The BreadCast

(Dn.3:25,34-43; Ps.25:4-9; Mt.18:21-35) "With contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received." The Lord "guides the humble to justice, He teaches the humble His way," and so it is the prayer of these He receives; upon them He showers His mercy. For His mercy is His justice and it is known by those who humbly share the same. Azariah makes his prayer for mercy for his people Israel who suffer t...

O patient and loving soul who cared for both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor and the sick, who with a gentle word would rebuke sins and heal division and with a gentle touch bind the wounds and smooth the beds of the ill in your home and in hospital, who saw that remedies for the soul, the Bread of life and holy Confession, were available, too, through the hands of a priest – who care...

(2Kgs.5:1-15; Ps.42:2-3,43:3-4; Lk.4:24-30) "There is no God in all the earth, except in Israel." "There is a prophet in Israel," brothers and sisters, and this prophet is God. Jesus Christ has come, salvation from the Jews. Do you recognize Him? Will you accept Him? It is only in "the waters of Israel" that we are made clean. As wonderful as may be the waters of our native land, it matters not, f...

O servant of love whom the angels knew to be of God for your blessed care of the poor and the sick and all the needy pilgrims who came to you in abundance that you might be the greater blest by what you did for the least of Christ's brothers, you who turned from the world to absolute service of the Lord and complete trust in His providence – please pray that our hearts may be enlarged and we find...

(Ex.17:3-7; Ps.95:1-2,6-9; Rom.5:1-2,5-8; Jn.4:5-42) "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst." What is this "spring of water welling up to eternal life" but the Holy Spirit come upon us, the Truth of God in our midst through the blessed sacrifice of the Son for us "while we were still sinners." Brothers and sisters, "the lo...

O blessed martyrs who willingly and happily suffered a cruel death by the teeth of beasts and the point of a sword, all for love of Jesus – how can we match your faith; where shall we find the strength you displayed in ecstasy at tortures devised by the wicked of this earth, and can we call ourselves Christian otherwise? Pray for us, dear martyrs, that the Lord will bless us with such favor as you...

(Mic.7:14-15,18-20; Ps.103:1-4,8-12; Lk.15:1-3,11-32) "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was deeply moved." "He ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him." Amen. Such is the forgiveness of the Lord, that even while we are far from Him, yet while we are sinners, He sees our hearts turn to Him and welcomes us into His embrace. We have all...

(Gn.37:3-4,12-13,17-28; Ps.105:5,16-21; Mt.21:33-43,45-46) "They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver." "The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone of the structure." Hear what Scripture says. As he who was "sold as a slave" by his brothers became "lord of [the king's] house and ruler of all his possessions," so He whom the elders of the people could call "...

(Jer.17:5-10; Ps.1:1-4,6,40:5; Lk.16:19-31) "He is like a tree planted beside the waters, that stretches out its roots to the stream." "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord." For he shall be like the tree "that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade." He shall never be "like a barren bush in the desert" or "like chaff which the wind drives away." N...

O patron of the impoverished who though son of a king counted yourself among the poor in spirit, you whose love abundantly flowed to all in need, who sought the purity of our Blessed Mother, who thirsted for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, who devoted yourself to prayer and constant works of charity – teach us this day to be pure and set our hearts on serving the poor that we too might come to...

(Jer.18:18-20; Ps.31:5-6,14-17; Mt.20:17-28) "Can you drink of the cup I am to drink of?" Do you know what He asks, brothers and sisters? And do you know where it leads? In our gospel today, Jesus is very deliberate in His instruction to His apostles. As He starts out "to go up to Jerusalem," where the chief priests and scribes "will condemn Him to death" and the Romans crucify Him, He takes "the...

O mother to the poor and disadvantaged, missionary to those in your own country isolated from their neighbors because of the color of their skin, some who lived upon the land long before those who oppressed them, others brought to this land in chains… you who sought to break the chains of ignorance and poverty, who gave your treasure and the riches of your soul that those without might find a home...

(Is.1:10,16-20; Ps.50:8-9,16-17,21,23; Mt.23:1-12) "To him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God." "Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good." For it is only following in the way of the Lord we shall be saved; for mere words, vain pretense, the Lord has no patience. Indeed it is so, what Isaiah proclaims: "Though your sins be like scarlet, t...

(Dn.9:4-10; Ps.79:8-9,11,13,103:10; Lk.6:36-38) "Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name's sake." It is a cry for forgiveness our psalmist makes to our compassionate God. "Remember not against us the iniquities of the past," he begs, seeking release from sin's prison for himself and his people. And Daniel does the same; acknowledging with full throat the sins of Judah and all Israel, he seeks...

(Gn.12:1-4a; Ps.33:4-5,18-20,22; 2Tm.1:8b-10; Mt.17:1-9) "Rise, and do not be afraid." Here in the midst of the darkness we drink in during this Lenten Season comes a light shining to assure our hearts of the promise that is ours. The Lord's Transfiguration is presented to us this day to lead us through all the tribulations of the cross to the resurrection, which is our holy goal. "Beloved: Bear y...

(Dt.26:16-19; Ps.119:1-2,4-5,7-8; Mt.5:43-48) "You will be a people sacred to the Lord, your God." The promise made to the Israelites through Moses is also a command, and is fulfilled in the command of Jesus. In our first reading Moses tells the people the Lord will raise them "high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations," but makes it clear that this shall be so only as long as th...

(Ez.18:21-28; Ps.130:1-8; Mt.5:20-26) "Settle with your opponent while on your way to court with him." We are all on our way to court, brothers and sisters. The judgment of the Lord awaits us all on the Last Day, and the Last Day is upon us here at the end of the age. There is no time to lose; we must be "reconciled with [our] brother"; we must turn from sin today and find the Lord's grace. "With...

(Est. C:12,14-16,23-25; Ps.138:1-3,7-8; Mt.7:7-12) "My Lord, our King, you alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you." In our gospel we have today a few of our Lord's most famous words: "Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you." Jesus encourages us to faithfulness in prayer, assuring all that our "heavenly Father [will] give good...

(Jon.3:1-10; Ps.51:3-4,12-13,18-19; Lk.11:29-32) "At the preaching of Jonah they reformed." Let us learn from the people of Ninevah, who heeded the message of repentance given Jonah. At Jonah's cry they "believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth." Even the king "laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes" in hopes of aver...

(Is.55:10-11; Ps.34:4-7,16-19; Mt.6:7-15) "Give us today our daily bread." Our daily bread comes from the mouth of God; it is His Word that nourishes us. His Word "water[s] the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats." By His Word our spiritual lives are anointed with holiness; the breath of His mouth makes us whole, and so we become fruitful in...

O disciple of John and shepherd who drank deeply of the cup of Christ's suffering, you who bore both the burden of a long life and the pain of a violent death yet remained faithful till the end – pray that the fire into which we are cast we may also endure as the sacrifice of Jesus and so find it fruitful, and so find it blessed… and so rejoice in the witness we are granted to give in the name of...

(Lv.19:1-2,11-18; Ps.19:8-10,15,Jn.6:63; Mt.25:31-46) "As often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me." "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Such is the golden rule and the second of the greatest commandments, which is like unto the first: Love God. And the union of the two is made evident by Jesus in our gospel today; He makes clear that what we do to others we do t...

O Rock of the Church, leader of God's people to whom the Father has revealed the divinity of His Son and on whom the Son has therefore built His Church, giving you the keys to the kingdom, the power to bind and loose both on earth and in Heaven, that the ship you steer might conquer all Satan's power by the power of the Spirit with which you serve your brothers, secure in the blessed protection an...

(Gn.2:7-9,3:1-7; Ps.51:3-6,12-14,17; Rm.5:12-19; Mt.4:1-11) "Just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous." And what obedience Jesus shows in His temptations. For He was weakened, "He was hungry" after His forty-day fast in the desert, and the devil came at Him with all his power. But He does not f...

O blessed reformer of the Church who by a holy austerity cleansed your soul of the corruption of this world and served by example to lead others to a religious life – teach us this day of the chastising hand of God and the suffering which leads to joy, that in the will of the Lord we might all be purged of our dross and come to the kingdom of Heaven. Pray that we, too, might realize and so benefit...