Free Republic

Daily Readings from the USCCBThirty-third Sunday in Ordinary TimeJesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” Matthew 25:14–15Today’s parable comes from Jesus’ eschatological discourse (Matthew 24–25), delivered near the end of His public ministry. It speaks of the Final Judgment and calls us to vigilance, fidelity, and spiritual fruitfulness as we await the return of our Divine Master. This eschatological reminder of God’s Final...

Pakistan: Christian girl abducted, forced into Islamic marriage, beaten, tortured and raped The abuse of Christians, which includes the violation and torture of young Christian girls, continues in Pakistan (and elsewhere), while Pakistani leader Imran Khan complains about how hurtful it is to Muslims when Islam is insulted. “Court orders return of Pakistani Christian teen raped and tortured in forced Islamic marriage,” by Samuel Smith, Christian Post, April 16, 2019: A Pakistani court has ordered the return of a Christian teenager who was abducted and forced into an Islamic marriage in March after the victim gave testimony of how she...

Ajak Mabior, an 18-year-old Christian girl in South Sudan, was beaten to death after refusing to enter a forced marriage to an older Muslim man. Mabior was killed in Jonglei state on Nov. 6 after her family arranged for her to be married to the Muslim man, but she opposed the arrangement because of her faith in Jesus Christ. ... her own brother and cousin were those who killed her. ... They were arrested in the city of Bor, but released without charges after family members petitioned for their release. ... when a young girl is killed for refusing a...

By Dr. John BergsmaSt. Josemaría Escrivà, the founder of the personal prelature Opus Dei, has often been called the “saint of the ordinary” for the emphasis he placed on achieving holiness in every-day living. In fact, one of his most famous sermons was entitled “The Richness of Ordinary Life.” St. Josemaría once said he could tell a great deal about a man’s interior life by looking at his closet. Good order in one’s soul is often reflected by good order in one’s lifestyle. A man who is sloppy or inattentive in the care of his personal effects will often likewise...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” Luke 18:2–5Discouragement often sets in when things don’t turn out...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]“Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.” Luke 17:33–37In today’s Gospel, Jesus recalls the tragic...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and MartyrAsked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20–21The Pharisees, like many Jews of their time, expected the Kingdom of God to arrive in a dramatic, visible, and political way. They awaited a Messiah from the line of King David who would deliver Israel from Roman rule, restore national independence,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Martin of Tours, BishopAs Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. Luke 17:11–14According to the Law of Moses, lepers were declared ritually unclean and required to live apart from the community. They had to wear torn clothing, leave their hair...

Daily Readings from the USCCBMemorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the ChurchJesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table?’ Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished?’ Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?” Luke 17:7–9It’s easy...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFeast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in RomeJesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. John 2:19–21The Lateran Basilica, officially known as the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and holds the unique distinction...

https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2118857294494720367

Daily Readings from the USCCBThirty-second Sunday in Ordinary TimeJesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.” Matthew 25:1–2The Parable of the Ten Virgins draws on culturally familiar language and practices from first-century Israel. Understanding the wedding customs of that time sheds light on its deeper meaning. First, the bride and groom did not choose each other. The father of the groom selected a bride for his son and spoke to the bride’s father...

By Dr. John BergsmaMany years ago I worked in a cafeteria in northern Virginia with a large group of people who mostly knew each other and lived in the same neighborhood. Around the 4th of July, they all decided to have a party, and out of politeness invited me, even though I was a bit of a stranger. They told me the party would start at “six” and I dutifully showed up at six sharp with a dish to pass. Little did I know that, in the local culture, things tended to start about two hours after the stated time....

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” Luke 16:9–10Today’s Gospel begins with a perplexing command: “Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” At first glance, Jesus seems to present a contradiction. How can...

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...