I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me. – John 10:14 Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows and loves you inside and out. You are one of His beloved sheep. He knows and calls you by your name: “the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). This is your identity: a beloved son or daughter of God the Father, named…
You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:48 When you hear the words “new evangelization,” what do you think of? Knocking on doors to tell strangers about Jesus? Or is it not about you at all, but more about the priests, bishops, authors, and Catholic media working to spread the Gospel to more people? What’s wonderful is that each and every Christian has a part to play in helping Jesus fulfill His mission of mercy…
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20:21 Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! God the Father sent Jesus on His saving mission. It was a mission of mercy. He came to free us from the captivity of our sins and death, sin’s logical consequence. Jesus’s victory over sin and death was His gift of mercy to us. Mercy is God’s name. God revealed…
An Easter Poem Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? – 1 Corinthians 15:55 At early morning, join the women at the tomb. The tomb now stings of death no more. No more shall death prevail nor scare, for Christ triumphant left it there. There in the morning, join the women, who come to anoint the Son. The Son now risen victoriously—sin and death…
Palm Sunday – March 28, 2021 You are not your own; you were bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We who are baptized are free children of God. Christ Himself, in His messianic role, freed us from the captivity of sin and death. But our freedom was not free. It came at a great price: the death of God Himself. His death freed us from Satan’s grasp, who seeks to enslave us. His death…
I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? “Father, save me from this hour?” But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” John 12:27-28 Lent is a time when we can practice dying to ourselves. By dying to our own desires, we learn to live this verse: “whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Hating our lives does…
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. – John 3:21 Have you noticed that the sun sets later each evening now? The vernal equinox—the start of spring!—is just a week away on March 20. The light will increase from now until it begins to decrease after the summer solstice on June 20. Interestingly, this is just a few days before we…
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19 Wow! Jesus made quite a mess when He cleansed the temple. Take a moment and place yourself at the scene of this Gospel passage. Imagine the chaos as Jesus flipped over tables, brandished a whip, and angrily ordered the money changers to leave. People and animals scattered. As the tables turned over, coins rolled to the ground and people climbed over…
If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 What does it mean for God to be “for us?” We can begin to understand by thinking of it in ways that are familiar to us. Do you have a family member or good friend who is always there for you? He or she is there to support you, just listen, or act on your behalf when you need it. They are always…
The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. – Mark 1:12 Lent has arrived. We began our journey on Ash Wednesday, and we continue it today in the desert with Christ. The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert to fast and be tempted. We go out with Him into the desert of Lent, fasting, praying, and giving alms. We also will be…