Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, October 1, 2022, Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, Year C

Job 42: 1-3.5-6.12-17,

Psalm 119:66.71.75.91.125.130,

Luke 10:17-24                  Full Readings

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Why Do We Rejoice?

Brethren, the beautiful story of Job poses several questions to us as we live in times where religious beliefs are not taken seriously and believers only seek a life devoid of suffering – a crossless Christianity, to put it simply. Job tells us that steadfast belief in God is a sure way of spiritual comfort in times of sorrow despite earthly suffering. Furthermore, we must learn that the spirit may flow anywhere it wishes; to some it’s a time for replenishment like Job, to some it is an avenue for signs and wonders like the disciples. The cases of Job and that of the disciples speak to us about having a fervent relationship with God that guarantees our place with our heavenly Father. Outward representation may be short-lived, but the inner satisfaction is so rewarding that it cannot be compared to the outward show. It invites us to always trust in God, and it is when we experience that God can never leave us as his children even when life seems so unfair like Job, and this is what we should rejoice at.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, September 30, 2022, Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church, Year C

Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5

Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab

Lk 10:13-16                                  Full Readings

Saint Jerome

Tough Love

Jesus' love for people overwhelmed that he could not resist from to rebuke the people and towns which did not heed to his word. His rebuke even with harsh punishments to those who did not accept him, was not out anger or disappointment of rejection but out of his much love for his people, and that is why he decided to show them tough love because he knows punishment awaits them. After Jesus had performed many miracles and taught in many towns and villages, proclaiming the kingdom of God and calling for repentance people did not still believe in him they made their hearts stubborn and really hardened them and didn't repent. Jesus' miracles aimed at showing the power of God and were instruments to bring people together and believe in the kingdom of God.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, September 28, 2022, Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

 

Job 9:1-12.14-16,

Psalm 88: 10bc-11.12-13.14—15,

Luke 9 :57-62                             Full Readings

Saint Wenceslaus

The would-be Disciples

Beloved brethren, in today's Gospel we hear Jesus saying, “Foxes have holes, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head,” He went about doing good, he healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry and comforted the afflicted. Yet he was homeless and poor, making his home with the wretched of the earth. Are you able to provide a resting place for Jesus in your heart? That was his life and that is the path every believer is called to follow. It is a call to a life of total self-giving and sacrifice; to live for God and for others without counting the cost. And once we say Yes, there is no backing down or turning back, for only cowards do that! How much sacrifice can we make in the service of the Lord? When the three would-be disciples came to Jesus saying that they will follow him only after finishing the unfinished businesses, Jesus' responses to them are quite deep and reflective. What can we learn from these would be disciples of Jesus?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, September 27, 2022, Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest. Year C

Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23

Ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8

Lk 9:51-56                  Full Readings

Saint Vincent de Paul

Tolerance in Mission

Jesus was very clear when he said that since he was hated, rejected and finally killed, this too will happen to us as his disciples and partakers in his mission. But how do we respond to this hatred and rejection which we face daily in our different missions entrusted to us by God? We should learn from Jesus on how he treated his enemies, those who hated him, persecuted and finally killed him. On the cross, we see his final words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). In today's Gospels he continues to teach us the virtue of tolerance with those who do not welcome us, those who hate and reject us in mission. When the Samaritans could not welcome Jesus and his disciples, James and John wanted to call down fire and burn the whole village, but Jesus rebuked them and continued his way to Jerusalem.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, September 21, 2022, Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist, Year C

Ephesians 4: 1-7.11-13,

Psalm 19:2-3.4-5,

Matthew 9:9-13                  Full Readings

Saint Matthew

The Balm of Mercy

Brethren, let us first know about the Saint of the day, St Matthew, also known as Levi, the evangelist and an Apostle. He was born in Capernaum. He was a tax collector, and his profession was probably the most corrupted and despised by everyone because tax collectors worked for Romans who were oppressing many the Jews and also made themselves wealthy by over-charging and threatening people if they did not hand over their money to them; for this reason, they were regarded as sinners and traitors to their people for the sake of personal gains. Nevertheless, he was called to discipleship by the Lord as he was sitting at his customs office. Tradition holds that he wrote a collection of sayings of Jesus in Aramaic and inspired the Gospel which bears his name. The Gospel of Matthew is addressed to a Jewish community and presents Jesus as the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. Matthew is said to have preached the faith in the East.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, September 20, 2022, Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs, Year C

Proverbs 21:1-6.10-13,

Psalm 119:1.27.30.34.35.44,

Luke 8:19-21                  Full Readings

Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions

Jesus' Family

Brethren, think about becoming a mother of the president? What about being a sister or a brother of Bill Gates? Or some other famous person?  It probably would be the source of a certain joy and pride in a good way. If you can feel like that with these earthly and mortal people, what about if you are the mother, or brother or sister of Jesus or a child of God?

Daily catholic Reflection: Monday, September 19, 2022, Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Prv 3:27-34

Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5 

Lk 8:16-18                Full Readings

Saint Januarius

Let Your Light Shine

What is really the core of our mission given to us by Jesus in this world? The core of our mission is indeed to bring the light of Christ, the light of the Gospel and the light of the Kingdom of God to everyone we meet and who sees us. At baptism and confirmation, Jesus lighted up our candles of faith, love, kindness, charity, mercy, peace, justice and all virtues and we were given a mandate to keep these lamps shinning not even to hide them, so that people seeing our good works may give praise to God our Father in heaven and that by our example, others may come to know Christ and the truth. So, are our lamps still shinning? Are they hidden under the bed? Or they are off already, and we are walking and leading others in darkness?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, 18, 2022, Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Am 8:4-7

Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

1 Tm 2:1-8

Lk 16:1-13                Full Readings

Saint Joseph of Cupertino

Wealth and the Kingdom

The strongest and the core of the teachings of prophet Amos was justice especially economic justice. He lived in a time where the rich were not only oppressing and exploiting the poor but also using them as objects to become richer and richer. Amos was told by God that the Israelites are going to face divine intervention as oppression was running rampant in Israel and were practicing religiosity without righteousness, that is, by oppressing the poor and failing to practice justice the Israelites were behaving unrighteous.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, 17, 2022, Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Corinthians 15:35-37.42-49,

Psalm 56: 10.11-12.13- 14,

Luke 8:4- 15                Full Readings

Saint Robert Bellarmine

Receiving the Word of God

Jesus mission on this earth was to do the will of the father which is that the kingdom of God should be proclaimed to the whole world and to everyone. Jesus did this without reserve through his deed and words. Unfortunately, not everyone accepted and received his words and teachings, the good news. even up today. Why? We are accustomed to seeing the effects of Advertising. When youngsters see ways of dressing or combing their hair in films or on TV, they imitate them immediately and easily because they have passion for them. But why is the Gospel so slow in entering our hearts? Jesus tells us that it depends on the soil that is in our hearts. He passes home his teaching by telling the parable of the sower. The way we open our hearts to the word of God is the way it bears fruit in our lives. If we open them wide open for the word of God to enter and rule, then we shall bear many fruits but if we close them, then, we shall bear no fruit.

Daily catholic Reflection: Friday, September 16, 2022, Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

1Corinthians 15:12-20.

Psalm 17:1.6-7.8.

Luke 8:1-3                Full Readings

Saint Cornelius, Pope ,  and Cyprian, Bishop

Women in Mission

Today's Gospel presents to us the role played by women in the mission of Jesus Christ. We see many women including Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus has chased out seven demons, Joanna, wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna and many others following Jesus. What is interesting to note is that these women not only were following Jesus as true disciples, but they were also providing for him and His Apostles. We credit them their discipleship and generosity.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, September 15, 2022, Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, Year C

1 Cor 15:1-11

Ps 118:1b-2, 16ab-17, 28

Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35   Full Readings

Our Lady of Sorrows

The Sorrowful Mary

Brethren, Mary our Mother, mother of God, Queen of heaven, has many celebrated feasts on the catholic saints' calendar after Jesus her son. Most of her feasts and memorials are happy feasts but today we celebrate her as our Lady of Sorrows. Being the mother of God, Queen of heaven and many titles which she has did not mean she could not suffer or not to have sorrows in her heart. We celebrate this feast as we fly to Mary's hands who suffered a lot of pains as a mother and as the one who knows our sorrows so that she can pray for us for the graces we need to persevere in sufferings and sorrows as we serve God. May we imitate her always.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, September 14, 2022, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Year C

Numbers 21 :4b-9,

Ps 78:1-2.34-35.36—37.38,

Philippians 2:6-11,

John 3:13-17                          Full Readings

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Jesus' Cross: Our Victory

Today we celebrate the Feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross of Jesus. If it was not by the cross of Jesus, we would all be dying in our sins but through his humility, though he was God (Philippians 2:6-11), he accepted the cross, died on it so that we are all forgiven of all our sins and the doors of heaven to be opened for us. What a great feast it is today!  We are celebrating a feast of our victory not just victory over simple enemies but over our greatest enemy: death and sin.

Catholic Daily Reflection: Tuesday, September 13, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Year C

 

1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a

Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

Lk 7:11-17                          Full Readings

Saint John Chrysostom

Arise

Brethren, in a number of places, the Gospel records that Jesus was "moved to the depths of his heart" when he met with individuals and with groups of people. Our modern use of the word "compassion" doesn't fully convey the deeper meaning of the original Hebrew word which expresses heart-felt "sympathy" if not "empathy" and personal identification with the suffering person's grief and physical condition. Today, we see Jesus, as he was going to Nain (which means green pastures) moved with mercy and compassion by the widow who had lost his only son and was being carried to the tomb for burial. This woman had nothing left with her because she had earlier lost a husband and now the only son. The only secure means of welfare in biblical times was one's family. This woman had lost not only her loved ones, but her future security and livelihood as well. Jesus having this in mind, his compassion made him help her son by bringing her back to life by mere words, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" Where do we want Jesus to rise us up? In our own sorrow or grief, we are reminded, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6).

Daily catholic Reflection: Monday, September 12, 2022, Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Cor 11:17-26, 33

Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

Lk 7:1-10                          Full Readings

Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, I am not Worthy

When we pray, "Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say a word and my soul shall be healed," in every mass before receiving Holy Communion, do we understand where these words really come from and what they really mean? Or we just pray for sake and routine? These words are expressed by a centurion in the gospels as he pleaded Jesus to heal his servant who was seriously sick. But since the centurion that he was a sinful man, he felt unworthy of receiving a holy man like Jesus, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed." Self-knowledge is always the beginning of spiritual growth, personal growth and a big reason to continue living. Also, this statement only shows the unworthiness of the centurion for Jesus' mercy but also a strong sense of humility and faith. The high sense of humility of this statement has won it a place in the mass in our prayer of humility immediately before communion. When you pray this prayer, do pray it consciously with the humility and faith hidden it or just for sake? The centurion sets for us a perfect example to emulate in the following ways:

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, September 7, 2022, Wednesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

 

1 Corinthians 7:25-31,

Psalm 45: 11-12.14-15,

Luke 6:20-26                          Full Readings

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Jesus' Way of Happiness: The Beatitudes

Today, we reflect on St. Luke’s version of the beatitudes which offers us the heavenly idea of happiness which is the Jesus' way of happiness. To be “blessed” means to be happy. The beatitudes paint a picture of the abundant life he wants us to enjoy (John 10:10). In the heavenly economy, those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and hated are happy. This is quite different from the world's idea of happiness, which says, “eat, drink, and be merry!” Jesus is teaching us that we will be truly happy only when we place him at the center of our life and let go of the temporal things that block our relationship with him. Jesus gave his disciples a "way of happiness" that transcends every difficulty and trouble that can weigh us down with grief and despair. Jesus' way of happiness, however, demands a transformation from within - a conversion of heart and mind which can only come about through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Christ on the Mount of Olives by Giovanni

1 Cor 6:1-11

Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Lk 6:12-19                                 Full Readings

Blessed Claudio Granzotto

Pray Before You Act

Jesus chose his twelve Apostles as we see in today's Gospel after a whole night prayer alone. This he did not necessarily for his own advantage but specially to teach us a very important lesson: praying before we act or make any decision. One may wonder why Jesus who was God would pray, but we see him praying especially in the gospel of Luke where we see a hymn of prayer through the whole gospel. What can we learn from Jesus' prayerfulness for our spiritual growth?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, September 5, 2022, Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Corinthians 5: 1-8,

Ps 5:5-6.7.12,

Luke 6 :6- 11 Full Readings

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Stretch out your Hand

Beloved brethren, it is clearly stated in Exodus 20:8; and Deuteronomy 5:12 that keep the Sabbath Holy, and also to the tradition of the Jews, no single work would be done on this day, perhaps, even if it is saving someone's life (exaggerated for emphasis). But in the Gospel today Jesus shows that the law is made for man, and man is made for God. When the law stands in the way of salvation, the Lord dispenses with the law and reaches out with love and compassion.

Daily catholic Reflection: Sunday, September 4, 2022, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Wis 9:13-18b  

Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17 

Phmn 9-10, 12-17 

Lk 14:25-33                           Full Readings

Saint Rose of Viterbo

Conditions of Discipleship

This Sunday, Jesus does not pull his punches, and so delivers a series of devastating body-blows to anyone who is looking for easy discipleship. All through this journey up to Jesus’ own death at Jerusalem the cost of discipleship has been a recurrent theme: ‘Let the dead bury their dead’, the Parable of the Rich Fool, ‘From one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded’, ‘Father against son, son against father’, and now ‘Hate father and mother’ and ‘Give up all your possessions,’ and many other demand of discipleship. Jesus does not want us to follow him blindly. Instead, he gives us a series of what is required of us if we are to become his true disciples. After knowing these then we can willingly, knowing the consequences of our choice, choose to either become his disciple or not. Let us see what conditions Jesus demands of us today in order to be his true disciple.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, September 3, 2022, Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church, Year C

1 Corinthians 4:6b- 15, 

Psalm ,145: 17-15.19-20.2 I, 7

Luke 6:1-5                            Full Readings

Saint Gregory the Great

The Lord of the Sabbath

"The Son of man is the Lord of Sabbath," says Jesus. Today's Gospel presents to us Jesus giving the true meaning of Sabbath. After the Apostles had picked the ears of corn and ate them on Sabbath, some Pharisees blamed them for working on Sabbath for it was prohibited to any work on Sabbath. Jesus' response, arguing from the scriptures, is very clear, the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath. What does this really mean?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Corinthians 4: l -5,

Psalm 37:3-4.5-6.27-26.39-40,

Luke 5 :33-39 Full Readings

Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions

When the Bridegroom is still Around

Today's Gospel presents to us two aspects of feasting and fasting. After being asked by the Pharisees about why his disciples were not fasting as John's disciples as wells the disciples of the Pharisees did, Jesus tells them that they cannot fast when the bridegroom is still with them; but when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast. He also brings in two other parables: of not putting a new cloth on the old one and of not putting new wine in old wine skins. Jesus' response not only brings a new meaning of fasting but also through the two parables parables, teaches that it is a new Messianic era where everything has been made new and the old can no longer hold. It is the time of recreation and making new, for Jesus came to make all things new and correct what was anti kingdom, thus showing us a right way to follow.