Author name: Sani

Luke 1:26-28

Let It Be

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

Reflection:

Imagine if the Angel Gabriel, the glorious Archangel who stands before the Most Holy Trinity, were to come to you and announce to you that you were “full of grace” and that “The Lord is with you.” What an indescribable and awe-inspiring experience that would be! And yet this is exactly what happened to this young teenager, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We celebrate today this amazing event that took place, marking the moment when God took on human flesh within her blessed womb. Note that today is nine months before Christmas. The Church gives us this Solemnity today to invite us to walk with Mary over these coming nine months so as to join her in her rejoicing over the birth of her divine Son.

Much could be said about this glorious Solemnity. We could ponder Mother Mary and her Immaculate Conception. We could ponder the very words spoken by the Archangel. We could ponder the mystery surrounding her pregnancy and the way in which God chose to set this gift into motion. And we could ponder so much more. Though all of these aspects are worth fully pondering and praying over, let’s focus upon the reaction of this young woman to the angelic announcement.

First, we read that Mary was “greatly troubled” and “pondered” these words spoken by the Archangel. Being troubled reveals that Mary did not have full knowledge of what the Archangel was revealing. But the fact that she pondered the words also reveals her openness to a fuller understanding. She then seeks a deeper gift of knowledge by asking, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” This response is first an assent of belief in faith followed by a request for a deeper understanding of this revelation. Faith is the ability to assent to that which we do not fully understand, but true faith always seeks a deeper understanding—and this is what Mary did.

After being given some further revelation by the Archangel, Mary fully accepts what was revealed and trusts that what she was told was all she needed to know at that time. And then she offers what has come to be known as her “fiat.” She says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” This fiat of Mary is her perfect prayer of surrender to the will of God, and it is also the perfect model for how we all must respond to the will of God. We must see ourselves as true servants of His will, and we must fully embrace whatsoever God asks of us, completely uniting our wills to His.

Reflect, today, upon these words of our Blessed Mother: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” How is God asking you to make this your prayer also? How is God calling you to serve His most holy will? Are you willing to fully assent to anything and everything God asks of you? As you prayerfully reflect upon this fiat of our Blessed Mother, seek to unite her response to yours so that you, too, will be a servant of the most high God.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/24/let-it-be-4/

Luke 1:26-28 Read More »

Saint Catherine of Sweden

Profile

Catherine was the fourth of the eight children of Saint Bridget of Sweden and Ulf Gudmarsson. She was educated at the convent of Riseberg. She got married by arrangement at age 13 to the pious German noble Eggart von Kürnen. Soon after their marriage, both she and her husband took vows of chastity and continence. She travelled to Rome, Italy in c.1350 to be with her mother. She was widowed soon after.

For the next 25 years, the two women used Rome as a base for a series of pilgrimages, including one to Jerusalem. When at home, they spent their days in prayer and meditation, working with the poor, and teaching them religion. They each had to fend off the unwanted advances of local men, including young lords; during one of these, a wild hind came to Catherine’s defense, chasing off the troublesome, would-be suitor.

When Bridget died, Catherine took her body back to Sweden, burying it at the convent of the Order of the Holy Savior (Brigittines) at Vadstena. Catherine became superior of the Order, and served as abbess. She wrote a devotional work entitled Sielinna Troëst (Consolation of the Soul), but no copies have survived. She attained papal approval of the Brigittine Order in 1375. She worked for the canonization of her mother.

Born

  • 1331 in Sweden

Died

  • 24 March 1381 of natural causes
  • relics translated to Vadstena, Sweden in 1488

Canonized

  • 1484 (cultus confirmed) by Pope Innocent VIII

Patronage

  • against abortions
  • against miscarriages
  • Vadstena, Sweden

Representation

  • Brigittine abbess with a hind at her side
  • Brigittine holding a lily
  • Brigittine dressing a poor man’s wounds
  • Brigittine being brought Communion on her death bed

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-catherine-of-sweden/

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Luke 4:28-30

The Permissive Will of God

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Reflection:

One of the first places Jesus went to begin His public ministry was His own home town. After entering the Synagogue and reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus proclaimed that the prophecy of Isaiah was now fulfilled in His very person. This caused His townspeople to be outraged at Him, thinking He was blaspheming. So they shockingly sought to immediately kill Jesus by driving Him out of their town to the brow of a hill off which they meant to throw Him. But then something fascinating happened. Jesus “passed through the midst of them and went away.”

The Father eventually permitted the grave evil of the death of His Son to take place, but only in His time. It’s unclear from this passage how Jesus was able to avoid being killed right then at the beginning of His ministry, but what’s important to know is that He was able to avoid this because it was not His time. The Father had more for Jesus to do before He would permit Him to offer His life freely for the salvation of the world.

This same reality is true for our own lives. God does permit evil to happen, at times, because of the irrevocable gift of free will. When people choose evil, God will allow them to proceed—but always with a caveat. The caveat is that God only permits evil to be inflicted upon others when that evil is able to be ultimately used for God’s glory and for some form of good. And it is only permitted in God’s time. If we do evil ourselves, choosing sin rather than the will of God, then the evil that we do will end in our own loss of grace. But when we are faithful to God and some external evil is imposed upon us by another, God permits this only when that evil can be redeemed and used for His glory.

The best example of this is, of course, the passion and death of Jesus. A far greater good came forth from that event than the evil itself. But it was only permitted by God when the time was right, in accord with God’s will.

Reflect, today, upon the glorious fact that any evil or any suffering inflicted upon you unjustly can end in the glory of God and the greater salvation of souls. No matter what you may suffer in life, if God permits it, then it is always possible for that suffering to share in the redeeming power of the Cross. Consider any suffering you have endured and embrace it freely, knowing that if God permitted it, then He certainly has some greater purpose in mind. Surrender that suffering over with the utmost confidence and trust and allow God to do glorious things through it.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/23/the-permissive-will-of-god-4/

Luke 4:28-30 Read More »

Third Sunday of Lent

First Reading Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian.
Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.
There an angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in fire
flaming out of a bush.
As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush,
though on fire, was not consumed.
So Moses decided,
“I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,
and see why the bush is not burned.”

When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely,
God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
He answered, “Here I am.”
God said, “Come no nearer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground.
I am the God of your fathers, “ he continued,
“the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”
Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
But the LORD said,
“I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt
and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers,
so I know well what they are suffering.
Therefore I have come down to rescue them
from the hands of the Egyptians
and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land,
a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites
and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites:
I AM sent me to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites:
The LORD, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob,
has sent me to you.

“This is my name forever;
thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11

R. (8a)  The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
            and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
            and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
            heals all your ills,
He redeems your life from destruction,
            crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
The LORD secures justice
            and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
            and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
            slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
            so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
that our ancestors were all under the cloud
and all passed through the sea,
and all of them were baptized into Moses
in the cloud and in the sea.
All ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them,
and the rock was the Christ.
Yet God was not pleased with most of them,
for they were struck down in the desert.

These things happened as examples for us,
so that we might not desire evil things, as they did.
Do not grumble as some of them did,
and suffered death by the destroyer.
These things happened to them as an example,
and they have been written down as a warning to us,
upon whom the end of the ages has come.
Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure
should take care not to fall.

Verse Before the Gospel Matthew 4:17

Repent, says the Lord;
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Gospel Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”

Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm

Third Sunday of Lent Read More »

Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, Bishop

1538–1606; Patron Saint of Peru, Latin American bishops, and native people’s rights; Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on December 10, 1726

On November 16, 1532, a small group of Spanish conquerors captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa in modern-day Peru. The Spaniards arrived in the New World as explorers but were mostly interested in enriching themselves with silver and gold, of which the Incas had plenty. After receiving a room of gold and two rooms of silver as a ransom for Atahualpa, the Spaniards killed him anyway. Then they continued to conquer others, until 1572, when the last of the indigenous rulers was defeated. Despite their Christian heritage, the Spaniards could be brutal; however, their presence enabled missionaries to arrive and begin the work of sharing the Gospel with the native people. In 1541, Pope Paul III established the Diocese of Lima and appointed its first bishop who served for thirty-six years. Today’s saint, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, was born three years before the Diocese of Lima was established (It became an archdiocese in 1546.) and would become Lima’s third archbishop.

Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo (Turibius) was born of noble parents in the town of Mayorga, northwest Spain. He was named after a local fifth-century bishop and saint. Turibius was a devout child. He had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, prayed to her daily, and fasted every Saturday in her honor. He had a heart for the poor and was generous in caring for them. When Turibius was twelve, he was sent to study humanities in Valladolid and was later sent to the University of Salamanca to study law. Turibius’ brilliance quickly became known and caught the attention of King Phillip II, who appointed him as the Grand Inquisitor in Granada in 1571. He was only thirty-three and held that post for five years.

During these first thirty-eight years of Turibius’ life, the Spanish conquerors of the newly colonized lands of Peru were in dire need of moral reformation. Many of the generals acted as tyrants and plunderers, oppressing the indigenous peoples with cruelty. They took their lands, forced them into slave labor, and treated them as if they were subhuman. In 1537, shortly after the conquest of Peru, Pope Paul III issued the papal bull Sublimis Deus. In it, he lamented that some of the conquerors believed that the indigenous of the West and the South should be “treated as dumb brutes created for our service, pretending that they are incapable of receiving the Catholic Faith.” The pope corrected this error stating “that the Indians are truly men and that they are not only capable of understanding the Catholic Faith…they desire exceedingly to receive it.” The King of Spain agreed and issued edicts of reformation, but the laws were resisted and enforcement was nearly impossible. These troubles continued for decades.

After the death of the first archbishop of Lima in 1575, another Spanish bishop was sent to Lima, but remained there for only two years. Aware of the moral chaos, King Phillip II knew he needed to send his best bishop to Lima. He needed a saint who knew the law, could bring reform where needed, preach the Gospel with zeal, and establish communion between the settlers and natives. At that time, it was the responsibility of the King of Spain to appoint bishops whom the pope would subsequently approve or reject. King Phillip chose Turibius for the task. There was only one problem: Turibius was not even a priest; he was a layman. Turibius objected to the idea but the king insisted, and the pope approved. Turibius pleaded with the king, pointing out that only a priest could be made a bishop, and arguing that the task was beyond his ability. But his humility was only a clearer sign that he was the man for the job. Turibius finally agreed. Over the next two years, Turibius prepared for the priesthood, was ordained, served as a priest, and then was ordained a bishop. In September of 1580, at the age of forty-three, Archbishop Turibius set sail for Peru with his sister and brother-in-law, arriving several months later. He was installed in Lima on May 24, 1581, and served as the third archbishop of Lima for twenty-five years.

The archdiocese stretched about 400 miles along the coast and included three main cities, many towns and villages, and many more rural homes scattered throughout. The people he now shepherded included Spanish settlers, soldiers, and, of course, the indigenous population. Archbishop Turibius wasted no time. Within a month of his arrival he held an archdiocesan synod and a year later oversaw the Third Provincial Council of Lima, on the instruction of King Philip II. This council lasted for more than a year and addressed various abuses among the clergy and laity, promoted the evangelization of the natives, taught that the Spaniards and indigenous were equal in dignity, and commissioned the first book printed in South America, Doctrina Christiana, y Catecismo para Instrucción de los Indios, a trilingual catechism written in Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Other trilingual works were also commissioned to assist the clergy with confession and preaching in the native tongues. Not only did every diocese of his province implement the acts of that council, but after the acts were confirmed by the Holy See in 1588, they were implemented throughout all of South America. In 1590, Archbishop Turibius founded the first seminary in South America and in 1591 and 1601, he held two more provincial councils, as well as numerous synods within his own archdiocese. 

In addition to his administrative efforts, Turibius spent seventeen of his twenty-five years as archbishop traveling on foot to every parish and community on three separate occasions. He traveled through difficult terrain, snow-covered mountains, rain, heat, and cold. He went to confession and offered Mass every day, learned the native languages, got to know his people, and made sure that every parish was in order and adhered to Church discipline. He built many churches, baptized and confirmed half a million people, had a passionate zeal for every individual soul, and made sure that both Spaniard and indigenous were equally cared for. From his flock would emerge three saints whom he confirmed: Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Martin de Porres, and Saint Juan Masías. He also became good friends with the great Franciscan missionary Saint Francis Solano, who was said to have had the gift of tongues, by which the indigenous understood him in their native tongue.

Every crisis needs a savior. Jesus is that Savior, but His servants on earth act as His divine instruments. Saint Turibius was that instrument for the early Church of Peru and throughout South America. His humility, zeal for souls, fidelity to the law, gifts of administration, concern for human dignity, and a fatherly heart enabled God to plant the seed of faith in the hearts of many, the fruit still being borne today. Be inspired by this holy shepherd and imitate his example by committing yourself to see the dignity of every person in ways that are creative, empathetic, intuitive, and firm, so that God can use you to reach them where they are.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/march-23-saint-turibius-of-mogrovejo-bishop/

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Luke 13:7-9

The Divine Gardener

For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.

Reflection:

Imagine for a moment that you were the owner of the orchard in which this fig tree was planted. After the gardener asked you to wait for one more year and promised to fertilize the unfruitful fig tree and cultivate the ground around it, you agreed. Then imagine coming to inspect that same fig tree the next year. Imagine three scenarios. First, what would you do if, once again, there were no figs present? Second, what if there were only a few figs? Third, what if the tree suddenly produced an abundance of good fruit?

It seems clear that in the first scenario, if for the fourth year in a row not a single fig was produced, it would be time to cut down the tree. This depicts the justice of God sent forth on those who obstinately resist His grace. In the second scenario, the decision might be more difficult. If the tree produced only a few figs for the first time, then perhaps that would provide enough hope for the future of that tree to ask the gardener to continue caring for it. This depicts those who are in a state of grace but are still lazy in their service of the will of God. In the third scenario, however, the reaction of the owner of the orchard would be clear. There would be much excitement and gratitude that the gardener’s good work paid off.

Jesus is the Gardener, and we are the fig tree. This parable should lead us to look at our lives and examine whether or not we bear good fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus comes to you to cultivate the soil of your heart, fertilizing it with His holy Word, watering it with His Sacraments and doing all He can to give you the opportunity to produce the fruit of charity in your life. How successful are these actions of our Lord in your life?

Too often, when we see only a little good fruit being borne from our lives, we are satisfied. And though any good fruit is good, we are wasting our lives if we do not do all we can to become as abundantly fruitful as possible. Imagine the joy in the Hearts of our Lord and the Father in Heaven if they were to look upon you and see good fruit being produced beyond expectation. Why wouldn’t this be your goal in life? Our Lord is patient, but He is also just. Do not try His patience, and do not succumb to His justice. 

Reflect, today, upon the image of you being this fig tree and our Lord as the divine Gardener. Commit yourself to His actions of tilling and fertilizing. You do so by strengthening your commitment to reading and understanding the Word of God, by participating more fully in the Sacraments, by being more focused upon your daily prayer, by examining your conscience more fully, and by sincerely confessing your sins. Do all you can to cooperate with the action of our divine Gardener and you will be amazed at the good fruit that begins to pour forth from your life.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/22/the-divine-gardener/

Luke 13:7-9 Read More »

Saint Nicholas Owen

Profile

Son of a carpenter, Nicholas was raised in a family dedicated to the persecuted Church, and became a carpenter and mason. Two of his brothers became priests, another a printer of underground Catholic books, and Nicholas used his building skills to save the lives of priests and help the Church‘s covert work in England.

Nicholas worked with Saint Edmund Campion, sometimes using the pseudonym John Owen; his short stature led to the nickname Little John. When Father Edmund was martyred, Nicholas spoke out against the atrocity. For his trouble, he was imprisoned.

Father Henry Garnet, Superior of English Jesuits, employed Nicholas to construct hiding places and escape routes in the various mansions used as priest-centers throughout England. By day, he worked at the mansion on regular wood and stone-working jobs so that no one would question his presence; by night he worked alone, digging tunnels, creating hidden passages and rooms in the house. Some of his rooms were large enough to hold cramped, secretive prayer services, but most were a way for single clerics to escape the priest-hunters. As there were no records of his work, there is no way of knowing how many of these hiding places he built, or how many hundreds of priests he saved. The anti–Catholic authorities eventually learned that the hiding places existed, but had no idea who was doing the work, or how many there were.

Due to the work, the danger, and the periodic arrests of the Jesuits, Nicholas never had a formal novitiate, but he did receive instruction, and in 1577 became a Jesuit Brother. On 23 April 1594, he was arrested in London and lodged in the Tower of London for his association with Father John Gerard. Not knowing who they had, the authorities released Nicholas soon after, and he resumed his work.

On 5 November 1605, Brother Nicholas and three other Jesuits were forced to hide in Hinlip Hall, a structure with at least 13 of his hiding places, to escape the priest-hunters. Owen spent four days in one of his secret rooms, but having no food or water, he finally surrendered and was taken to a London prison. There he was endlessly tortured for information on the underground network of priests and their hiding. He was abused so violently that on 1 March 1606, while suspended from a wall, chained by his wrists, with weights on his ankles, his stomach split open, spilling his intestines to the floor; he survived for hours before dying from the wound. Because he was under orders not to kill Nicholas, the torturer spread the lie that Owen had committed suicide. He was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

Born

  • 16th century Oxford, England

Died

  • tortured to death on 2 March 1606 in London, England

Venerated

  • 8 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI (decree of martyrdom)

Beatified

  • 15 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI

Canonized

  • 25 October 1970 by Pope Paul VI

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-nicholas-owen/

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Luke 15:22-24

Consolation for the Repentant Sinner

Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.

Reflection:

This was the reaction of the faithful son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Recall that after squandering his inheritance, the Prodigal Son returns home humiliated and poor, asking his father if he will take him back and treat him as if he were a hired hand. But the father surprises him and throws a huge party for the son to celebrate his return. But the father’s other son, the one who remained with him throughout the years, would not join in the celebration.

Was it fair that the father killed the fatted calf and threw this large party to celebrate his wayward son’s return? Was it fair that that same father apparently never even gave his faithful son a young goat to feast on with his friends? The right answer is that this is the wrong question.

It’s easy for us to live in such a way that we always want things to be “fair.” And when we perceive that another receives more than us, we can get angry and bitter. But asking whether or not this is fair is not the right question. When it comes to the mercy of God, God’s generosity and goodness far exceed what is perceived as fair. And if we are to share in the abundant mercy of God, we too must learn to rejoice in His superabundant mercy.

In this story, the act of mercy given to his wayward son was exactly what that son needed. He needed to know that no matter what he had done in the past, his father loved him and rejoiced in his return. Therefore, this son needed an abundance of mercy, partly to reassure him of his father’s love. He needed this extra consolation so as to become convinced that he made the right choice in returning.

The other son, the one who had remained faithful throughout the years, was not treated unfairly. Rather, his discontent came from the fact that he himself lacked the same abundant mercy present in the heart of his father. He failed to love his brother to the same extent and, therefore, failed to see the need to offer this consolation to his brother as a way of helping him understand he was forgiven and welcomed back. Mercy is very demanding and far exceeds what we may at first perceive as rational and just. But if we desire to receive mercy in abundance, we must be ready and willing to offer it to those who need it the most.

Reflect, today, upon how merciful and generous you are willing to be, especially toward those who do not appear to deserve it. Remind yourself that the life of grace is not about being fair; it’s about being generous to a shocking extent. Commit yourself to this depth of generosity toward all and look for ways that you can console another’s heart with the mercy of God. If you do, that generous love will also bless your heart in abundance.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/21/consolation-for-the-repentant-sinner-4/

Luke 15:22-24 Read More »

Saint Augustine Tchao

Profile

Augustine was a soldier. He escorted Saint Gabriel John Tauin du-Fresse to Beijing, China during his missionary work. He converted to Christianity. He was a priest. He worked in the Sichuan apostolic vicariate. He was arrested for his faith and his work. He died in prison. He was one of the Martyrs of China.

Born

  • c.1746 at Wuchuan, Guizhou, China

Died

  • 27 January 1815 due to poor conditions in prison at Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Beatified

  • 27 May 1900 by Pope Leo XIII

Canonized

  • 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-augustine-tchao/

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Matthew 21:42

Building the Kingdom

Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.

Reflection:

Are you among those from whom the Kingdom of God will be taken away? Or among those to whom it will be given so as to produce good fruit? This is an important question to sincerely answer.

The first grouping of people, those who will have the Kingdom of God taken away from them, are represented in this parable by the tenants of the vineyard. It is clear that one of their greatest sins is greed. They are selfish. They see the vineyard as a place through which they can enrich themselves and care little about the good of others. Sadly, this mind frame is easy to adopt in our own lives. It’s easy to see life as a series of opportunities for us to “get ahead.” It’s easy to approach life in a way that we are constantly looking out for ourselves rather than sincerely seeking the good of others.

The second grouping of people, those to whom the Kingdom of God will be given so that it will produce good fruit, are those who understand that the central purpose of life is not to simply enrich themselves but to share the love of God with others. These are the people who are constantly looking for ways that they can be a true blessing to others. It’s the difference between selfishness and generosity.

But the generosity to which we are primarily called is to build up the Kingdom of God. This is done through works of charity, but it must be a charity that is motivated by the Gospel and has the Gospel as its ultimate end. Caring for the needy, teaching, serving and the like are all good only when Christ is the motivation and end goal. Our lives must make Jesus more known and loved, more understood and followed. In fact, even if we were to feed a multitude of people in poverty, care for those who were sick, or visit those who were lonely, but did it for reasons other than to ultimately share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then our work would not produce the good fruit of building up the Kingdom of Heaven. In that case, we would only be philanthropists rather than missionaries of the love of God.

Reflect, today, upon the mission given to you by our Lord to produce an abundance of good fruit for the upbuilding of His Kingdom. Know that this can only be accomplished by prayerfully seeking out the way God is inspiring you to act. Seek to serve His will alone so that all you do will be for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/20/building-the-kingdom-6/

Matthew 21:42 Read More »