27th Week, Oct 5-10

 October 5-10:

Oct 5 Monday (Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest, U.S. A.) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/blessed-francis-xavier-seelos/ : Lk 10: 25-37: 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

26th Week: Sept 28-Oct 3

 Sept 28 Monday (St. Wenceslaus) 

(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-wenceslaus/), Martyr, St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-lorenzo-ruiz-and-companions/ : Lk 9:46-50: 46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” 49 John answered, “Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you.” USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm 

26th Week, Monday, Sept 28

Job 1:6-22 / Luke 9:46-50 

Suffering comes to Job: Job remained faithful to God. 

25th Week: Sept 21-26:

 Sept 21 Monday (St. Mathew, Apostle and Evangelist) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-matthew/ : Mt 9:9-13: 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.  10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.  11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  13 Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm

25th Week, Wednesday, Sept 23

Proverbs 30:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6

Proverbs speaks about human needs: Let me be neither rich nor poor.  

24th Week Thursday, Sept 17

 24th Week, Thursday, Sept 17

1 Cor 15:1-11 / Luke 7:36-50

Paul talks about our roots: I passed on to you what I received.  

24th Week, Wednesday, Sept 16

1 Cor 12:31 - 13:13 / Luke 7:31-35

Paul talks about gifts: The greatest gift is love. 

24th Week - Sept 14-19

 Sept 14 Monday (The Exaltation of the Holy Cross) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/-Exaltation-of-the-Holy-Cross : John 3:13-17: The Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of twelve “Master feasts” celebrated in the Church to honor Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master.

23rd Week, Thursday, Sept 10

1 Cor 8:1-7, 11-13 / Luke 6:27-38

The Corinthians had asked Paul if it was okay to eat the flesh of animals that had been sacrificed to idols. This was a practical question, because only a portion of the sacrificed animal was offered to the idol. The remaining flesh was sold in meat markets.

23rd Week: Sept 7-12 Reflections

Sept 7 Monday: Lk 6: 6-11: 6 On another Sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And he looked around on them all, and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm

22nd Week: Aug 31st to Sept 5th

Aug 31 Monday: Lk 4:14-30: Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath day. And he stood up  to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

22nd Week, Monday, August 31

1 Cor 2:1-5 / Luke 4:16-30

I spoke with no eloquence: The Spirit, however, spoke through me.

Malcolm Muggeridge, the BBC-TV celebrity, interviewed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The verdict on the interview was that it was hardly usable on TV. Mother Thresa's delivery was halting, and she spoke with a rather thick accent. One BBC official, however, felt that the interview had a mysterious power and held out for its use on a Sunday night. To everyone's surprise, viewer response to the program was amazing-both in terms of mail and contributions. 

21st Week: Aug 24-29: Reflections

Aug 24 Monday (St. Bartholomew/Nathaniel, Apostle) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-bartholomew/ : Friday  Jn 1:43-51: 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

20th Week, Monday, Aug 17

Ezekiel 24:15-24 / Matthew 19:16-22

Sin is a fracture or a break in our relationship with God. Yet it must be said that it is us who initiated that fracture or break by our committing sin.

19th Week, Friday, Aug 14

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63 / Matthew 19:3-12

God speaks of Israel: “I loved you, but you deserted me.”

Some time ago America magazine carried an article entitled “Adult Runaway.” It dealt with the growing number of adults who desert their spouses and families. These adults almost always end up unhappy. Quoting the head of the Missing Person’s Bureau of Los Angeles, the article says: “The majority . . . would give anything to be back living their former lives. But they mistakenly figure there’s no way they can undo the past.”

19th Week: Aug 10-15: Reflections

Aug 10 Monday (St. Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-lawrence/ : Jn 12:24-26: 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  25  He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. USCCB video reflections:

19th Week, Wednesday, Aug 12

Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22 / Matthew 18:15-20

Ezekiel has a vision of Jerusalem: “Only those who mourn will be saved. ”

Five years after arriving in Babylon, Ezekiel is returned to Jerusalem in a vision. He finds himself beside the Temple. What he sees may have been actual or symbolic. In any event, the meaning is clear: He sees a breakdown of the religion of Israel.

18th Week, Saturday, Aug 8

Habakkuk 1:12-2:4 / Matthew 17: 14-20

Habakkuk questions God: God promised that justice would prevail.

The Book of Habakkuk is nearly as short as the Book of Nahum. Habakkuk prophesied shortly before the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple (587 B.C.). He wrestled with the same question Job did: Why do good people seem to suffer and evil people appear to prosper?

18 Week, Wednesday, Aug 5 - Video

18th Week: Aug 3-8: Reflections

Aug 3-8: Aug 3 Monday: Mt 24: 22-36: And if those days had not been shortened, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect they will be shortened. 23^j If anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24False messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive, if that were possible, even the elect. 25Behold, I have told it to you beforehand. 26So if they say to you, ‘He is in the desert,’ do not go out there; if they say, ‘He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.^*………………36 USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm