Good News Reflection
Monday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 28, 2010
Today's Readings:
Amos 2:6-10,13-16
Ps 50:16b-23
Matt 8:18-22
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_28.mp3
Getting ridiculous with Jesus
If Jesus said to you, "Come follow Me into a life that's very different from the one you have now", what comforts would you find too hard to give up? What unfinished business would you want to accomplish first?
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus is talking to those of us who want to follow him "but only if –." Only if we have a comfortable place to sleep and an easy road to travel. Only if we control which duties to handle. Only if God doesn't ask for much. Only if everything stays predictable and God's plans are obvious. Only if it doesn't interfere with what's already in our plans.
Following Christ is rarely convenient and comfortable. In fact, it's an up-stream swim that goes against the currents of normal life. At times, it even seems irresponsible! Why? Because God stretches us beyond our current limitations so that we can become ever more effective as apostles for his kingdom.
"Follow Me," says Jesus. Do you want to have better relationships? Then go the extra mile. Do you want to find healing from the wounds that others have caused you? Then forgive over and over again until you've finally let go of the desire to see remorse and repentance. Do you want to find peace? Then surrender to God everything that you're fighting for, and trust him to provide you with what you need when you need it, which is always better than the way you think you need it.
"Let the dead bury the dead" means that we should leave behind our lifeless, fruitless efforts in trying to solve problems the way unbelievers people do. Those who do not give up everything to follow Christ should not be our examples, nor should we feel obligated to do what they say we should do. In Christ we become truly alive. But are we willing to do the ridiculous, what the world calls nonsense? Are we willing to take a left turn where the world posts a big sign that says "turn right"?
Every day, we face both little and large decisions about going left or going right. "I'll follow you, Lord, but wait, not to there! You don't really want me to do that ministry; I'm not good enough at it." Or.... "I'll follow you, Lord, but wait, not now! This isn't the right time! I have other obligations. I'm too busy. And I can't cook dinner for my sick neighbor until after we form a friendship, which by the way, Lord, I don't have time for either."
No matter how hard we try, we'll never find the easy, comfortable life that we're striving for, so why live in the illusion that it's a worthwhile goal? Jesus says, "Come, let go of everything that holds you back from reaching your full potential in the kingdom of God. Be ridiculous and follow Me!"
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
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Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: July 4, 2010 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: July 4, 2010
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/July/14thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Isaiah 66:10-14c
Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20
Gal 6:14-18
Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
http://www.usccb.org/nab/070410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_07_04.mp3
In next Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples to ask the “Master” (God the Father) of the “harvest” (conversion to Christ) to send out more “laborers” (evangelizers). And in the next breath, he tells them that THEY are the laborers and that they must get busy: "Go on your way," he says.
When you think of evangelizers in the Catholic Church, who comes to mind first? Most people think of priests, and we all know that we need more priests. New vocations in Western societies are still way too few to compensate for the elderly ones who are retiring and dying.
Do you pray for an increase of vocations? Good, but that's only part of what Jesus is asking for. "Go on your way," he says to ALL of us, "and use YOUR gifts, YOUR talents, and YOUR skills to assist in the harvest.
Jesus has always been collaborative. The number of laborers for the mission of the Church will only be sufficient when we all join the effort – clergy, religious, AND laity – working together with our separate and unique talents and skills, humbly assisting each other as members of the same team.
To reach this sufficiency, many of us have to overcome the "someone else will take care of it" attitude. Others have to overcome the desire for perfection, the "I can take care of it better myself" attitude, which robs others of the opportunity to serve.
Many who are in leadership have to overcome the fear of losing control, the "I must tell others how to do their job" attitude, which chases away some very talented laborers. Jesus said we should carry no supplies into ministry; we should accept whatever is offered to us.
Our prayers for an increase of consecrated vocations are answered from within collaborative ministry. Clergy and religious have to be good role models to attract new vocations, but the laity have to serve God with the same zeal and holiness that we expect from them, because out of families who serve come the holy priests and religious who serve.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Which ministries in your parish and diocese are lacking sufficient laborers? If you're not already busy in the work of God's kingdom, how can use your talents to help there? If you're already serving enthusiastically, how can you encourage others to get involved?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Name some of the attitudes and obstacles that block the spirit of collaboration. How can these be overcome? What will you do to improve the conditions of the mission field so that more people will get involved?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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FOR NEXT SUNDAY: July 4, 2010
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/July/14thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Isaiah 66:10-14c
Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20
Gal 6:14-18
Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
http://www.usccb.org/nab/070410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_07_04.mp3
In next Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples to ask the “Master” (God the Father) of the “harvest” (conversion to Christ) to send out more “laborers” (evangelizers). And in the next breath, he tells them that THEY are the laborers and that they must get busy: "Go on your way," he says.
When you think of evangelizers in the Catholic Church, who comes to mind first? Most people think of priests, and we all know that we need more priests. New vocations in Western societies are still way too few to compensate for the elderly ones who are retiring and dying.
Do you pray for an increase of vocations? Good, but that's only part of what Jesus is asking for. "Go on your way," he says to ALL of us, "and use YOUR gifts, YOUR talents, and YOUR skills to assist in the harvest.
Jesus has always been collaborative. The number of laborers for the mission of the Church will only be sufficient when we all join the effort – clergy, religious, AND laity – working together with our separate and unique talents and skills, humbly assisting each other as members of the same team.
To reach this sufficiency, many of us have to overcome the "someone else will take care of it" attitude. Others have to overcome the desire for perfection, the "I can take care of it better myself" attitude, which robs others of the opportunity to serve.
Many who are in leadership have to overcome the fear of losing control, the "I must tell others how to do their job" attitude, which chases away some very talented laborers. Jesus said we should carry no supplies into ministry; we should accept whatever is offered to us.
Our prayers for an increase of consecrated vocations are answered from within collaborative ministry. Clergy and religious have to be good role models to attract new vocations, but the laity have to serve God with the same zeal and holiness that we expect from them, because out of families who serve come the holy priests and religious who serve.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Which ministries in your parish and diocese are lacking sufficient laborers? If you're not already busy in the work of God's kingdom, how can use your talents to help there? If you're already serving enthusiastically, how can you encourage others to get involved?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Name some of the attitudes and obstacles that block the spirit of collaboration. How can these be overcome? What will you do to improve the conditions of the mission field so that more people will get involved?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Friday, June 25, 2010
The miracle of humility
Good News Reflection
Friday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 25, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 25:1-12
Ps 137:1-6
Matt 8:1-4
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062510.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_25.mp3
The miracle of humility
What is it that you wish the Lord would do for you? We all have our wish-lists. We incorporate them into our prayer times, we post them at prayer request websites, we detail them to friends who give us prayer support. This is good, but notice what the leper said in today's Gospel reading: "Lord, if YOU wish….."
The leper "did him homage." His respect for Jesus was stronger than his desire to be healed, even though he had a very strong desire and an important need to be healed. Lepers were physically miserable as their rotting flesh gradually destroyed their bodies. They were also emotionally miserable, because they had been outcast from family and friends.
Of course Jesus wanted to heal this man.
However, the leper did not assume that Jesus, in his awesome goodness, would grant him his heart's desire. If the Lord wanted him to receive a different answer to his prayer, that would be okay. Why? Because he recognized that Jesus was a holy man who cared. Any response from Jesus would be a good one.
Are we willing to be so humble and so trusting in God's compassion?
In our arrogance, we believe that WE know how God should answer our prayers. We think we're smart enough to know that right now is the best time for God to give us everything we desire. But do we really want him to be as blind and stupid as we are? Do we really want him to be limited by our requests?
Or do we prefer that he take charge of the entire situation, with free reign to be sovereign over all elements and every ramification of our prayers?
God does give us miracles. God can make it happen fast. But how wonderful it is to know that he doesn't work according to our demands! We should be very glad that he's not a magic genie whom we can control and cajole and coerce.
When we approach the Lord in prayer, when we approach him in the Eucharist, when we approach him in the people we meet and deal with every day, if our attitude is one of homage, there is always a miracle that takes place. It's first of all the miracle of supernatural intimacy with the God of life, the God of the universe, the God of eternity, the God of all power and knowledge and goodness and love.
That should be enough to sustain a glorious attitude of trust! Such is the beginning of every other miracle.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Friday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 25, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 25:1-12
Ps 137:1-6
Matt 8:1-4
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062510.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_25.mp3
The miracle of humility
What is it that you wish the Lord would do for you? We all have our wish-lists. We incorporate them into our prayer times, we post them at prayer request websites, we detail them to friends who give us prayer support. This is good, but notice what the leper said in today's Gospel reading: "Lord, if YOU wish….."
The leper "did him homage." His respect for Jesus was stronger than his desire to be healed, even though he had a very strong desire and an important need to be healed. Lepers were physically miserable as their rotting flesh gradually destroyed their bodies. They were also emotionally miserable, because they had been outcast from family and friends.
Of course Jesus wanted to heal this man.
However, the leper did not assume that Jesus, in his awesome goodness, would grant him his heart's desire. If the Lord wanted him to receive a different answer to his prayer, that would be okay. Why? Because he recognized that Jesus was a holy man who cared. Any response from Jesus would be a good one.
Are we willing to be so humble and so trusting in God's compassion?
In our arrogance, we believe that WE know how God should answer our prayers. We think we're smart enough to know that right now is the best time for God to give us everything we desire. But do we really want him to be as blind and stupid as we are? Do we really want him to be limited by our requests?
Or do we prefer that he take charge of the entire situation, with free reign to be sovereign over all elements and every ramification of our prayers?
God does give us miracles. God can make it happen fast. But how wonderful it is to know that he doesn't work according to our demands! We should be very glad that he's not a magic genie whom we can control and cajole and coerce.
When we approach the Lord in prayer, when we approach him in the Eucharist, when we approach him in the people we meet and deal with every day, if our attitude is one of homage, there is always a miracle that takes place. It's first of all the miracle of supernatural intimacy with the God of life, the God of the universe, the God of eternity, the God of all power and knowledge and goodness and love.
That should be enough to sustain a glorious attitude of trust! Such is the beginning of every other miracle.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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How are you like John the Baptist?
Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 24, 2010
Today's Feast: Nativity of John the Baptist
Pray to overcome doubt:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/JohnBaptist.htm
Today's Readings:
Isaiah 49:1-6
Ps 139:1b-3, 13-15
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062410b.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_24b.mp3
How are you like John the Baptist?
On this day that celebrates the birth of John the Baptist, consider how much like him you are. Today's first reading gives us a description of the type of person who prepares the hearts of others to receive more from Christ.
God commissioned John the Baptist for ministry at his birth and gave him his name while he was still in his mother's womb. In other words, his vocation for the kingdom of God was his identity. The Lord did the same with you! Since the moment of your conception, even before you looked human and had a beating heart and a brain that could think, he named you as his precious child. (This, by the way, is proof that every abortion kills someone who is loved by God.)
The Lord gifted John with a sharp-edged sword, i.e., God gave him the ability to speak the truth (the sword of the Spirit), which cuts through the lies and deceptions of evil. He gave you the same gift during your baptism when you received the Holy Spirit.
The Lord concealed John in the shadow of his arm, i.e., he protected him from the Enemy so that John would be available to serve the kingdom of God. No matter how difficult your life has been, and no matter how many times you strayed from the Lord, you still belong to him. He has kept you from being snatched by the Evil One.
Even though you have sometimes toiled in vain and your efforts to do God's work have seemingly been for nothing, as if you've uselessly spent your strength, like John, your reward is with the Lord. He will reward you generously.
No matter how ugly you think you are, no matter if you are too short or too tall or diseased or malformed by a birth defect, you look glorious to the Lord, your Creator. Today's responsorial Psalm confirm this: You are wonderfully made! Since the moment of your conception, your life has been precious and important.
As it was with John, God has become your strength. And like John, what you think you can do for the Lord is "too little" compared to what he knows you can do, regardless of how young or old you are now. He has bigger plans for you, a more important use for your gifts and talents and experiences and training than what you've been able thus far to do. He will make his light shine through you! His salvation will reach others as long as you're willing to serve him and you act upon this desire.
What Luke 1:80 tells us of John is true of you also: You are God's child, growing and becoming strong in spirit. You have experienced the desert of hardships and training, you have suffered and lacked and thirsted and hungered. You are receiving from God the nourishment that can quench your neediness and fill you with his love.
Everything that has happened to you can become valuable and useful when you let God send you forth in service for his kingdom.
For a pro-life leaflet and parish hand-out on these readings, see http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/JohnBaptizer.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Thursday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 24, 2010
Today's Feast: Nativity of John the Baptist
Pray to overcome doubt:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/JohnBaptist.htm
Today's Readings:
Isaiah 49:1-6
Ps 139:1b-3, 13-15
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062410b.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_24b.mp3
How are you like John the Baptist?
On this day that celebrates the birth of John the Baptist, consider how much like him you are. Today's first reading gives us a description of the type of person who prepares the hearts of others to receive more from Christ.
God commissioned John the Baptist for ministry at his birth and gave him his name while he was still in his mother's womb. In other words, his vocation for the kingdom of God was his identity. The Lord did the same with you! Since the moment of your conception, even before you looked human and had a beating heart and a brain that could think, he named you as his precious child. (This, by the way, is proof that every abortion kills someone who is loved by God.)
The Lord gifted John with a sharp-edged sword, i.e., God gave him the ability to speak the truth (the sword of the Spirit), which cuts through the lies and deceptions of evil. He gave you the same gift during your baptism when you received the Holy Spirit.
The Lord concealed John in the shadow of his arm, i.e., he protected him from the Enemy so that John would be available to serve the kingdom of God. No matter how difficult your life has been, and no matter how many times you strayed from the Lord, you still belong to him. He has kept you from being snatched by the Evil One.
Even though you have sometimes toiled in vain and your efforts to do God's work have seemingly been for nothing, as if you've uselessly spent your strength, like John, your reward is with the Lord. He will reward you generously.
No matter how ugly you think you are, no matter if you are too short or too tall or diseased or malformed by a birth defect, you look glorious to the Lord, your Creator. Today's responsorial Psalm confirm this: You are wonderfully made! Since the moment of your conception, your life has been precious and important.
As it was with John, God has become your strength. And like John, what you think you can do for the Lord is "too little" compared to what he knows you can do, regardless of how young or old you are now. He has bigger plans for you, a more important use for your gifts and talents and experiences and training than what you've been able thus far to do. He will make his light shine through you! His salvation will reach others as long as you're willing to serve him and you act upon this desire.
What Luke 1:80 tells us of John is true of you also: You are God's child, growing and becoming strong in spirit. You have experienced the desert of hardships and training, you have suffered and lacked and thirsted and hungered. You are receiving from God the nourishment that can quench your neediness and fill you with his love.
Everything that has happened to you can become valuable and useful when you let God send you forth in service for his kingdom.
For a pro-life leaflet and parish hand-out on these readings, see http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/JohnBaptizer.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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What it means to be a true prophet
Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 23, 2010
Today's Saint: Etheldreda
Pray for true beauty from God:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Etheldreda.htm
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 22:8-13;23:1-3
Ps 119:33-37,40
Matt 7:15-20
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_23.mp3
What it means to be a true prophet
As we read in today's Gospel passage, evil can penetrate into our lives when we make the mistake of trusting and spreading wrong messages. A true prophet is someone who runs everything by the Holy Spirit for good discernment while testing his/her accuracy with knowledge of what the Bible and the Church's teachings say about it, then speaks up. Such person is a teacher of truth, not only in word, but also in deed, for a holy life is what proves the prophet to be true.
In our baptisms, we were reborn into Christ and his three-way ministry of priest, prophet, and king. Let's consider what it means to be a prophet like Christ. Do our lives prove that we believe the truths that we profess as Christians? Do our actions and attitudes teach the truth? Or do we unknowingly accept falsehoods into our beliefs and then impart them to others by the way we fail to follow Jesus?
Perhaps we combine Christian attitudes with the contradictory mindsets of the world, and thus our example teaches others to pursue unholy goals instead of Godly ways. Or we've allowed New Age concepts or moral relativism to be woven into our Christian beliefs, thinking this to be harmless, thereby misleading not only ourselves but also others into lifestyles that are not based on Christ nor centered on Christ.
To some extent, most of us have been influenced by the notion that "if it seems right to me, I'll go ahead and do it, even if it goes against a Church teaching" (remarriage after divorce and the use of artificial contraception are two examples, because we fail to research the Church's teaching on it and therefore we fail to see the foundation of love that's in it).
Some falsehoods are so subtle that we assume they're coming from God. For example, every Christian marriage experiences heartbreak, but rather than work through the difficulties and accept each trial as a blessing of spiritual growth, more than half of couples quit, which is the same rate as non-Christians. Why? Because we've accepted the worldly belief that we're not supposed to suffer and that true love can neither endure pain nor become redemptive. What are we teaching? That the way of Christ, which includes the cross, is wrong?
With so many false teachings in our ears, how do we know the difference between what is truth and what is false? Jesus provided the answer: Look at the fruits. Does the message (or the attitude or the decision) lead us closer to God or away from him? Does it serve the kingdom of God or does it accomplish a goal of Satan?
Since love is always the core of every good fruit, we can ask: Does the message (or attitude or decision) help me to love others (ALL others) the way God has loved me?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
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Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Wednesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 23, 2010
Today's Saint: Etheldreda
Pray for true beauty from God:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Etheldreda.htm
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 22:8-13;23:1-3
Ps 119:33-37,40
Matt 7:15-20
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_23.mp3
What it means to be a true prophet
As we read in today's Gospel passage, evil can penetrate into our lives when we make the mistake of trusting and spreading wrong messages. A true prophet is someone who runs everything by the Holy Spirit for good discernment while testing his/her accuracy with knowledge of what the Bible and the Church's teachings say about it, then speaks up. Such person is a teacher of truth, not only in word, but also in deed, for a holy life is what proves the prophet to be true.
In our baptisms, we were reborn into Christ and his three-way ministry of priest, prophet, and king. Let's consider what it means to be a prophet like Christ. Do our lives prove that we believe the truths that we profess as Christians? Do our actions and attitudes teach the truth? Or do we unknowingly accept falsehoods into our beliefs and then impart them to others by the way we fail to follow Jesus?
Perhaps we combine Christian attitudes with the contradictory mindsets of the world, and thus our example teaches others to pursue unholy goals instead of Godly ways. Or we've allowed New Age concepts or moral relativism to be woven into our Christian beliefs, thinking this to be harmless, thereby misleading not only ourselves but also others into lifestyles that are not based on Christ nor centered on Christ.
To some extent, most of us have been influenced by the notion that "if it seems right to me, I'll go ahead and do it, even if it goes against a Church teaching" (remarriage after divorce and the use of artificial contraception are two examples, because we fail to research the Church's teaching on it and therefore we fail to see the foundation of love that's in it).
Some falsehoods are so subtle that we assume they're coming from God. For example, every Christian marriage experiences heartbreak, but rather than work through the difficulties and accept each trial as a blessing of spiritual growth, more than half of couples quit, which is the same rate as non-Christians. Why? Because we've accepted the worldly belief that we're not supposed to suffer and that true love can neither endure pain nor become redemptive. What are we teaching? That the way of Christ, which includes the cross, is wrong?
With so many false teachings in our ears, how do we know the difference between what is truth and what is false? Jesus provided the answer: Look at the fruits. Does the message (or the attitude or the decision) lead us closer to God or away from him? Does it serve the kingdom of God or does it accomplish a goal of Satan?
Since love is always the core of every good fruit, we can ask: Does the message (or attitude or decision) help me to love others (ALL others) the way God has loved me?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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The Golden Path
Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 22, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 19:9b-11,
14-21,31-36
Ps 48:2-4,10-11
Matt 7:6, 12-14
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_22.mp3
The Golden Path
What do you do when you humbly and lovingly try to help someone understand a spiritual or moral truth, but your wisdom is rejected? In the first verse of today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells us to stop trying.
When we offer pearls to "pigs", they don't recognize it as a treasure, and since it seems unfitting for their pigsties, they respond in the only way that makes sense to them: They trample on it. Or if they want to please us, they try to eat the pearls and choke. Under these circumstances, it's actually more loving to keep the pearls away from them.
Bring to mind an incident when you tried to help someone change and that person rejected your advice. Let's analyze it. At what point would it have been best to quit trying because you were casting pearls before swine? We have to become good at discerning when to try and when to quit, and we can only do this well through the help of the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything, and only God knows when the timing is perfect.
Isn't this how we like to be treated? Don't we prefer that others keep their mouths shut when we're not ready for their advice? In the rest of today's Gospel passage, Jesus gives us the "Golden Rule" as a sign-post that keeps us on the narrow road (to the "narrow gate") of unconditional love. The precursor to this was the "Silver Rule", the ancient Jewish maxim that said: "Do not do to others what you don't want them doing to you." But this is not love! Enemies can follow the Silver Rule; it takes love to follow the Golden Rule: "Treat others the way you'd like to be treated."
Sometimes we think the Golden Rule goes like this: "Treat others the way you want them to treat you, in order to convince them to treat you the same way." But this is not love. This is bribery.
Love is: "I'll do a good deed for this jerk who's irritating me, regardless of how he treats me back, because I care about him more than he deserves."
Love is: "Why am I arguing with this guy? The way I'd like to be treated is for him to stop fighting with me, so that's how I'll treat him. He's not accepting my pearls of wisdom anyway, so I'll become quiet."
Love is: "I'm not getting as much love and attention and concern from my spouse (or adult child or friend or ---) as I should, but God gives me all that I need, so I'll give away the love that I wish I was getting and be satisfied with God alone."
If we live by the Golden Rule, we walk in the footsteps of Christ who leads us all the way to the Golden Gate of heaven.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Tuesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 22, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 19:9b-11,
14-21,31-36
Ps 48:2-4,10-11
Matt 7:6, 12-14
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_22.mp3
The Golden Path
What do you do when you humbly and lovingly try to help someone understand a spiritual or moral truth, but your wisdom is rejected? In the first verse of today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells us to stop trying.
When we offer pearls to "pigs", they don't recognize it as a treasure, and since it seems unfitting for their pigsties, they respond in the only way that makes sense to them: They trample on it. Or if they want to please us, they try to eat the pearls and choke. Under these circumstances, it's actually more loving to keep the pearls away from them.
Bring to mind an incident when you tried to help someone change and that person rejected your advice. Let's analyze it. At what point would it have been best to quit trying because you were casting pearls before swine? We have to become good at discerning when to try and when to quit, and we can only do this well through the help of the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything, and only God knows when the timing is perfect.
Isn't this how we like to be treated? Don't we prefer that others keep their mouths shut when we're not ready for their advice? In the rest of today's Gospel passage, Jesus gives us the "Golden Rule" as a sign-post that keeps us on the narrow road (to the "narrow gate") of unconditional love. The precursor to this was the "Silver Rule", the ancient Jewish maxim that said: "Do not do to others what you don't want them doing to you." But this is not love! Enemies can follow the Silver Rule; it takes love to follow the Golden Rule: "Treat others the way you'd like to be treated."
Sometimes we think the Golden Rule goes like this: "Treat others the way you want them to treat you, in order to convince them to treat you the same way." But this is not love. This is bribery.
Love is: "I'll do a good deed for this jerk who's irritating me, regardless of how he treats me back, because I care about him more than he deserves."
Love is: "Why am I arguing with this guy? The way I'd like to be treated is for him to stop fighting with me, so that's how I'll treat him. He's not accepting my pearls of wisdom anyway, so I'll become quiet."
Love is: "I'm not getting as much love and attention and concern from my spouse (or adult child or friend or ---) as I should, but God gives me all that I need, so I'll give away the love that I wish I was getting and be satisfied with God alone."
If we live by the Golden Rule, we walk in the footsteps of Christ who leads us all the way to the Golden Gate of heaven.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Taking the specks from others' eyes
Good News Reflection
Monday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 21, 2010
Today's Saint: Aloysius Gonzaga
Pray for young people:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/AloysiusGonzaga.htm
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 17:5-8,13-15a,18
Ps 60: (7b) 3-5, 12-13
Matt 7:1-5
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_21.mp3
Taking the specks from others' eyes
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus warns us not to judge. He's speaking of the sin of pretending to be God who alone knows all that is in the hearts and motives and minds of sinners.
Judges sentence evil-doers, and God, who is the only completely holy judge, refrains from sentencing until the last possible moment. But you and I are quick to sentence people to all kinds of punishments (for example: "She doesn't deserve my time" or "He's entirely to blame, not me").
We are supposed to judge between good and evil; this is the gift of discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit. And we are supposed to judge that a sinful act is evil and that a good deed is holy, as scripture elsewhere tells us to do. What we can never judge correctly is how fully sinners understand that what they're doing is wrong.
This warning from Jesus parallels the line from the "Our Father" prayer in which we ask God to "forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us". We can judge that others have sinned against us and therefore need our forgiveness, but only if we realize that we too need forgiveness.
If we judge others to be unworthy of our forgiveness, we're now committing the greater sin: We're condemning them to the absence of our love while glorifying ourselves as superior to them. Our pride blocks God's love from reaching them through us.
Think of someone who often irritates you. Oh how we wish we could change people like that! We want them to realize that what they're doing is wrong. The truth is, we have ulterior, selfish motives: Of course we want them to change for their own benefit, but the reason we're irritated is because we want them to change for OUR benefit, to make our lives easier – as if they're supposed to be the true source of our joy instead of God.
How can we help these people without sinning against them? Jesus explains it at the end of this Gospel passage. He doesn't prohibit us from recognizing the faults of others. He doesn't tell us not to remove the splinters. What he does say is that we must first recognize our own sinfulness. Then we can approach them with humility instead of superiority.
Think of the various ways that others have aided you on your spiritual journey. Now imagine applying the same attitudes, the same types of words, the same patience, etc., toward anyone who might irritate you today.
Doing this mental exercise makes it easier to put Christ's command into action. It's a rehearsal that can help you handle situations with God's mercy instead of irritability, and with his ideas on how to help them.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Monday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time
June 21, 2010
Today's Saint: Aloysius Gonzaga
Pray for young people:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/AloysiusGonzaga.htm
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 17:5-8,13-15a,18
Ps 60: (7b) 3-5, 12-13
Matt 7:1-5
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_21.mp3
Taking the specks from others' eyes
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus warns us not to judge. He's speaking of the sin of pretending to be God who alone knows all that is in the hearts and motives and minds of sinners.
Judges sentence evil-doers, and God, who is the only completely holy judge, refrains from sentencing until the last possible moment. But you and I are quick to sentence people to all kinds of punishments (for example: "She doesn't deserve my time" or "He's entirely to blame, not me").
We are supposed to judge between good and evil; this is the gift of discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit. And we are supposed to judge that a sinful act is evil and that a good deed is holy, as scripture elsewhere tells us to do. What we can never judge correctly is how fully sinners understand that what they're doing is wrong.
This warning from Jesus parallels the line from the "Our Father" prayer in which we ask God to "forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us". We can judge that others have sinned against us and therefore need our forgiveness, but only if we realize that we too need forgiveness.
If we judge others to be unworthy of our forgiveness, we're now committing the greater sin: We're condemning them to the absence of our love while glorifying ourselves as superior to them. Our pride blocks God's love from reaching them through us.
Think of someone who often irritates you. Oh how we wish we could change people like that! We want them to realize that what they're doing is wrong. The truth is, we have ulterior, selfish motives: Of course we want them to change for their own benefit, but the reason we're irritated is because we want them to change for OUR benefit, to make our lives easier – as if they're supposed to be the true source of our joy instead of God.
How can we help these people without sinning against them? Jesus explains it at the end of this Gospel passage. He doesn't prohibit us from recognizing the faults of others. He doesn't tell us not to remove the splinters. What he does say is that we must first recognize our own sinfulness. Then we can approach them with humility instead of superiority.
Think of the various ways that others have aided you on your spiritual journey. Now imagine applying the same attitudes, the same types of words, the same patience, etc., toward anyone who might irritate you today.
Doing this mental exercise makes it easier to put Christ's command into action. It's a rehearsal that can help you handle situations with God's mercy instead of irritability, and with his ideas on how to help them.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 27, 2010 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 27, 2010
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/13thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21
Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Gal 5:1, 13-18
Luke 9:51-62
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_27.mp3
How well do you handle rejection? Next Sunday's Gospel reading shows us how the disciples reacted to rejection. They had entered a Samaritan village ahead of Jesus, as he had asked them to do, to gather an audience. But because the Samaritans had an anti-Jewish prejudice, they didn’t want to listen to Jesus. Their hearts were closed to anything he might want to say. And so they missed an opportunity to experience the Savior of the world.
How do you feel when close-hearted people reject your efforts to bring Jesus to them? What do you feel like doing when someone refuses to listen to you? Or when you try to explain a teaching of the Church but they don’t even want to try to understand?
The disciples who traveled with Jesus didn’t like rejection any more than you do. Two of his closest friends, James and John, thought they would do Jesus a favor by asking, “Do you want us to zap them with a lightning bolt?”
Jesus had previously told them to deal with rejection by wiping the dirt from their sandals and walking away. Now he lived what he preached by walking away these Samaritans. He didn't force his beliefs upon the villagers, even though they definitely needed the truths he could have taught them.
There's a lot we have to give up when we follow Jesus, including the grudges we like to hold and our desire to handle rejection with retaliation. Why give others that kind of control over our moods? Wiping the dirt from our shoes means we get rid of the bad feelings that steal our joy.
At the end of this scripture, Jesus explains that following him is always a forward motion. We're always walking away from something: away from rejection, away from our unloving reactions to prejudice, away from the close-heartedness of those who are as yet unteachable and into the loving embrace of Christ.
To move forward, remember that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can prepare a heart to receive Jesus. When we try to bring someone to Jesus and fail, we're not really failing; we're planting seeds rather than harvesting the crop. Let the Holy Spirit finish his work while you move on to other fields.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Who is frustrating you because he/she is not willing to change? What can you do to "walk away" lovingly and to give yourself a break? (It might not be a literal departure.)
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Share the story of a time when someone rejected you because you spoke the truth. How did you feel about it? Did you walk away? How did (or might) the Holy Spirit work on that person's heart to prepare them to eventually accept the truth?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 27, 2010
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/13thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21
Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Gal 5:1, 13-18
Luke 9:51-62
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_27.mp3
How well do you handle rejection? Next Sunday's Gospel reading shows us how the disciples reacted to rejection. They had entered a Samaritan village ahead of Jesus, as he had asked them to do, to gather an audience. But because the Samaritans had an anti-Jewish prejudice, they didn’t want to listen to Jesus. Their hearts were closed to anything he might want to say. And so they missed an opportunity to experience the Savior of the world.
How do you feel when close-hearted people reject your efforts to bring Jesus to them? What do you feel like doing when someone refuses to listen to you? Or when you try to explain a teaching of the Church but they don’t even want to try to understand?
The disciples who traveled with Jesus didn’t like rejection any more than you do. Two of his closest friends, James and John, thought they would do Jesus a favor by asking, “Do you want us to zap them with a lightning bolt?”
Jesus had previously told them to deal with rejection by wiping the dirt from their sandals and walking away. Now he lived what he preached by walking away these Samaritans. He didn't force his beliefs upon the villagers, even though they definitely needed the truths he could have taught them.
There's a lot we have to give up when we follow Jesus, including the grudges we like to hold and our desire to handle rejection with retaliation. Why give others that kind of control over our moods? Wiping the dirt from our shoes means we get rid of the bad feelings that steal our joy.
At the end of this scripture, Jesus explains that following him is always a forward motion. We're always walking away from something: away from rejection, away from our unloving reactions to prejudice, away from the close-heartedness of those who are as yet unteachable and into the loving embrace of Christ.
To move forward, remember that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can prepare a heart to receive Jesus. When we try to bring someone to Jesus and fail, we're not really failing; we're planting seeds rather than harvesting the crop. Let the Holy Spirit finish his work while you move on to other fields.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Who is frustrating you because he/she is not willing to change? What can you do to "walk away" lovingly and to give yourself a break? (It might not be a literal departure.)
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Share the story of a time when someone rejected you because you spoke the truth. How did you feel about it? Did you walk away? How did (or might) the Holy Spirit work on that person's heart to prepare them to eventually accept the truth?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
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Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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What are your best treasures?
Good News Reflection
Friday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 18, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20
Ps 132:11-14,17-18
Matt 6:19-23
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_18.mp3
What are your best treasures?
What are the treasures that cannot be destroyed by moths or decay or thieves or anything else in this world, which Jesus speaks of in today's Gospel reading?
The treasures that are rendered worthless by being perishable are the goods that we own. None of it's heavenly, no matter how beneficial it is, because we can't take it with us when we die. It will remain here in this world for the relatives to fight over after we're gone, if it even lasts that long. So why do we treasure the idea of owning more of this stuff? Why do we feel like we never have enough of it?
Why can't we be satisfied with what we have and instead long more for heavenly treasures?
How cursed we are without realizing it! We even raise our children to embrace the curse. This was dramatized vividly to me one Sunday before Mass, when I overheard a teenage altar server tell the priest that he wanted to become a criminal lawyer because that's how he could make the most money.
I said to him, "Ahhh, but money is not the most important thing. Helping people with your skills as a lawyer is far greater." He looked at me like I came from another planet. Then the second altar server joined in: "If money wasn't so important, then why are there game shows like 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'?"
Let's look at the treasures we'll enjoy when we get to heaven. These are also meant to be enjoyed here on Earth, because the kingdom of God is here, now, thanks to what Jesus did by coming to Earth. List everything that's already good in your life: the healthy relationships, useful talents, spiritual gifts, special interests, enjoyable ministries, enthusiasm for God, etc. What else?
These we CAN take to heaven!
Imagine Jesus multiplying them and enhancing and utilizing them to their fullness. There will be no barriers or limitations to these treasures when we join the Communion of Saints in eternity. They'll just keep going and growing. But it starts now. What treasures does Jesus want to multiply, enhance, and use in your life today? Do you truly appreciate them?
To see them as the treasures that they are, we need good spiritual vision. "If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light," Jesus says. When we fill our vision with the sort of junk that the world values, we're blinded by greed and selfishness.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and on all the treasures that God has given you (including the earthly ones) and look for ways that you can use them for his kingdom. Then you will find true contentment!
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Friday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 18, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20
Ps 132:11-14,17-18
Matt 6:19-23
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_18.mp3
What are your best treasures?
What are the treasures that cannot be destroyed by moths or decay or thieves or anything else in this world, which Jesus speaks of in today's Gospel reading?
The treasures that are rendered worthless by being perishable are the goods that we own. None of it's heavenly, no matter how beneficial it is, because we can't take it with us when we die. It will remain here in this world for the relatives to fight over after we're gone, if it even lasts that long. So why do we treasure the idea of owning more of this stuff? Why do we feel like we never have enough of it?
Why can't we be satisfied with what we have and instead long more for heavenly treasures?
How cursed we are without realizing it! We even raise our children to embrace the curse. This was dramatized vividly to me one Sunday before Mass, when I overheard a teenage altar server tell the priest that he wanted to become a criminal lawyer because that's how he could make the most money.
I said to him, "Ahhh, but money is not the most important thing. Helping people with your skills as a lawyer is far greater." He looked at me like I came from another planet. Then the second altar server joined in: "If money wasn't so important, then why are there game shows like 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'?"
Let's look at the treasures we'll enjoy when we get to heaven. These are also meant to be enjoyed here on Earth, because the kingdom of God is here, now, thanks to what Jesus did by coming to Earth. List everything that's already good in your life: the healthy relationships, useful talents, spiritual gifts, special interests, enjoyable ministries, enthusiasm for God, etc. What else?
These we CAN take to heaven!
Imagine Jesus multiplying them and enhancing and utilizing them to their fullness. There will be no barriers or limitations to these treasures when we join the Communion of Saints in eternity. They'll just keep going and growing. But it starts now. What treasures does Jesus want to multiply, enhance, and use in your life today? Do you truly appreciate them?
To see them as the treasures that they are, we need good spiritual vision. "If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light," Jesus says. When we fill our vision with the sort of junk that the world values, we're blinded by greed and selfishness.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and on all the treasures that God has given you (including the earthly ones) and look for ways that you can use them for his kingdom. Then you will find true contentment!
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
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Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Prayer that's powerful
Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 17, 2010
Today's Readings:
Sirach 48:1-14
Ps 97:(12a)1-7
Matt 6:7-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_17.mp3
Prayer that's powerful
True Christian living is quite a challenge! It's not for wimps. We cannot succeed as true followers of Christ unless we have a good prayer life – a REAL prayer life, not a babbly one.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus contrasts babble-prayer with holy prayer, and wordy prayer with a heart-felt "Our Father" prayer. Some people think that the Rosary is babble-prayer, simply because it's a repetitious, formula prayer. And it is. BUT it's babble only for those who don't understand how to use it for meditation and an intimate, loving communication with God.
Some Catholics mistakenly use the Rosary as a bribe, thinking that by doing a novena (nine days) of Rosaries they can bribe God into giving them whatever they're requesting. A holy novena is a personal commitment of obedience, not bribery, which is manipulative and assumes that God can be forced to obey us – as if he needs to be forced to do good!
Our Father knows what we need before we begin the novena or any other prayer, even before we know that we should pray. The Rosary is powerful, as is our commitment to making a novena of Rosaries, but only if we surrender ourselves, our desires, and our ideas about how God should respond to our requests.
Prayer is powerful when we give God our trust and accept that the outcome – whatever it is – is a blessing from God, since he knows the best way to deal with every situation far better than we do.
Think of the prayer that Jesus gave us when he taught us how to pray to our Father. How do you use this prayer? Is it quickly babbled? I dare say that it's usually babbled during Mass and at the start of church meetings. Rote prayers often come from the head and bypass the heart.
Each line of this prayer is rich in meaning and very powerful for daily conversion, healing, and growth. Too often, we rush through it without paying attention to what we're saying. It's meant to be an intimate conversation with our very dear, huggable Father. It's the ideal prayer, because it covers everything, the whole range of our needs, even unknown needs.
In your personal quiet time with the Lord, take at least fifteen minutes to make this a real prayer, expanding upon every phrase as you converse with your Divine Daddy. If you do this, you'll notice that the quick recitations of it at Mass and on other occasions will become meaningful, heart-felt experiences of God's love.
To help with this, take an online mini-course about the "Our Father" prayer, using these three Good News WordBytes:
* Healing Our Image of God's Fatherhood
http://wordbytes.org/healing/fatherhood.htm
* The "Our Father" Prayer: Do I Really Mean What I Pray?
http://wordbytes.org/ministry/ourfather.htm
* Did Jesus Struggle Just Like You Do?
http://wordbytes.org/SpirGrowth/struggle.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Thursday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 17, 2010
Today's Readings:
Sirach 48:1-14
Ps 97:(12a)1-7
Matt 6:7-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_17.mp3
Prayer that's powerful
True Christian living is quite a challenge! It's not for wimps. We cannot succeed as true followers of Christ unless we have a good prayer life – a REAL prayer life, not a babbly one.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus contrasts babble-prayer with holy prayer, and wordy prayer with a heart-felt "Our Father" prayer. Some people think that the Rosary is babble-prayer, simply because it's a repetitious, formula prayer. And it is. BUT it's babble only for those who don't understand how to use it for meditation and an intimate, loving communication with God.
Some Catholics mistakenly use the Rosary as a bribe, thinking that by doing a novena (nine days) of Rosaries they can bribe God into giving them whatever they're requesting. A holy novena is a personal commitment of obedience, not bribery, which is manipulative and assumes that God can be forced to obey us – as if he needs to be forced to do good!
Our Father knows what we need before we begin the novena or any other prayer, even before we know that we should pray. The Rosary is powerful, as is our commitment to making a novena of Rosaries, but only if we surrender ourselves, our desires, and our ideas about how God should respond to our requests.
Prayer is powerful when we give God our trust and accept that the outcome – whatever it is – is a blessing from God, since he knows the best way to deal with every situation far better than we do.
Think of the prayer that Jesus gave us when he taught us how to pray to our Father. How do you use this prayer? Is it quickly babbled? I dare say that it's usually babbled during Mass and at the start of church meetings. Rote prayers often come from the head and bypass the heart.
Each line of this prayer is rich in meaning and very powerful for daily conversion, healing, and growth. Too often, we rush through it without paying attention to what we're saying. It's meant to be an intimate conversation with our very dear, huggable Father. It's the ideal prayer, because it covers everything, the whole range of our needs, even unknown needs.
In your personal quiet time with the Lord, take at least fifteen minutes to make this a real prayer, expanding upon every phrase as you converse with your Divine Daddy. If you do this, you'll notice that the quick recitations of it at Mass and on other occasions will become meaningful, heart-felt experiences of God's love.
To help with this, take an online mini-course about the "Our Father" prayer, using these three Good News WordBytes:
* Healing Our Image of God's Fatherhood
http://wordbytes.org/healing/fatherhood.htm
* The "Our Father" Prayer: Do I Really Mean What I Pray?
http://wordbytes.org/ministry/ourfather.htm
* Did Jesus Struggle Just Like You Do?
http://wordbytes.org/SpirGrowth/struggle.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Mercy succeeds where love fails
Good News Reflection
Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 14, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 21:1-16
Ps 5:2-7
Matt 5:38-42
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_14.mp3
Mercy succeeds where love fails
The Sermon on the Mount is probably the most unpleasant part of the Gospel to hear. If we're truly interested in living a truly Christian life, growing stronger in holiness, then we find chapters five, six and seven of Matthew to be extremely challenging. Jesus gets down to the nitty-gritty details of holy living, and nearly every verse challenges us to examine how much we really do want to learn from him.
Today's Gospel reading is a good example of this. We don't really want to turn the other cheek when someone hurts us. We don't want to lose the court battle when we're sued, let alone give away more than what's been demanded from us. We don't want to give our money to those who didn't earn it. We don't want to increase our donation to the Church, because we might need that extra money to buy more clothes or a newer car, a bigger house, or a fantasy vacation. And how quickly we reduce the amount when the pastor or bishop or someone else in the Church does something wrong!
The extreme generosity that's necessary for holiness becomes easier when we understand why Jesus wants us to be holy. The reason is MERCY. Think of love as the front door to people's hearts. When they close it, mercy is the love that sneaks in through the back door. Mercy succeeds where love fails.
When Jesus preached this Sermon, he raised us above the Old Testament's "eye for an eye" spirituality, which is so easily warped into revenge-seeking. Basically, he said: When others hurt you, be merciful and love them (forgive them, do good to them, pray for them, etc.). This is how we stay united to God, who is Divine Mercy itself. In this unity, he turns our problems into blessings and produces a greater good.
People hurt us without understanding that they're actually hurting themselves. By sinning, they close the door to God's love. But if we love them, we give God to them; he reaches them through us (we become the back door to their hearts). If we refuse to give them mercy, we are refusing to give them God, and we are also closing our own doors to God and to his love.
If someone strikes out at you verbally, don't strike back; give love. If someone tries to steal from you, you can't stop his sin of greed but you can stop him from sinning against you by freely giving to him what he's taking. If an irresponsible coworker demands that you do his work for him, prevent it from being a sin by volunteering to do even more. This is mercy.
Think of a time when you didn't deserve God's love or act of kindness. What did it feel like when you realized that he cared about you anyway? How did it change you? This is what you can do for those who sin against you. Although you might not feel like being that holy, ask the Holy Spirit for supernatural help and he will empower you.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time
June 14, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 21:1-16
Ps 5:2-7
Matt 5:38-42
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_14.mp3
Mercy succeeds where love fails
The Sermon on the Mount is probably the most unpleasant part of the Gospel to hear. If we're truly interested in living a truly Christian life, growing stronger in holiness, then we find chapters five, six and seven of Matthew to be extremely challenging. Jesus gets down to the nitty-gritty details of holy living, and nearly every verse challenges us to examine how much we really do want to learn from him.
Today's Gospel reading is a good example of this. We don't really want to turn the other cheek when someone hurts us. We don't want to lose the court battle when we're sued, let alone give away more than what's been demanded from us. We don't want to give our money to those who didn't earn it. We don't want to increase our donation to the Church, because we might need that extra money to buy more clothes or a newer car, a bigger house, or a fantasy vacation. And how quickly we reduce the amount when the pastor or bishop or someone else in the Church does something wrong!
The extreme generosity that's necessary for holiness becomes easier when we understand why Jesus wants us to be holy. The reason is MERCY. Think of love as the front door to people's hearts. When they close it, mercy is the love that sneaks in through the back door. Mercy succeeds where love fails.
When Jesus preached this Sermon, he raised us above the Old Testament's "eye for an eye" spirituality, which is so easily warped into revenge-seeking. Basically, he said: When others hurt you, be merciful and love them (forgive them, do good to them, pray for them, etc.). This is how we stay united to God, who is Divine Mercy itself. In this unity, he turns our problems into blessings and produces a greater good.
People hurt us without understanding that they're actually hurting themselves. By sinning, they close the door to God's love. But if we love them, we give God to them; he reaches them through us (we become the back door to their hearts). If we refuse to give them mercy, we are refusing to give them God, and we are also closing our own doors to God and to his love.
If someone strikes out at you verbally, don't strike back; give love. If someone tries to steal from you, you can't stop his sin of greed but you can stop him from sinning against you by freely giving to him what he's taking. If an irresponsible coworker demands that you do his work for him, prevent it from being a sin by volunteering to do even more. This is mercy.
Think of a time when you didn't deserve God's love or act of kindness. What did it feel like when you realized that he cared about you anyway? How did it change you? This is what you can do for those who sin against you. Although you might not feel like being that holy, ask the Holy Spirit for supernatural help and he will empower you.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 20, 2010 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 20, 2010
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/12thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Zec 12:10-11; 13:1
Ps 63:2-6, 8-9
Gal 3:26-29
Luke 9:18-24
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062010.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_20.mp3
"Who do YOU say that I am?" That's the question we're each asked in next Sunday's Gospel reading. Does your life speak loudly and clearly, proclaiming that Jesus is really your Lord, really your Savior, really your love, really your teacher, really your guide, and really your example of how to live? In every circumstance?
When times are good, do you say that Jesus is the one who provided the blessings? When you've been hurt, do you say you forgive because Jesus took your pain and the other person's sin to the cross? When you feel angry, righteously so or otherwise, do you speak words of irritation you or do you pray to Jesus for the ability to find peace again?
Our lips can say that Jesus is Lord even while our lives are saying quite the opposite. We need to pay attention to the messages that we convey with our behaviors. We need to live consciously, deliberately matching our words to our actions and noticing the times when we don’t.
When we sin, usually it’s because we’re reacting to some sort of inner, unhealed pain or fear. If we take the time to read the clues in our behaviors, they will reveal what is lacking in our awareness of who Jesus really is, giving us an opportunity to experience more of his love and his healing.
“Does my life speak loudly and clearly about the real Jesus?” It’s a question we should ask ourselves daily. The answer will point to where we need to put more effort into our education about who Jesus really is and what he is really like. It also explains why we fail to evangelize effectively: People don't believe our words when our lives don't prove that we ourselves believe!
Who is Jesus? He knows you intimately and cares about you totally. He loves you whether you deserve it or not, and he is always helping you, even when you can't see it. He never did and never will abandon you. If you believe this, you feel safe with him no matter how hard life gets, and his love feels so true that you want to do everything possible to remain close to him, take up your daily cross and follow him in loving others.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Write a list of words that describe Jesus for you. Which of these do you sometimes doubt? What will you do this week to come into a better understanding of who Jesus really is?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
When is it most difficult to believe that Jesus really cares? In that example, how is this a false image of Jesus? What's he really like?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
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Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 20, 2010
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/12thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Zec 12:10-11; 13:1
Ps 63:2-6, 8-9
Gal 3:26-29
Luke 9:18-24
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062010.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_20.mp3
"Who do YOU say that I am?" That's the question we're each asked in next Sunday's Gospel reading. Does your life speak loudly and clearly, proclaiming that Jesus is really your Lord, really your Savior, really your love, really your teacher, really your guide, and really your example of how to live? In every circumstance?
When times are good, do you say that Jesus is the one who provided the blessings? When you've been hurt, do you say you forgive because Jesus took your pain and the other person's sin to the cross? When you feel angry, righteously so or otherwise, do you speak words of irritation you or do you pray to Jesus for the ability to find peace again?
Our lips can say that Jesus is Lord even while our lives are saying quite the opposite. We need to pay attention to the messages that we convey with our behaviors. We need to live consciously, deliberately matching our words to our actions and noticing the times when we don’t.
When we sin, usually it’s because we’re reacting to some sort of inner, unhealed pain or fear. If we take the time to read the clues in our behaviors, they will reveal what is lacking in our awareness of who Jesus really is, giving us an opportunity to experience more of his love and his healing.
“Does my life speak loudly and clearly about the real Jesus?” It’s a question we should ask ourselves daily. The answer will point to where we need to put more effort into our education about who Jesus really is and what he is really like. It also explains why we fail to evangelize effectively: People don't believe our words when our lives don't prove that we ourselves believe!
Who is Jesus? He knows you intimately and cares about you totally. He loves you whether you deserve it or not, and he is always helping you, even when you can't see it. He never did and never will abandon you. If you believe this, you feel safe with him no matter how hard life gets, and his love feels so true that you want to do everything possible to remain close to him, take up your daily cross and follow him in loving others.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Write a list of words that describe Jesus for you. Which of these do you sometimes doubt? What will you do this week to come into a better understanding of who Jesus really is?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
When is it most difficult to believe that Jesus really cares? In that example, how is this a false image of Jesus? What's he really like?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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The Shepherd's Sacred Heart
Good News Reflection
Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 11, 2010
Today's Feast: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Today's Readings:
Ezek 34:11-16
Ps 23:1-6
Romans 5:5b-11
Luke 15:3-7
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_11.mp3
The Shepherd's Sacred Heart
When St. Peter Canisius saw a vision of Christ's Sacred Heart, he felt great sadness as he realized that Jesus still suffers today whenever his love is despised, ignored, and rejected. From then on, he offered up all of his work as a sacrifice of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Think of how deeply the Good Shepherd grieves in his heart when one of his lambs wanders off and gets lost. His sacred heart burns with love for them. Now think of the lost ones in your family and others you care about who have wandered off. As much as you wish they'd find Jesus and come back to the church family, Jesus desires it far more. He's not waiting for them to find him; he's going after them!
Today's Gospel reading shows how wonderful he feels when he carries them back on his shoulders. The weight of the cross was heavy and cruel, but this weight of carrying his beloved back into the fold is delightful, because it's the victory side of the cross.
To be picked up and carried by Jesus, people have to first realize that they're lost. When they do, repentance begins. Until then, they dodge him in bushy brambles and dark caves, because they misinterpret his intentions. But Jesus doesn't give up. He's jumping in and out of the bushes and caves with them, hoping that as they twist through life they will change their angle of view and see him reaching out to them with love.
Deep down in their wounded hearts, they long to be found and carried back to the security of God's pasture. The sacred heart of Jesus aches because of their wounds. His pain will become their healing when they give their hearts to him. While we wait for this, we can help by offering up all our work as a sacrifice of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, like St. Peter Canisius did.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque saw in a vision how the Sacred Heart burns with love for all of us. Jesus told her that all who rely on his Sacred Heart will receive comfort in their afflictions, peace in their homes, and abundant blessings in every undertaking. For the sake of the lost lambs we know, let's dedicate our hearts to Jesus' Sacred Heart.
This means loving as he loves – with our whole lives, in our work, our homes, and our relationships. It means remembering that those who despise, ignore and reject Jesus are further damaging their own wounded hearts, and we pity them.
"Dear Jesus, bless my home, my family, and __________, as well as all of our endeavors. May we all experience Your mercy through a contrite heart and a repentant spirit. May we all benefit from Your charity in all our needs, especially those that help us to overcome sin. St. Margaret Mary and St. Peter Canisius, pray for us. Amen."
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 11, 2010
Today's Feast: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Today's Readings:
Ezek 34:11-16
Ps 23:1-6
Romans 5:5b-11
Luke 15:3-7
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_11.mp3
The Shepherd's Sacred Heart
When St. Peter Canisius saw a vision of Christ's Sacred Heart, he felt great sadness as he realized that Jesus still suffers today whenever his love is despised, ignored, and rejected. From then on, he offered up all of his work as a sacrifice of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Think of how deeply the Good Shepherd grieves in his heart when one of his lambs wanders off and gets lost. His sacred heart burns with love for them. Now think of the lost ones in your family and others you care about who have wandered off. As much as you wish they'd find Jesus and come back to the church family, Jesus desires it far more. He's not waiting for them to find him; he's going after them!
Today's Gospel reading shows how wonderful he feels when he carries them back on his shoulders. The weight of the cross was heavy and cruel, but this weight of carrying his beloved back into the fold is delightful, because it's the victory side of the cross.
To be picked up and carried by Jesus, people have to first realize that they're lost. When they do, repentance begins. Until then, they dodge him in bushy brambles and dark caves, because they misinterpret his intentions. But Jesus doesn't give up. He's jumping in and out of the bushes and caves with them, hoping that as they twist through life they will change their angle of view and see him reaching out to them with love.
Deep down in their wounded hearts, they long to be found and carried back to the security of God's pasture. The sacred heart of Jesus aches because of their wounds. His pain will become their healing when they give their hearts to him. While we wait for this, we can help by offering up all our work as a sacrifice of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, like St. Peter Canisius did.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque saw in a vision how the Sacred Heart burns with love for all of us. Jesus told her that all who rely on his Sacred Heart will receive comfort in their afflictions, peace in their homes, and abundant blessings in every undertaking. For the sake of the lost lambs we know, let's dedicate our hearts to Jesus' Sacred Heart.
This means loving as he loves – with our whole lives, in our work, our homes, and our relationships. It means remembering that those who despise, ignore and reject Jesus are further damaging their own wounded hearts, and we pity them.
"Dear Jesus, bless my home, my family, and __________, as well as all of our endeavors. May we all experience Your mercy through a contrite heart and a repentant spirit. May we all benefit from Your charity in all our needs, especially those that help us to overcome sin. St. Margaret Mary and St. Peter Canisius, pray for us. Amen."
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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The faith of Elijah
Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 10, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:41-46
Ps 65:(2a)10-13
Matt 5:20-26
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061010.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_10.mp3
The faith of Elijah
Is your faith wavering because God has not answered some of your prayers? Maybe your faith is still strong but you're getting frustrated. Well, maybe he's trying to get your attention so that he can assure you that his goodness is just over the horizon, just beyond your vision.
In today's first reading, God spoke to Ahab through the prophet Elijah. And he's speaking to you, too. If what we ask for is good, if it's part of the good life he wants us to have, if it will help us move forward on our journey of holiness, he's saying: "Your prayer has been answered!" But we don't see the answer, so he says, "Look again!" And still we don't see the answer. Elijah's servant had to "go and look" seven times before the tiniest hints of the drought's end became visible on the far horizon.
How many times do we have to look again? In scripture "seven" means "the full amount." In the fullness of time, the answer to your holy prayers will be manifested before your eyes. Until then, it's developing beyond your view, where you can't see anything but drought.
God has told you to ask for his help, and he loves you (and those for whom you are praying) more than you can imagine. So of course he's already working on the answer to your prayers, but he's doing it in the way that's best for you AND for all those who are affected by the situation.
But I don't want to wait very long, do you? I want to see God's plan working now and in a way that makes sense to me in my limited ability to understand. You too?
Notice what Elijah said to Ahab before the first cloud appeared: "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." What rain? Where? Such powerful faith! He knew God's will and thus could envision it happening. We need to ask Saint Elijah to share with us his ability to envision the future. We need to put our confidence in God like he did.
It's easy to figure out what is God's will: Find a scripture that applies to your situation – not pulling a verse out of context but understanding it within the truth of the entire New Testament – and you will see his will. Absolutely. But to have the faith that Elijah had, we have to keep our eyes on the rain that God promised, not on the drought that we see.
There is a very good reason – in fact, many good reasons – why the rain does not come immediately. If we could see what God sees, we wouldn't want the drought-ending process to be shortened. The full process will benefit us and it will benefit others. Perhaps the wait is benefiting others more than it helps us, but that's okay, isn't it? We care about them, too, don't we?
God is responding to every holy prayer request. Although it's absurd to put on a raincoat when there's not a cloud in the sky, this is a good picture of Christian living. Let's continue our prayers while carrying the umbrella of expectation.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
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To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Thursday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 10, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:41-46
Ps 65:(2a)10-13
Matt 5:20-26
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061010.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_10.mp3
The faith of Elijah
Is your faith wavering because God has not answered some of your prayers? Maybe your faith is still strong but you're getting frustrated. Well, maybe he's trying to get your attention so that he can assure you that his goodness is just over the horizon, just beyond your vision.
In today's first reading, God spoke to Ahab through the prophet Elijah. And he's speaking to you, too. If what we ask for is good, if it's part of the good life he wants us to have, if it will help us move forward on our journey of holiness, he's saying: "Your prayer has been answered!" But we don't see the answer, so he says, "Look again!" And still we don't see the answer. Elijah's servant had to "go and look" seven times before the tiniest hints of the drought's end became visible on the far horizon.
How many times do we have to look again? In scripture "seven" means "the full amount." In the fullness of time, the answer to your holy prayers will be manifested before your eyes. Until then, it's developing beyond your view, where you can't see anything but drought.
God has told you to ask for his help, and he loves you (and those for whom you are praying) more than you can imagine. So of course he's already working on the answer to your prayers, but he's doing it in the way that's best for you AND for all those who are affected by the situation.
But I don't want to wait very long, do you? I want to see God's plan working now and in a way that makes sense to me in my limited ability to understand. You too?
Notice what Elijah said to Ahab before the first cloud appeared: "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." What rain? Where? Such powerful faith! He knew God's will and thus could envision it happening. We need to ask Saint Elijah to share with us his ability to envision the future. We need to put our confidence in God like he did.
It's easy to figure out what is God's will: Find a scripture that applies to your situation – not pulling a verse out of context but understanding it within the truth of the entire New Testament – and you will see his will. Absolutely. But to have the faith that Elijah had, we have to keep our eyes on the rain that God promised, not on the drought that we see.
There is a very good reason – in fact, many good reasons – why the rain does not come immediately. If we could see what God sees, we wouldn't want the drought-ending process to be shortened. The full process will benefit us and it will benefit others. Perhaps the wait is benefiting others more than it helps us, but that's okay, isn't it? We care about them, too, don't we?
God is responding to every holy prayer request. Although it's absurd to put on a raincoat when there's not a cloud in the sky, this is a good picture of Christian living. Let's continue our prayers while carrying the umbrella of expectation.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Exceeding the limits of the law
Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 9, 2010
Today's Saint: Ephrem
Pray for wise use of talents:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Ephrem.htm
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:20-39
Ps 16:1b-2ab,4,5ab,8,11
Matt 5:17-19
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060910.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_09.mp3
Exceeding the limits of the law
Think of any law or rule you're under. How about the speed limit on the highway? Jesus says in today's Gospel reading that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Okay, yes, he was talking about religious law, not the highways I drive on. But we'll better understand what he meant if we think about any law that constrains us in our modern day-to-day life.
The key word here is "constrain" – laws limit us. By necessity, for our own good and the good of the community, laws tell us how far we can go before we get into trouble, how much we can do before we infringe on the rights of others, how fast we can go before an officer pulls us over and gives us a speeding ticket.
If I were the police and I saw God zooming down the highway at twice the speed limit, I wouldn't arrest him, would you? God can do whatever he wants and I'll let him get away with it. But Jesus makes it clear that he does not disregard the law. What he does do is FULFILL the law. He enters into it and raises it to a higher standard.
Even when he broke the rules, for example by "working" on the Sabbath, he was raising the laws to the highest level of application: the Law of Love.
Who is it that I'm loving by obeying traffic laws? Myself – I'm giving myself the gift of no speeding ticket! Oh, but that's the smallest part of the law. To fulfill the intentions of the law, I'm loving everyone else on the road by caring that I don't crash into them. Even if there were no speed limits, I'd drive slow enough to make sure that they all survive my journey.
In Christ, there is no need for the law because love fulfills the law's best intentions. In Christ, we don't need the Church to make a law forbidding us to miss Mass, because our love for God and for the Body of Christ (the Church community) draws us to Mass. In Christ, we don't need to have a rule telling us to fast on Fridays, because love motivates us to make sacrifices.
Think of any law that the Church tells us to obey; if we don't want to obey it, it's because we don't understand how it's founded on and fulfills the Law of Love. We need to dig into it deeper and ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand where the love is.
This is why Vatican Council II took away many of the restrictions that had been set by earlier Councils. The bishops were not saying that it's okay now to miss Mass or to skip the Friday fasts. Rather, we've been invited to mature beyond our childish, blind obedience of the rules, which is based on the avoidance of punishment. We've been entrusted with the faith of a grown-up follower of Jesus, which means fulfilling the law by obeying it because we want to love.
Thus we become the visible Christ for our world. We no longer need the law in order to be good. In fact, we do more than what the law prescribes. Because we love, we embrace the rules and exceed their limits.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Wednesday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 9, 2010
Today's Saint: Ephrem
Pray for wise use of talents:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Ephrem.htm
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:20-39
Ps 16:1b-2ab,4,5ab,8,11
Matt 5:17-19
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060910.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_09.mp3
Exceeding the limits of the law
Think of any law or rule you're under. How about the speed limit on the highway? Jesus says in today's Gospel reading that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Okay, yes, he was talking about religious law, not the highways I drive on. But we'll better understand what he meant if we think about any law that constrains us in our modern day-to-day life.
The key word here is "constrain" – laws limit us. By necessity, for our own good and the good of the community, laws tell us how far we can go before we get into trouble, how much we can do before we infringe on the rights of others, how fast we can go before an officer pulls us over and gives us a speeding ticket.
If I were the police and I saw God zooming down the highway at twice the speed limit, I wouldn't arrest him, would you? God can do whatever he wants and I'll let him get away with it. But Jesus makes it clear that he does not disregard the law. What he does do is FULFILL the law. He enters into it and raises it to a higher standard.
Even when he broke the rules, for example by "working" on the Sabbath, he was raising the laws to the highest level of application: the Law of Love.
Who is it that I'm loving by obeying traffic laws? Myself – I'm giving myself the gift of no speeding ticket! Oh, but that's the smallest part of the law. To fulfill the intentions of the law, I'm loving everyone else on the road by caring that I don't crash into them. Even if there were no speed limits, I'd drive slow enough to make sure that they all survive my journey.
In Christ, there is no need for the law because love fulfills the law's best intentions. In Christ, we don't need the Church to make a law forbidding us to miss Mass, because our love for God and for the Body of Christ (the Church community) draws us to Mass. In Christ, we don't need to have a rule telling us to fast on Fridays, because love motivates us to make sacrifices.
Think of any law that the Church tells us to obey; if we don't want to obey it, it's because we don't understand how it's founded on and fulfills the Law of Love. We need to dig into it deeper and ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand where the love is.
This is why Vatican Council II took away many of the restrictions that had been set by earlier Councils. The bishops were not saying that it's okay now to miss Mass or to skip the Friday fasts. Rather, we've been invited to mature beyond our childish, blind obedience of the rules, which is based on the avoidance of punishment. We've been entrusted with the faith of a grown-up follower of Jesus, which means fulfilling the law by obeying it because we want to love.
Thus we become the visible Christ for our world. We no longer need the law in order to be good. In fact, we do more than what the law prescribes. Because we love, we embrace the rules and exceed their limits.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
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Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Are you flavoring others?
Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 8, 2010
Today's Saint: Medard
Pray for protectiom from natural disasters:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Medard.htm
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:20-39
Ps 16:1b-2ab,4,5ab,8,11
Matt 5:17-19
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_08.mp3
Are you flavoring others?
In today's Gospel reading, what does Jesus mean by calling us "salt"? Think about what salt does. It adds flavor to foods that lack sufficient taste.
Jesus also raises the point that if we lose our flavor, how can it be restored? The answer is: Only by letting God renew us.
As Christians, we have been made flavorful, that is to say, we have within us the fullness of the life of God's Holy Spirit. The useful Christian is one who evangelizes by adding the seasoning of Christ's love to other people's lives. But beware of trying too hard! What happens when food is over-salted? It tastes horrible. No matter how good our intentions might be, if we come on too strong, we do more harm than good.
People are much more likely to turn to Jesus if they first experience his love through us. They need to discover that he loves them just the way they are, that he is gentle but sincere when inviting them to grow, and that he serves them in their needs. We who are alive in the Holy Spirit are called to season their lives with this love.
To flavor the lives of others with Jesus' love, we have to let his light shine in us. We have to be so lit up by Christ that others cannot help but notice. The warm glow of Jesus should be what others see when they look at us. This happens when we love them unconditionally, patiently, full of kindness and caring, while not hiding our relationship with Jesus.
What obstructs the light of Christ that glows within you? If people are not meeting Jesus through us, we need to ask the Holy Spirit why. What are they seeing instead? Is it something we need to change within ourselves? As the Lord reveals the obstructions, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist will fill us with the graces we need to stay in the light.
Additionally, Jesus says that we have to be a "city." We cannot evangelize alone. A city is a group of Christians: a parish, a family, a church organization. Being Christian means being in community. When our light is joined to the light of others, our collective glow is much more effective in revealing the love of Christ to the world. Why? Because non-believers learn that the love of Christ is real when they see us living in love with each other (see Acts 2:42-47).
Being a city is also necessary because it's how we become convinced that we ourselves are truly loved. We are the light of Christ for each other. We are his love given to each other. We are seasoning for each other. Without each other, our light dims, our flavor fades, and we become useless to the kingdom of God.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Tuesday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 8, 2010
Today's Saint: Medard
Pray for protectiom from natural disasters:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Medard.htm
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 18:20-39
Ps 16:1b-2ab,4,5ab,8,11
Matt 5:17-19
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_08.mp3
Are you flavoring others?
In today's Gospel reading, what does Jesus mean by calling us "salt"? Think about what salt does. It adds flavor to foods that lack sufficient taste.
Jesus also raises the point that if we lose our flavor, how can it be restored? The answer is: Only by letting God renew us.
As Christians, we have been made flavorful, that is to say, we have within us the fullness of the life of God's Holy Spirit. The useful Christian is one who evangelizes by adding the seasoning of Christ's love to other people's lives. But beware of trying too hard! What happens when food is over-salted? It tastes horrible. No matter how good our intentions might be, if we come on too strong, we do more harm than good.
People are much more likely to turn to Jesus if they first experience his love through us. They need to discover that he loves them just the way they are, that he is gentle but sincere when inviting them to grow, and that he serves them in their needs. We who are alive in the Holy Spirit are called to season their lives with this love.
To flavor the lives of others with Jesus' love, we have to let his light shine in us. We have to be so lit up by Christ that others cannot help but notice. The warm glow of Jesus should be what others see when they look at us. This happens when we love them unconditionally, patiently, full of kindness and caring, while not hiding our relationship with Jesus.
What obstructs the light of Christ that glows within you? If people are not meeting Jesus through us, we need to ask the Holy Spirit why. What are they seeing instead? Is it something we need to change within ourselves? As the Lord reveals the obstructions, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist will fill us with the graces we need to stay in the light.
Additionally, Jesus says that we have to be a "city." We cannot evangelize alone. A city is a group of Christians: a parish, a family, a church organization. Being Christian means being in community. When our light is joined to the light of others, our collective glow is much more effective in revealing the love of Christ to the world. Why? Because non-believers learn that the love of Christ is real when they see us living in love with each other (see Acts 2:42-47).
Being a city is also necessary because it's how we become convinced that we ourselves are truly loved. We are the light of Christ for each other. We are his love given to each other. We are seasoning for each other. Without each other, our light dims, our flavor fades, and we become useless to the kingdom of God.
For an entire Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Living the Beatitudes
Good News Reflection
Monday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 7, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 17:1-6
Ps 121:1bc-8
Matt 5:1-12
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_07.mp3
Living the Beatitudes
For most of this month, we're going to be hearing from the Sermon on the Mount in our daily Gospel reading. On my WordBytes website is a Bible Study on these three chapters of Matthew. It's more in-depth than the reflections I'll be emailing to you and includes discussion questions. If you're interested, please visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm. (To obtain a professionally published, printer-ready copy for your Bible Study or Faith Sharing group, please go instead to http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/HolyLiving.htm.)
Jesus taught us how to fulfill our calling to holiness so that we could receive the full love of God and share it with others. All of his teachings are summed up in one place: The Sermon on the Mount.
The Beatitudes in today's Gospel passage are the introductory remarks of the sermon. They are the basic outline or stepping stones for having a more love-filled life. The first four deal with our relationship with God; the last four deal with our relationships with others.
#1 (verse 3): We are "poor in spirit" when we depend on God (the kingdom of heaven) instead of material security (the world's kingdom). We're enriched by his faithfulness, mercy and love.
#2 (verse 4): We "mourn" or feel sorrowful when we realize that we've fallen short of the glory of God by relying on the world's ways instead of God's ways. He comforts us and supports us in our efforts to detach from the world and become more like him.
#3 (verse 5): We are "meek" or "lowly" when we submit to the Father's will. Inheriting the land means that we are God's children and belong to his kingdom with all of its benefits.
#4 (verse 6): We "hunger and thirst for righteousness" when we desire to live morally or to put an end to injustices that we witness. This hunger will be satisfied because God helps us achieve righteousness.
The second half of the Beatitudes is a list of fruits that are produced by the spiritual growth that we gain in the first half.
#5 (verse 7): When we're poor in spirit and place our trust in God's mercy (verse 3), we gain the spiritual maturity to be merciful to others, which results in the blessing of receiving even more of God's mercy.
#6 (verse 8): Our sins hurt others, and when we mourn the damage we've done (verse 4), we desire to be "pure" or "clean" in our hearts, which leads us to greater holiness, and then we see God working through us to help others.
#7 (verse 9): By being meek (verse 5), we become peacemakers, because as we submit ourselves to the Father's will, we handle conflicts the way Jesus did, asserting boundaries against the sins of others without being unforgiving or retaliatory.
#8 (verses 10-12): We are like Christ when we live as he lived (verse 6), and for this reason others persecute us. They don't want to learn from our example of holiness, so they insult us and try to stop us. This is a tremendous blessing, because it lets us know that we are indeed living the Beatitudes.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Monday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
June 7, 2010
Today's Readings:
1 Kings 17:1-6
Ps 121:1bc-8
Matt 5:1-12
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060710.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_07.mp3
Living the Beatitudes
For most of this month, we're going to be hearing from the Sermon on the Mount in our daily Gospel reading. On my WordBytes website is a Bible Study on these three chapters of Matthew. It's more in-depth than the reflections I'll be emailing to you and includes discussion questions. If you're interested, please visit http://wordbytes.org/Bible/HolyLiving1.htm. (To obtain a professionally published, printer-ready copy for your Bible Study or Faith Sharing group, please go instead to http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/HolyLiving.htm.)
Jesus taught us how to fulfill our calling to holiness so that we could receive the full love of God and share it with others. All of his teachings are summed up in one place: The Sermon on the Mount.
The Beatitudes in today's Gospel passage are the introductory remarks of the sermon. They are the basic outline or stepping stones for having a more love-filled life. The first four deal with our relationship with God; the last four deal with our relationships with others.
#1 (verse 3): We are "poor in spirit" when we depend on God (the kingdom of heaven) instead of material security (the world's kingdom). We're enriched by his faithfulness, mercy and love.
#2 (verse 4): We "mourn" or feel sorrowful when we realize that we've fallen short of the glory of God by relying on the world's ways instead of God's ways. He comforts us and supports us in our efforts to detach from the world and become more like him.
#3 (verse 5): We are "meek" or "lowly" when we submit to the Father's will. Inheriting the land means that we are God's children and belong to his kingdom with all of its benefits.
#4 (verse 6): We "hunger and thirst for righteousness" when we desire to live morally or to put an end to injustices that we witness. This hunger will be satisfied because God helps us achieve righteousness.
The second half of the Beatitudes is a list of fruits that are produced by the spiritual growth that we gain in the first half.
#5 (verse 7): When we're poor in spirit and place our trust in God's mercy (verse 3), we gain the spiritual maturity to be merciful to others, which results in the blessing of receiving even more of God's mercy.
#6 (verse 8): Our sins hurt others, and when we mourn the damage we've done (verse 4), we desire to be "pure" or "clean" in our hearts, which leads us to greater holiness, and then we see God working through us to help others.
#7 (verse 9): By being meek (verse 5), we become peacemakers, because as we submit ourselves to the Father's will, we handle conflicts the way Jesus did, asserting boundaries against the sins of others without being unforgiving or retaliatory.
#8 (verses 10-12): We are like Christ when we live as he lived (verse 6), and for this reason others persecute us. They don't want to learn from our example of holiness, so they insult us and try to stop us. This is a tremendous blessing, because it lets us know that we are indeed living the Beatitudes.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 13, 2010 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 13, 2010
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/11thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
2 Sam 12:7-10, 13
Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
Gal 2:16, 19-21
Luke 7:36–8:3
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_13.mp3
Have you ever thought about how sins are forgiven? How do we go from sinful to justified?
Think of the word “justified” as “made to be just and fair”. Because we have sometimes been unjust in our dealings with others, Jesus, the Perfectly Just One, took our sins to the cross. The injustices died with him there.
Justice is a legal word. But as next Sunday's second reading points out, it's not the law that forgives us; we're not justified (i.e., we don't become fair, loving and just) by the law but through faith in Christ, "for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing."
Jesus explains it in next Sunday's Gospel reading. The sinful woman who bathed Jesus with her tears was forgiven, changed and justified through her great love for him. Love is what breaks us away from the power of sin. Love is what makes us behave justly.
Any of us who genuinely want to be loving but sin anyway are usually unaware, at that moment, that our behavior is hurting anyone. We don't sin out of deliberate malice, yet we have behaved unjustly.
We sin because we take our eyes off of Jesus. We're reacting to current or past stimuli that's tempting us to behave unjustly. But if we pause long enough to pray and reconnect to Jesus, we can take control. We can choose to act in love.
When we make love our highest priority, temptations lose their power. Caring about others distracts us from the stimuli that causes our sinful reactions. And as soon as we discover that we've caused pain through sin, we're motivated by love to undo the damage as best as we can. We enter into the justice of God.
When we love others as Jesus loves them, our faith has become our salvation. As it was for the woman in the Gospel, Jesus says to us: "Now you can go in peace."
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Recall an unloving behavior or attitude you had recently. What were you reacting to? Dig deeper. What's the root of that reaction? For example: Did anyone hurt you the same way? Forgive him/her. Are you afraid? Trust God instead. If necessary, talk to a spiritual director or psychological counselor to help you identify the root cause. The truth will set you free to love as Jesus loves!
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Tell the story of a sin you overcame more than a year ago. What did you do to overcome its control of you? How did the love of Jesus empower you?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
______________________________________________________________
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FOR NEXT SUNDAY: June 13, 2010
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/11thC.htm- Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
2 Sam 12:7-10, 13
Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
Gal 2:16, 19-21
Luke 7:36–8:3
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_13.mp3
Have you ever thought about how sins are forgiven? How do we go from sinful to justified?
Think of the word “justified” as “made to be just and fair”. Because we have sometimes been unjust in our dealings with others, Jesus, the Perfectly Just One, took our sins to the cross. The injustices died with him there.
Justice is a legal word. But as next Sunday's second reading points out, it's not the law that forgives us; we're not justified (i.e., we don't become fair, loving and just) by the law but through faith in Christ, "for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing."
Jesus explains it in next Sunday's Gospel reading. The sinful woman who bathed Jesus with her tears was forgiven, changed and justified through her great love for him. Love is what breaks us away from the power of sin. Love is what makes us behave justly.
Any of us who genuinely want to be loving but sin anyway are usually unaware, at that moment, that our behavior is hurting anyone. We don't sin out of deliberate malice, yet we have behaved unjustly.
We sin because we take our eyes off of Jesus. We're reacting to current or past stimuli that's tempting us to behave unjustly. But if we pause long enough to pray and reconnect to Jesus, we can take control. We can choose to act in love.
When we make love our highest priority, temptations lose their power. Caring about others distracts us from the stimuli that causes our sinful reactions. And as soon as we discover that we've caused pain through sin, we're motivated by love to undo the damage as best as we can. We enter into the justice of God.
When we love others as Jesus loves them, our faith has become our salvation. As it was for the woman in the Gospel, Jesus says to us: "Now you can go in peace."
Questions for Personal Reflection:
Recall an unloving behavior or attitude you had recently. What were you reacting to? Dig deeper. What's the root of that reaction? For example: Did anyone hurt you the same way? Forgive him/her. Are you afraid? Trust God instead. If necessary, talk to a spiritual director or psychological counselor to help you identify the root cause. The truth will set you free to love as Jesus loves!
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Tell the story of a sin you overcame more than a year ago. What did you do to overcome its control of you? How did the love of Jesus empower you?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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The sin of being too nice
Good News Reflection
Friday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 4, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 3:10-17
Ps 119:157,160-161,165-166,168
Mark 12:35-37
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_04.mp3
The sin of being too nice
Today's first reading warns that all who live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Is anyone damaging your reputation, rejecting you, or abandoning you because you're standing up for biblical truth and Christian virtue? If you have not yet been persecuted, you've not followed Christ very far.
Following Jesus religiously means going all the way to the cross. Along the way we meet disbelieving Pharisees and others who don't want to hear the truth.
It IS possible to have an easy life as a Christian. We can successfully work hard at being so nice that we're liked by everyone all the time. We can avoid controversial issues. We can love others by only affirming them, never challenging them to new growth or a better understanding of healthy, holy living. We can go so far as to pray that God will lead the sinners we know to repentance, hoping that he'll do all the work. But none of this is true Christian living.
Scripture calls this type of Christian a "charlatan". It's a fake Christianity. It's certainly not a description of Jesus! Such people are deceived – they deceive themselves into thinking that they are okay, because Jesus loves them and will take them to heaven when their time of being nice on earth is finished, and for them, that's all that matters.
The problem with this is that it's very selfish. It shows a lack of concern for the condition of the souls of others. It's self-protective, guarding the comfort of an easy life, keeping it non-confrontational, avoiding persecution, sustaining the illusion that there is no real need to do otherwise – very likely at the cost of justice, love, and even the salvation of others.
If being Christian means being only nice, why do we need the Bible? St. Paul says, "All scripture is inspired by God for teaching, refutation and correction, and for training in righteousness." Oh-oh! It's not nice to refute lies and misconceptions. Nor is it easy to successfully give correction.
Sometimes, we are called to quietly smile and show love by our niceness; when we're with someone who is not ready to hear the truth, we can do more harm than good by forcing it upon them. At other times, we are called to show our love by speaking up about the truth, even if it stirs up trouble.
How do we know when to be quiet and when to speak up? Only by listening to the Holy Spirit and paying attention to the nudges and inspirations that come from the Lord.
What's the value of being a Christian if we don't care enough about others to tell them the difficult truths that will bring them closer to Christ? What's the value of following Christ if we don't stand up for the truth and go all the way to the cross with him for the sake of their eternal happiness?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Friday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 4, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 3:10-17
Ps 119:157,160-161,165-166,168
Mark 12:35-37
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_04.mp3
The sin of being too nice
Today's first reading warns that all who live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Is anyone damaging your reputation, rejecting you, or abandoning you because you're standing up for biblical truth and Christian virtue? If you have not yet been persecuted, you've not followed Christ very far.
Following Jesus religiously means going all the way to the cross. Along the way we meet disbelieving Pharisees and others who don't want to hear the truth.
It IS possible to have an easy life as a Christian. We can successfully work hard at being so nice that we're liked by everyone all the time. We can avoid controversial issues. We can love others by only affirming them, never challenging them to new growth or a better understanding of healthy, holy living. We can go so far as to pray that God will lead the sinners we know to repentance, hoping that he'll do all the work. But none of this is true Christian living.
Scripture calls this type of Christian a "charlatan". It's a fake Christianity. It's certainly not a description of Jesus! Such people are deceived – they deceive themselves into thinking that they are okay, because Jesus loves them and will take them to heaven when their time of being nice on earth is finished, and for them, that's all that matters.
The problem with this is that it's very selfish. It shows a lack of concern for the condition of the souls of others. It's self-protective, guarding the comfort of an easy life, keeping it non-confrontational, avoiding persecution, sustaining the illusion that there is no real need to do otherwise – very likely at the cost of justice, love, and even the salvation of others.
If being Christian means being only nice, why do we need the Bible? St. Paul says, "All scripture is inspired by God for teaching, refutation and correction, and for training in righteousness." Oh-oh! It's not nice to refute lies and misconceptions. Nor is it easy to successfully give correction.
Sometimes, we are called to quietly smile and show love by our niceness; when we're with someone who is not ready to hear the truth, we can do more harm than good by forcing it upon them. At other times, we are called to show our love by speaking up about the truth, even if it stirs up trouble.
How do we know when to be quiet and when to speak up? Only by listening to the Holy Spirit and paying attention to the nudges and inspirations that come from the Lord.
What's the value of being a Christian if we don't care enough about others to tell them the difficult truths that will bring them closer to Christ? What's the value of following Christ if we don't stand up for the truth and go all the way to the cross with him for the sake of their eternal happiness?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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Sticking to the truth
Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 3, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 2:8-15
Ps 25:4-5ab,8-10,14
Mark 12:28-34
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_03.mp3
Sticking to the truth
What is truth? It's the question that Pilate asked Jesus, and it's the question that you and I get asked (implied or overtly) whenever we speak the truth and someone doesn't want to believe it.
In today's first reading, we learn that we are acceptable to God if we share with others the word of truth without deviation. Our true faith is revealed when we persevere in the truth, not only with our lips but with our lives, even when it's inconvenient or unpopular and causes us hardships.
If we cling to the truth no matter what, we remain in God. It's our protection against slipping away from Christ and failing to reach heaven.
Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. If we deny any truths, we deny him, and if we completely reject him, he denies knowing us, because he no longer recognizes us, because we look like Satan the Father of Lies and not like our Heavenly Father. We were made in the image of God, and in our baptisms we were purged of the disfiguring mark of Original Sin and were reborn into God's likeness. But anyone who deliberately turns away from the truth about Jesus loses that likeness.
Whenever we're unfaithful to the truth, living as if the ways of Christ are not good and are not conveyed through the teachings of the Church, behaving as if God isn't real or doesn't care, we're turning away from the truth and from Jesus who is the Truth. Venial sins are small turnings; we're looking away from Jesus without walking away. Mortal sins take us far from God's love and Christ's salvation, killing our eternal souls.
Yet no matter how far we turn, no matter how unfaithful to the truth we become, Jesus remains faithful to us. He waits and hopes and dreams of our return. He steps in front of us trying to get our attention. He becomes a stumbling stone so that we trip and fall and realize that we need help to get up and get going in the right direction.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus defines truth in simple terms: Love – love for God, caring about him first and above all other priorities and desires, and loving others as much as ourselves, caring about their needs as much as our own. Every truth is rooted in love.
When we fail to love, we violate the truth. We violate Jesus. And yet, there he remains faithfully standing beside us, waiting for us to recognize our sin and turn to him for healing and reconciliation.
A PRAYER:
Father God, I want to love everyone unconditionally, as Jesus loves them, the way Jesus has given me his love. Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Make the truth plainly obvious to me. Holy Spirit, give me better understanding of the truth and help me to humble myself in love for others. Help me to serve them the way Jesus wants to serve them through me, so that the truth of salvation spreads to others. Amen!
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
______________________________________________________________
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Thursday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 3, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 2:8-15
Ps 25:4-5ab,8-10,14
Mark 12:28-34
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_03.mp3
Sticking to the truth
What is truth? It's the question that Pilate asked Jesus, and it's the question that you and I get asked (implied or overtly) whenever we speak the truth and someone doesn't want to believe it.
In today's first reading, we learn that we are acceptable to God if we share with others the word of truth without deviation. Our true faith is revealed when we persevere in the truth, not only with our lips but with our lives, even when it's inconvenient or unpopular and causes us hardships.
If we cling to the truth no matter what, we remain in God. It's our protection against slipping away from Christ and failing to reach heaven.
Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. If we deny any truths, we deny him, and if we completely reject him, he denies knowing us, because he no longer recognizes us, because we look like Satan the Father of Lies and not like our Heavenly Father. We were made in the image of God, and in our baptisms we were purged of the disfiguring mark of Original Sin and were reborn into God's likeness. But anyone who deliberately turns away from the truth about Jesus loses that likeness.
Whenever we're unfaithful to the truth, living as if the ways of Christ are not good and are not conveyed through the teachings of the Church, behaving as if God isn't real or doesn't care, we're turning away from the truth and from Jesus who is the Truth. Venial sins are small turnings; we're looking away from Jesus without walking away. Mortal sins take us far from God's love and Christ's salvation, killing our eternal souls.
Yet no matter how far we turn, no matter how unfaithful to the truth we become, Jesus remains faithful to us. He waits and hopes and dreams of our return. He steps in front of us trying to get our attention. He becomes a stumbling stone so that we trip and fall and realize that we need help to get up and get going in the right direction.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus defines truth in simple terms: Love – love for God, caring about him first and above all other priorities and desires, and loving others as much as ourselves, caring about their needs as much as our own. Every truth is rooted in love.
When we fail to love, we violate the truth. We violate Jesus. And yet, there he remains faithfully standing beside us, waiting for us to recognize our sin and turn to him for healing and reconciliation.
A PRAYER:
Father God, I want to love everyone unconditionally, as Jesus loves them, the way Jesus has given me his love. Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Make the truth plainly obvious to me. Holy Spirit, give me better understanding of the truth and help me to humble myself in love for others. Help me to serve them the way Jesus wants to serve them through me, so that the truth of salvation spreads to others. Amen!
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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The fire of God's gift
Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 2, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 1:1-3, 6-12
Ps 123:1b-2
Mark 12:18-27
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_02.mp3
The fire of God's gift
In today's first reading, St. Paul tells Timothy: "I remind you, stir into flame the gift of God that you were given through the imposition of my hands."
When the bishop imposed his hands on you during your Sacrament of Confirmation, what gift of God did you receive? The answer is not simply "the Holy Spirit", because you already received this in your baptism.
Confirmation commissioned you to work with the Holy Spirit in your own apostolate, continuing the mission of Christ so that you be the presence of Christ on earth today.
Have you stirred this awesome calling into a burning desire?
Confirmation is the bishop confirming that your baptism was valid and that it gave you all of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It's the sacrament by which God becomes fully present for your apostolate and through which you choose to become fully present to God (well, that's what we're supposed to do with it; sadly, its theology is rarely grasped on the day of Confirmation).
It's a confirmation that we have the power, love and self-control of God himself so that we can live holy lives and work successfully for his kingdom. It's the sacrament of initiation that enflames the gifts that we received during baptism.
Thus, we can bear the hardships that come with living and teaching the Gospel's truths. We can endure all trials with the supernatural strength that comes from God. There's no reason to fear disaster, no reason to feel overwhelmed by evil, no reason to worry that our efforts to serve God might fail. Saint Pio of Pietrelcina used to tell people: "Pray, hope and DON'T WORRY!"
God gave us everything necessary to fulfill the purposes for which he created us. If there is any failure, if there is any sin, if there is any lack of activity, it's because we've not sufficiently stirred up the flame of the Holy Spirit's fire within us.
We stir the flame by continually feeding our souls with the nourishment of scripture, Christ-centered friends, Church teachings, and other opportunities of faith formation. The flame is stoked brighter and hotter by the frustrations that impassion us to get up and go out and make a difference in the Church and in the world.
God has a special task for you. Perhaps you're already doing it. Or maybe you can envision it but you don't know how to get from here to there. Or perhaps you're still trying to find the vision. Or maybe you feel unprepared or inadequate. Concentrate on stoking the fire in every way possible. As your flame gets brighter, the calling and the way to fulfill it will become clearer.
And remember: God always empowers us to do everything that he asks of us.
Need more help with this? Use my e-book, "Knowing God's Will and Doing it Well", available at Catholic Digital Resources: http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/GodsWill.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
______________________________________________________________
This is the "Good News Reflections - American Edition" mailing list.
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Wednesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 2, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 1:1-3, 6-12
Ps 123:1b-2
Mark 12:18-27
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_02.mp3
The fire of God's gift
In today's first reading, St. Paul tells Timothy: "I remind you, stir into flame the gift of God that you were given through the imposition of my hands."
When the bishop imposed his hands on you during your Sacrament of Confirmation, what gift of God did you receive? The answer is not simply "the Holy Spirit", because you already received this in your baptism.
Confirmation commissioned you to work with the Holy Spirit in your own apostolate, continuing the mission of Christ so that you be the presence of Christ on earth today.
Have you stirred this awesome calling into a burning desire?
Confirmation is the bishop confirming that your baptism was valid and that it gave you all of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It's the sacrament by which God becomes fully present for your apostolate and through which you choose to become fully present to God (well, that's what we're supposed to do with it; sadly, its theology is rarely grasped on the day of Confirmation).
It's a confirmation that we have the power, love and self-control of God himself so that we can live holy lives and work successfully for his kingdom. It's the sacrament of initiation that enflames the gifts that we received during baptism.
Thus, we can bear the hardships that come with living and teaching the Gospel's truths. We can endure all trials with the supernatural strength that comes from God. There's no reason to fear disaster, no reason to feel overwhelmed by evil, no reason to worry that our efforts to serve God might fail. Saint Pio of Pietrelcina used to tell people: "Pray, hope and DON'T WORRY!"
God gave us everything necessary to fulfill the purposes for which he created us. If there is any failure, if there is any sin, if there is any lack of activity, it's because we've not sufficiently stirred up the flame of the Holy Spirit's fire within us.
We stir the flame by continually feeding our souls with the nourishment of scripture, Christ-centered friends, Church teachings, and other opportunities of faith formation. The flame is stoked brighter and hotter by the frustrations that impassion us to get up and go out and make a difference in the Church and in the world.
God has a special task for you. Perhaps you're already doing it. Or maybe you can envision it but you don't know how to get from here to there. Or perhaps you're still trying to find the vision. Or maybe you feel unprepared or inadequate. Concentrate on stoking the fire in every way possible. As your flame gets brighter, the calling and the way to fulfill it will become clearer.
And remember: God always empowers us to do everything that he asks of us.
Need more help with this? Use my e-book, "Knowing God's Will and Doing it Well", available at Catholic Digital Resources: http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/GodsWill.htm
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
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