“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” (Mk 8:34-35) Many of the statements Jesus made while on earth were spoken …
Thus says the LORD: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. (Is 35:4) This scriptural quotation aptly applies to how we should respond to the present state of Church affairs regarding the sexual mistreatment of …
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written … “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts”. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mk 7:6-7) For many years now Church Tradition has suffered from neglect. Long before our present condition, in which we have erroneously built …
Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” … As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. (Jn 6:60; 66) Jesus had to know that he would lose many disciples. After all, in His …
“To the one who lacks understanding, [Wisdom] says, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.” (Prv 9:4-6) In his excellent Catholic Dictionary, Father John Hardon defines wisdom as “knowledge that is so perfect that it directs the …
The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven, “and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” (Jn 6:41-42) Five weeks ago on the 14th …
“… They said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent’.” (Jn 6:28-29) The very first work that man renders to God is faith. In one sense, this statement settles the …
“Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples… When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to …
“Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD… Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David.” (Jer 23:1;5) Once Moses and his trusted aide Joshua had died, the next generation of Israelites lost sight of the Lord …
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out… “Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. (Mk 6:7;11-12) Christians are ambassadors of Christ and therefore envoys of reconciliation to God (2 Cor …