Lazarus is blessed. Yes, the poor, hungry, homeless man covered with the sores from Luke 16 is blessed. When I compare this parable to the Beatitudes I see Lazarus as a picture of what it means to be blessed. Jesus taught, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will…
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.– Luke 14:27 What does Christian discipleship look like? Jesus defines discipleship by saying what it is not. who puts earthly things–even good things–before God cannot be a disciple. One who refuses to “carry his own cross” and follow Jesus in His suffering cannot be a disciple. To follow Jesus—to truly be His disciples, day-in and day-out—we must accept the crosses…
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. –John 13:34-5 As Christian disciples, we are called to love God and others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in a special way: as He loves us. Jesus loves you and I more…
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. – John 21:3 In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples after His Resurrection in a familiar way. He first called them when they were fishermen in this same place (see Luke 5:1-11). Sometimes the Bible names the Lake…
Love is patient, love is kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4 St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “To love is to will the good of another” (ST I-II, Q26, A4). Our second reading today is the gorgeous gem of St. Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It is at the same time one of my favorite pieces of Scripture and one that challenges me most. I read it each morning and try to live up to…
How interesting that our second reading this Sunday is from St. James who exhorts us to put off “selfish ambition” and instead “cultivate peace” (3:16-18). The Gospel passage shows Jesus’s disciples arguing about who was the greatest (Mark 9:34). Later in Mark, James and John ask to be the greatest in the kingdom by sitting at Jesus’s right and left hand (10:35-37). They are still hustling to get a spot at the top! St. James…
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. – Matthew 28:17 The Gospel reading for today is from the very end of Matthew. At the tomb on Easter morning, the Risen Christ told Mary Magdalen: “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10). Then the…
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. – John 15:5 Have you ever felt burned out in your vocation, job, or ministry? Completely spent, like you just couldn’t get anything accomplished or make progress at all? If so, today’s Gospel reading is for you. Well, it’s for all of us, but it can particularly speak…
Here is a list of 7 practical tips for how to live out the new evangelization in your own walk of life. First, in case you missed them, here are the last two blog posts for some context: Mission of Mercy and Christian Witness. 1. Encounter the Mercy and Love of God Witnessing to Christ means that you have a relationship with Him and want to invite others to encounter His love and mercy for…
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…