Daily Gospel Meditations - Saint John Society

The Beatitudes - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How is the Lord speaking to you through the beatitudes today? Which of them do you see reflected most clearly in the heart of Jesus? Which is the one that describes you best? Which is the one you need the most?

Why did Jesus give us his Body and Blood? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How have scarcity or abundance led you to give greater value to your relationship with God? How does the Eucharist nourish your connection with him? Why is the Eucharist life-giving, yet not conflict-free?

The danger of seeking wealth and attention - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. 1. Imagine the scene of the gospel for a moment. 2. Place yourself in both scenarios: think what it would be like to be noticed by everyone, but not known by Christ. Then imagine you are acknowledged by Christ, but ignored by many in the world. Then say to the Lord that you choose the path of being ack...

Why does it matter that the Messiah is greater than David? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How has God’s salvation been manifested in your life and in the life of people you know? How has that salvation gone above and beyond human expectations? What are those side-effects of salvation that are good outcomes even for this life?

The central role of love in Christian life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What needs to be redirected in your life, so as to reflect the order of love that Jesus teaches? In what ways is Jesus encouraging you to connect love of God and neighbor, and also love and worship?

The difficulty of imagining heaven - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Compare how your life was before encountering Jesus to how it is now that you walk with him. How does the new situation of living in Christ help you understand a bit better what heaven is like? Do you find anticipations of heaven in that new life you have in Christ?

Can you be part of this world as a Catholic? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Do you find yourself in a similar situation at times, when others tell you that you cannot be a Catholic and be part of the 21st century? How can you find a Christ-like balance, so as to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God? Who can you think of as a role-model in str...

The temptation to seize the vineyard - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What aspects of the wisdom of God stand out to you in this parable? In what ways does this parable provide helpful warnings? How is Jesus inviting you to await the renewal He wants to bring to his Church?

The Trinity and Personal Giving - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What aspects of God’s personal giving to us are especially meaningful to you? In what ways does sin undermine or distort personal giving? When has your life been enhanced by the personal giving of others? How are you called to give of yourself to others?

The integrity required to challenge Jesus - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Are there similar gray areas in my life? Are there aspects in which I choose to remain ambiguous, because I don’t want to take a stance that is unpopular, or face hard questions? Could Jesus turn the tables on me in a similar way? Do I have the integrity and purity of intention to question him? What ste...

Omissions that lead to spiritual barrenness - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What resonates with you when you reflect on these actions and teachings of Jesus? Are there spiritual gifts or opportunities that you have received, but are not bearing fruit? Do you find that any of the obstacles to prayer referenced here could be crippling your prayer life?

What does Bartimaeus’ healing represent? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Is your life diminished in some sense because there are steps you are reluctant to take? How has Jesus opened your eyes? Have you fully embraced the consequences of the grace Jesus has given you?

What we can learn from Mary’s visitation - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What doors has the Lord opened for you, so that you get to share your faith journey with others? What traits do you find especially inspiring in Mary and Elizabeth? Is there anything in their character that the Lord is encouraging you to imitate?

The rewards of those who venture things for Christ - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What things have you risked or given up to follow Christ? In what ways have you experienced that paradox of receiving from the Lord the true measure of those things you had given up to follow him?

Mary, our mother in the order of grace - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. In what ways have you grown in union with Christ, so as to partake of his sufferings and of his joys, as Mary did? Imagine you are the one at the foot of the cross, and that Mary receives you as her son, as her daughter.

Why did Christ sent his Spirit upon his disciples? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What calls your attention in the way the Holy Spirit works? Have you seen signs of the Holy Spirit in you or others in recent times? What dimension of the action of the Holy Spirit resonates with you?

The temptation to compare ourselves with others - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Are there areas in your life in which you feel insecure, or you tend to compare yourself with others? What does Jesus say in response to those voices? How does He encourage you? What is it that matters to him?

“Simon, do you love me?” - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Imagine this scene in all its details. Then, imagine you are Peter and Jesus asks you these questions. Do you love me? How can you show Jesus your love for him? How could your love for him grow?

What does Jesus ask for when He prays for us? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What does each of these gifts Jesus prayed for mean to you? What is keeping you from receiving them? How would your life look like if you received a greater portion of these gifts?

What does Jesus mean by asking that his disciples be consecrated? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. How has Jesus protected you and watched over you? How has the message of Christ transformed you and led you to live in a way that is distinctive? In what ways has the Lord consecrated you, that is, established you solidly in faith?

What did Jesus say when He prayed? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. So, in this meditation, you may imagine yourself at the end of your life in this world, looking back on your life the way Jesus does in this prayer. How would you like to summarize your life? Imagine Jesus speaking to the Father about you. What are the good things He says? What do you find most inspiring in th...

Signs of spiritual growth - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Where are you in your spiritual journey? Can you identify some steps of growth you have taken? What is still lacking? Where is Jesus pointing next? Where do you get your identity from? How can you become more rooted in the Father?

How could the apostles doubt when seeing Christ? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Have you yourself experienced that mixture of awe and doubt? What is Jesus showing you by the fact that He entrusted his own mission to his apostles? What does that teach you about God, about you, and about his plan for your life?

What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. Imagine in this meditation that Jesus is praying before the Father. What do you imagine him saying? How could your prayer become more Christ-like? What do you think would change in you if your outlook and intentions were more like those of Christ?

How to assess joy and sorrow in the spiritual life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today’s readings. What have been some movements of joy and of sadness in recent times? What is the cause of those joys and sorrows? Is there something that Jesus wants to teach you through those movements in your heart?