The BreadCast

O great Shepherd, watchman of the House of God and protector of His flock, though in the monastery you would have stayed, when called to the Chair of Peter you guided the Church well through difficult times – pray that as difficult days continue a firm hand may continue to be found at the helm of MotherChurch. O pray that the faith be strengthened, that the Rock upon which this House is set will r...

(Col.1:1-8; Ps.52:10-11; Lk.4:38-44) "And He continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea." The Word goes forth, bringing healing to the hearts of the faithful. The Word goes forth, ever growing among the people. As "the message of truth, the Gospel… has come to [the Colossians], has borne fruit, and has continued to grow," so "it has everywhere in the world." As Jesus has set out "into the open...

(1Thes.5:1-6,9-11; Ps.27:1,4,13-14; Lk.4:31-37) "Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord." The Word of the Lord has all "authority and power." The Word of the Lord casts out demons. The Word of the Lord brings light to the soul who seeks Him. In Him we have no fear. He comes, brothers and sisters; yes, He comes… As He entered the synagogue in Galilee and cast out the...

(1Thes.4:13-18; Ps.96:1,3-5,11-13; Lk.4:16-30) "He comes to rule the earth." He is coming, and has come. He set us free from the prison of sin when first He came, and will set us free from death when He comes again and "we shall be with the Lord unceasingly." In our gospel we read of His first coming "to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives…" Fulfilling the words of the...

(Sir.3:17-18,20,28-29; Ps.68:4-7,10-11; Heb.12:18-19,22-24a; Lk.14:1,7-14) "Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God." Is this not the message of Jesus' parable in today's gospel, and indeed of all our readings – and indeed the essence of our Christian lives? "Take the lowest place." Exalt not yourself in the sight of God, who sits at table with you, whose pr...

(1Thes.4:9-12; Ps.98:1,7-9; Mt.25:14-30) "Those who have, will get more until they grow rich, while those who have not, will lose even the little they have." Again, brothers and sisters, we must always grow in the gifts and graces of the Lord, never looking down upon what He gives us as too little (or too much), but ever putting such talents to use that they might produce an abundant yield and bri...

O witness to the Truth, to the Light that has come among us, you gave your very life and death for the sake of Christ, who redeemed us in His blood, blood you shed with your Savior; you who were a pillar of iron against the whole land and against its king, you who stood so strong against the lust of the world, suffering its persecution so willingly, fortified even in death by the Lord and His prom...

(1Thes.4:1-8; Ps.97:1-2,5-6,10-12; Mt.25:1-13) "God has not called us to immorality but to holiness." And so, "keep your eyes open" and "make still greater progress" in the path that leads to His kingdom. Your lights shining brightly as you await His return, be ready to enter His marriage feast. "It is God's will that you grow in holiness," Paul instructs us in our first reading. "Conduct yourselv...

O shepherd made anew by Him who is within, Him who made us all, the Light above and beyond every soul who gave His life, His flesh as food that we might live – pray that the Lord and God of all will break through our deafness and dispel our blindness, that He will breathe His fragrant Spirit upon us and we too will be created anew, saved by His grace from the sin that has kept us from Him and thir...

(1Thes.3:7-13; Ps.90:3-4,12-14,17; Mt.24:42-51) "Stay awake, therefore! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming." And what is it to stay awake, to be ready, but to do as Paul exhorts the Thessalonians in our first reading: to continue to grow in holiness until that day we meet with the Lord. This is our essential call. Here we are, having been converted to the Lord, having found faith in God a...

O tearful mother whose persistent cries for the soul of your son were heard in time by the Lord our God and so led to his conversion, to his becoming not only a Catholic Christian but a bishop and doctor of the Church, a saint like yourself – pray for the prayers of all mothers who cry for their wayward sons; pray indeed that all souls may turn and come to know so deeply the love of our Lord and G...

1Thes.2:9-13; Ps.139:1,7-12; Mt.23:27-32) "Make your lives worthy of the God who calls you to His kingship and glory." God is our Father, and those who preach "God's good tidings" love us "as a father does his children," for their message is "not as the word of men" but truly "the word of God at work within [those] who believe." Come to the Lord's table. Eat of His Body, drink of His Blood. Become...

(1Thes.2:1-8; Ps.139:1-6; Mt.23:23-26) "First cleanse the inside of the cup so that its outside may be clean." The Lord rails against the Pharisees again today, calling them from false practice to genuine faith; and in Paul we again see the paragon of true ministry in the Lord's Name. In our gospel the Lord calls the Pharisees "frauds," for they have the appearance of holiness in clothing and post...

O guardian angel of poor children who formed them in the image of Christ, an education of body and soul you provided those most in need, those most impressionable and thirsting for the Lord's care, and led so many others in this work for the least of our brothers – pray we shall become fellow workers with Jesus in the cause of truth and teach with deep love, the greatest patience, and profound hum...

O loyal subject of the Lord and of His Church on earth, though a king you did not exalt yourself but listened rather to the words of your Savior and chose to serve Him, doing His work in this world: the poor you cared for, your children you raised in the teaching of Christ, and for all those in your reign you sought true justice and maintained concern for their spiritual welfare – pray we poor sou...

(1Thes.1:2-5,8-10; Ps.149:1-6,9; Mt.23:13-22) "You turned to God from idols, to serve Him who is the living and true God." Contrast is at the heart of today's readings again. The faith of the Thessalonians and the inspired preaching of Paul are in distinct opposition to the empty ways and words of the scribes and Pharisees. In our first reading Paul praises the Thessalonians, who are "laboring in...

O apostle of the Lamb, man without guile led by love to the Lord, you who declared Jesus Son of God and King of Israel, whose eyes of faith were illumined by angels' wings – pray we shall be found by the Christ under our fig tree in peace, in prayer, and carry with you His holy Gospel to the very ends of the earth. With you as a foundation stone, one of the Twelve, may the Bride of the Lamb be led...

(Is.66:18-21; Ps.117:1-2,Mk.16:15; Heb.12:5-7,11-13; Lk.13:22-30) "People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God." "I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory," even those of "distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory," says the Lord. The Word goes forth. The...

O penitential soul whose eyes saw the Lord, whose ears heard His voice calling all to the Cross, obediently you accepted the afflictions that are necessary to attain union with God and His surpassing glory – pray that fearful souls like our own, which turn in complaint from every torment and trouble, however small, may be blessed with a measure of your selfless devotion, that the unfathomable trea...

(Ruth 2:1-3,8-11,4:13-17; Ps.128:1-5; Mt.23:1-12) "The greatest among you will be the one who serves the rest." Today we can contrast the faith of Ruth with the Pharisees' of Jesus' time. In our first reading, Ruth says to her mother-in-law Naomi, "Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field of anyone who will allow me that favor." She puts herself at ready service in all humility, despite the...

O Queen of Heaven and earth, you radiate the glory of God, for now you stand at His right Hand in the heavenly kingdom. Clothed with the sun, the moon under your feet and a crown of twelve stars upon your head, you give light to all souls who thirst for the grace our Lord and King pours upon us through your intercession. O how the angels rejoiced, how the heavens rang with praise when the Son led...

(Ruth 1:1,3-6,14-16,22; Ps.146:2,5-10; Mt.22:34-40) "Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God." How well our readings harmonize this day. Jesus speaks plainly to the keepers of the law the greatest commandments – total love of God and neighbor – and Ruth puts them into practice for our witness. And our psalm sings the praises o...

O simple priest who became Shepherd of the universal Church and defended her with courage against the errors of the age, you did not waver before the powers that would dilute the purity of the teaching of our Mother but stood strong against the tide attempting to wash her away – are we not yet threatened by falsehood and sin being held up as good, and so do we not yet need your spirit and your pra...

(Jgs.11:29-39; Ps.40:5,7-10; Mt.22:1-14) "You have made a vow to the Lord. Do with me as you have vowed." As with the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is blessed not so much for giving birth to Jesus – or consecrating herself to God as a virgin – as for hearing and doing the word of God, being the handmaiden of the Lord extraordinaire… so the Lord delights not in "sacrifice and oblation," per se, but in "...

O great light of the Church who by word and work inspired your brothers and so many others to a life of virtue, to peace and unity with one another and an abiding love for our Lord and His Mother – teach us this day, O blessed preacher, of the way in which Jesus calls us, of the life and love God offers if we but respond in kind in our weak and limited manner. To all souls in His holy Church and t...