Friday, December 24, 2021

Daily Catholic Reflection: December 25, 2021,The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Mass during the Day

Is 52:7-10;

Unto Us a Child is Born

Happy and Merry Christmas Brethren. Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it, for our Saviour Jesus Christ is born; the Lord has remembered his people and has raised a king amidst us who will rule in righteousness and justice and the light of the world. Let us Rejoice and celebrate.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 18, 2021, Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 20: 17-27,

Psalm 68: 1 0-11, 20-21,

John 17:1-11a Full Readings

Saint John I, Pope

Finishing the Mission

The two readings today present to us a similar message, about finishing the mission which one has been entrusted with. In the First Reading, Paul rejoices from having finished the mission which Christ had entrusted to him. He did not hesitate to preach the Gospel with all humility and despite all persecution and rejections he boldly preached the Good news of Christ even up to dying. In this way he glorified God and he is now giving farewell to all his hearers and awaits the way Jesus will glorify Him.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 17, 2021, Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter, year B

Acts 19:1-8,

Psalm 68:2-3.4-5ac 6-7ab,

John 16:29-33) Full Readings

Saint Paschal Baylon

Have you come to believe in Jesus?

Today's Gospel reading brings to a conclusion the second version of the discourse after the Last Supper which began with John 15.1. It concludes with an inspiring re-assurance of the certainty of the teaching which has been given. The themes of the whole discourse are love and belief, which have been constant throughout the teaching of Jesus which we have read in the weeks of Eastertide. Now the disciples are to be scattered over the earth on their mission, and though the world will be full of trouble, they can still rest secure in Jesus because of his union with the Father and because of conquering the world. Now, we are ready, with the Apostles, for the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 16, 2021, Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year B

Acts 1:1-11,

Psalm 47:2-3,6-9,

Ephesians 1:17-23, or Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13

Mt 28:16-20 Full Readings

For those who celebrated Ascension on Last Thursday, see the Seventh Sunday of Easter Reflection here.

Saint Margaret of Cortona

Go into the Whole World

Brethren, the time has come, Jesus is leaving His Apostles as he has always been telling them since Easter; it is the end of Jesus’ mission here on earth, a mission he has carefully, dedicatedly, and fully finished, leaving the mantle to the Apostles to carry it on not only in Jerusalem but to all the ends of the earth in his name under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will come on the Pentecost day. The mission he leaves to the Apostles and to all of us is: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” This mission will be accompanied by signs like: “in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” After this mission, Jesus left the and the Apostles saw him face to face as He ascended to heaven. This of course might have been a sad experience for them, but they had a promise of the Paraclete and a continuing presence among them (Mark 16: 15-20).

Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26

Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20

1 Jn 4:11-16

John 17: 11b-19 Full Readings

Saint Margaret of Cortona

That they may be One

The Gospel today presents the middle part of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John’s discourse after last supper. This middle part of the high priestly prayer of Jesus centres on the separation of the followers of Jesus from the world. He prays that they may remain One as Father and Him are one. Jesus has given them his Word and prays that they may remain uncontaminated by the world and the Evil One. This part justifies the title ‘High Priestly Prayer’ because the priestly function involves consecrating/sanctifying others. Here Jesus speaks of consecrating/sanctifying himself, so that his followers may not only be protected from the Evil One, but also may be consecrated/sanctified as he is consecrated/sanctified.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 15, 2021, Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter, Year B

Acts 18:23-28,

Psalm 47:2-3.8-9.1,

John 16:23b-28 Full Readings

Saint Isidore the Farmer

Whatever you ask in my name you shall get

The farewell speech of Jesus is drawing to an end. Today he tells his Apostles that: "...anything you ask for from my Father he will grant in my name...so that your joy will be complete" Of course when Jesus was with them, they would lack nothing. They had everything they needed but since Jesus was going to the Father they had to start asking in the form of prayer. Their relationship was to be no longer physical but spiritual and the only way to communicate spiritually to God is through prayer.

Daily Catholic Reflection: May 14, 2021, Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26,

Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Jn 15: 9-17 Full Readings

Saint Matthias

Friends With Jesus

Brethren, today we celebrate the feast of Saint Matthias, the Apostle, a man who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after he had chosen to go his way by betraying Jesus. Matthias was chosen not only after the intense prayer and guidance of the Holy but also he was a longtime friend of Jesus and his Apostles and from the first reading we see Peter saying that is is necessary to choose a man ”who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” The celebration of today’s feast is not only the Apostleship of Matthias but also the friendship with Jesus that led him to be chosen as an Apostle.

Pages