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Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’” Luke 16:1–2At first glance, today’s parable can be puzzling and even unsettling, as Jesus appears to praise deceit. However, when read in light of Catholic tradition, its deeper spiritual meaning becomes clear and richly instructive. This parable is not about how to succeed in the world, but about how...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, BishopGreat crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25–27In today’s Gospel, Jesus lays down the interior dispositions required for true discipleship. He then says three times that those who fail to meet these conditions “cannot be my disciple.” This passage is part of Luke’s...

Daily Readings from the USCCBOne of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.” Luke 14:15–18Today we continue reading from Jesus’ teachings during a dinner at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. Present were many of the town’s social elites,...

End Wokeness @EndWokeness: This is the early voting line in Dearborn, MI. Like it or not, demographics are destiny.

Daily Readings from the USCCBThe Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.” John 6:37–39Today we do more than remember our loved ones...

Daily Readings from the USCCBWhen Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven…” Matthew 5:1–3Do you want to get to Heaven? Most would instinctively respond, “Yes.” But imagine an angel appearing to you today and saying, “The Most High God will be taking you to Heaven this very day.” How would you react? Would your heart leap with joy? Or would a wave of fear wash over you as...

By Dr. John BergsmaA happy Feast of All Saints to one and all! This is one of my favorite feasts. The month of November is not formally a liturgical season, but since it begins with All Saints and ends with Christ the King, these four weeks really do have the feel of a liturgical season focused on meditation on the Last Things: Heaven, Hell, Death, and Judgment. The Readings for All Saints are, of course, beautiful. Here are some quick thoughts: 1. The First Reading is Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14. 2I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.” Luke 14:8–9 Jesus told this parable during a dinner at the home of a leading Pharisee. We are told that “the people there were observing him carefully.” On one hand, such attentiveness might...

Daily Readings from the USCCBOn a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” Luke 14:1–3Today, we can easily and confidently answer Jesus’ question: “Yes, it is lawful to cure on the Sabbath!” But the scholars of the Law and the Pharisees were unable or unwilling to answer that question. And when...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Luke 13:34–35In today’s Gospel, Jesus laments Jerusalem’s tragic history of persecuting the prophets sent by God to call His people back to fidelity. The deaths of Zechariah...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFeast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles[Jesus] called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Luke 6:13–16Today we honor two of the Twelve Apostles: Saints Simon and Jude. In Luke’s Gospel, Simon is referred to as a Zealot. Zealots were members of a Jewish sect that sought to overthrow...

(2009) We now have the first member of Congress who has called on controversial "Safe Schools" Education Official Kevin Jennings to resign. ... --- Congressman Steve King issued the following statement today: “Kevin Jennings lacks the appropriate qualifications and ethical standards to serve in a presidential administration. Despite serving as the ‘safe schools’ czar, Jennings has demonstrated a willingness to look the other way on sexual abuse. His life’s work has been the promotion of homosexuality, even in elementary schools,.. --- The Family Research Council is out with more on Jennings: FRC has uncovered a series of op-eds that show...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Luke 13:18–19The mustard seed symbolizes the humble and hidden beginnings of the Gospel. Christ Himself was born in a manger and crucified as a criminal. Spiritually speaking, He is the mustard seed par excellence. Likewise, the Church began with a handful of ordinary, mostly unlearned men,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. Luke 13:11–13Eighteen years is a long time to have suffered under the bondage of satan. This healing took place on the Sabbath day in a synagogue while Jesus was...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThirtieth Sunday in Ordinary TimWhen the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Matthew 22:34–36The Law of Moses, found in the Torah—the first five books of our Old Testament—is traditionally said to contain 613 commandments: 248 positive (“dos”) and 365 negative (“don’ts”). Among these laws, there was a longstanding debate among the rabbis about which commandment was the greatest. Therefore, though the Pharisee who posed this question to Jesus was...

By Dr. John BergsmaHow does love relate to law? The two can seem opposed, a contrast to one another. Love is a romantic dinner for two on a veranda overlooking the Seine. Law is a solemn old man in a black robe, sitting behind a high podium with police officers at his side. The Readings for this Sunday insist that law and love, as strange as it may seem, are ultimately united. Without love, law is cold. Without law, love is mere emotion. The Readings show the unity of the Old and New Testaments in pointing to the love of...

Daily Readings from the USCCBSome people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He 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!” Luke 13:1–3In Jesus’ time, it was commonly believed that suffering and tragedy were signs of divine punishment. The incident mentioned above is one such example. Although neither the Scriptures nor other historical records provide...

Hold on to God

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Luke 12:54–56Today, when we want to know the weather forecast, we turn to an app, a website, or the evening...