Daily Gospel Reflection on Veritas Catholic Network

Ash Wednesday: Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent!  The three primary pillars of this season are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In these three pillars we commune with God, go without lesser goods so as to seek out greater goods, and give in charity to those who are poor.
All Christians are called to all three of these during the Lenten season. When we rely on God He unlocks our capacity for goodness. He helps us become who we are.
AMDG! 
 

Jesus Provides for Us & Mardi Gras! - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel reading from Catholic Mass today is Mark 8: 14-21.
The perfect reading for Mardi Gras! The disciples have only brought one loaf of bread and are going to be hungry. Jesus, of course, provides for them.
As we get ready for lent we should be thinking about prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Thus, along with the disciples, Jesus is reminding us of the times miraculously fed so many.
In the midst of our fasting, let us remember that God is close to us and will help us to persevere by providing for us everything that we need!

The Sign of Jonah & Searching for Signs - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Catholic Mass Gospel Reading is Mark 8:11-13
The Pharisees are pushing Jesus for a sign. Since we’re in the 8th chapter of Mark’s Gospel, they’ve already seen Jesus cleanse Lepers, drive out demons, and perform many miracles. In other words, they should know that Jesus teaches with authority. Thus, Jesus tells them that they won’t receive another sign, because until they see the sign of Jonah, see the “end result”, they won’t believe.
There is something instructive here. Are we pushing for signs? Are looking for one more when we need to be bold and step out in faith?
Let us pray for the wisdom to know the difference between seeking the sign and knowing the goodness and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Jesus's Healing and Our Lady of Lourdes - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Sunday Gospel Reading is Mark 1:40-45
Jesus heals a leper with a compassionate touch, telling the him that He does in fact “will” the his healing, that he’d be made whole. We are all called to some kind of healing, and while not all will experience a physical healing, Jesus seeks to make us whole!
Ordinarily we’d be celebrating our Lady of Lourdes today. A common theme, every year thousands upon thousands of people pilgrim to Lourdes to experience physical, spiritual, or emotional healing. In Lourdes you see the same Jesus reaching out to touch us and saying “I want to heal you”
Let us pray for our sick brothers and sisters today, that through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, they would experience the healing power of God.

Jesus and the Deaf Man - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel reading from Catholic Mass today is Mark 7:31-37
Today’s Gospel illustrates the importance of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Jesus performs physical acts. He prays over the man he heals, He puts his finger in the man’s ear, he says “Ephphatha”, which means “be opened” and the man receives the gift of hearing and speech.
The deaf man represents all of us. How often are we incapable of hearing the Word of God? How often are we unable to speak the truths of the Gospel? Christ groans in prayer that we too would “be opened” and thus His witness to the entire world.
Let us pray for the capacity to hear the Word of God and spread the Word of God.

Jesus and the Syrophoenician Woman - Daily Gospel Reflection

The Gospel Reading from Catholic Mass today is Mark 7: 24-30
Jesus encounters the Syrophoenician woman. She comes asking Jesus for something and at first Jesus does something surprising… nothing.
Why would Jesus ignore this woman? Jesus ignores her so that she will come even closer to Him, so that her desire for Him would grow. Jesus engages her in conversation: “what is that you really desire, what is that you really want?”.
Ultimately, this woman is motivated by faith, and because of her persistence Jesus reveals the universality of the call to Salvation. He hasn’t come to save only the Chosen People, but to save all through the Chosen People.
Let us pray today that we would have the same confidence and faith of the Syrophoenician Woman.

Blessed are the Pure of Heart - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mark 7:14-23.
 
Jesus informs us that what enters us can not defile us spiritually, but rather, it’s what comes from within (the thoughts and motivations of the heart) that actually defile us.
 
This is all contrary to how the Jewish people understood the “cleanliness” of food. They believed that if you ate an unclean food, there was a real defilement of the soul that happened. So food actually made YOU unclean.
 
As Jesus reminds us that it is our sin that makes us unclean let us pray for purification of our hearts and minds.
 
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Let Your Yes Be Yes - Daily Gospel Reflection

Mark 7:1-13
This is a tough Gospel if we’re being honest. It’s difficult because Jesus is criticized for his disciples not observing every the law. Then, Jesus points out that the pharisees aren’t following the law as they should be. Namely, they’re finding loopholes.
Is finding loopholes the right spiritual disposition we should have? Are we selective about which commandments we follow? Do we find for ways to excuse ourselves? Or do we allow our “yes” to be “yes” and our “no” to be “no”?
Let us pray for the grace to follow the whole of the Law of the Gospel.

What It Means to be Evangelical - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading is Mark 6:53-56
The people are immediately looking for people that they can bring to Jesus to heal. They "scurried about" the surrounding country looking for people!
This should be taken as a sign of the evangelical zeal, the sense of urgency, that should be embedded within our desire to share the Gospel. To be evangelical means to have a sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel! So that all can have a living and personal relationship with God!
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Everyone is Looking for Jesus - Daily Gospel Reflection.

Today's Gospel reading is Mark 1:29-39
Jesus takes care of all those people who come to Him, but He also takes the time to go off on His own to pray because He too is restored by His relationship with His Heavenly Father. 
Nonetheless, when the disciples find Him to inform Him that "everyone" is looking for Him Jesus decides to go to them as well. This is something we Christians need to remember, "everyone" is indeed looking for Jesus, even those lost in sin. 
Let this serve as a reminder. Lent is coming up, a time for God to purify us in our hearts. Let us pray that this Lent, we'll have the courage to go to those searching for Christ, so we can bring His light into their lives. 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr - Daily Gospel Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading Mark 6: 30-34
 
The apostles, after having gone out on their apostolic mission, have been brought to a new place by Jesus so that they can be refreshed and rest. Ultimately, Jesus then teaches them to pray for vocations.
 
The saints are the answer to that prayer. They are those who have responded to the call because "the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few". The saints are those who stepped forward to be laborers in the vineyard for the sake of the Gospel! 
 
St. Blaise is a bishop who faithfully guided his flock and martyr who was willing to give his life in witness to Jesus Christ. He reminds us of the depth of love that the saints possess for Jesus. 
 
St. Blaise, Bishop & Martyr, pray for us. 
 
Praised be Jesus Christ! 
 

Candlemas: The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord - Daily Catholic Reflection

Today's Gospel Reading is Luke 2:22-40
Jesus is raised in a family and home that fulfills the Law. Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of the prophets and the Law. Even more than this, Jesus is the reason that the Law even exists, namely, to bring us into right relationship with God.
We need the law because we live in a sinful world and the law helps us to understand how to properly live. In other words, the law lights the way because the Gospel is the roadmap. 
 

Lord You Give the Great Commission: Daily Catholic Reflection

Today's Gospel is Mark 6:7-13
Jesus instructs the apostles to go out two by two saying
"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 feetin 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."
Christians are called to preach repentance, to bring forgiveness, to bring mercy, because Christ has instructed them too. Sometimes, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be met with great success. Other times, by the providence of God, they will not, and there they "shake the dust off their feet" in testimony. Either way we must increase our evangelical zeal! 
Praised be Jesus Christ! 
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