Daily Gospel Reflection on Veritas Catholic Network

Forgiving People EVERY Time - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s gospel reading is Mt 18:21-35
How often do we need to forgive others? 7 times or 77 times? We have to forgive in a way that is incomprehensible, innumerable.
My forgiveness is very limited, but God’s is not. No matter how many times I have sinned, when I go to confession, God is always offering me His mercy.
Forgive, Forgive, Forgive.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Will YOU accept Jesus When Others Refuse? - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading is Lk 4:24-30
A prophet is never accepted in His hometown. This is why Jesus isn’t accepted, even despite performing physical healings for and in front of those He's always known.
Not only do they reject Him, They seek to do Him physical harm, but rather than be harmed by these individuals, Jesus is able to pass through them without being harmed at all. His time has not yet come.
Nonetheless, His time is approaching, and we are preparing for it now in Lent, where Jesus won’t be harmed against His will, but will give up his life according to His own will. Let us pray that our Lenten journey will prepare us to receive Him in His hour, His sacrifice, so that we can receive His grace and mercy.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!
 

Jesus Meets the Woman with Five Husbands - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is John 4:5-42
Jesus asks the woman at the well for a drink. Maybe we’ve heard the story of some sinner who’s had a massive conversion. We are fascinated by those kinds of stories. But the truth is, we all still have those wells of sin that we return to, at midday (just like the woman), so that no one will see. Let us give that sin to the Lord as we meet Him at the well this Lent. 
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Which Prodigal Son are YOU? - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is from Luke 15: 1-3 and 11-32.
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This is the story of the two Prodigal sons because both sons are troubled. The first, as most know, leaves home with his inheritance, is miserable, and upon returning is met with open arms by his father. But Benedict XVI points out that the second son is extremely bitter in the face of the return of his younger brother.
It’s not fair. But God’s mercy isn’t about fairness, it’s a gift given even when it is least deserved. As we go through Lent, a time of repentance it is good to remember that God’s mercy is for you.
Let us pray that we may avail ourselves of the mercy of God that is beyond reason, beyond fairness, but is given abundantly.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

YOU Are Responsible For Producing Good Fruit! - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 21:43-46
The Vineyard owner leases his land to tenets and expects something in return. They are responsible for taking care of the vineyard and bring good fruit to the owner. What do the tenets do? They beat and kill the owners servants and beloved son. So, the vineyard will be taken away from the tenets and given to others.
Just as Joseph’s brothers and the scribes & Pharisees are cold and calloused in their sin, so are we. Today as we read these passages may our Hearts be inflamed with love for Christ so we might produce good fruit in the vineyard.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

You've Only Got One Shot at Life, Take It! - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Lk 16:19-31
This is the story of poor Lazarus. He lays at the door of the rich man and receives nothing. He dies and finds himself in the arms of Abraham in heaven. The rich man at whose door he sits finds himself in Hell, not allowed to warn his brothers of the dangers of their lives.
This story shows us that we only get one shot at life and we have to get it right. Lent is the opportunity to live out the Christian life NOW. We’ve only got one shot, let’s take it.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Seated with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven = Suffering - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 20:17-28
James and John send their mother to request that Jesus will have them sit at His left and right in the Kingdom of Heaven. They don’t fully understand what this means, but nonetheless, you see their full submission, even to the idea of enduring suffering just as Christ will. 
This is what Lent is for. It is an opportunity for us to share in the sufferings of Christ. May we pray that this Lent we will suffer well for the Lord.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Follow What They Say, Not What They Do - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 23:1-12
Jesus reminds us that the scribes and pharisees have taken their seat in the chair of Moses, the seat of authority. They teach with true authority. As a result, Jesus tells the people to do what they tell them, but NOT to follow their example.
Do we live the faith that we profess?
Let us pray today for the grace to live out the fullness of the Gospel, preaching the Gospel and acts and words.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!
 

Be Merciful as Your Heavenly Father is Merciful - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading is Lk 6:36-38
"Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful".
How does one do this? You stop judging so that you will not be judged. God is the only one is capable of making those judgements because God is love itself, and thus able to speak intelligently to sin and mistakes. 
God gives His mercy to all who seek it with a contrite heart. Do we offer mercy to everyone we meet? Chances are we don't do it perfectly. 
Let us pray that today we would be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful. 
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

The Transfiguration of Jesus - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading is Mark 9:2-10
The Story of the Transfiguration. Jesus Transfigured before Peter, James, and John, the Father says “this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him”. Moses and Elijah both attest to Him. In other words, everything is pointing to listening carefully to Jesus and following Him in His teachings!
The Transfiguration in the context of Lent is to remind us what is to come. The goal is Transfiguration, that everything us would become a sign of God’s glory, not just for our own benefit, but for the sake of the Glory of God.
The Transfiguration promises us hope before the Passion. We are reminded of the fruit of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The fruit of what happens when you say yes to Jesus.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!
 

Be Perfect Like Your Heavenly Father is Perfect - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 5:33-38
Jesus tells us to be perfect just as our Heavenly Father is perfect. He shows us that there’s lots of good things we can do, but anything on the natural level is just that. Natural, not supernatural.
Are we striving for the spiritual perfection that God desires for us? Jesus is inviting us into His supernatural union with the Father. He is calling us to be like God Himself, to have God as our standard, to have God as the focus of our lives, and have God’s goodness and perfection as the goal for which we search.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

A Heart Filled with Love for Christ - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 5:20-26
Jesus tells us that our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and the pharisees. The scribes and pharisees live out the law “perfectly”.
If they are faithful, what is Jesus asking us? How do you pass perfection? Jesus means it isn’t just about doing things the right way, it’s about understanding the law in light of the Gospel. It is the law of love.
Let us pray for a heart enflamed with love for Jesus Christ!
Praised be Jesus Christ!

You are Peter and on this Rock I will Build My Church - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mt 16:13-19
You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. With this confession of faith, Jesus says, “you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
If Jesus is the Son of the Living God than everything that He promises us is true. He is able to make Himself available for us in the Eucharist, He is able to forgive our sins through the ministry of the priest, He is able to give us new life in Baptism, He is able to offer us His healing, grace, and presence.
On the feast of the Chair of Peter, we are reminded of where our faith rests, upon the Rock of Peter.
Today, we must pray for our Pope, the Successor of Peter, that he would be faithful and hand on the gift of Faith to each of us.
Praised be Jesus Christ

Jesus is Even Bigger than the Beatles - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass Today is Lk 11:29-32
Jesus reminds the crowd about what is really happening. He puts Himself in the proper context by comparing Himself to King Solomon & the prophet Jonah.
Naturally, Fr. Sam compares Jesus to the Beatles (who, to be fair, compared themselves to Jesus first). The thing to be understood (that Paul, John, George and Ringo probably didn’t understand) is that Jesus isn’t claiming fame for His own sake. This is for us. We need to let the Gospel penetrate our hearts because something greater than Jonah and Solomon is here.
Today, let us ask the Lord for the grace of having our hearts and minds transformed by the Gospel.
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Praying the Our Father = Praying Perfectly - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass today is Mt 6:7-15
Jesus gives us the “Our Father”, teaching us how to pray. The whole Lenten season is about learning how to pray more intensely.
The Our Father reminds us to praise God and to recognize us that God is our Father. It also reminds us that our fellow Christians are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus teaches us to ask boldly for what we need, to depend on God for our sustenance, and the importance of forgiving others.
Lent is the invitation to enter into prayer in a more perfect way. When we pray the Our Father, the way Jesus taught us to, we are praying in a perfect way.

Are You a Sheep or a Goat? - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass today is Mt 25:31-36
This is the famous parable of the sheep and the goats. Jesus speaks to those who have followed him and have done his will. He says blessed are you because you have fed me, you have clothed me, you visited me and took care of me.
To those who ignored him in need he says, when I was hungry and thirsty you did nothing for me. Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did to me.
How is your almsgiving going? How are your works of charity going? We may confront these questions and find we haven’t done much. Now is the time to choose to take action, performing works of mercy out of love for Jesus.
Let us pray for the grace of following Jesus better! 
AMDG!

The Time of Fulfillment is NOW! - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass today is Mk 1:12-15
Mark’s Gospel is written with a great sense of urgency. In this passage, Jesus, who had just driven out into the desert for forty days in order to be tested by Satan, returns and begins to preach that it is the “time of fulfillment”.
While the "time of fulfillment" happened when Jesus said it, because He remains present to us through the Sacraments, it is still happening right now! 
Let us pray for urgency in following Jesus during the time of fulfillment! 
AMDG!

Jesus Calls Matthew (and You!) - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass today is Lk 5:27-32 
Jesus calls the tax collector Levi (Matthew). When Jesus sees him at the booth he says, “come follow me”, and Matthew immediately gets up to do so. This a perfect example of the way we are called to respond to Jesus, especially during Lent. Jesus calls us now, “come follow me”, and we are to go, immediately.
Jesus comes to call sinners to repentance and healing to those who need it. Are you a sinner? Are you broken? Jesus is calling.
Let us pray that we would hear the call of the Lord, and like Matthew, follow him immediately.

Seeing Jesus Face to Face? - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel reading from Catholic Mass today is Mt 9:14-15
This reading reminds us what the season of Lent is all about. In it, Jesus explains to his disciples that He knows (and now we know) where the ministry of Jesus leads. That while we have been saved from our sins and can really commune with Jesus, there is a very real difference in the way Jesus accompanies us. He doesn’t walk with us in the human form he once did.
May this season be truly one of penance so we may one day see the bridegroom face to face.

Pick Up Your Cross & Follow Me - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel reading from Catholic Mass today is Lk 9:22-25
"If anyone wishes to come after he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me".
Now is a time for repentance and penance. Penance is a mortification of the body mind and spirit. We mortify the appetites so as to increase our discipline and empower us to live a fruitful spiritual life. Penance is also a sacramental grace where we receive God’s grace and mercy.
Let us pray for the grace of a fruitful mortification of the senses. 
AMDG!