Inspirations at your Fingertips!

The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist  Mark 6:17-29 What does the passion of John the Baptist tell us about our faith?  Every martyr's death is in communion with the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  We should know the implications of offering our lives as Jesus and John did. First, is it directly identifying us with Jesus, Son of God, in word, thought, and action.  This is the task of every Christian, to mirror Christ in his own life. Second, the very heart of Jesus is healing and salvation, and forgiveness of sins.  Have we started thinking of the salvation of our brothers and sisters together with our own?  What lies in our hearts should simply be compassion. Third, what is the fruit of sacrifice.  What have we actually gained when we think about sacrifice or even offering our lives?  Now, we're entering into the very heart of Jesus' offering of self.  We have entered into the realm of perfect love. Never think th...

Thursday of week 20 in Ordinary Time Matthew 22:1-14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." The readings plus the feast we're celebrating today give us a picture of the end times right in front of us: Mary as Queen of all and the banquet hosted by the king for his invited guests, by which no one attended. Heaven is about the host who invites us to his kingdom. But did the guests respond adequately by excusing themselves from the banquet? Do we respond adequately to God's invitation for us to be with him and to dispose our hearts to him and to actually be with him in thought, word, and deed?  What would make us worthy to be counted among the guests of the Lord? First, our orientation and disposition to be with him and to serve him.  Is this our orientation now or are we reserving this at the end of life?  It may be too late by then. Second, reflect on the present.  Are all my actions in preparation for that banquet in heaven? Third, as we reflect...

Friday of week 19 in Ordinary Time Matthew 19:3-12 So then, what God has united, man must not divide. Think of what happened to Israel and how they received bountiful blessings and miracles.  Are these all consequential? Or was there a  great Someone who gathered them for himself?  And what does he want of them?  He wants that they and we be united with him. In the gospel, Jesus reminds us of the unitive aspect of marriage:  what God has joined, no man can separate.  Furthermore, he expanded this to people of every calling; we may have different calling, but we all have one mission. Do we think about the unitive aspect of being church?  What are the benefits of unity? First, it is a reflection of God himself who is One in Three Divine Persons.   There is no 'to each his own' in the Church.  God calls us as one. Second, God called a people, a race, and chose them as his own.   Religion is a personal experience of commu...