Catholic Daily Reflections

Read Online It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Luke 5:12 What a perfect prayer! This leper, likely shunned by the townspeople, including his own family, had been reduced to a life of isolation and rejection. Some might have pitied him,...

Read Online Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. Luke 4:14–15 This passage from Luke’s Gospel takes place immediately after Jesus was baptized by John and spent forty days in the desert, enduring and overcoming the temptations of the evil one. He returned to Galilee “in the po...

Read Online “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6:50–52 When Jesus appeared to the Apostles, walking on the sea, they were filled with fear. His words to them are the same words He speaks to us: “Take cou...

Read Online By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” Mark 6:35–36 It is wise to be practical, realistic, and pragmatic. But when it comes to Christ and our call to participate in His divine mission, pragmati...

Read Online [Jesus] went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Dec...

Read Online When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1–3 Why did God use a star to reveal the birth of the King of Kings...

Read Online John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John 1:29–31 Though John grew up in the hill count...

Read Online “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. John 1:26–28 Though John the Baptist prepared the people of Israel for the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he also prepares us to receive the fruit of that ministry...

Read Online The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Luke 2:16–19  At the birth of Christ, the Blessed Mothe...

Read Online In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. John 1:1; 14 The Prologue to John’s Gospel, John 1:1-18, is one of the most profound and theologically rich passages in Scripture. It is both contemplative...

Read Online There was a prophetess, Anna… She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.  And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.  Luke 2:36–38 Like Simeon, Anna was among those “awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” She belonged to the faithful remnant of Israel w...

Read Online When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of t...

Read Online When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. Matthew 2:13–14 Today we honor and ponder the family life of Jesus, M...

Read Online So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled...

Read Online Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.” Matthew 10:17–18 These words capture the essence of the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, whom we honor today. The day after celebrating the birth...

Read Online While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6–7 (Gospel from Mass During the Night) A loving mother and father who experience the birth of their first child receive insight into the sacredness and beauty of thi...

Read Online “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David…” Luke 1:68–69 These words are the beginning of Zechariah’s song of praise, traditionally called the Benedictus , which he prayed as soon as his mouth was opened at the circumcision of his newborn son, John the Baptist...

Read Online When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all w...

Read Online Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior… He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”  Luke 1:46; 52–53 The last two sentences quoted from our Blessed Mother’s song of praise give us much to ponder. She, who is the Mother o...

Read Online Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Matthew 1:20 Joseph knew that the penalty for adultery was death by stoning. His heart must have been deeply conflicted. On one hand, t...

Read Online In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:26–29 The phrase...

Read Online But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Luke 1:13–15 Unlike Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Zechariah doubted the angel of the Lord’s r...

Read Online When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Matthew 1:24 The human person is a fascinating subject of study. Throughout the ages, countless philosophers, theologians, and social scientists have sought to understand the complexities of human nature. Within the Catholic philosophical tradition, Saint Thomas Aquinas stands out as a...

Read Online The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham… Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.” Matthew 1:1; 17 This lengthy list of Abraham’s and David’s descendents, leading to Jesus, is much mo...

Read Online “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” Matthew 21:28–31 Jesus addressed this questi...