Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sir 5:1-8; Ps 1:1-4,6; Mk 9:41-50: Our responsorial psalm, the first psalm, is not just numerically first. It is first because it can be seen to introduce the collective wisdom of the entire Book of Psalms. Every psalm thereafter is about the double-edged sword that is the word of the psalm. The Word of the […]
Wednesday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time
Sir 4:11-19; Ps 119:165,168,171,172,174,175; Mk 9:38-40: Like King David in today’s psalm, like all the saints, we long for his salvation. We long to be filled with the delight of those who love the law of the LORD. All who oppose the laws of any Empire, they delight in the law of the LORD. We […]
Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sir 2:1-11; Ps 37:3-4,18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Mk 9:30-28: If we listen with the ear of our heart, we will learn the ways of the LORD hidden in the words of the psalms and revealed in the mystery of the cross of Christ. All who have room in their heart for the LORD will dwell in […]
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sir 1:1-10; Ps 93:1,2,5; Mk 9:14-29: The saints have taught us that the purpose of Christian life is more than doing good things for our brothers and sisters. The purpose of Christian life is to acquire the Holy Spirit. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is wisdom. To share in the wisdom of God […]
Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr
Heb 11:1-7; Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11; Mk 9:2-13: Faith is just enough light to make the next step in our journey of life. The three friends of the Lord Jesus needed to behold the splendor of his glorious majesty on the mountain of transfiguration. Without such a glimpse of glory the ugliness of the passion […]
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-3a, 4-6; Mt 16:13-19: Although this feast is named after the chair of Saint Peter, in our readings there isn’t much sitting down or enthronement for that matter. In our responsorial psalm the LORD is shepherding. He leads sheep, refreshes souls, gives courage, spreads a banquet, and anoints with oil. Our […]
Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 9:1-13; Ps 102:16-18,19-21,29,22,23; Mk 8:27-33: The LORD has made new his holy city, Jerusalem; He has rebuilt Zion. The LORD made a new covenant with Noah and all the creatures that came out of the ark. The Lord Jesus revealed a new concept of messiah to his disciples. Something new is happening even now among […]
Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 8:6-13, 20-22; Ps 116:12-15,18-19; Mk 8:22-26: After all that time in the ark, with the noise and stench of all those animals, finally the dove came back with an olive leaf. This sign that there was plant life again upon the earth gave Noah a reason to rejoice. For this man of faith his […]
Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5,10; Ps 29:1a,2,3ac,4,3b,9c,10; Mk 8:14-21: Noah and his family cause the LORD to hold back. In this one extended family the LORD can see that there is still hope for the fallen and wicked human race. This one family becomes the people the LORD will bless with peace even in the midst of […]
Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 4:1-15,25; Ps 50:1,8,16bc,17,20,21; Mk 8:11-13: Liturgy, that is not one with all of life, is not pleasing to the LORD God Almighty. It is never enough for us to recite his statues or profess his covenant with our mouth; we must delight in his discipline and never speak against our siblings much less hate […]
Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 3:9-24; Ps 90:2-6,12,13; Mk 8:1-10: From day to day the LORD God calls out to us: “Where are you?” Our Creator wants to take a walk with us and enjoy our fellowship. Yet, still we hide ourselves because we feel guilty. The Lord Jesus, the eternally faithful son of the Father has come to […]
Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 3:1-8; Ps 32:1-7; Mk 7:31-37: Today’s responsorial psalm teaches us how to repent. The Word of God teaches us how to bring words before the LORD and reveal the depths of sorrow. Our blessing is found when our fault is taken away and our sins are covered. Blessed indeed is the man to whom […]
Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Gn 2:18-25; Ps 128:1-5; Mk 7:24-30: Our true blessedness is the fear of the LORD. Not that we are afraid of God, but we stand in awe and wonder at His revelation as the psalm proclaims—“Be still and know that I am God.” We fear the LORD because He is God and there is no […]
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17; Ps 104:1-2,27-30; Mk 7:14-23: As we look to the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, our hearts cry out with and for all creation: “O bless the LORD, my soul!” We behold with eyes of faith the true greatness of the LORD God. He is clothed with majesty and glory; we […]
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn 1:20-2:4a; Ps 8:4-9; Mk 7:1-13: What is man that you should be mindful of him? Who are we that the LORD God Almighty even takes notice of us? Our beauty and goodness have been distorted and twisted by sin. Even after his Paschal Mystery has liberated us from sin and evil, still we continue […]
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gn1:1-19; Ps 104:1,2a,5,6,10,12,24,35c; Mk 6:53-56: The LORD is glad in his works. This divine gladness summons us to Bless the LORD for his greatness. We behold with eyes of faith the LORD clothed with majesty and glory; He is robed in light as with a cloak. The LORD has fixed the earth upon its foundations, […]
Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Heb 13:15-17, 20-21; Ps 23:1-6; Mk 6:30-34: Most of the early saints were martyrs. They walked through the dark valley of Pagan Rome’s persecution. The Pagans, wealthy and powerful, were afraid of those who followed the Lord Jesus. These men and women were afraid that the growing Christian religion would one day overtake their gods and their […]
Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Heb13:1-8; Ps 27:1,3,5,8,9; Mk 6:14-29: Perhaps we should fear someone who can decapitate us. Perhaps we should be afraid of those who are envious of our virtue. Perhaps we have much to fear if we do not know that the LORD is our light and our salvation. With Saint John the Baptist and all the […]
Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Heb 12:18,19,21-24; Ps 48:2-4,9-11; Mk 6:7-13: Even the mountain where the LORD dwells is the joy of all the earth. His praise is great in the city of our God and in all the cities of the world. For his holy mountain is the fairest of heights, its beauty fills the eyes of all who […]
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Heb 12:4-7,11-15; Ps 103:1,2,13,14,17,18a; Mk 6:1-6: Saint Paul Miki and his fellow martyrs were the faithful ones who cried out for joy in their witness to the treasure of the Kingdom of God. The Father’s promise of life eternal in his Son, Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit was the treasure more precious than life in […]
