Daily Gospel Reflection on Veritas Catholic Network

Grow and Bear Fruit for the Glory of God!

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 13:24-30. The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field but an enemy came in the night and sowed weeds.
This shows the Kingdom is both now and a heavenly reality. Right now, we must contend with both the good and the bad. Yet the man who sowed the good seed knows what is good, that is, the good in creation and the good in us. We shouldn’t be distressed when we see evil, when see difficulties and challenges. Rather, God asks us to wait patiently and trust that He wants to reap a rich harvest.
Today were are called to remain in good soil, to grow and bear fruit for the glory of God!
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed

Today is the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus and the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 13:18-23.
Jesus explains the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed grows up especially in those hearts and minds of those that are willing to receive him. The seed that is faith planted by Christ can really grow.
St. Joachim and Anne are, according to the tradition of the Church, are great examples of good soil, open to the seed of faith. Joachim and Anne were patient for the gift of a child. Like the one who sowes the seed they understood, that sometimes our role is to wait in patience.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Those Who Lead Are To SERVE

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 20:20-28. Today is the feast of the Apostles James the Greater.
James’ and John’s mother asks that her sons would sit at Jesus’s right and left in His kingdom. Jesus asks if they are capable of drinking the cup prepared for Him, to which they say yes. Jesus makes clear that those who lead are to serve, thus the disciples aren’t to seek the places of honor, but to serve all others. Whoever wishes to be first, must be last.
Today, may we pray for the grace to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven by serving our Lord in others.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Is Our Heart Cultivated Well?

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 13:1-9. It is the very familiar parable of the sower and the seed.
As the seed grows, it grows on rocky soil, among the thorns, and good soil. On the rocky soil it grows but dies quickly because it has no root. Among the thorns the soil is good, but the weeds choke it. Finally in the good soil it grows and bears a fruitful harvest.
Those who preach the Gospel must bring the Good News to everyone, those with all kinds of soil. You can also expect to see a harvest in certain kinds of places. In places of good soil, good fruit, but in places with rocky soil or among the thorns, we must first cultivate the soil, to try and make it good soil. To help those pressured by the world to get to a place to receive the word more deeply.
Is the soil of our hearts well cultivated?
Praised Be Jesus Christ! 

Who is Christ's Brother?

Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 12:46-50.
“Whoever does the will of my Father” is mother, brother and sister to me. Whoever seeks and does the will of the Father is a brother or sister to Christ.
With this comes the responsibility to strive to live according to the Gospel. We must make it our aim, goal, and only focus to live as Jesus wants us to live. In His Word, love and mercy by the following of the Commandments.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Mary Magdalene, The Apostle to the Apostles

Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene and the reading is John 20:1-2,11-18.  In the Gospel Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Mary is one of the first witnesses of the Resurrection and she is instructed to go to the other disciples to share the Good News of Christ’s resurrection!
Mary is one of the first bearers of the good news. We too are called to be His witnesses in the world. Through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene, may we all be witnesses to the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection and work in our lives.
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!

When Jesus Calls His Disciples to Rest

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mark 7:30-34.
After the apostles have gone out and have carried out the mission of proclaiming the Gospel, Jesus calls them back to rest together. 
Are we numbered among the crowd clamoring to know the Lord? The ones who follow Him in all things and desire to bring Him to others. Do we have the heart and mercy of Christ?

Jesus RESTORES us!

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 12:14-21. The pharisees begin their “rebellion” against Jesus. So, Jesus pulls back so that the focus can be on his teaching, and not so much the pharisees.  When He pulls back, he heals everyone who comes to him.
Jesus comes to bring us the gift we really need, to restore us with God. In this reading we see the “divine dance” where Jesus takes a step toward us, and, if we begin to run away, he takes a step back. Always moving, or “dancing”, so he can be in relationship with us.

Why Jesus's Disciples "Worked" on the Sabbath

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 12:1-8.  Jesus and his companions are picking the heads of grain as they walk through the fields. However, it’s the sabbath, and as such, they are “working on the Sabbath”.
Jesus speaks to the deeper meaning of the Sabbath. He wants us to not look at just the “strict” letter of the law, but also the spirit of the law. Remember, but the letter and the spirit of the law.
Man was not made for the Sabbath (to be burdened by the rule) but the Sabbath made for man (to offer us the time of rest).
 

Do We Only Turn to Jesus In Our Suffering?

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus invites us to come Himself, to learn from Him. Yet, how easily we look for other things.
Do we only turn to Him in suffering? Do we do so automatically?

Jesus, the Perfect High Priest Prays for YOU

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 11:25-27. Jesus’s prays for the disciples as He sends them out to share the Gospel. Jesus was their “support behind the scenes”.
We have the same. Jesus prays for us. Scripture tells us that Jesus intercedes for us as the perfect high priest before God.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The Gospel is Matthew 11:20-24.When Jesus comes to proclaim the Gospel, He proclaims the Gospel of repentance by calling to example cities where paganism ran rampant. He says if those cities had seen the signs people He preached to had seen, they would have repented quickly.
Fr. Sam also details the Carmelite Spirituality. So many great saints have come from the Carmelite order, under the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Through the Intercession of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel may we share in the spiritual fruits of the Carmelite communities.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

The Feast of St. Bonaventure - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today is the feast of St. Bonaventure, the Gospel reading is Matthew 10:34 - 11:1. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the fact that there are many who will not accept the Gospel. Not only this, but there will even be division within the household over faith in Christ. When people receive us and the Gospel message, they are really receiving Christ.
St. Bonaventure understood what it meant to preach the Gospel with fidelity, to carry the Good News despite obstacles and difficulties, to the world. Let us pray for the same grace to do so.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

We Are All Called to Evangelize - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mark 6:7-13. Jesus sends out the disciples two by two with nothing but a walking stick. Where you are welcomed, receive it, drive out demons, heal the sick and share the Good News. At every moment Jesus desires us to be evangelists in all moments, in the various settings of our lives.
We are called to be witnesses and we are to take nothing except the Gospel, the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. 
Praised Be Jesus Christ!
 

We Have Been Won By the Blood of Christ - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 10:24-33. Jesus continues to send his apostles out as messengers and witnesses. As he prepares them for persecution and difficulty he reminds them who is really in charge. Suffering is not a sign that you are no longer in God’s favor. Rather, they are to remember that God knows and loves them intimately. They have been won by the Blood of Christ.
So too, we have been counted, numbered, and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ! As such, we are to be witnesses of the Good News to the entire world.
Let us pray for the grace to be ready to give witness to the truth, the goodness, and the mercy of Jesus Christ!
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

The Call To Be Sheep Among Wolves - Daily Gospel Reflection

Matthew 10:16-23. Jesus is sending out his apostles out as sheep among wolves. As such they must be shrewd as serpents but as gentle as doves. So too, they are not to prepare their defense ahead of time, the Holy Spirit will give them the power to give testimony.
We should rely on the Holy Spirit, but remember what else the disciples did, they learned how to be a witness from the Lord Himself. So too, we need to spend time with Jesus every single day, we need to reflect on His words, we need to learn the Catholic Faith.  By doing these things, we prepare ourselves to give testimony as sheep among wolves.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

The Feast of St. Benedict - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today is the feast of St. Benedict, our reading is Matthew 10:7-15.
Jesus sends the disciples out to every town and village to cure the sick and preach the word. It is active and moving.
St. Benedict founded monasteries to be stable institutions. What St. Benedict understood was that Christianity is more than just going out and proclaiming the word, it is also contemplating God, much like Jesus on the mountain top.
St. Benedict, pray for us. Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Go To Those Who are Sheep Without A Shepherd - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 10:1-7. Jesus sends the 12 out to the lost sheep of Israel. Israel, awaiting its savior, will come to know of its Messiah.
Just as Jesus sent out the 12, He sends us out. Not only to those who will listen to us, but to those who haven’t yet heard the Good News. To those who are sheep without a shepherd.
And still, we witness to one another as well.
Let us pray for the grace to bring the Mercy of God to the world.
Praised Be Jesus Christ! 

The Harvest is Many, But the Laborers are Few - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 9:32-38. Jesus sees the need of the people who follow him. They need God’s grace, they need His mercy.
He also sees their desire, the true desire to live in the Covenant. They want to walk according to the Commandments, they want to be in true Communion with God.
There are so many seeking God, the harvest is many, but those who labor to bring God to the people are few. Today we pray for an increase in evangelists and for the grace to be the best evangelists we can be.
Praised Be Jesus Christ! 

Continue Meditating on Christ's Healing Power! - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 9:18-26. It’s the story of the synagogue official and the woman with the hemorrhage. As we read this Gospel again we’re being invited to consider the healing power of Christ.
Why reread this Gospel story despite having read it recently? It is important to continuously meditate on the healing power of the Lord. He wants to bring healing grace into our lives and into the whole world.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!