The BreadCast

O blessed martyr who died in the cathedral, murdered by the king of this world as you defended the Chair of Peter and the true faith of the Church – where can we find bishops like yourself; how shall the Church be led without holy apostles willing to give their lives as Christ, in whose place they stand? Pray for us, devout shepherd, that many will be inspired by your example to follow in the foot...

(1Jn.2:3-11; Ps.96:1-3,5-6,11; Lk.2:22-35) "The way we can be sure we are in union with Him is if one who claims to abide in Him conducts himself just as He did." "The darkness is over and the real light begins to shine," and we must live in that light. "My eyes have witnessed your saving deed displayed for all peoples to see," declares Simeon in his prophecy over the Christ child. "In accord with...

O three holy persons united as one in the humble home at Nazareth, Mary and Joseph with God's only Son… who became your Son, who became our Son, who became our Brother in all things human and shared with you the food of your table and the dust beneath your feet – you are our model upon this earth; you we should follow to find new birth in the Spirit, to find ourselves sons of the Father, to be as...

(Sir.3:2-6,12-14; Ps.128:1-5; Col.3:12-21; Mt.2:13-15,19-23) "Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body." A man is a man, a woman is a woman, and children are children – this does not change with time or culture. All are called to be one in the love and sacrifice of Christ; all are one holy family. Why do we find it necessary to make excuses...

O beloved disciple of the Lord who saw Him and touched Him, who believed in Him with all your being, who loved Him so that no love but His surpassed your own – speak to us this day of the Word of life who has come among us, died for us, and been raised from the grave. Continue to proclaim that love which alone saves men from sin, which alone banishes death from our midst; let us share in your love...

(1Jn.1:1-4; Ps.97:1-2,5-6,11-12; Jn.20:2-8) "He saw and believed." And "the eternal life that was present to the Father and became visible to us," which John now proclaims, is Jesus Christ the only Son of God, risen from the dead and present to us now even as He sits with the Father. John has seen Him. He has believed in Him. His "hands have touched" Him and so he "proclaim[s] the word of life" ma...

O first martyr, model of Christ's love and bearer of His Holy Spirit in wisdom and in truth, you who spoke as the Lord Himself and died as He died, with the forgiveness of your persecutors upon your lips and utter trust of the Father in your heart – pray that we too will find the grace and strength to commend our lives into the Father's hands, never holding bitterness toward those who destroy the...

(Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59; Ps.31:3-4,6-8,17,21; Mt.10:17-22) "They proved no match for the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke." The world cannot stand up to the Word of God; even death has no power over those who trust themselves to His Spirit. A model of faith is Stephen. A perfect trust in the Lord made this martyr shine before the persecution of men. He made the Lord his "rock of refuge" and so t...

(Is.52:7-10; Ps.98:1-6; Heb.1:1-6; Jn.1:1-18) "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you." The coming of the One prophesied by Isaiah and hailed by John these many days is fulfilled in our midst at this blessed moment in time. And so in our dark world, the light that is God now shines. "Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the...

(Is.9:1-6; Ps.96:1-3,11-13; Ti.2:11-14; Lk.2:1-14) "Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord." Here is the "infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger"; here is He who saves all from sin, born into our humble humanity. Yes, "a child is born to us, a son is given us," and "upon His shoulder dominion rests." This little one wrapped in our own fl...

(2Sm.7:1-5,8-12,14,16; Ps.89:2-5,27,29; Lk.1:67-79) "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever." The Lord builds a house for us; He is that House. "Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations," the Lord promises David, and accomplishes His word by Himself entering the line of the king. Thus "He has visited and ransomed His people. He has raised a horn...

O holy teacher of the faith and pastor of Christ's flock who instructed with wisdom and led by kindness and humility those in your care and all those around you – teach us today not only to know our faith but to practice it by holiness of life as you have done, so simply, so thoroughly as a child of the Lord. Pray for us and pray for our priests, for whom you are a model of perfection. All yoursel...

(Mal.3:1-4,23-24; Ps.25:4-5,8-10,14,Lk.21:28; Lk.1:57-66) "His name is John." Yes, "the hand of the Lord [was] upon him," whose name signifies the grace of God, who comes at the end of the age to turn men's hearts back to God, who prepares the way we must walk to find the instruction and purgation of the Lord. We must be purified by "the refiner's fire." We must be purged of all dross "like gold o...

(1Sm.1:24-28; 1Sm.2:1,4-8; Lk.1:46-56) "His mercy is from age to age on those who fear Him." The Magnificat of Mary mirrors but, if I may say, far surpasses the Canticle of Hannah in beauty, in wonder, in grace… even as the perfection of the Son she bears far exceeds the blessing of the prophet Samuel. As Jesus brings to fulfillment the greatness of all who came before Him, so Mary's song expresse...

O great defender of the faith, of the clear waters, the wellspring of salvation that flows from the Sacred Heart of our Savior into His holy Church, thus to nourish the world and fill it with truth and wisdom and love… you whom the Lord inspired with apostolic zeal to teach and lead souls along His holy way – teach us today by your gracious intercession to be faithful, to be obedient to the voice...

(Is.7:10-14; Ps.24:1-7,10; Rm.1:1-7; Mt.1:18-24) "God is with us." How shall we "ascend the mountain of the Lord"? How shall we scale the heights and come to know Him as He is, He who "founded [the earth] upon the seas and established it upon the rivers"? Only by the Son, who "will save His people from their sins," are we made ready to stand in His presence. "For it is through the Holy Spirit this...

(Is.7:10-14; Ps.24:1-7,10; Lk.1:26-38) "Blessed are you among women." "The virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and shall name Him Immanuel because 'God is with us.'" "The virgin's name was Mary." And she has given birth to the Savior. "Who may stand in His holy place?" King David sings in our psalm. "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?" Clearly Jesus is He. But as clear is that we are...

(Jgs.13:2-7,24-25; Ps.71:3-6,8,16-17; Lk.1:5-25) "From my mother's womb you are my strength." How the above line from our psalm is reflected both in Samson and in John, and how parallel are the lives of these two great men. Of John it is said, "He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb"; of Samson, "This boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb" and "The Spirit of the Lord...

(Jer.23:5-8; Ps.72:1,7,12-13,18-19; Mt.1:18-24) "He will save His people from their sins." Each of our readings today mentions the salvation of our Lord. The above quote is from our gospel; our psalm states, "The lives of the poor He shall save"; and in our first reading it says, "In His days Judah shall be saved." The very name "Jesus" – as given to Joseph by the angel of the Lord – means "God sa...

(Gn.49:2,8-10; Ps.72:3-4,7-8,17; Mt.1:1-17) "May He rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." Since "the scepter shall never depart from Judah," the reign of Jesus, His descendant, His fulfillment, is without end – He is King forever. And so, "tribute is brought to Him, and He receives the peoples' homage," which is in itself their salvation. Who is this Lion of Judah, fu...

(Zep.3:1-2,9-13; Ps.34:2-3,6-7,17-19,23; Mt.21:28-32) "I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord." All have been "rebellious and polluted"; all have been as she who "hears no voice" and "accepts no correction." But the Lord now comes to "change and purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord...

(Nm.24:2-7,15-17; Ps.25:4-9; Mt.21:23-27) "A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel." And the light of that star is reflected in the eyes of Balaam, who, though a pagan, is gifted by God with the clear vision to see the beauty and wonder of "Israel encamped, tribe by tribe," "like gardens beside a stream," "like the cedars planted by the Lord." And as He is seen in the n...

O mystical doctor – help us by way of the Cross to find wisdom and knowledge of Christ and union with God; let us desire to enter the suffering of the Lord, that by this means we may draw closer to His glorious presence and there remain in joy. Let us fear not the dark night the soul must endure but bear it well, that we might be purged of all blindness; pray the Lord will shine upon us His holy l...

(Is.35:1-6,10; Ps.146:6-10,Is.35:4; Jas.5:7-10; Mt.11:2-11) "Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand." Hope. What hope have we. And so we should "be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord." Indeed, we must endure "the early and the late rains" – having been converted to the Lord we shall be purged of all sin on the last day – but, though "hardship" be...

O bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, in your virginity and in your dying you have given yourself entirely to the Lord of Heaven and earth. O how like Him you were in your purity and in your suffering! and so how close to Him you must be in Heaven – pray that a ray of His light might come to us who sit in darkness, we whose hearts are not as strong as your own. His heavenly light we wish to enter; by...