Daily Gospel Meditations - Saint John Society

Jesus’ words will not pass away - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you experienced the passing character of some challenges, and the enduring character of what God has done in those moments? What positive signs have you seen that anticipate the fulfillment of God’s kingdom? Why does God want each generation to experience these anticipations of the end?

The virtue of gratefulness - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Are you a grateful person? Are you aware of the contrast, of where you would be without Christ? What is it that you are grateful for? How have you used the blessings received to connect with the One who gave them?

Why opposition can feel so disorienting - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What does rejection look like in your own life? What could your testimony be like in those situations? What grace do you need from Christ?

The grace to be gained in times of crisis - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What are the certainties that provide you with stability? Have you experienced the collapse or failure of worldly securities? How have those failures helped your spiritual growth?

The offering of the poor widow - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Why does Jesus want to remind you that He notices you? Is vanity a spiritual danger for you? What is that area of your life in which Jesus wants you to give him you two small coins? Why is that important for him?

Jesus brought a new understanding of power and leadership - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What is the kind of leadership that has been most inspiring to you? What then is the kind of leadership the Lord wants you to develop? Is your path excessively influenced by negative voices? How can you use your influence to lift others up?

Why did the Sadducees reject the invisible world? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How is God encouraging you to choose him and his vision over other predominant worldviews? What provides you with encouragement to choose Christ’s view for your life?

Why did Jewish authorities oppose the cleansing of the Temple? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Is there something that you want Jesus to purify in the temple of your heart? Are there instances in which jealousy or pride get the best of you? What is the root of that? Are you being proactive in carrying out the tasks He has placed under your care?

What can we learn from Christ’s tears? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What causes him to feel that way? And then, what are the instances in which He could have cried and lamented, and did not? Think about yourself: what are the things you usually lament or even cry about? Is that lamenting Christ-like? What motivates those tears?

How to handle character flaws - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What responsibilities has the Lord entrusted you with? How are you responding to them? Is fear keeping you from investing your gold coins? Do you see this pattern in your life, that prior good performance led to your being entrusted with more?

The conversion of Zacchaeus - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does this story resonate with your own faith journey? What graces have you received from God based on past steps of faithfulness on your part? How did your perception of God’s ways change as you came closer to Christ?

The healing of the blind beggar - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does this story resonate with your own spiritual journey? What has the Lord enabled you to see more clearly? How does living for Christ feel different from living for yourself? How are you utilizing the talents that came to life in you with your conversion?

The signs that anticipate the end - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you faced situations that anticipated the end for you? What did you learn from those? What is Jesus inviting you to do to be more firmly rooted in him in times of upheaval?

The parable of the judge and the widow - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Do I really trust God’s character? Do I trust his goodness? In what way may the Lord be challenging me to expand my prayer? Or to be more perseverant? Has weariness entered my heart? Has lack of trust entered my heart? What should I say to the Lord?

Why is it difficult to think of the Second Coming as a reality? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Where is your heart and your security? What is the Lord asking of you, so that your life is grounded in Him?

Why does the Bible use the image of a kingdom? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How is it that the internal and external dimensions of the kingdom of God nurture each other? Can this gospel help you understand how the kingdom of God has entered your own life? How would Jesus want you to strengthen your belonging to his kingdom?

The healing of the ten lepers - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What new possibilities have you received by God’s grace in your life? In what ways receiving salvation has opened a door for you to know God? How have you taken advantage of that opportunity to know him and to serve him?

Why would Jesus say we are unprofitable servants? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does this teaching apply to you? Do you think you could be tempted to some entitlement, or to forgetting the privilege it is to know Christ and serve him? Can you think of some saint or role model that embodies the right attitude toward God in this regard?

Could we be causing others to sin? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does your behavior impact others, for good or evil? Are there people who depend on you to find moral guidance? How would the Lord want you to respond to situations in which others around you are acting poorly? Have you seen how God’s grace can transform the hearts of people?

Why did Jesus expel vendors from the Temple? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How is Jesus challenging you to purify your heart and your worship? How has He purified your worship already, by uniting you to his own sacrifice? Is anger a problem in your life? How is Jesus inviting you to purify the way you address wrongdoing?

The true wealth of the kingdom - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Do you perceive your possessions as a means to serve, or as an end in itself? How is Jesus encouraging you to make friends with what you have? What is true wealth in your eyes? What is the image of a successful life for you?

Lessons on prudence from children of this world - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. In what instances do you see Jesus as a model of prudence? How could you apply these lessons to the prudential pursuit of good goals? In what ways is Jesus encouraging you to apply these elements of prudence, so as to grow in this virtue?

The parables of mercy - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How did Christ seek you out when you were lost? To whom is He sending you now? What’s the change of heart that needs to take place in you, so that you have the same interests Jesus has?

Could Jesus really be asking us to hate our families? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What does it mean for you to give God the first place in your life? What are the fears that Jesus is inviting you to confront? Have you been able to persevere in spite of the opposition you’ve found around you? What fruits have come out of that perseverance?

The spiritual problem of acedia - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Do you recall your capacity to connect with God at a young age, if that happened? Did some experiences lead you to forget that joy? How was it rekindled in you? Are there activities, possessions, relationships, that may weaken your love for Christ, because of the way you live them out?