Tag: evangelio del dia

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:36-43)

Jesus said to his disciples: “The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds among the wheat. In his own words, the Son of God teaches us about the final judgment and the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. The harvest, or final judgment, represents the end of the age when the angels will separate the righteous from the wicked. Jesus also says that he is the sower. Although the enemy who sows the weeds is the devil, Jesus himself is the sower. Dwelling on that offers consolation while considering that the Son of Man will send his angels to toss into the fiery furnace all those who cause others to sin and all evildoers, while the righteous in heaven will shine like the sun.

God, help me understand the parables you shared with the disciples and share today with all believers who hear your word. Evil is a reality in this world, and working through that every day presents me with many more challenges than I can take alone. Stay beside me and be merciful, Lord, as I navigate this world where good and evil exist side by side. Strengthen me to persevere in the face of evil and let me work toward the eternal reward of life in your kingdom.

From the responsorial psalm: “Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:31-35)

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

Matthew relates the parables Jesus proposed to the crowds about the kingdom of heaven. It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds but as a full-grown plant becomes large enough for birds to dwell in its branches. In another parable, he describes it as yeast mixed into three measures of wheat flour, leavening the whole batch. In each distinct parable, the mustard seed in its fullness and the yeast spread throughout the batch of dough become a means of sustaining life. The branches of the mustard plant become a place where birds dwell, where the spirit resides. The yeast becomes one with the batch of dough, transforming it and providing sustenance.

God, help me understand these parables and how they apply to this day. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, seemingly small but producing profound impact and providing a spiritual dwelling. Give me the grace today to allow you to permeate my entire being and transform it. Let me find shelter in your care, and make me into a new person through communion with Christ and in his indwelling through the Holy Spirit. Nourish and sustain me, Lord; strengthen me with your presence.

From the responsorial psalm, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:44-46)

Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

Jesus shares with the disciples parables that have come to be known as the Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value. These parables convey the profound significance of finding the great treasure of the kingdom of heaven, or God’s reign in our lives. In each parable, the one who finds the treasure shows a sense of joy and urgency. Joy because the one who finds recognizes its authentic value, and urgency because finding it requires a response. In the first reading, Solomon asks God, “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” For asking for that, God blesses him beyond what he can imagine. Every time we ask God that his kingdom come and his will be done, from the mystery of his grace we find the hidden treasure of understanding and wisdom.

God, help me learn to seek what is authentic in asking that your will be done. The kingdom of heaven at times can seem remote and unseen, the pearl of greatest value overlooked. Direct my gaze with the gift of understanding toward what you have hidden in plain sight. The kingdom is here, the kingdom is to come. Give me the grace to understand the urgency in listening out for your voice, and having found it, respond to your will. As Saint Paul says, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Grant me the wisdom, Lord, to understand your call.

From the responsorial psalm, “Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them. The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.” Thank you, Lord, for the immeasurable gift of your kingdom.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Jn 11:19-27)

Jesus said to [Martha], “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

On the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, the Gospel according to John relates the story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. It also conveys the depth of his friendship with these three siblings. In other Gospel accounts, Martha is busy in the kitchen while Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. But in this passage, Martha approaches Jesus, expressing her faith in him: Martha goes out to meet Jesus after Lazarus’s death. She expresses her faith in Jesus by saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” She goes on to express even greater faith in Jesus as he asks if she believes he is the resurrection and the life. “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

God, through his death and resurrection, your Son offers me and all who believe in him the promise of eternal life. Help me today strengthen my faith in you by imitating Martha in going out to meet Jesus, who alone is the resurrection and the life. Just as Mary, Martha, and Lazarus welcomed Jesus into their home, let me learn from their example; grant me the grace of friendship with your Son, the one who is coming into the world to save us for eternal life. Jesus, I trust in you.

From the Gospel acclamation: “I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:18-23)

Jesus said to his disciples: “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains to his disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Sower. Seed sown on the path the Evil One steals. Seed sown on rocky ground gives joy but has no root and withers. Seed sown among thorns is choked by worldly anxiety and the lure of riches. But seed sown on rich soil takes root and bears abundant fruit. Anyone who is even the least receptive to the word of God has experienced at some point what Jesus describes in the parable. Yet, God leaves the decision to receive his word entirely up to each of us.

God, you invite me to soften the soil of my heart for you, but you don’t force; you merely invite. How I respond because you give me the gift of free will is my choice. How often does the well-trodden, rocky, or thorny ground prevent me from hearing and understanding your word? I think about worldly anxiety and the lure of riches. Daily it pricks me and chokes my ability to respond and learn to love you. After the Our Father during Mass, the priest says something I want to remember today, a remedy to treat the rocky ground and thorny path: “Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of Your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” 

God, help me soften my heart today to receive and understand your word. From the Gospel acclamation: “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:10-17)

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. . . . Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Today’s Gospel takes place immediately after Jesus teaches the crowds by the sea. Afterward, the disciples approach him and ask why he speaks to the crowds in parables. The disciples who are close to Jesus are granted knowledge of the kingdom of heaven, but many in the crowd have not been given the same knowledge. The parables enrich those who know little of the kingdom but are open to hearing the words of Jesus. Of the disciples, Jesus says, “To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” To grow rich in the knowledge of the kingdom is to hear and receive the richness of Christ’s mercy through his word and in the sacraments.

God, help me comprehend the incomprehensible gift of Jesus your Son seen and heard on this earth and alive in his Church today. I am easily distracted by myriad thoughts even as I participate in the celebration of the Mass. Give me the grace of longing for your word so that I can grow rich in all that you offer me every day. Just as the Israelites prepared themselves to see and hear you in peals of lightning and thunder, let me be ready to listen out for your voice today; let me be open to conversion of heart to receive your unfathomable healing and mercy.

From the responsorial psalm: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” Soul of Christ, sanctify me!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:1-9)

And [Jesus] spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The responsorial psalm for today asks, “Can God spread a table in the desert?” In today’s Gospel, Jesus answers that question as he speaks in parables to the crowds gathered around him. Through the familiar parable of the sower and his seeds, Jesus shows us the different states of life in which God’s word, the seed, falls. Some fell on the path, some on rocky ground, and some among thorns. “But some seed fell on rich soil,” Jesus says, “and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Just as God rained down daily bread in the desert for the Israelites, he rains down his word daily. Through participation in his word and in the sacraments, through God’s grace upon us, hearts soften into rich seedbeds and produce fruit “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

God, help me understand what it means to produce fruit from seed spread by the sower. Your Son is the seed, the Word incarnate. How can I make my heart ready to receive the seed he sows? Throughout the day, the soil of my heart becomes parched, hardened to receiving the seed that you let fall over and over through your love and mercy. Give me the grace today to make my heart ready for you. Let my heart be a witness to the way, as the psalmist sings, you spread a table in the desert.

From the Gospel acclamation: “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; All who come to him will live for ever.” Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 20:20-28)

Jesus said in reply to James and John, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

The mother of James and John approaches Jesus, kneeling before him and asking a favor. She says, “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Revealing a glimpse of the mystery in the relationship of the Son and the Father, Jesus indicates that the brothers will drink the chalice of suffering that he will drink but that it is not his to give but the Father’s the seat that he has prepared for them. Jesus tells the indignant ten apostles who overhear that authority in his kingdom is not as it is in the world: “Rather,” Jesus says, “whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.”

God, help me see what exercising authority in your service means. Keep me from aims of personal ambition and desire for power and instead help me follow Christ in his mission of self-giving love. Give me the grace to be ambitious for the things that endure to give you glory: humility, love, and selflessness. As Saint Paul says in the first reading: “We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.”

Lord, help me follow the example of Jesus today by doing your will and exercising authority through the humility of service to others. Saint James, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 12:38-42)

Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.”

Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees of his coming death, burial, and resurrection in response to their question, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He compares himself to Jonah as a way to show that God’s word has been spoken through them. But the prophets were ignored, and their hearers failed to repent. “At the judgment,” Jesus says, “the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah.” As he alludes to his saving death and resurrection, Jesus answers that this will serve as the ultimate sign of his authority and identity as the Son of God.

God, when I begin to demand signs from you, let me instead look back and see what you have done for me. In this life, I have been a witness to your manifold signs and miracles woven throughout the days and years, yet I still am slow to believe. Help my unbelief and hardness of heart. Be my strength and courage, Lord. Especially when I fail to know you are present, help me recognize and respond to the signs that you have already provided and will continue to provide.

From the responsorial psalm: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Lord, let me hear your voice throughout the moments of this day.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:24-43)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches important truths about the kingdom of heaven through his parables as he recognizes the coexistence of good and evil in the world. In the reality of the fallen world we live in, it is striking how Jesus depicts those who cause others to sin and their final judgment. Elsewhere in the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus says: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” These little ones— ones who are innocent or poor in spirit or waiting for the Lord’s mercy with contrite hearts—have understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom and are precious in his eyes.

God, thank you for your patience and mercy. Just as the owner of the field allows the wheat and the weeds to grow together until the harvest, you give me an opportunity to repent and turn to you time and time again through my contrition and the sacrament of reconciliation. That you allow the evil one to sow weeds and yet bring good out of it is a mystery. Almighty Father, although evil is contrary to your being and you do not eliminate it, you allow me to make a choice to return to you to receive your grace and repentance. And you do this for all who turn to you.

Lord, intercede for me today when my spirit is weak and I forget you. As Saint Paul says, “And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.