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October 22   Love God First Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:49-53 (Love God First and Foremost) “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." Reflection: Who do you love more than anyone in the whole world? God. Of course! Jesus wants first place in your heart, and He’s worth it. When He talks about fire upon the earth, He’s not trying to scare us. He’s getting our attention. Our choices matter. When we put God first, everything else falls into place. When we p...
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October 21 At An Unexpected Hour Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:39-48 (At An Unexpected Hour) “But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour." Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, `My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour,...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  October 20   Saint Paul of the Cross Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:35-38 (Watchful Servants) “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Reflection: Paul has the most welcoming news for the Ephesians: you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ! He is our peace. He tore down every dividing wall and made us one family, no longer strangers and foreigners, we are now fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household. Jesus is the cornerstone, and we are all part of His house. Can you picture our Chur...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  October 19 This Night Your Soul is Required of You   Image created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:13-21 (The Rich Fool) “One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?" And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the th...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  October 18 Give To God What Is God’s Image created by Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Matthew 22:15-21 (Give to God What Is God's) Then the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap him in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”   Reflection: Isaiah tells us something astonishin...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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October 17   Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch Bishop and Martyr Image created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:8-12 (Here I am Lord) “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."   Reflection: Paul prays something so beautiful in Ephesians: that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened, so that we would see the hope of His calling and the riches of His glorious inheritance. Think about this: Jesus Christ is above every...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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October 16   Nothing is Covered Up Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:1-7 (Nothing Is Covered Up) “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Reflec...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  October 15   Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus Virgin and Doctor of the Church Image created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:47-54 (The Key of Knowledge) “Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So, you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore, also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press hi...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  October 14 Saint Callistus I Pope and Martyr Created using Google AI Image Creator. Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:42-46 (Justice and the Love of God) “But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places. Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it." One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you reproach us also." And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” Reflection: My friends, look at this list from Paul: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! That’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and there is no law agai...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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  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...
Location: Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA
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