Cassidy Comments

What will separate us from the love of Christ? That’s a spooky question! What can get in the way–anguish, distress, persecution, famine, peril? The list goes on and on!  What is it?  What is the one thing that can drive a wedge between us and the love of Christ? Listen carefully to today’s episode of Opening God’s Word that comes from the 8 th Chapter of the Letter to the Romans to hea...

Oh My!  I don’t like the sound of this! As Jesus is going through towns and villages, someone asks him a question—his response is chilling. Today he’s talking about the narrow gate.  What will it take to get to heaven, to get through that narrow gate? Is there something we have to do to squeeze through? Tune in to today’s episode of Opening God’s Word to learn what Jesus says (Luke 13:22) about wh...

Does the suffering you are enduring right now seem to be more than you can handle? Have hope! In Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8:18, he reminds us that our sufferings today are nothing compared to the glory that we will share as children of God. Does that mean our suffering is nothing?  That we have to pretend that we are not in pain? No, it means that in comparison to the glory that is com...

Okay, here’s a quiz for you. One question: Who does Paul say in his Letter to the Ephesians (Chapter 2:19-22) that our Christian faith is built upon? Did you say Jesus? You are right, but there’s more!  In today’s Opening God’s Word Paul connects us with “the holy ones,” too, and says we are “members of the household of God.” He also reminds us that it is Jesus himself who is bringing us all toget...

Have you ever went out for a walk but first had to check out the sky to see if you were going to get caught in the rain? Which way are the clouds moving?  Should I take a chance? Well, in today’s passage from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 54, Jesus asks a reasonable question: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the presen...

What is going on in today’s Gospel?  Isn’t Jesus about bringing people together?  Love?  Forgiveness? Why is he talking about causing division? Why does he want to “set the earth on fire?” Listen closely to today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 49 and following. Jesus is not suggesting we go out and start hating our parents, siblings or in-laws! You are going to want to pay cl...

“Gird your loins!” “Light your lamps” Be ready for when Jesus returns so that you can be counted among the faithful. We do not know when Jesus will return.  We don’t know the hour or the day, so in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 12, verse 35, we are given a lesson in being prepared. If you have been thinking about going to church, or wondering what this faith stuff is all about, be sure to take this...

What was the real problem with the Rich Fool in the parable that Jesus told in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 16? Was it so wrong that he had a “bountiful harvest”? Was it so wrong that he was looking forward to the day when he could “rest, eat, drink and be merry”? What does Jesus say will happen to him if he “stores up treasure for himself, but is not rich in what matters to God?” What do...

Do you feel like the walls are tumbling down around you?  Friends have disappointed you, or even left you feeling abandoned? In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word we get a word of encouragement from Paul, who knows a great deal about this very situation.  He finds himself deserted and alone. What is his attitude in the midst of all of this?  How can he help us today, so many centuries later, th...

In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word we jump right into the debate about whether we are saved by faith or works! We only have a couple of minutes, so let’s simplify it.  Tune in to see how we can take a challenging topic, and through the words of Paul in the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 3, cut to the basics. You will not want to miss this!  Be sure to open up your bible, or go online and look...

I don’t like to complain, but, what’s up with exercising when it doesn’t move the dial on the scales?  Surely my walking is making SOME difference, right? Today I talk about doing good, even when you don’t see the results. I suggest that you find what it is that you are being called to do, and try your best to do it.  Don’t let the apparent littleness of it stop you.  Don’t...

Have you ever wondered where we can find evidence of God?  My reflection today on the Letter to Romans has the answer! Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome and he makes the logical argument that the world around us gives evidence of God, because “God made it evident to them!” I am so excited to talk about this passage and I hope you will be inspired to really think about this.  Ma...

Let’s talk about that clutter! Do you have closets, or a garage, or even a basement full of STUFF?  What is it doing to your peace of mind, and WHY aren’t you doing anything about it? Often the massive overflow filling up our homes can become a burden, one that stands between us and God!  How is that possible?  What’s the connection? Why is simplicity important? Listen in as I ta...

Today we get to listen in to a conversation between Jesus and a scholar.  The scholar is steeped in Mosaic law, but he asks Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus turns the question back to him.  Tune in to find out how their discussion ends and what it means for us today. Have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidyinspirations.wordpress....

In today’s reflection we are encouraged by Paul in his Second Letter to Timothy to “stir into flame” the gift that God has given us. Before we can do that, there is one very important, foundational thing we must do.  Are you prepared?  Do you know what you must do first? Maybe you don’t feel you know enough to talk about God with others.  Maybe you are afraid you will end u...

Oh my!  Today’s big list of sins given in the Book of Baruch cause us to reflect on the ways that we too may “not heed the voice of the Lord,” or follow our own hearts and do evil in the sight of God. Let’s see what our list looks like and how we can begin to improve it so that when the time comes, we are not only aware of our sins, but can happily say we tried to turn away...

Do you ever feel like you are living in a foreign land, like the people mourning and weeping along the river in Babylon? Do you ever feel like they did, when others ask you for a new song, but you feel as though you have hung up your harp? As we explore Psalms 137 and 138, we move from mourning and weeping to a grateful heart, where we find that we can sing again!  We discover that the Lord does n...

In today’s passage we find Jesus “resolutely determined” to journey to Jerusalem, but what happens when he and his disciples encounter a Samaritan village? What are the two things his disciples want to do in response? Jesus teaches them, as he does us today, how we are to respond when we are rejected. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com johnseven38@yahoo.com  

The point to today’s podcast is to encourage us to evaluate our behavior towards other people to be sure that we are not an obstacle to someone coming to faith. How do you respond when you meet someone whose life choices are contrary to the Gospel? What about that person who is “unappealing to our senses” or is crushed and broken by life? Do you want them sitting next to you in church? Will you st...

Dirt, grass and wheat? Yes, that’s the topic of today’s episode of Cassidy Comments!  I hope you will join me as I pull together our deck-building project and the Gospel of John! What are the special ingredients it takes for us to grow and mature? Are we supposed to hate our life? How in the world did our deck get built 7 ½ inches off square? Tune in to find out the answers to all of these questio...

In today’s episode of Cassidy Comments I offer my response to the idea that “sadness is not a Christian attitude” as mentioned in an article from the website Vatican News quoting Pope Francis. What is the Pope saying?  Is he implying that Christians cannot/should not be sad?  Is that even possible? I dig a little deeper and check out some scriptural references and uncover the relationship between...

Have you ever been faced with a change that was hard for you to accept?  Would you agree that sometimes change can be pretty messy? In today’s episode of Cassidy Comments I recall a change the Catholic Church made in regards to standing after receiving Holy Communion and then I move into the current difficulty we have today as a civil body struggling to become unified. I highlight the most importa...

In today’s episode of Cassidy Comments I hope you will find a little fun history and maybe some inspiration.  Listen in as I talk about a favorite quote of mine and the surprising history I learned about it. I discovered after all these years, the quote is not only inaccurate, but has been popularly attributed to the wrong person!  Who knew that President Roosevelt’s friendship with a Virgin...

In today’s edition of Cassidy Comments, I cover a lot of ground!  I’ll be talking about decision-making, morality and even proof of the existence of God!  That’s a lot to take in but I’m confident you will find something here that will help you as you face the question, “Which Path Should I Take?” As always, I invite you to leave me a comment on my blog or share our own method for deci...

Join me for this thought-provoking reflection on what it means to work within a church environment versus how we serve God in ordinary ways in our daily life.  I talk about a musician I met who works with youth in a “pop-up” church, consider what Jesus had to say about acting from a rock solid foundation, and finally, I offer the words of St. Theresa of Avila as evidence that disciples are needed...