Forever I am changed by your LOVE in the presence of YOUR MAGESTY. Prepare for Christ the KING PrepareForMass #catholic1 week ago
Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some shall live forever others shall be an everlasting horror & disgrace. PrepareforMass 1 week ago
On this last Sunday of the liturgical year we are celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King. Today's Gospel proposes to us anew part of the dramatic questioning to which Pontius Pilate subjected Jesus when he was handed over to him, accused of usurping the title, "King of the Jews".
Jesus answered the Roman governor's questions by declaring that he was a king, but not of this world (cf. Jn 18: 36). He did not come to rule over peoples and territories but to set people free from the slavery of sin and to reconcile them with God. And he added: "For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice" (Jn 18: 37).
But what is the "truth" that Christ came into the world to witness to? The whole of his life reveals that God is love: so this is the truth to which he witnessed to the full with the sacrifice of his own life on Calvary.
The Cross is the "throne" where he manifested his sublime kingship as God Love: by offering himself in expiation for the sin of the world, he defeated the "ruler of this world" (Jn 12: 31) and established the Kingdom of God once and for all. It is a Kingdom that will be fully revealed at the end of time, after the destruction of every enemy and last of all, death (cf. I Cor 15: 25-26). The Son will then deliver the Kingdom to the Father and God will finally be "everything to everyone" (I Cor 15: 28).
The way to reach this goal is long and admits of no short cuts: indeed, every person must freely accept the truth of God's love. He is Love and Truth, and neither Love nor Truth are ever imposed: they come knocking at the doors of the heart and the mind and where they can enter they bring peace and joy. This is how God reigns; this is his project of salvation, a "mystery" in the biblical sense of the word: a plan that is gradually revealed in history.
The Virgin Mary was associated in a very special way with Christ's kingship. God asked her, a humble young woman of Nazareth, to become Mother of the Messiah and Mary responded to this request with her whole self, joining her unconditional "yes" to that of her Son, Jesus, and making herself obedient with him even in his sacrifice. This is why God exalted her above every other creature and Christ crowned her Queen of Heaven and earth.
Let us entrust the Church and all humanity to her intercession, so that God's love can reign in all hearts and his design of justice and peace be fulfilled.
Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr. Although we have consistently attempted to calculate and figure out the Kingdom of God and the afterlife throughout history, perhaps we should try to use our skills and gifts of wisdom to be thankful, firm, and tranquil. (Preached on Thursday, November 12th, 2009, 12:15pm, St. Malachyâs Church, Broadway and 49th […]
Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time. Jesus reminds us in the Scriptures that yes we are all sinners, but with acknowledgement of that fact and sincere repentance we can enter God's glory. (Preached on Thursday, November 5th, 2009, 12:15pm, St. Malachyâs Church, Broadway and 49th, Times Square, New York City.)
A listener calls in with what is probably a common question, but one not often easily resolved: How do I get my kids to like church? (Originally aired: 10/15/09)
Father dave talks with the incredibly talented author, Anne Rice! One of America's most read and celebrated authors, Anne Rice is known for weaving the visible and supernatural worlds together in epic stories that both entertain and challenge readers. Her books are richly filled with history, belief, philosophy, religion, and compelling characters that […]
In the days leading up to Christmas the Church calendar provides Advent to reflect on our redemption and praying the Holy Rosary everyday is a good and holy thing to do.
In today’s first reading from Daniel 7, we see the term “son of man” first used. This is the phrase that Jesus used more than any other to refer to himself. In the Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Let us [...]
Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Happy Thanksgiving! I have a link to today’s readings at the bottom of today’s post. But rather than comment on the readings, I want to take a moment to reflect on Thanksgiving. Did you know that the word Eucharist translates to “thanksgiving?” Isn’t it interesting that, as Catholics, the [. […]
Hosted by Fr. Benedict Groeschel CFR with guest Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan: Fr. Groeschel and Archbishop Dolan discuss what vocations are and how important they are to the Church. The question is not: "Why do I want to be a Priest?" The question is: "I want to be a Priest because I think God wants me to be." All of us are called by God t […]
Hosted by Marcus Grodi with guest David Mills: Mr. Mills describes his journey from a smart-aleck secularist to an Episcopalian to his catching Roman fever and his final Journey Home.
Hosted by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. with guest Leonard J. Nelson, III: On this pre-Thanksgiving show, Fr. Mitch and "Jack" Nelson talk about the current state of Catholic health care, especially in light of the current health care reform proposals in Washington.
Hosted by Doug Keck with guest Dr. Ray Guarendi: "Maybe some couple will decide for adoption, because of something they've read or heard here" Dr. Guarendi comments during his Bookmark interview with host Doug Keck. Adoption: Choosing It, Living It, Loving It dispels myths about adoption, guides parents after an adoption to a more relaxed, rew […]
Hosted by Raymond Arroyo with guest Msgr. Swetland, Fr. Charles Connor, Fr. Sirico: The Bishops of the United States tackled and concluded a variety of tough issues from the new translation of the Latin Missal to Marriage and some of the toughest life issues facing the world today.
Daniel 7: 2 - 14 2 In the vision I saw during the night, suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, 3 from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion, but with ...
Daniel 6: 12 - 28 12 So these men rushed in and found Daniel praying and pleading before his God. 13 Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or ...
Daniel 5: 1 - 6, 13 - 14, 16 - 17, 23 - 28 1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank. 2 Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his ...
Daniel 2: 31 - 45 31 "In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you. 32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs bronze, ...
Daniel 1: 1 - 6, 8 - 20 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. 2 The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of ...
Daniel 7: 13 - 14 13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, 14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples ...
1 Maccabees 6: 1 - 13 1 King Antiochus was going through the upper provinces when he heard that Elymais in Persia was a city famed for its wealth in silver and gold. 2 Its temple was very rich, containing golden shields, breastplates, and weapons left there by ...
1 Maccabees 4: 36 - 37, 52 - 59 36 Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it." 37 So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion. 52 ...
1 Maccabees 2: 15 - 29 15 Then the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17 Then the king's officers ...
Acts 28: 11 - 16, 30 - 31 11 After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 ...
http://www.holyland-pilgrimage.org During the month of may 2009 Pope benedict XVI visited the Holy Land. This clip shows the places his holiness visited in the Holy Land, as well as a summry of his messages to the world during his visit.
Fr. Bonaventure teaches us to not be afraid of this world but let us keep our eyes focused on Christ as we enter the season of anticipation for His coming, Advent. Ave Maria! 1: Dan 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28 R: Dan 3:62-67 G: Lk 21:12-19 To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=8683
The Holy Family in Nazareth is our model, let us imitate their thankfulness, thankfulness even in poverty and trials. Ave Maria! To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=8728
From the inception of his pro-life work, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priest for Life has been urging the mass media to show the American people what an abortion is. Abortion is a reality which is so horrific that words alone can never convey its meaning. Warning - This video is very graphic.
Ave Maria! Corinn Dahm and Lisa Martin discuss the blossoming effort to raise funds for the Ave Maria Home for pregnant mothers in the Norwich Diocese. These homes will be affiliated with and patterned after the very successful Good Counsel Homes started by Chris Bell and Fr. Benedict Groeschel in NY City. Ave Maria! To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.c […]
The first reading in today’s Mass is from Revelation.
Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
- Rev 7:2-3
During the Sacrament of Confirmation, Christ puts his seal on us.
“The seal of the Holy Spirit
marks our total belonging to Christ,
our enrollment in his service for ever,
as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.
Responsorial Psalm
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
Second Reading
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
From today’s Gospel, the Beatitudes
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
The power of God’s great healing love can be a source of joy.
Jer 31:7-9
Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Heb 5:1-6
Mk 10:46-52 The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
Behold, I will bring them back
from the land of the north;
I will gather them from the ends of the world,
with the blind and the lame in their midst,
the mothers and those with child;
they shall return as an immense throng.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.
The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Every high priest
is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
Wis 7:7-11
Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Heb 4:12-13
Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
What do you treasure?
Wealth?
Fame?
Prosperity?
Wealth, power, and merit generate a false kind of security.
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
…”How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
…”Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
…”Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Peter began to say to him,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”
Salvation is a gift that comes from God alone because of his goodness.
oly Spirit
sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
