Verse

Mark 1:9-11

You are My Beloved Son

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Reflection:

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord concludes for us the Christmas Season and transitions us into the beginning of Ordinary Time. From a Scriptural point of view, this event in Jesus’ life is also a transitional moment from His hidden life in Nazareth to the beginning of His public ministry. As we commemorate this glorious event, it’s important to ponder a simple question: Why was Jesus baptized? Recall that John’s baptism was one of repentance, an act by which he invited his followers to turn from sin and to turn to God. But Jesus was sinless, so what was the reason for His Baptism?

First of all, we see in the quoted passage above that Jesus’ true identity was made manifest through His humble act of baptism. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,” spoke the voice of the Father in Heaven. Furthermore, we are told that the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. Thus, Jesus’ baptism is in part a public declaration of Who He is. He is the Son of God, a divine Person Who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This public testimony is an “epiphany,” a manifestation of His true identity for all to see as He prepares to begin His public ministry.

Second, by His baptism, Jesus’ incredible humility is made manifest. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, but He allows Himself to become identified with sinners. By sharing in an act that was focused upon repentance, Jesus speaks volumes through His action of baptism. He came to unite Himself with us sinners, to enter our sin and to enter into our death. By entering the water, He symbolically enters into death itself, which is the result of our sin, and rises triumphantly, allowing us to also rise with Him to new life. For this reason, Jesus’ baptism was a way of Him “baptizing” the waters, so to speak, so that water itself, from that moment onward, would be endowed with His divine presence and could be communicated to all who are baptized after Him. Therefore, sinful humanity is now able to meet divinity through baptism.

Lastly, when we share in this new baptism, through water that has now been sanctified by our divine Lord, we see in Jesus’ baptism a revelation of who we become in Him. Just as the Father spoke and declared Him as His Son, and just as the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, so also in our baptism we become the adopted children of the Father and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus’ baptism gives clarity as to whom we become in Christian baptism.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/11/you-are-my-beloved-son-4/

Mark 1:9-11 Read More »

John 3:26

Daily Reflections, Verse

Fulfilling Only Our Role

“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”

Reflection:

John the Baptist had amassed quite a following. People kept coming to Him to be baptized, and many wanted his ministry to grow. However, once Jesus began His own public ministry, some of the followers of John became jealous. But John gave the right answer to them. He explained to them that his life and mission was to prepare people for Jesus. Now that Jesus had begun His ministry, John joyfully said, “So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:29–30).

This humility of John is a great lesson, especially for those who are actively engaged in the apostolic mission of the Church. Too often when we get involved with some apostolate and another’s “ministry” seems to grow faster than ours, jealousy can set in. But the key to understanding our role in the apostolic mission of Christ’s Church is that we must seek to fulfill our role and our role alone. We must never see ourselves in competition with others within the Church. We must know when we are to act in accord with God’s will, and we must know when we are to step back and allow others to fulfill God’s will. We must do the will of God, nothing more, nothing less and nothing other.

Additionally, that last statement from John must always resound within our hearts when we are called to actively engage in the apostolate. “He must increase; I must decrease.” This is an ideal model for everyone who serves Christ and others within the Church.

Reflect, today, upon those holy words of the Baptist. Apply them to your mission within your family, among your friends and especially if you are involved in some apostolic service within the Church. Everything you do must point to Christ. This will only happen if you, like Saint John the Baptist, understand the unique role that God has given to you and you embrace that role alone.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/10/fulfilling-only-our-role-2/

John 3:26 Read More »

Luke 5:15-16

Daily Reflections, Verse

Preaching by Example

The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Reflection:

This line concludes the beautiful and powerful story of a man who was full of leprosy and who came to Jesus, fell prostrate before Him and pleaded with Jesus to heal Him if it was His will. Jesus’ response was simple: “I do will it. Be made clean.” And then Jesus did the unthinkable. He touched the man. The man, of course, was immediately healed of his leprosy, and Jesus sent him to show himself to the priest. But word of this miracle spread fast, and many people kept coming to see Jesus as a result.

It’s easy to imagine the scene of people talking about this miracle, thinking of their own ailments and those of their loved ones, and wanting to be healed by this miracle worker. But in the passage above, we see Jesus do something very interesting and prophetic. Just as the great crowds gathered and just as there was much excitement about Jesus, He withdrew from them to a deserted place to pray. Why would He do this?

Jesus’s mission was to teach His followers the truth and to lead them to Heaven. He did this not only by His miracles and teachings but also by setting an example of prayer. By going off to pray to His Father alone, Jesus teaches all of these excited followers what is most important in life. Physical miracles are not what is most important. Prayer and communion with the Father in Heaven is what’s most important.

If you have established a healthy life of daily prayer, one way you can share the Gospel with others is by allowing others to witness your commitment to prayer. Not so as to receive their praise, but to let them know what you find most important in life. When you commit yourself to daily Mass, going to church for adoration, or simply taking time alone in your room to pray, others will notice and will be drawn into a holy curiosity which may also lead them to a life of prayer.

Reflect, today, upon your mission to evangelize others by the simple act of allowing your life of prayer and devotion to be known by them. Let them see you pray, and if they ask, share with them the fruits of your prayer. Allow your love of our Lord to shine forth so that others will receive the blessing of your holy witness.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/09/preaching-by-example-2/

Luke 5:15-16 Read More »

Luke 4:14–15

Daily Reflections, Verse

Good News Travels Fast

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

Reflection:

Jesus had just spent forty days in the desert, fasting and praying prior to beginning His public ministry. His first stop was Galilee, where He entered the Synagogue and read from the Prophet Isaiah. However, soon after His words were spoken in the Synagogue, Jesus was driven out of the town, and the people tried to throw Him over the hill to kill Him.

What a shocking contrast. At first Jesus was “praised by all,” as we see in the passage above. Word of Him spread like wildfire throughout the towns. They had heard of His baptism and the Voice of the Father speaking from Heaven, and many were curious and excited about Him. But as soon as Jesus began to preach the pure Gospel message and when He began to address their hardness of heart, they turned on Him and sought His life.

Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that the Gospel will always have the effect of drawing people together as one. Of course, this is one of the central goals of the Gospel: to unite us in the Truth as the one people of God. But the key to unity is that unity is only possible when we all accept the saving Truth of the Gospel. All of it. And that means we must change our hearts, turn from the stubbornness of our sins, and open our minds to Christ. Sadly, some do not want to change, and the result is division.

If you find that there are aspects of Jesus’ teaching that are hard to accept, reflect upon the passage above. Return to this initial reaction of the townspeople when they were all talking about Jesus and praised Him. That is the right response. Our difficulties with what Jesus says and what He calls us to repent of should never have the effect of leading us to disbelief rather than to praise Him in all things.

Reflect, today, on the most difficult teaching of Jesus with which you have struggled. Everything He says and everything He has taught is for your good. Praise Him no matter what and allow your heart of praise to give you the wisdom you need to understand all that Jesus asks of you. Especially those teachings that are most difficult to accept.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/08/good-news-travels-fast-2/

Luke 4:14–15 Read More »

Mark 6:50

Daily Reflections, Verse

Take Courage, Do Not Fear

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”

Reflection:

Fear is one of the most paralyzing and painful experiences in life. There are many things we can fear, but most often, the cause of our fear is the evil one trying to deter us from faith and hope in Christ Jesus.

This line above is taken from the story of Jesus walking on the water toward the Apostles during the fourth watch of the night as they were rowing against the wind and being tossed by the waves. When they saw Jesus walking on the water, they were terrified. But when Jesus spoke to them and got into the boat, the wind immediately died down, and the Apostles remained there “completely astounded.”

The boat on the stormy sea has traditionally been understood to represent our journey through this life. There are countless ways that the evil one, the flesh and the world fight against us. In this story, Jesus sees their trouble from the shore and walks toward them to come to their aid. His reason for walking towards them is His compassionate Heart.

Often in times of fear in life, we lose sight of Jesus. We turn in on ourselves and focus on the cause of our fear. But our goal must be to turn from the cause of fear in life and look for Jesus Who is always compassionate and is always walking toward us in the midst of our fear and struggle.

Reflect, today, upon whatever it is that causes you the most fear and anxiety in life. What is it that leads you to interior confusion and struggle? Once you identify the source, turn your eyes from that to our Lord. See Him walking toward you in the midst of whatever you struggle with, saying to you, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/07/take-courage-do-not-fear-2/

Mark 6:50 Read More »

Mark 6:34

Daily Reflections, Verse

A Heart of Compassion

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Reflection:

What is compassion? It’s an attribute by which someone sees the suffering of another and experiences true empathy for them. This empathy, in turn, leads the person to reach out and share in the person’s suffering, helping them to endure whatever they are going through. This is what Jesus experienced within His own Sacred Heart as He looked out upon this vast crowd.

The Scripture above introduces the familiar miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two fish. And though the miracle itself offers much to ponder, this introductory line also gives us much to ponder regarding our Lord’s motivation for performing this miracle.

When Jesus looked out at the large crowd, He saw a group of people who seemed lost, were searching and were spiritually hungry. They desired some direction in their lives, and, for that reason, they were coming to Jesus. But what’s very helpful to reflect upon is Jesus’ Heart. He was not annoyed by their insistence, He was not burdened by them; rather He was deeply moved by their spiritual poverty and hunger. This moved His Heart to “pity,” which is a form of sincere compassion. For that reason, He taught them “many things.”

Interestingly, the miracle was simply an extra blessing but was not the primary action Jesus took on account of His compassionate Heart. First and foremost, His compassion led Him to teach them.

Jesus looks at each one of us with the same compassion. Whenever you find yourself confused, lacking direction in life and spiritually hungry, Jesus gazes at you with the same gaze He offered this vast crowd. And His remedy for your needs is to teach you, also. He wants you to learn from Him by studying the Scripture, by daily prayer and meditation, by reading the lives of the saints and learning the many glorious teachings of our Church. This is the food that every wandering heart needs for spiritual satisfaction.

Reflect, today, upon the most compassionate Heart of our Divine Lord. Allow yourself to see Him gazing at you with the utmost love. Know that His gaze is one that drives Him to speak to you, to teach you and to lead you to Himself. Trust this most compassionate Heart of our Lord and allow Him to reach out to you in love.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/06/a-heart-of-compassion-2/

Mark 6:34 Read More »

Matthew 4:17

Daily Reflections, Verse

Repent with Your Whole Heart

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Reflection:

Now that our Christmas Octave and Epiphany celebrations are complete, we begin to turn our eyes to the public ministry of Christ. The above line from today’s Gospel presents us with the most central summary of all of the teachings of Jesus: Repent. However, He doesn’t say only to repent, He also says that “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And that second statement is the reason we must repent.

In his spiritual classic, The Spiritual Exercises, Saint Ignatius of Loyola explains that the primary reason for our lives is to give to God the greatest glory we can. In other words, to bring forth the Kingdom of Heaven. But he also goes on to say that this can only be accomplished when we turn away from sin and all inordinate attachments in our lives so that the one and only focus of our lives is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the goal of repentance.

Soon we will celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and then we return to Ordinary Time within the Liturgical Year. Throughout Ordinary Time, we will reflect upon the public ministry of Jesus and focus upon His many teachings. But all of His teachings, everything that He says and does, ultimately points us to repentance, a turning away from sin and a turning toward our glorious God.

In your own life, it is essential that you place before your mind and heart the call to repentance. It is essential that you daily hear Jesus saying those words to you: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Do not only think about Him saying this many years ago; rather, hear it said to you, today, tomorrow and every day of your life. There will never be a time in your life when you do not need to repent with all your heart. We will never reach perfection in this life, so repentance must be our daily mission.

Reflect, today, upon this exhortation from our Lord to repent. Repent with your whole heart. Examining your actions every day is essential to this mission. See the ways that your actions keep you from God and reject those actions. And look for the ways that God is active in your life and embrace those acts of mercy. Repent and turn toward the Lord. This is Jesus’ message to you this day.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/05/repent-with-your-whole-heart-2/

Matthew 4:17 Read More »

Epiphany of the Lord

Daily Saints, Verse

All of God’s creation gives Him glory and praises Him by its very existence. Psalm 143 states, “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all shining stars. Praise him, highest heavens, you waters above the heavens. Let them all praise the LORD’s name; for he commanded and they were created…” Though creation gives praise to God simply by existing and thus, revealing its Creator, today’s solemnity commemorates the one moment in time when God used a star to manifest His eternal glory.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, it was commonly believed that a new star would appear whenever a new ruler was born. The Father in Heaven used this belief to honor His Son Who was born as the new King. The three Magi from the East were astrologers. When they saw this “new star,” they chose to follow it to discover the new King. Creation itself, in the form of a star, pointed the way, thus giving glory to the newborn King, manifesting Him to the whole world as symbolized by the Magi.

The word “Epiphany” means “manifestation.” Therefore, as we honor this moment in time when the Christ Child was made manifest to the world, we need to look into our own hearts. There, we discover Christ’s ongoing manifestation to us so that we can worship Him Who has also chosen to be born within our hearts. We must diligently seek out that manifestation of God within us and respond to it in the same ways that the Magi responded.

First of all, the Magi were determined. When they saw a sign from the heavens that pointed to a new King, they stopped everything and departed in haste to find Him. When God speaks to you and manifests Himself to you in some way, nothing could be more important than to be attentive to His voice and follow His manifestation with the same haste.

The Magi brought the Christ Child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God was honored and glorified through His creation by the giving of these gifts. God created gold to manifest His beauty and dignity. It was a gift that symbolized kingship. When we ponder the natural gift of gold given to the Christ Child, we are inspired to give Him our own gift of symbolic gold by prayerfully acknowledging Him as our own King to whom we pledge our complete submission.

Made from the sap of trees found in India, northeastern Africa, and the Arabian peninsula, frankincense and myrrh are also fruits of God’s creation. Used in worship to symbolize prayers rising to heaven, frankincense symbolizes the Christ Child’s divinity. We offer frankincense to Christ when we acknowledge His divine nature, since He is God in the flesh. Often used in burial, myrrh honors the Christ Child Who came to give His life as a sacrifice for many. We offer myrrh to profess our belief in the saving power of Christ’s death on the Cross and our need for that gift of salvation.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany, try to see it as a historical event in which you are invited to share. God wants to manifest Himself to you today. When this happens, you must respond with faith and worship, giving God the greatest glory by giving Him your very life and offering Him your spiritual gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/january-6-epiphany/

Epiphany of the Lord Read More »

Matthew 2:1-2

Daily Reflections, Verse

A Manifestation to the World

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

Reflection:

The Magi were most likely from Persia, modern-day Iran. They were men who regularly engaged in a study of the stars. They were not Jewish but were most likely aware of the popular belief of the Jewish people that a king would be born who would save them.

These Magi were called by God to encounter the Savior of the World. Interestingly, God used something very familiar to them as an instrument of their calling: the stars. It was among their belief that when someone of great importance was born, this birth was accompanied by a new star. So when they saw this new, bright and brilliant star, they were filled with curiosity and hope. One of the most significant aspects of this story is that they responded. God called them through the use of a star, and they chose to follow this sign, embarking on a long and arduous journey.

God often uses those things most familiar to us that are part of our daily life to send forth His calling. Recall, for example, that many of the Apostles were fishermen, and Jesus used their occupation to call them, making them “fishers of men.” He especially used the miraculous catch of fish to clearly indicate to them that they had a new calling.

In our own lives, God is constantly calling us to seek Him out and worship Him. He will often use some of the most ordinary parts of our lives to send forth that calling. How is He calling you? In what way is He sending you a star to follow? Many times when God speaks, we ignore His voice. We must learn from these Magi and diligently respond when He calls. We must not hesitate and must seek to daily be attentive to the ways that God invites us to deeper trust, surrender and worship.

Reflect, today, upon God’s call in your life. Are you listening? Are you responding? Are you ready and willing to abandon all else in life so as to serve His holy will? Seek Him, wait on Him and respond. Doing so will be the best decision you ever make.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/04/a-manifestation-to-the-world-4/

Matthew 2:1-2 Read More »

John 1:38-39

Daily Reflections, Verse

Come, and You Will See

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day.

Reflection:

What an interesting exchange. Andrew was one of two disciples of John the Baptist who heard John say that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.” As a result, Andrew and the other disciple left the Baptist and started to physically follow Jesus. As they began to follow Jesus, He turned to them and asked them what they were looking for. And their response, followed by Jesus’ invitation, is recorded above.

Jesus’ invitation was unique: “Come, and you will see.” With that invitation, these two disciples went and remained with Jesus that day. But that’s not all that happened. It is clear from the subsequent passage that by spending the day with Jesus, these two disciples came to faith in Who Jesus was. Later in the passage, Andrew goes to his brother Peter to tell him, “We have found the Messiah.” What was it about their day with Jesus that convinced them of Who He was?

Though the details of their stay with Jesus are not included in the Gospel, it seems clear that simply being in Jesus’ presence is all that these disciples need. Consider, again, Jesus’ twofold invitation: “Come…” followed by “and you will see.”

When our Lord speaks to each of us, His invitation is quite similar. First, He will invite us to come with Him. We are to come to the place where Jesus is staying. Where is that? For us, it is not necessarily a physical place; rather, it is first and foremost a place of prayer. We must hear Jesus invite us to come to Him through the interior journey of personal prayer. It is there, within the depths of our soul, that we will rest with our Lord. He invites us to simply be there in His divine presence.

When we come to Him and rest with Him in His presence, another thing will happen: “and you will see.” We will see Him, come to know Him, be enlightened by Him and come to faith in Him. At first, this happens by His spoken Word. Ultimately, this takes place through an interior revelation that we can only receive in prayer.

Reflect, today, upon this gentle invitation that our Lord gave to these disciples. As you ponder these words, hear them spoken also to you. At first, spend time reflecting only upon the word “come.” Allow it to penetrate your soul. Allow it to become deeply personal. Know that it is a real and loving invitation from Jesus. After that, try to spend time pondering the words “and you will see.” What is it that God wants you to see? What personal revelation of faith does God want to bestow upon you? “Come, and you will see.” Allow these words to change your life, just as they changed the lives of these first disciples of our Lord.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/01/03/come-and-you-will-see-3/

John 1:38-39 Read More »

Mark 1:9-11

You are My Beloved Son

John 3:26

Fulfilling Only Our Role

Luke 5:15-16

Preaching by Example

Luke 4:14–15

Good News Travels Fast

Mark 6:50

Take Courage, Do Not Fear

Mark 6:34

A Heart of Compassion

Matthew 4:17

Repent with Your Whole Heart

Epiphany of the Lord

Matthew 2:1-2

A Manifestation to the World

John 1:38-39

Come, and You Will See

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