Jer 26:1-9; Ps 69:5,8-10,14; Mt 13:54-58 All great reformers of any institution are rejected and held in suspicion by everyone who resists the truth. With such leaders, we learn how to trust the LORD and pray in the words of Psalm 69. We take our refuge in the LORD, for in his great love he […]
Continue ReadingJer 18:1-6; Ps 146:1-6; Mt 13:47-53 Our days of friendship and service are filled with the blessedness of help from the God of Jacob; the LORD who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. The praise of God fills our souls. We do not put our trust in princes, in […]
Continue ReadingJer 15:10,16-21; Ps 59:2-4,10,11,17,18; Mt 13:44-46 The day of distress is the day we cry out with the Prophet Jeremiah, “Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!” When we regret even being born, we cry out with the words of Psalm 59. We need to be rescued from our true enemies, the very enemies […]
Continue ReadingJer 14:17-22; Ps 79:8,9,11,13; Mt 13:36-43 With great urgency we cry out to the LORD. With today’s psalm we pray, “May your compassion quickly come to us.” As in every Mass repentance is on our lips, we plead: LORD do not remember the iniquities of the past. Indeed, our guilt brings us very low. We […]
Continue ReadingJer 13:1-11; Deuteronomy 32:18-21; Mt 13:31-35 Sometimes the only way we learn the ways of God is to have him hide his face from us. Only when he hides his face do we grow in our longing to see his face. When we take the LORD for granted, it is then that he hides his […]
Continue Reading2 Cor 4:7-15; Ps 126:1-6; Mt 20:20-28 The best advertising is word of mouth. When people we trust tell us about a new product or a new program that has been a blessing for them we are more likely to purchase or participate than if we read about it or see an advert on a […]
Continue ReadingJer 3:14-17; Jeremiah 31:10,11,12,13; Mt 13:18-23 Jeremiah wanted to turn their mourning into joy. The prophet had the heart of a good shepherd. He summoned them to hear the word of the LORD and to proclaim that word on distant isles. Indeed, the word of the LORD is good news because it gathers them together, […]
Continue ReadingJer 2:1-3,7,8,12,13; Ps 36:6-11; Mt 13:10-17 Without the Light of Christ we are in the darkness still. We cannot see even enough to take the next step of faith, but in his light we see light. Out of the darkness of the Easter Vigil shines one light, and it brightens the whole congregation and the […]
Continue ReadingS. of S. 3:1-4B; Ps 63:2, 3,4, 5,6, 8-9; Jn 20:1-2,11-18 There is an ancient confusion about who this Saint Mary Magdalene really is. Is she the sinful woman who washed the feet of the Lord and dried them with her hair? Is she a former woman of the streets? Although this is a strong […]
Continue ReadingMi 7:14-15,18-20; Ps 85:2-8; Mt 12:46-50 Indeed, like any honest saint and even like ourselves, we are all sinners and we can pray Psalm 85 with heart-felt devotion. The Savior of Israel who has brought home the captives from exile continues to forgive our guilt and cover our sins. Indeed, our sins are covered with […]
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