Daily Gospel Meditations - Saint John Society

Why did Christ reproach the towns where He conducted his mission? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does God want you to use the graces and blessings He is giving you at this time? Are there ways in which self-complacency can pose a spiritual danger for you?

How can Jesus ask us to love him more than family? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How does this passage resonate with you? What are the conflicts you need to accept as part of your journey as a disciple? Are there tensions, however, that don’t result from faith, but rather from your own sinfulness? What does it mean for you to place Christ above other relationships? What asp...

The mission of the Twelve - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you had the experience of growing as a disciple when being sent to others? How can you relate that experience to what takes place in this gospel? How is Jesus calling you to give of yourself in your current situation?

The temptations that stem from fear - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What do those fears tell you about what you love and value most? How can you start challenging those fears, so as to place your Christian identity as the most important thing in your life?

The paradox of a peaceful conquest - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What examples of simplicity and shrewdness do you find most inspiring in Christ and in the saints? What skills or virtues is Jesus encouraging you to cultivate, so that you can bear fruit in your mission?

How are we supposed to bring the gospel to others? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What is your experience of living in the kingdom of God? How would you explain the novelty of living in Christ to others? In what ways does your life reflect the message of the gospel? Have you ever seen this played out – you or someone you know being an instrument of Christ to bring salvation...

Why did Jesus send his disciples on a mission? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you experienced that distinctive union of wisdom and power in Christianity? Why did God decide to count on us as messengers?

How Jesus dealt with the worst accusations - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What fuels your activity? How is Jesus inviting you to see the outcomes of your activity and to deal with criticism? Invite Jesus today to pour his sentiments into your heart.

A contemplation of the heart of Christ - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Can you think of situations in which you had to address people’s needs or balance many things at once? How do you normally perform in those situations? Now, imagine Christ walking through the same scenario you were in. How would Jesus react? Talk to the Lord about it, telling him what you would like to lea...

How could people in Nazareth reject Jesus? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Has something similar happened to you? How does the Lord invite you to respond to that challenge? What do you learn from Jesus himself in this regard? You can use that challenge from others to reflect on the influence that God’s grace has had in your life: How is that divine influence different from a...

Why were Christ’s disciples not supposed to fast? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. When did you see that transition in you? When did practices cease to be a burden, and become a way to feed the fire the Holy Spirit kindled in you? Are there still old wineskins in you, areas in which practices are a burden, not connected with that fire?

The conversion of St. Matthew - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How was Matthew doing before Jesus called him? How did the Lord make those first inroads into your life? Have you seen Christ reach others through the invitation of friends? Can you distinguish when entering a certain environment can bring the light of Christ, from situations that will simply be walking into tempta...

Why did Jesus heal the paralytic? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. In what way is Jesus encouraging you to bring others to him, and to prepare them for that encounter? How has Jesus healed your soul, your body, your relationships? What does the Lord respond to the voices of unbelief that arise in your heart?

Why did Thomas doubt the resurrection? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What are your own struggles with faith? Do you struggle because it’s hard to believe God can do certain things? Or do you struggle that God has chosen this particular way to convey faith to us? Can you relate to Thomas’ struggles – his jealousy, the comparison with others, his impulsiveness?

Why did Jesus challenge the disciples’ fears? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What storms you’ve sailed through in recent times? What are some of the things Jesus wants to remind you of in response to fears or worries you may have? Why do you think He doesn’t always respond right away, but may be quiet for a season?

The cost of discipleship - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What are your expectations in following Christ? Have you seen some of these misguided expectations play out and show their consequences in situations you have seen? What wisdom do you find in what Jesus answered these men?

The right balance between peace and involvement - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. With which of the characters in this gospel do you identify? Imagine you accompany the Lord in the shoes of that character. How do these events resonate with you? What does the Lord want you to understand about his salvation?

The complementary charisms of Peter and Paul - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Why do you think Jesus decided to endow the Church with these different charisms and promises? In what ways has the Church illumined and sustained you in your faith journey?

How can broken people live the law of the gospel? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. In seeking to live out the sermon of the mount, what obstacles and weaknesses do you find in you? How has the Lord already helped you bear those weaknesses? What do you ask him now? What does He ask of you now?

The house built on rock - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What elements in your life show that you are consistent in seeking the will of God? Are there areas you need to address to bring your life in line with the Lord’s teaching? What are those good beginnings that could give you a false sense of security, if they are not backed up by a consistent behavior?

How are we to discern false prophets? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How can you grow in your ability to discern people’s moral character? Do you tend to err on the side of distrusting too much, or of trusting too quickly, or in an unqualified way? What attitude would the Lord want in you?

Why the golden rule is not so simple - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. In your path of spiritual growth, have you noticed a shift in the kind of good things you want for others? Are there areas in which you already experience this law of growth in the spiritual life: that the road feels narrow in the beginning, and then it broadens? Why is Jesus pointing out these things to you...

Why does God create interconnected stories? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you seen instances of God’s interventions in your life, or in stories you’ve heard or read about? What have you learned from those? What keys can you find in this passage about why such interventions can be missed, or misinterpreted, or, on the contrary, used in a good way?

What did Jesus teach by calming the storm? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Does this event resonate with you? Have you been through rough times recently? What would you be inclined to say to God in those situations? Is there something that God wanted you to learn from navigating through some storm?

Seek first the kingdom of God - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Are there areas in your life in which you still need to give God the first place? Have you seen God’s providence at work in your life in recent times? If confidence in God’s providence prevailed in your heart over anxiousness about the future, what kind of decisions would you make? What would your life look like?