Daily Reflection

Today we celebrate the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, one of the oldest churches in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

There is something unsettling about today’s first reading from Jeremiah. God speaks to His people, and instead of offering immediate comfort, He says something difficult to hear: “Your wound is incurable… your pain is beyond healing.”

There is something striking about today’s Gospel. It begins with Jesus sending His disciples ahead of Him by boat while He goes up the mountain to pray. As night falls, the disciples find themselves in the middle of the sea.

The Gospel today begins with what seems like an impossible situation. Jesus withdraws to a deserted place after hearing of the death of John the Baptist, but the crowds follow Him.

There is something unsettling about today’s Gospel. John the Baptist is imprisoned, not because he did anything wrong, but because he refused to call wrong “right.” He simply spoke the truth: “

There is a saying that goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” I think today’s Gospel proves that it can also breed blindness.

In today’s Gospel, Martha is grieving. Her brother Lazarus has died, and everything seems lost. When Jesus finally arrives, Martha says something many of us have probably felt at some point: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains the Parable of the Weeds. At first, it seems like a simple story about farming. A farmer plants good seed, but during the night an enemy secretly plants weeds among the wheat.

There is something surprising about God. We often expect Him to work in big, dramatic ways. We think that if God is truly at work, we should immediately see huge results.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells three short stories: a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field, a merchant who discovers a pearl of great value, and a fisherman sorting fish in a net.

Today, on the Feast of St. James the Apostle, the Gospel begins with an awkward moment. The mother of James and John comes to Jesus with a bold request. She wants her two sons to have the best seats in heaven – one at His right and one at His left.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains the Parable of the Sower. At first, it sounds like a lesson about farming, but it is really a lesson about the human heart.

Have you ever noticed that two people can look at the exact same thing and walk away with completely different conclusions? One person sees beauty, while another sees nothing special. One hears good advice and changes, while another ignores it.

There is something beautiful about today’s Gospel. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb while it is still dark. When she discovers the empty tomb, she does not immediately think of the Resurrection.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to a crowd when someone tells Him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for You.” Jesus then says, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?