precious metal ...
Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time - The Lord is Coming, Today
October 24, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 4.59 MBJesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Luke 12:39–40 These words from Jesus should cause us to sit up and take notice. This parable, followed by the rest of today’s Gospel, exhorts us to always be prepared for our particular judgment at the conclusion of our earthly life. There ...
Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time - Being Vigilant Throughout Life
October 23, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.05 MBJesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.” Luke 12:35–36 What does it mean to “Gird your loins?” This phrase, which is not commonly used today, literally means “tighten your belt.” It traditionally refers to one who is wearing a long robe that makes it difficult to move quickly and easily. Thus, to gird your loins means that you tuck in the long r...
Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time - The Reality of Greed
October 22, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.2 MBSomeone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Luke 12:13–15 What’s interesting in Jesus’ statement is that of all the people who ever walked the earth, no one is more worthy to be a “judge and arbitrator” of an injustice than Jesu...
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - Resolving Conflict
October 21, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.14 MBThe Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap him in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Matthew 22:15–17 It has been said that “the enemy of my enemy is my f...
Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Peace in the Face of Judgment
October 20, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.78 MBWhen they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” Luke 12:11–12 Jesus lived this Gospel passage in His own life to perfection. He was arrested, interrogated, falsely condemned and questioned by the Chief Priest, Herod and Pontius Pilate. During His interrogations, sometimes He spoke and at other times He remained silen...
Friday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Sincerity and Integrity
October 19, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.29 MB“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:2–3 Immediately prior to this passage quoted above, Jesus told His disciples: “Beware of the leaven—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees.” This comes after Jesus gives a long and very direct series of condemnations of these leaders ...
Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Overcoming Plotting
October 18, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.94 MBWhen Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say. Luke 11:53–54 Over the past few days, we have been reading Saint Luke’s version of Jesus’ “Woe to you” rebukes of the scribes, Pharisees and the scholars of the law. Today’s Gospel concludes these rebukes of love by pointing out that these religious leaders did not convert. Instead, they began plotting again...
October 18, Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist - Evangelizing the World
October 17, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.31 MBThe Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Luke 10:1–2 Saint Luke, whom we honor today, was a true evangelist. As an evangelist, he followed the inspiration from our Lord and was used to bring God’s saving message to the ends of the earth. And there is little doubt that ...
Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Interior Transformation
October 16, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.64 MBAfter Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools!” Luke 11:37–40 It’s hard to imagine Jesus calling someone a fool. But that’s exactly what He did. This Pharisee had just finished listeni...
Monday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - A Sign From God
October 15, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.43 MB“This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.” Luke 11:29–30 Do you ever find yourself looking for signs from God? Often when we go through life, navigating through the ups and downs we all experience, we can easily find ourselves looking for signs from God about what we should do about this or that. And though God certainly communicat...
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - Reality vs. Appearance
October 14, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.77 MBJesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.” Matthew 22:1–3 Do you refuse to come? Jesus spoke this parable to the chief priests and elders of the people because, even though they gave the impression to others that they were true followers of the will of God, they...
Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - Living a Truly Blessed Life
October 13, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 4.82 MBWhile Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Luke 11:27–28 This short Gospel reading reveals much about what makes one “blessed” in life. Specifically, Jesus considers those truly blessed who do two things: “hear the word of God” and then “observe it.” Though this seems quite obvious at first read, it is o...
Friday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - Overcoming “Neutrality”
October 12, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MB“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Luke 11:23 These words are embedded within several powerful teachings of Jesus, but, in many ways, this single sentence can stand alone as an important Christian truth. Specifically, it tells us that we cannot be neutral in our position regarding Jesus and all that He has taught us. This is an important message in the world today. Today, there seems to be a growing secular value that we might call “neutral...
Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - Praying with Fervor and Detachment
October 11, 2023 11:00 - 4 minutes - 4.39 MBJesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him…’” Luke 11:5–6 Unless your friend were truly a very close friend, you may hesitate in waking them and their family at midnight to ask to borrow some food. And even if it were a very close friend, you would probably hesitate for fear of disturbing them. But in this...
Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - The Perfect Prayer
October 10, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.6 MBJesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 What a great prayer for us to pray also, “Lord, teach us to pray…” Jesus’ response to this disciple was to present him with the “Our Father” prayer. Of this prayer, Saint Andre Bessette said, “When you say the Our Father, God's ear is next to your lips.” The great mystical Doctor of the Church Saint Teresa of Ávila gave this a...
Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - Fidelity to Daily Prayer
October 09, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.35 MBMartha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” Luke 10:40–42 In many ways, this statement of our Lord summarizes the most important and central message of the Gospel. We are all called to...
Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time - Openness to the Gospel
October 08, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.67 MBThere was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10:25 The question is very good. We should all seek to understand, with all our hearts, what we must do to inherit eternal life. Of course the problem is that this scholar of the law did not ask this question with sincerity and openness. Rather, he asked Jesus this question to test our Lord. This scholar, as well as other scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and elders, was en...
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - A Cornerstone of Grace
October 07, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.2 MBJesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” Matthew 21:42–43 The most amazing thing that has ever happened in this world is the death of the Son of God. It is amazing for many reasons. It’s amazing that God the Father allowed H...
Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time - Perceiving the Presence of God
October 06, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.63 MBTurning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” Luke 10:23–24 Imagine seeing Jesus in person. What would that have been like? What would it have been like to see Him, listen to Him preach, witness His miracles and spend time sitting with Him quietly? The experience of being with Him as He walked the earth would h...
Friday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time - Public Repentance
October 05, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.6 MBJesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” Luke 10:13 Have you ever sat in sackcloth and ashes? In the Gospel passage above, Jesus gives clear indication that doing so is a holy sign of responding to His preaching. He states that the pagan towns of Tyre and Sidon would have certainly sat in sackcloth and ashes if they would hav...
Thursday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time - Protected by the Good Shepherd
October 04, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.88 MBJesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:1–3 Why would our Lord send His disciples out like lambs among wolves? At first, this might be concerning and cause us to wonder if our Lord were sending the...
Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time - All In, Never Waver
October 03, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.11 MBAs Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Luke 9:57–58 At first, this appears to be an unusual response from our Lord. This person appeared to be committing himself to follow Jesus wherever Jesus led. But rather than complimenting the would-be follower, Jesus indicates that there is nowhere for thi...
Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time - Courage to Conquer Fear
October 02, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.73 MBWhen the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. Luke 9:51–52 Shortly after Jesus spoke to His disciples about His pending suffering, death and resurrection, we read that Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” There is much to reflect upon in that short statement. First of all, Jerusalem was the place of the Temple where the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament took place as a pref...
October 2, Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels - Your Protector and Guide
October 01, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 4.95 MB“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” Matthew 18:10 The reality of angels is fascinating to most people, especially to children. The Guardian Angels, in particular, are often pictured in sacred art as walking hand-in-hand with children. And though this is true, they also walk hand-in-hand with each one of us throughout our lives. This is their sacred duty given to them by God. In ...
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - A Life of Ongoing Conversion
September 30, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.01 MBJesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.” Matthew 21:28–30 This parable presents a message of great hope to those who find it difficult to follow the will of God. The first son, the on...
Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - A Well Ordered Soul
September 29, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.95 MB“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. Luke 9:44–45 This is the second time that Jesus predicts His coming passion to His Apostles. After telling them that He will be handed over, the Gospel relates that “they did not understand this saying.” It also states that “they were afraid to a...
September 29, Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels - The Celestial Hosts of Heaven
September 28, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.87 MB“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:51 In Heaven, we will see all things as God sees them. That full perspective will be beyond glorious. And among the many things that will amaze us from the perspective of Heaven is the incredibly powerful ways that the celestial beings participate in the bringing forth of the Kingdom of God. The Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities...
Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - Courage to Change
September 27, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.55 MBHerod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” Luke 9:7–8 Herod the tetrarch, also known as Herod Antipas, ruled the Jews of Galilee for some forty-two years. He began his reign in 2 BC and continued to reign until he was exiled by the Roman Emperor in 37 AD. During his reign, he spent much tim...
Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - Authority Over demons
September 26, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 4.94 MBJesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1–2 This is the first time that Jesus sends His Apostles out on a mission. On this mission, He is preparing them for their ultimate mission, which will come at the time of Pentecost, after Jesus dies, rises and ascends to Heaven. But for now, Jesus commissions these Apostles to do three things: to cast out demons, heal...
Tuesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - Becoming Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
September 25, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.35 MBThe mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Luke 8:19–21 The term “brothers” in this passage is obviously not to be understood that Jesus had blood brothers. It is a dogma of our faith that Jesus was the only Child of Mary. At that time, it was ...
Monday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - Growth in Understanding
September 25, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.06 MB“Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.” Luke 8:18 Do you have much? Or little? According to Jesus’ words, if you have much, then you will receive much more; but if you have little, then you will lose even what you have. Does this seem fair? Of course, our Lord is not speaking in worldly terms. He’s not saying that if you have much money, then you will gain more, or if you are poor, t...
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - Desiring the Fullness of Grace for All
September 23, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.37 MB“When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage.” Matthew 20:8–10 Is life always fair? It would seem not. We have all experienced situations in life when we felt as though we were ch...
Saturday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time - Bearing Abundant Good Fruit
September 22, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MB“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” Luke 8:8 This short line is, in a sense, a summary of the Parable of the Sower. This parable presents us with four different ways in which the Word of God is received. The seed that is sown is the Word of God. The four different categories of people are compared to seed sown on a path, rocky ground, among thorns and in good soil. Jesus explains that the seed sown on the path are those “who have heard, but the Devil comes and takes away the word from...
Friday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time - All In!
September 21, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 5.73 MBJesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities… Luke 8:1–2 Our Lord was on a mission. He traveled on foot from one town to another, “preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.” His message truly was “good news.” He healed the sick, cast out demons and, most importantly, He forgave sins. As a result, many b...