Beads of Joy Blog II (2025 - 2026)

  October 13 Clean & Pure On The Inside Image created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:37-41 (Clean on the Inside) “While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so, he went in and sat at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.”   Reflection: Which matters more: clean hands or a clean heart? Both matter. But the inside matters most. Inside each of us is a mind, a heart, and a soul. If those are dirty, that offends more than unwashed hands ever could. Jesus knew what He was doing with the Pharisees. His lesson was well taught, and it’s meant for anyone who reads it. Greed, pride, bitte...

October 12 The Sign of Jonah Original Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:29-32 (The Sign of Jonah) When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Reflection: Why do we keep asking for a sign? Jesus has given us sign after sign after sign. The prophets foretold Him. Gabriel announced Him to Mary. The wise men followed a star to...

  October 12 Lectio Divina: Listening to God's Heart   Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today I want to share a way to pray for you. I've prayed this way since 1983. It's called Lectio Divina. That's Latin for "divine reading." Think of it as holy listening. You read a few lines of scripture. Slowly, several times, then you stop talking and let God speak. That's it; it's that simple, and it is also life-changing. Where It Comes From This prayer is ancient. Christians were praying this way around 300 A.D. The goal was never to cram in more information. The goal was to let the Word sink in. To get close to God. Saint Gregory put it this way: "…to know the heart of God through the Word of God." And he asked: "Would you enter into the very heart of God? Listen to His words." Read that again. The door to God's heart is His Word. And it's open. You've Already Seen It Look at any day of my older bl...

October 11     The Parable of the Wedding Feast Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Matthew 22:1-10 (The Parable of the Wedding Feast) Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, “The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main r...

October 10 Blessed Are Those Who Hear Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:27-28 (Blessed Are Those Who Hear) While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Reflection: Paul says something very important to the Galatians: all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a new set of clothes! There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free; you are all one in Christ, and heirs of the promise. That’s a family portrait with room for everyone. And the whole reason we evangelize is to invite one more person to come and stand in the picture. Now picture the scene in the Gospel. Jesus is teaching, and a woman in the crowd can’t contain herself. She cries out that the womb that carried Him is blessed. She’s praising His Mother, and she’s right! And Jesus answers that blessed are those who hea...

October 9   Saint Denis, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs &  Saint John Leonardi, Priest The Kingdom Has Come Image created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:15-26 (The Kingdom Has Come) Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcom...

October 8   Thursday of the 27 th  Week in Ordinary Time Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:5-13 (Ask, Seek, Knock) And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. The Answer to Prayer. “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fi...

October 7   Our Lady of the Rosary Blog Pics are mine - enhanced by Google AI. Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary - October 7 October 7, today the Church celebrates a feast that is part history, and part of a love letter: Our Lady of the Rosary . We will reflect on a battle, a Pope, and a prayer. But if we listen closely, it is really about a Mother who loves her children over and over again. The Power of Prayer in Lepanto Let us go back to 1571, when the Ottoman fleet dominated the Mediterranean Sea, and Christian Europe was divided, outnumbered, and afraid. Pope St. Pius V, a Dominican who trusted the Rosary, did what so many popes do in a crisis: he asked the faithful to pray. The Rosary confraternities across Europe stormed heaven while the Holy League’s ships, under Don John of Austria, sailed out to meet the enemy near Lepanto. It was on October 7, 1571, against all expectations, the battle was won. The Pope credited the victory to the prayers of the faithful and t...

October 6     Saint Bruno, Priest My picture enhanced by Google AI. Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:38-42 (Martha and Mary) “Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” Reflection: Martha is busy, and Mary is still. It's easy to read today’s gospel and think Jesus is scolding Martha, but He isn't. Jesus says her name twice, and that's tenderness. He sees how tired she is, and He invites her to sit down with Him first and let the work grow out of...