SEVEN LOAVES OF BREAD AND A FEW FISH

December 1, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

When God wants to do something He will see that it is done. We will be able to participate in His desires as long as we are obedient to His will. It is not a matter of having all the resources to accomplish a particular thing but that we are willing to give all that we have and trust that God will provide anything that is lacking.

Matthew 15:29-37

29 At that time: Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 30 Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 31 The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” 33 The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” 35 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn  them to the crowds. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over — seven baskets full.

FISHERS OF MEN

November 30, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Andrew is no exceptional person. He is an ordinary fisherman, a normal member of society. Look at the transformation brought about in his life through knowing Jesus. From fisher of fishes he becomes a fisher of men and a martyr for Jesus. There is no greater glory reserved for a man than to lay down his life in the service of the Gospel.

Matthew 4:18-22

18 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. 19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

LORD, JUST SAY THE WORD AND WE SHALL BE HEALED

November 29, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

The powerful dynamic of the spoken word of God we witness in this parable is something we need to reflect upon so that we can begin to learn to apply it to our own lives. I am not suggesting that we can heal ourselves by just saying so,but I am suggesting that if we can discern the will of God for a particular situation this could very well be the basis for a miracle to happen.


Matthew 8:5-11

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

November 28, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

If Jesus were to come again tomorrow, would you be ready to greet Him? Have you done all that you should to get rid of the sin in your life? If not, why not?

We already know we are called to avoid sin. We do not have any valid excuses for not being ready when He calls us to Himself.

Matthew 24:37-44

37 Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. 39 They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.

41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. 42 Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your

Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

THE FIG TREE LESSON

November 26, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

Jesus affirms that we need to discern between the issues in our lives that matter and those that do not. We spend an awful amount of time on things that are irrelevant in relation to eternal life. What does it matter if my hair is grey or black or any other color when I die? What matters is that I have lived for Jesus and given all that I can to build His Kingdom.

Luke 21:29-33


29 Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

SIGNS OF REDEMPTION

November 25, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Catherine of Alexandria is one of the Patron Saints of Philosophers. I believe we need to rediscover the art of philosophy in the world today in order to get people thinking a lot more about the things they say and do. So much of modern debate around issues such as abortionare completely illogical. People need to have a coherent philosophical understanding of the human person to buttress whatever their arguments may be.

Luke 21:20-28

20 Jesus said to his disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, 22 for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. 23 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”

PERSECUTION IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

November 24, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Persecution is probably an inevitable aspect of any Christian’s life as to live for the truth will sooner or later bring us into conflict with the world. There are many powers at work in the world seeking to destroy the dignity of human life through all sorts of medical and other immoral practices. As Christians we must defend and protect the dignity of life from conception to death. If we fail to do this, the culture of death will horrify us even more than it has done so far.

Luke 21:12-19

12 Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

SIGNS OF TIMES

November 23, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

We live in the end times. However, the Church understands that the end times began with the death of Jesus. As disciples, it’s not about the signs or when the end of the world will occur. We need to be ready now. This is the only way we will have prepared properly for the return of Jesus. And if He comes tomorrow or in a thousand years, it does not matter to us because we are ready whenever He comes.

Luke 21:5-11

5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 6 “All that you see       — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs  ill come from the sky.”

THE WIDOW AND HER OFFERING

November 22, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Ouch! Sometimes the parables of Jesus hit home so hard. I wonder whether I am able to be a little more generous in the way I support the Church and the poor? This is a critical question today as the Church seeks to reorient itself to becoming more and more the Church of the Poor, forsaking the comforts and benefits of the life of wealth for the preferential option to stand in solidarity with the poor.

Luke 21:1-4

1 When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; ₄ for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

CHRIST THE KING

November 21, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

The spiritual writers often call the Cross of Christ His throne. Why? Perhaps one reason might be the words of forgiveness that Jesus speaks to the repentant thief. In a certain sense, these words of forgiveness sum up Jesus’ life and mission. They proclaim to the world the type of kingdom for which He was willing to give His life. Do you live as a child of that kingdom? Do you forgive others as He has forgiven you?

Luke 23:35-43

35 The rulers, sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” 36 Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine 37 they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” 40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

RESURRECTION

November 20, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

There is no point trying to trip up God with silly questions that border upon the stupid. What is the point of this question? If there is no resurrection, what is the point of anything in life? What is there to live for if there is nothing beyond this life? If there is no resurrection we might as well give ourselves over to whatever we feel like doing as there will not be any final judgment. Pragmatism will reign supreme: if you can do it and get away with it, good for you.

Luke 20:27-40

27 Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, 28 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. 30 Then the second 31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; 35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. 37 That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 38 and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” 39 Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” 40 And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

November 19, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

Jesus’ anger at the profanation of the Temple with economic practices is a reminder to us to ensure that our worship and lives are kept free of such pollution. There is a time and a place to hold a market. Inside the Temple is not that place. Let us ensure that the House of God, the Church, remains exactly that and that when we are inside the Church we recognize the presence of God in a special way in the Blessed Sacrament (in the tabernacle) and spend some time in prayer.


Luke 19:45-48

45 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” 47 And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, 48 but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

FAITH AND DOUBT

November 18, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Peter’s life is characterized by moments of great grace as well as failures. Today we gain insight into both of these aspects. Peter has the faith and trust to step out onto the water at the command of Jesus. He also demonstrates his human frailty by quickly doubting that he could remain above the water. I do not think I would have fared any better.

Matthew 14:22-33

22 After the crowd had eaten their fill Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

THE WISE SERVANTS

November 17, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

The grace of God cannot exist in a vacuum. This means that we have to respond to the grace He offers us if we want it to have a lasting effect upon our lives. Aquinas tells us that the grace of God builds on nature. Thus we have to provide the fertile ground of our lives and open will if His grace is going to flourish and bear fruit in us. Let us remember to always cooperate with God’s grace no matter what this might mean.


Luke 19:11-28

11 While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would appear there immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; 23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26 ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ” 28 After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

THE BLIND MAN'S FAITH

November 15, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

I wonder what your blindness is? We are all blinded by certain sins and events in our lives. It is up to us to choose to place ourselves under the grace of God and allow Him to heal these hurts and areas of our lives so that we will be able to see properly again. Let us trust that our God is merciful and loving and ready to heal us so that we can better follow Him and know His love and will for us.


Luke 18:35-43


35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, 36 and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 39 The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” 40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” 42 Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” 43 He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

BEFORE THE END OF TIMES

November 14, 2010

 

D A I L Y G O S P E L

 

This world in which we live is passing away. It will be in existence for a mere blink of an eye in comparison with eternity. This may be hard for us to grasp, but it can help us keep things in the right perspective. The saints were able to recognize the passing nature of this life and thus focus their energies and attention on the things that related most closely to the next. Lord, help us to learn from them.

 

 

Luke 21:5-19

 

5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 6 “All that you see here — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. 12 “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of

my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

UNJUST JUDGE

November 13, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Perseverance in prayer assures God that you really desire that which you are asking for. It is important that we do not act like spoiled children when we place our needs before God. I would think He’d have little time for such arrogance and petty behavior. Let us have the firmness and confidence of conviction that what we ask for is good for us and will indeed be provided by God in one way or another.

Luke 18:1-8

1 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’ ” 6 The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN

November 12, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

The Scriptures often remind us of what has happened in the past, both the good and the bad. We need to learn not just from our own experiences in life but those of others as well, particularly those whom God places before us as examples of faith — or examples of what not to do. Let us never insist on having “to know something for ourselves” if it is possible to learn the same through the experiences of others.


Luke 17:26-37


26 Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; 27 they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. 30 So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. 32 Remember the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. 34 I tell you, on that night, there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” 36 37 They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG YOU

November 11, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Some say that St. Martin of Tours is responsible for bringing the monastic life and tradition to Europe from North Africa. I do not believe we give the monastic life its proper due in the life of the Church — we tend to take for granted the way they serve the Church. Let us remember and reflect upon their selflessness and the way their lives are spent in intercession for us. I hate to think where we would all be without their intercession over the last 2,000 years. Let us pray today for the religious who give their lives in this service of the Church.

Luke 17:20-25

20 Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, 21 and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” 22 Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. 24 For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

A SAMARITAN GIVES THANKS

November 10, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Pope St. Leo the Great was a very holy man who had both a heart for evangelization and the proper administration of the Church. His humility was well-renowned and drew many to him. Let us pray that the leaders in the Church today will be similarly disposed to place their lives in the service of the Gospel and the people of God.

Luke 17:11-19

11 As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he travelled through Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him 13 and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” 14 And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; 16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? 18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

THE FATHER'S HOUSE A MARKETPLACE?

November 9, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

It is possible to express anger in a good way. We should be furious at the work of sin in our lives and act accordingly when we discover its presence. Let us pray for the grace to live according to our true dignity as sons and daughters of the Father, free of sin and on the path to the Kingdom of God.

John 2:13-22

13 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. 15 He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, 16 and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” 17 His disciples recalled the words of scripture , “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

INCREASE OUR FAITH, LORD

November 8, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Even Jesus assures us that we will be tempted. We cannot hope to avoid temptation. If we never experience temptation then we are probably already dead. Temptations do not hold any real fears for men and women of faith because we know that Christ has given us the power of the Holy Spirit and the victory of His cross to overcome them. Let us seek to use these gifts whenever necessary so that we will not succumb to the wiles of the devil ever again.

Luke 17:1-6

1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY MARRIAGE

November 7, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

“God is the God of the living, not of the dead.” What a wonderful understanding of the life of faith. As one of the prefaces for Christian death says, “… life is changed, not ended.” When we speak of death we are speaking of another part of life’s journey. It is the end of our earthly pilgrimage, but it is also the door to a new and greater existence. Jesus tells us to stop worrying about the mechanics of human relationships when we die. We ought rather to fix our eyes on life and live for life, not death.


LUKE 20:27-38


27 Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, 28 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. 30 Then the second 31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; 35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. 37 That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 38 and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

GOD AND MONEY

November 6, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L


If we have to be rich, then we need to learn how to use our wealth for the good of others and not just for ourselves. Money is a terribly seductive reality — it tends to generate a whole power and attraction of its own that is easily diverted by the world to its own pleasures rather than the service of the Kingdom of God. We need to realize that any blessing we receive needs to be directed towards the good of the Gospel or else we will find that it leads us in the opposite direction.



Luke 16:9-15

9 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. 15 And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

LIFE'S DAILY CONCERN

November 5, 2010


D A I LY G O S P E L

Advertising gurus will tell us that the most important thing about selling a product is to know your target market. The same is true when we evangelize. We need to know what the concerns and lives of the people are like in order to tailor our Gospel presentation to them. Yes, we still need to allow the Gospel to speak for itself as does any truth, but it will always help if we are able to express these truths in words and forms that are easily understood by our listeners.


Luke 16:1-8

1 Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ 3 The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ 7 Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ 8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”

THE LOST SHEEP

November 4, 2010


D A I L Y G O S P E L

The reality is that we have a God who wants all people to be saved. Thus, He is willing to leave the 99 good sheep in order to go after the one that is lost. From time to time, we are that lost sheep. I hope we take the time once in a while to express our gratitude to God for His commitment to looking after us. Let us seek to be a part of the 99 so that God will have more scope to seek those who are lost.


Luke 15:1-10


1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So Jesus addressed this parable to them. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

THE COST OF BEING A DISCIPLE

November 03, 2010

D A I L Y G O S P E L

Martin de Porres was so holy that he was known to be able to be in more than one place at the same time. What wouldn’t very busy people do to be able to emulate such an ability. However, Martin was only able to do this because the desire of his heart and the focus of all that he did was the service of the poor. He truly responded to the call to make the will of God the most important aspect of all that he did.

Luke 14:25-33

25 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, 26 “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30 and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ 31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33 In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”