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Daily Readings from the USCCBAfter making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. Mark 6:53–54As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, the people “immediately recognized him.” Jesus and the Twelve had spent the previous day on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the remote territory near Bethsaida where they planned to be alone. When they arrived there, however, the crowds were waiting for them, so Jesus preached to thousands of...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFifth Sunday in Ordinary TimeJesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Matthew 5:13Sodium chloride, also known as salt, is one of the most commonly used substances in the world, used for seasoning, preserving, and purifying. Sodium chloride is a very stable compound and cannot lose its flavor unless there is a chemical reaction or dissolution. Why, then, did Jesus suggest that salt could lose...

By Dr. John BergsmaThe Readings for this Sunday remind me of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, which I’ve had the privilege of visiting a couple of times in the past few years. This beautiful church is built on a hillside and is easily visible from much of the modern city of Nazareth. The architect designed the dome of the basilica to look like a lighthouse, symbolizing the light of Christ going out to all Nazareth and the rest of the Galilee region, in keeping with the theme of last week’s Gospel, “Those walking in darkness have seen a...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThe Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Mark 6:30–31When a person does something profound and meaningful for the first time, it’s a memorable moment. When a child walks for the first time, parents are elated. When we graduate from high school or college, a natural sense of pride wells up. Weddings, the birth of a baby, an ordination, and many other important events mark the beginning of something new and fulfilling. Around the...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, MartyrsKing Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; That is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Mark 6:14–16When a person sins seriously and refuses to repent, the damaging effects of that sin deepen over time,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Mark 6:10–13During the first half of Jesus’ public ministry, despite the religious leaders growing increasingly hostile, He accomplished many things. Numerous conversions took place, many began to believe He was...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:4–6It’s an old expression that “familiarity breeds contempt.” It is often easier to harbor contempt for those closest to us than to offer admiration. This dynamic frequently manifests itself among relatives, neighbors, and friends... These feelings, if left...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThere was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. Mark 5:25–29According to Jewish law, the condition from which this woman suffered rendered her ritually unclean, which excluded her from both religious and social...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFeast of the Presentation of the LordWhen the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Luke 2:22–24The Presentation of the Lord reveals two beautiful paradoxes: the purification of the...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)When 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 5:1–3The Beatitudes call us to the heights of morality and holiness. Those who live according to these divine precepts are blessed beyond measure... Though the rewards are great, so are the requirements: spiritual poverty, holy sorrow, meekness, longing for righteousness, a merciful heart, purity, peacemaking, and patient endurance during...

By Dr. John BergsmaChildren play make-believe games in which they are royalty—kings and queens, princes and princesses—but one of the main attractions of this kind of fantasy play is the imagined wealth that goes along with it. Who would not like to wear the finest clothes, live in the finest dwellings, dine on the best food, and be waited on hand and foot by servants? This is our standard notion of what “royalty” involves, but in this Sunday’s readings Jesus inaugurates a new kingdom, the “kingdom of heaven,” in which the aristocrats are going to live a lifestyle completely opposite...

Good Saturday afternoon folks. I’d like to invite y’all to check out my Indie Conservative Christian short story that is available for free today on Amazon. It’s a former Amazon best seller in several Christian genres. It addressses the hypocrisy of climate change while celebrating the power of prayer and God's sovereignty. The book can be downloaded using the amazon link above or linked from my web site at: https://congareeridgearts.com/payton-finds-his-purpose Thanks and have a good one!

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest“Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. Mark 4:35–38Our Lord’s words were prophetic, but so were His actions. Today’s Gospel begins after a long day of Jesus teaching parables to the people by the Sea of Galilee. One might think that, after...

Daily Readings from the USCCBWith many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. Mark 4:33–34Today’s Gospel begins with two parables about the Kingdom of God, using the familiar image of seeds. Both of these parables point to the Kingdom of God as something that grows mysteriously and abundantly, often beyond human understanding or control. The first parable points to the mysterious growth of the seed that the sower scatters on his fields: “and would...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” Mark 4:21–23What guides your life? What influences your decisions? Many are motivated by worldly desires, such as wealth or status. Others seek fulfillment in fleeting pleasures. Some take their inspiration from cultural icons or those deemed successful by society. But...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church“And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. Mark 4:8–10The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus’ foundational teachings. When preaching from a boat to a large crowd, Jesus used parables to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of God. Afterward, His disciples questioned why...

A suspect allegedly stabbed a man and his dog Sunday in Washington state after the suspect asked the victim what religion he is, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office said. The 54-year-old male victim called 911 reporting that an unknown male stabbed him near the S S Quickstop Grocery in Parkland just before 6:30 a.m. and that the male fled southbound on Park Avenue S., officials said. Parkland is about 45 minutes south of Seattle. When deputies arrived, the victim was in serious condition and told deputies the unknown man had come up to him and asked what religion he was,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThe mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” Mark 3:31–32In Jesus’ time, family bloodlines were of great importance. They determined one’s identity as part of the chosen people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham. Being part of God’s covenantal family was understood primarily in terms of physical ancestry. Bloodlines also played a crucial role in determining rights to land ownership, which was tied...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops“Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:28–30Consider the sobering reality of suffering the guilt of everlasting sin. Though alarming and unpleasant, understanding this possibility is foundational to a healthy spiritual life. This is best illustrated in the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, one of the co-founders of the Jesuits....

Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion hub, has invaded what some would assume to be unlikely territory. Rather than further infiltrating Democrat-led states, secular universities, and other places where abortion is commonly promoted and embraced, numerous Christian colleges have been exposed for latching onto a relationship with the abortion industry. Students for Life of America (SFLA) recently released the data through its Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement Christian Schools Project. In its fourth annual report, 725 Christian colleges and universities across America were investigated, with researchers “examining each institution’s public materials, resources, partnerships and student-facing programs to identify ties to...