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Luke 16:19-21

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A Powerful Contrast

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.”

Reflection:

One of the reasons this story is so powerful is because of the clear descriptive contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is not only seen in the passage above, it is also seen in the final outcome of each of their lives.

In the first contrast, the rich man’s life seems much more desirable, at least on the surface. He is rich, has a home to live in, dresses in fine clothing and eats sumptuously every day. By contrast, Lazarus is poor, has no home, has no food, is covered with sores and even endures the humiliation of dogs licking his wounds. Which of these persons would you prefer to be?

Before you answer that question, consider the second contrast. When they both die, they experience very different eternal fates. When the poor man died, he was “carried away by angels.” And when the rich man died, he went to the netherworld, where there was ongoing torment. So again, which of these persons would you prefer to be?

One of the most seductive and deceptive realities in life is the lure of riches, luxury and the fine things in life. Though the material world is not bad in and of itself, there is great temptation that goes along with it. In fact, it is clear from this story and from the many other teachings of Jesus on this topic that the lure of riches and its effect on the soul cannot be ignored. Those who are rich in the things of this world are often tempted to live for themselves rather than living for others. When one has all the comforts this world has to offer, it’s easy to simply enjoy those comforts without concern for others. And that is clearly the unspoken contrast between these two men.

Though poor, it is clear that Lazarus is rich in the things that matter in life. This is evidenced by His eternal reward. It is clear that in his material poverty, he was rich in charity. The man who was rich in the things of this world was clearly poor in charity and, thus, upon losing his physical life, he had nothing to take with him. No eternal merit. No charity. Nothing.

Reflect, today, upon that which you desire in life. Too often, the deceptions of material wealth and worldly possessions dominate our desires. In fact, even those who have little can easily become consumed with these unhealthy desires. Seek, instead, to desire only that which is eternal. Desire love of God and love of neighbor. Make this your only goal in life and you, too, will be carried away by angels when your life is completed.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/19/a-powerful-contrast-4/

Luke 16:19-21 Read More »

Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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First Century; Patron Saint of the Universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and a happy death

The Father in Heaven sent His Son into the world to be born of the Virgin Mary. The Father chose her who was the Immaculate Conception to bear His Son in her womb, bring Him into the world, and raise Him from infancy to adulthood. But the Father also needed to choose a foster father for His divine Son. Of all the men in Israel that He could have chosen, He chose Joseph of Nazareth, a carpenter. Today’s solemnity not only honors him, but it also points us to his marital union with the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the effect that that marriage had not only upon him, Mary and Jesus, but also upon us as members of the Body of Christ.

Joseph was likely born in the small town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was also born, but he moved to Nazareth with Mary and Jesus after returning from Egypt in order to keep Jesus safe from Archelaus, the ruler of Judea. Though there are a number of apocryphal writings about him from the first several centuries, nothing is known about him for certain except what is contained in the Gospels. But the Gospels tell us all we need to know about this holy, obedient, and just man, who was given authority over the Son of God and continues to exercise a holy authority over the entire Church.

Saint Joseph was truly the father of Jesus. Of this truth, Saint Augustine writes, “By reason of their faithful marriage, both of them deserve to be called Christ’s parents, not only his mother but also his father, who was a parent in the same way that he was the mother’s spouse: in mind, not in the flesh.” Joseph’s fatherhood is also clearly established by the fact that the angel gave him the responsibility of naming Jesus. “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus…” (Matthew 1:21).

Saint Joseph was obedient to the Father in Heaven, and that obedience deepened his union with Mary his spouse, making their marriage the ideal family for the Son of God. Pope Saint John Paul II speaks of this fact in his apostolic exhortation Guardian of the Redeemer, when he says, “One can say that what Joseph did united him in an altogether special way to the faith of Mary. He accepted as truth, coming from God, the very thing that she had already accepted at the Annunciation” (#4). Saint Joseph’s obedience is clearly seen in his response to four dreams by which an angel instructs Joseph how best to guard and protect the Son of God. Joseph acts immediately, in obedience, to the angel’s instructions. The Vatican II document, Dei Verbum states, “‘The obedience of faith’ must be given to God as he reveals himself. By this obedience of faith man freely commits himself entirely to God, making ‘the full submission of his intellect and will to God who reveals,’ and willingly assenting to the revelation given by him” (#5). Thus, since Saint Joseph’s obedience was absolute, then that obedience fully united him to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in her obedience, and to the Father in Heaven. His obedience to the Father also enables him to become a powerful instrument of the Father’s authority on earth, exercised through him.

Saint Joseph exercised the authority of the Father by protecting the Son of God and expecting obedience from the Son as His earthly father. That Jesus was obedient to Joseph is made clear in the Gospels: “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them…” (Luke 2:52). The Son of God could only be obedient to the will of His Father. Therefore, in order for Joseph to exercise authority over Jesus, he had to enact nothing other than the will of the Father to which he, himself, was obedient.

On December 8, 1847, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph to be the Universal Patron and Protector of the Catholic Church. This unique title reflects the same truth that Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of the entire Church. Since she was the mother of the Son of God, and we, the Church, are members of the Body of Christ, then she is our Mother. And since Joseph was the father of the Son of God, His guardian and protector, over whom he was given authority, and from Whom he received obedience, then we, too, can trust in Joseph’s guardianship over us. We must have confidence in submitting to his spiritual authority in our lives, for we are members of the Body of Christ.

As we honor Saint Joseph as the husband of Mary today, ponder the effect of that unique marriage bond. Saint Joseph was not perfect, but his absolute obedience to the Father’s will and his unity in marriage to the Mother of God makes him our father, just as he was the father of Jesus. As a loving father, he will direct us with the authority of God the Father, will protect us in times of trouble as he did for Jesus and Mary, and must always be seen as one uniquely chosen to be the father of the family to which we belong.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/march-19-saint-joseph-husband-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

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Matthew 1:24

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The Greatness of Saint Joseph

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Reflection:

What is it that made Saint Joseph so great? He wasn’t immaculately conceived as our Blessed Mother was. He was not divine like Jesus. But he was the head of the Holy Family, its guardian and its provider. He became the legal father of the Savior of the World and the spouse of the Mother of God. But Joseph is not great only because he was given such incredible privileges. First and foremost, he was great because of the choices he made in life. Today’s Gospel refers to him as a “righteous man” and as a man who “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Thus, his greatness is primarily on account of his moral righteousness and obedience to the will of God.

Joseph’s obedience is especially seen in the fact that he obeyed the voice of God given to him in the four dreams recorded in Scripture. In his first dream, Joseph is told “do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21). In his second dream, Joseph is told, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him” (Matthew 2:13). In his third dream, Joseph is told, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead” (Matthew 2:20). And in his fourth dream, Joseph is warned to go instead to Galilee rather than Judea (Matthew 2:22).

When these dreams are read in succession, it is clear that Saint Joseph was attentive to the voice of God. We all have dreams, but Joseph’s dreams were different. They were clear communications from God, and they required a willing recipient. Joseph was open to the voice of God and listened in faith as that willing recipient.

Joseph also responded with complete submission and full determination. The commands Joseph received were not insignificant. His obedience required that he and his family travel great distances, take up residence in strange lands and do so all in faith.

It’s also clear that Joseph took his vocation seriously. Pope Saint John Paul II gave him the title “Guardian of the Redeemer.” Over and over, he showed his unwavering commitment to his role as the guardian of his legal Son, Jesus, and of his wife, Mary. His life was spent providing for them, protecting them and offering them a father’s heart.

Reflect, today, upon the unique vocation of Saint Joseph. Ponder, especially, the early years of his marriage and the raising of Jesus. Consider his fatherly commitment to care for, provide for and protect his Son. We all must seek to imitate Saint Joseph’s virtues by protecting the presence of Christ within our own hearts, the hearts of our family and friends and in the world as a whole. Pray to Saint Joseph, asking him to help you follow his example so that the hidden presence of our Lord in our lives will grow and come to full maturation.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/18/the-greatness-of-saint-joseph-4/

Matthew 1:24 Read More »

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor

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c. 315–c. 387; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883

When Constantine the Great legalized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire in the year 313, many were hopeful that the sufferings Christians had endured during the first few centuries of the Church had finally come to an end. But the sufferings only changed. Politics entered the Church, emperors inserted themselves into doctrine, and theological and territorial divisions became fierce. The theological divisions in the fourth century were primarily over the divine and eternal nature of the Son of God. Arius, a priest from Alexandria in North Africa, believed that the Father created the Son, making the Son subordinate to the Father and neither co-eternal nor co-equal with the Father. These teachings came to be known as the Arian Heresy. Others believed that the Son was “begotten of the Father,” meaning He existed from all eternity with the Father and was of the same divine nature. This theological battle was initially addressed in the year 325 at the Council of Nicaea. However, after the Council of Nicaea, the controversy continued until the confusion was finally settled in 381 by the Council of Constantinople. It was in this fifty-six-year period of Church history and controversy that today’s saint was born, lived, and fought for the true faith.

Cyril was born in or near the city of Jerusalem around the year 315 A.D. Little is known about his early life, other than that he was well educated in the Scriptures and philosophy. It is believed that he was ordained a deacon for the Church of Jerusalem around the age of twenty by Saint Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, who was a staunch opponent of the Arian Heresy. After Macarius died, Saint Maximus, another opponent of Arianism, became Bishop of Jerusalem and ordained Cyril a priest when Cyril was about twenty-eight years old. During his priestly ministry, Cyril became a true shepherd of souls. He was entrusted by Bishop Maximus with the responsibility of assisting him as a preacher and catechist. Cyril preached every Sunday and catechized those preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation. A set of twenty-four of his catechetical instructions have been preserved and are remarkable for their content and clarity. The lectures begin with a prologue, followed by eighteen lessons that were taught to the catechumens before they were baptized. The lessons explained what they needed to know about baptism, how to change from pagan morals, the meaning of the Creed, and the errors of Arianism. Once baptized, Cyril’s last six lessons led the neophytes through a period of mystagogy in which they were taught how to live the new life they received from the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Most Holy Eucharist, as well as lessons on prayer, especially found in the Lord’s Prayer.

Bishop Maximus either died or was deposed around the year 348, and Cyril was chosen to succeed him. He was ordained a bishop by Archbishop Acacius of Caesarea Maritima, from the metropolitan see just west of Jerusalem. Archbishop Acacius was sympathetic to Arianism, so he and others might have believed that Cyril was also sympathetic to Arianism, which he was not.

Soon after becoming the Bishop of Jerusalem, a miraculous sign, visible to all, appeared over the holy site of Jesus’ crucifixion. A large cross of light, surrounded by a rainbow, appeared in the sky and stretched for about two miles over the city. This sign was initially perceived as God’s affirmation of Bishop Cyril but might have also been a sign of the sufferings Cyril would soon endure. The suffering began as Cyril fought Acacius on two fronts. Bishop Cyril claimed the right of independent governance from Acacius in the See of Jerusalem. He also opposed the Arian Heresy that Acacius taught. As a result of these tensions, Acacius, other Arian bishops, and emperors persecuted Cyril, leveled false accusations against him, and deposed and exiled him from Jerusalem three times during his almost forty years as a bishop.

Despite suffering through these theological and political Church controversies, Bishop Cyril was a true shepherd of his flock, preaching and catechizing just as he had done as a priest. His gentle, pastoral, conciliatory, and humble approach to his ministry led some more orthodox bishops to suspect him of being sympathetic to the Arians. For that reason, after Cyril returned from his final exile in 378, the great Saint Gregory of Nazianzens was sent to investigate him. Gregory’s conclusion was that Cyril was orthodox, which ended all doubt. In 381, the Council of Constantinople gave further clarity on the Arian Heresy, further clarified the Creed of Nicaea, and affirmed Bishop Cyril’s office of Bishop of Jerusalem. He returned and remained a holy shepherd of his people until his death six years later. One eyewitness visiting Jerusalem on pilgrimage wrote in her journal that Bishop Cyril’s catechetical lessons were delivered in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and were so well received by the people that whenever he completed a lesson, all the people would enthusiastically applaud.

Throughout the history of the Church, bitter divisions and the persecution of the orthodox defenders of the faith have been prevalent. Those who emerged as saints were those who persevered, remained faithful, never despaired, and continued to spread the pure faith of the Church, given to Her by Christ. Saint Cyril was one of those shining examples. As we honor him, ponder your own commitment to the entire Truth of the Gospel. When challenged, do you shy away, cower, become confused, and give in to despair? Or do you lovingly stand firm in the Truth, retaining hope that, in the end, Christ will be victorious? Seek to imitate this great Doctor of the Church by embracing not only his orthodoxy but also the charity that fueled his zeal for souls.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/march-18-saint-cyril-of-jerusalem-bishop-and-doctor/

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Matthew 23:11-12

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True Greatness

The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Reflection:

Do you want to be truly great? Do you want your life to truly make a difference in the lives of others? Deep down this desire for greatness is placed within us by our Lord, and it will never go away. Even those who live eternally in hell will hold on to this innate desire, which for them will be the cause of eternal pain, since that desire will never be fulfilled. And sometimes it’s useful to ponder that reality as a motivation to make sure that this is not the fate we encounter.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us one of the keys to greatness. “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Being a servant means that you put others before yourself. You elevate their needs rather than trying to get them to be attentive to your needs. And this is difficult to do.

It’s very easy in life to think of ourselves first. But the key is that we do put ourselves “first,” in a sense, when we practically put others before us. This is because the choice to put others first is not only good for them, it’s also exactly what is best for us. We were made for love. We were made to serve others. We were made for the purpose of giving of ourselves to others without counting the cost. But when we do this, we do not lose ourselves. On the contrary, it is in the act of giving of ourselves and seeing the other first that we actually discover who we are and become what we were created to be. We become love itself. And a person who loves is a person who is great…and a person who is great is a person whom God exalts.

Reflect, today, upon the great mystery and calling of humility. If you find it difficult to put others first and to act as their servant, do it anyway. Make the choice to humble yourself before everyone else. Elevate their concerns. Be attentive to their needs. Listen to what they say. Show them compassion and be ready and willing to do so to the fullest extent. If you do, that desire for greatness that lives deep within your heart will be fulfilled.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/17/true-greatness-4/

Matthew 23:11-12 Read More »

Saint Patrick, Bishop

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c. 387–c. 460 or 493 (Actual dates are uncertain); Patron Saint of Ireland; Invoked against snake bites; Pre-Congregation canonization

Patrick was born in Roman-ruled Britain to loving parents, perhaps as an only child. His father was a senator and a deacon, and his grandfather was a married priest. Despite his Christian upbringing and the clerical influences of his father and grandfather, Patrick struggled with his faith, stating later that when he was young he “did not know the true God.” This testimony, and the quotes to follow, come from his own hand, preserved in his Confessio, Saint Patrick’s short autobiographical confession about the workings of God’s grace in his life and ministry.

At the age of sixteen, Patrick’s life took a dramatic turn for the worse; at least, that’s how it first appeared. Gaelic slave traders from Ireland arrived by ship and raided Patrick’s village. Though young women and children were often their preferred targets, a young, healthy boy could also profit them. Patrick was captured and “was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people.”

At the time of Patrick’s captivity, Ireland was a pagan country made up of more than a hundred small, family-based clans governed by local chiefs. Most clans united with other clans to form several larger kingdoms. Their religious beliefs were a mixture of polytheism, in which gods were honored and called upon, and animism, in which the natural world was believed to contain spirits who could be communicated with. Their druids (priests) engaged in demonic spells, incantations, curses, and dark magic.

It was Patrick’s conviction that, because he and his fellow slaves had drawn away from God and did not keep God’s precepts, the Lord brought down upon them the “fury of his being,” permitting them to be scattered throughout Ireland as slaves. But God’s just punishments are always inflicted upon his children for the purpose of converting their hearts, which is exactly what happened to Patrick. “And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, Who had regard for my insignificance and pitied my youth and ignorance.”

While in captivity, Patrick was made a swineherd for one of the clans and spent much of his time in the forests, enduring the snow, ice, and rain. But his time alone, experiencing the suffering and loneliness of captivity, greatly benefited his soul. At first, Patrick didn’t know God. Then, he began to think about God. Then he began to speak to God. Within six years, he was praying a hundred prayers every day and a hundred prayers every night. As a result, Patrick testified that “the Spirit was burning in me at that time.” After receiving chastisements from God for his lack of faith, Patrick’s heart was changed and filled with gratitude for all that God had done in his soul. He realized that his only “way to repay Him is to exalt Him and confess His wonders before every nation under heaven.”

Once Patrick had converted, God’s plan for his life changed. While asleep one night, Patrick heard a voice say to him, “Soon you will depart for your home country,” and shortly afterward, “Behold, your ship is ready.” By an intuition of grace, Patrick knew what he had to do. He escaped and ran 200 miles (about 184 modern miles). God directed him on the way and led him to a ship where Patrick convinced the captain to let him board. Three days later, they were back in Britain on a remote shore. Patrick and some pagans disembarked from the ship and began a twenty-eight-day journey through the wilderness to find civilization. On the journey, the pagans mocked Patrick’s faith, but when they ran out of food, Patrick prayed and God miraculously provided them with a herd of pigs. The pagans were impressed and Patrick won their respect. This was the first of many times that God used Patrick to change hardened hearts. Then, Patrick was reunited with his parents at last.

Back in Britain, Patrick continued to pray, study Scripture, and learn the Catholic faith. His prayer led him into deep union with God. He had dreams and visions, including a vision in which he heard the voice of the Irish say to him, “We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.” Patrick knew that he had to return, not as a slave, but as a missionary. Despite opposition from his family, Patrick was determined to answer God’s call.

Since Patrick had learned much about Irish culture and language, he was an ideal candidate for missionary work. After years of study, probably in France, he was ordained a bishop and sent by the Church back to Ireland to convert the pagans, his captors, to Christ. And that he did. It was by the courageous witness of his character, aided perhaps by miraculous signs and unwavering faith, that one of the kings converted. After being successful in one kingdom, Bishop Patrick moved to another. When he arrived in a new territory, he always sought to convert the local king and chiefs first. Once they were open to the Gospel, the people followed.

During the fewer than thirty years that Patrick evangelized the people of Ireland, he endured many hardships, including another short captivity, the constant danger of being killed, and staunch opposition from the druid spiritual leaders. But he also converted countless pagans, baptized and confirmed “so many thousands,” built churches, established religious life, ordained native clergy, and changed pagan Ireland as a whole into one of the greatest Catholic nations on earth.

Saint Patrick’s influence on Ireland was so profound that many later biographers have attributed numerous legends to him. Though most of these legends cannot be verified, the stories highlight the remarkable spiritual transformation of a hostile pagan nation by the faith and courage of one man. God humbled Patrick, changed his heart, set him on fire, and then used that fire to purify many thousands of people. In the centuries that followed, those converts went forth to the ends of the earth, bringing the same Gospel to others that Patrick first preached to them.

As we honor Saint Patrick, seek to imitate him by joining him in his initial humiliation. See your sins and pray that God purifies you by any means necessary. Convert your heart. Increase your daily prayer. Allow your heart to become inflamed by God’s Spirit. Say “Yes” to Him when He calls, and go where He sends you. Like Saint Patrick, God wants to send you on a mission, but He cannot do so until you fully convert your heart to His.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/march-17-saint-patrick-bishop/

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Luke 6:36-37

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Mercy Goes Both Ways

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.”

Reflection:

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his guide for a thirty-day retreat, has the retreatant spend the first week of the retreat focusing upon sin, judgment, death and hell. At first, this can seem very uninspiring. But the wisdom of this approach is that after a week of these meditations, retreatants come to a deep realization of just how much they need the mercy and forgiveness of God. They see their need more clearly, and a deep humility is fostered within their soul as they see their guilt and turn to God for His mercy.

But mercy goes both ways. It is part of the very essence of mercy that it can only be received if it is also given. In the Gospel passage above, Jesus gives us a very clear command about judgment, condemnation, mercy and forgiveness. Essentially, if we want mercy and forgiveness, then we must offer mercy and forgiveness. If we are judgmental and condemning, then we will also be judged and condemned. These words are very clear.

Perhaps one of the reasons that many people struggle with being judgmental and condemning of others is because they lack a true awareness of their own sin and their own need for forgiveness. We live in a world that often rationalizes sin and downplays the seriousness of it. That’s why the teaching of Saint Ignatius is so important for us today. We need to rekindle a sense of the seriousness of our sin. This is not done simply to create guilt and shame. It’s done to foster a desire for mercy and forgiveness.

If you can grow in a deeper awareness of your own sin before God, one of the effects will be that it is then easier to be less judgmental and condemning of others. A person who sees his sin is more apt to be merciful to other sinners. But a person who struggles with self-righteousness will most certainly also struggle with being judgmental and condemning.

Reflect, today, upon your own sin. Spend time trying to understand how ugly sin is and try to grow in a healthy disdain for it. As you do, and as you beg our Lord for His mercy, pray also that you will be able to offer that same mercy you receive from God to others. As mercy flows from Heaven to your own soul, it must then also be shared. Share the mercy of God with those all around you and you will discover the true value and power of this Gospel teaching of our Lord.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/16/mercy-goes-both-ways-4/

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Second Sunday of Lent

First Reading Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14

R. (1a)  The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
   of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
   have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
   Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
   You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
   in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
   be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Second Reading Philippians 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.

Verse Before the Gospel Matthew 17:5

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031625.cfm

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Saint John de Brébeuf

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John de Brebeuf was a French Jesuit. He wanted to enter the priesthood from an early age, but his health was so bad there were doubts he could make it. His posting as a missionary to frontier Canada at age 32, however, was a literal god-send. He spent the rest of his life there, and the harsh and hearty climate so agreed with him that the Natives, surprised at his endurance, called him Echon, which meant load bearer, and his massive size made them think twice about sharing a canoe with him for fear it would sink. Brebeuf had great difficulty learning the Huron language. “You may have been a famous professor or theologian in France,” he wrote in a letter home, “but here you will merely be a student, and with what teachers! The Huron language will be your Aristla crosse.” However, he eventually wrote a catechism in Huron, and a French–Huron dictionary for use by other missionaries.

According to histories of the game, it was John de Brebeuf who named the present day version of the Indian game lacrosse because the stick used reminded him of a bishop‘s crosier (la crosse).

Saint John was martyred in 1649, tortured to death by the Iroquois. By 1650, the Huron nation was exterminated, and the laboriously built mission was abandoned. But it proved to be “one of the triumphant failures that are commonplace in the Church‘s history.” These martyrdoms created a wave of vocations and missionary fervor in France, and it gave new heart to the missionaries in New France.

Born

1593 at Normandy, France

Died

tortured to death in 1649

Beatified

21 June 1925 by Pope Benedict XV

Canonized

29 June 1930 by Pope Pius XI

Patronage

Canada

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-john-de-brebeuf/

Saint John de Brébeuf Read More »

Luke 9:32-33

Leave a Comment / Daily Reflections, Verse

Becoming Fully Awake

Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.

Reflection:

As we are presented with this glorious event of the Transfiguration this Sunday, there are numerous lessons we can learn from it. The passage above presents us with two particular lessons.

First, Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep while Jesus was transfigured in glory and conversing with Moses and Elijah. This line could suggest many things. It could mean that Peter was weak and more concerned with his human condition than he was with attentiveness to the important journey he was invited to take with our Lord. It could reveal a kind of spiritual sloth. It is easy in life to become weary of the journey and to become drowsy at the times that we should be most attentive to our Lord. For example, think about any time when you knew you should pray but instead, sat daydreaming or distracted, or chose to fill that time with something mindless. Peter and his companions, therefore, teach us that it is easy for us in our fallen human nature to “doze off” during those times when God wants to speak to us, especially while at Mass.

Another interpretation of this line comes from the Church Father, Saint Ambrose. He suggests that this sleep of Peter and his two companions was primarily a result of them encountering “the incomprehensible brightness of the Divine nature.” As Jesus was transfigured, the initial vision was too much for them to comprehend, and so this vision began with them asleep as a symbol of the fact that we are all incapable of seeing the glory of God in our weakened state. But then they became “fully awake,” which implies that it took time for them to open their eyes to see the glory of God. This lesson teaches us that we all must wake up and work to become fully awake if we are to see the glory of God as He reveals Himself to us.

After becoming fully awake and encountering the incomprehensible brightness of the divine nature, Peter says, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” The Gospel writer then goes on to say that Peter “did not know what he was saying.” Again, if we turn to Saint Ambrose, he points out that Peter’s experience is commendable because he not only had earnest feelings but also took the initiative of good deeds. He wanted to build three tents so that Jesus, Moses and Elijah would remain with them. But another Church father points out that Peter “did not know what he was saying” because he did not, at that time, realize that it was indeed his mission to build a dwelling place for Jesus, the Law and the Prophets. It was his mission to build the Church, which was to be the future dwelling place of God on earth and the place in which we will encounter God throughout life.

You, too, are entrusted with the responsibility of building up the structure of the Church on earth so that many may encounter the full glory of God. This will only happen if you continually seek to become fully awakened to the glory of God as He reveals Himself to you and, in the joy of that encounter, go forth to build up God’s Church by your earnest desire and intentional acts of charity.

Reflect, today, upon Peter and his two companions, James and John. Prayerfully ponder them asleep as Jesus was transfigured in glory. Reflect upon them waking up and beginning to realize what was taking place before them. Consider Peter’s excitement and amazement and the effect that had on him. And then ponder how these disciples eventually did go forth to build the Church, the house of God, so that they and many others would come to meet Christ. Pray that the witness of these disciples will inspire you to follow in their footsteps.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/03/15/becoming-fully-awake/

Luke 9:32-33 Read More »

Author name: Sani

A Powerful Contrast

First Century; Patron Saint of the Universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and a happy death

The Greatness of Saint Joseph

c. 315–c. 387; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883

True Greatness

c. 387–c. 460 or 493 (Actual dates are uncertain); Patron Saint of Ireland; Invoked against snake bites; Pre-Congregation canonization

Mercy Goes Both Ways

First Reading Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14

Second Reading Philippians 3:17—4:1

Verse Before the Gospel Matthew 17:5

Gospel Luke 9:28b-36

Becoming Fully Awake

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