Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels Scripture: Job 9:1-12, 14-16Matthew 18:1-5, 10 Reflection: How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from birth an angel commissioned to guard it. ~ St. Jerome Today’s Gospel reading begins with the…
Scripture: Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23Luke 9: 51-56 Reflection: Today the church celebrates the memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux, but the first reading and responsorial psalm can hardly be described as celebratory. Job recently lost all his possessions and suffers…
Scripture: Job 1:6-22Luke 9:46-50 Reflection: If ever there was a person who had the right to complain to God, it was Job. The story of this upright and faithful man who lost all of it at the hand of the…
Scripture: Numbers 11:25-29James 5:1-6Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 Reflection: As I was reflecting on this Sunday’s readings, the thought came to me, “By their fruits you shall know them.” In our first reading (Numbers 11:25-29), and in our Gospel reading (Mark…
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8Luke 9:43b-45 Reflection: In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. Psalm 90 Refuge has many meanings. When used as a noun, its various meanings include asylum, harbor, haven, sanctuary and shelter. When used as a…
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11Luke 9:18-22 Reflection: Jesus was praying in solitude Luke 9:18. Through thousands of years of human history no one ever prayed like Jesus. The word for prayer means desire for God. What human and divine yearning for His…
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11Luke 9:7-9 Reflection: In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus first asks His disciples what the people think of Him; who were they saying he was. The disciples give their answers, and then Jesus asks them, “But who do you…
Scripture: Proverbs 30:5-9Luke 9:1-6 Reflection: “Take care, then, how you hear.” Pairing today’s two readings can be facile, and the “takeaway” is quite obvious. From the Book of Proverbs we read, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only…
Scripture: Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13Luke 8:19-21 Reflection: The greatest and first commandment in the whole of the Bible is: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is the only One! “You shall love the Lord your God with…
Scripture: Proverbs 3:27-34Luke 8:16-18 Reflection: In our Gospel reading, Jesus uses the image of a lamp to talk about sharing the Good News. With common-sense logic, He says, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or…