Daily Gospel Meditations - Saint John Society

Seek first the kingdom of God - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Are there areas in your life in which you still need to give God the first place? Have you seen God's providence at work in your life in recent times? If confidence in God's providence prevailed in your heart over anxiousness about the future, what kind of decisions would you make? What would your life look like?

The images of the treasure and the lamp - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How would you assess before the Lord your own relationship with possessions? Is there anything Jesus would encourage you to imitate in the way He looks at things?

The wisdom of the Lord's Prayer - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Choose three petitions on which you may focus your meditation today. What is the wisdom they contain? Why do you need them? How can they help you grow in prayer?

Walking before the Father's gaze - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you tell those things you do to glorify God from those you do to be seen? How are the outcomes different? What steps is Jesus inviting you to take, so that you may seek him instead of human glory?

How is it possible to love our enemies? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Did you ever receive an act of kindness from someone you considered an enemy? What impact did that have on you? What situations come to mind when you hear this teaching of Christ? What is He encouraging you to do?

How do we deal with difficult people? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you think of instances in which this teaching was applied? What was the impact of those actions? Even if you feel that responding in this way may be hard to achieve in some specific situation you are dealing with, are there smaller steps in that direction that Jesus is encouraging you to take?

What the mystery of the Trinity means for us - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

Let your ‘yes' mean ‘yes.' - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Maybe constant swearing is not something people do in the circles in which you move, but what are other possible ways we may tempted to use today not to be completely truthful? How do lies impact relationships? What is the motivation behind most lies? Have you noticed the contrast there is between relationships that are transparent and truthful, and those that are not?

Jesus' teaching on sexuality and marriage - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why do you think Jesus is so demanding in the area of sexuality? What are the consequences of not growing in virtue in this area? What is the kind of love that is attained by those who regain virtue in the area of sexuality?

A holiness greater than the letter of the law - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why do you think Jesus asks us to interiorize his commandments? How do you deal with anger? Do you need to seek reconciliation? What is the Lord inviting you to do in this area?

Do we Christians still need the law? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you experienced the good use of laws and good teachings in your faith journey? Do you need to heal your image of the law? In what areas of your life do you need that external help of discipline, good community, mentoring, and good laws?

Salt of the earth and light of the world - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Who are the people who have been salt and light for you? How are you called to be salt and light for others? In what circumstances is the temptation to blend in the strongest for you?

Mary, our mother in the order of grace - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings. In what ways have you grown in union with Christ, so as to partake of his sufferings and of his joys, as Mary did? Imagine you are the one at the foot of the cross, and that Mary receives you as her child today.

Why did Christ send his Spirit upon his disciples? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What calls your attention about the way in which the Holy Spirit works? Have you seen signs of the Holy Spirit in you or others in recent times? What dimension of the action of the Holy Spirit resonates with you?

The temptation to compare ourselves with others - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Are there areas in your life in which you feel insecure or tend to compare yourself with others? What does Jesus say in response to those voices? How does He encourage you? What is it that matters to him?

“Simon, do you love me?” - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How can you show Jesus your love for him? How could yourlove for him grow?

What does Jesus ask for when He prays for us? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What does each of these gifts Jesus prayed for mean to you? What is keeping you from receiving them? How would your life look like if you received a greater portion of these gifts?

What does Jesus mean by asking that his disciples be consecrated? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has Jesus protected you and watched over you? How has the message of Christ transformed you and led you to live in a way that is distinctive? In what ways has the Lord consecrated you, that is, established you solidly in faith?

What did Jesus say when He prayed? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How would you like to summarize your life? Imagine Jesus speaking to the Father about you. What are the good things He says? What do you find most inspiring in the character of Jesus?

Signs of spiritual growth - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Where are you in your spiritual journey? Can you identify some steps of growth you have taken? What is still lacking? Where is Jesus pointing next? Where do you get your identity from? How can you become more rooted in the Father?

The parting words of Jesus - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the things you have witnessed? What is the large context of your situation in life right now? When is it that you experienced the presence of Christ in your life most clearly? What were the fruits of that closeness with God?

What we can learn from Mary's visitation - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What doors has the Lord opened for you, so that you get to share your faith journey with others? What traits do you find especially inspiring in Mary and Elizabeth? Is there anything in their character that the Lord is encouraging you to imitate?

How to assess joy and sorrow in the spiritual life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What have been some movements of joy and of sadness in recent times? What is the cause of those joys and sorrows? Is there something that Jesus wants to teach you through those movements in your heart?

How can sadness become joy? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Is Jesus inviting you to imitate some aspect of his leadership? What would be some examples in your life in which the reason for your sadness turned into joy in the Spirit?

Why does God reveal things to us gradually? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

Moving from emotion to conviction - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Do you remember times in your life in which you acquired more solid convictions of faith? How did that change look like? How was the before and after? Is there any similar step that the Lord may have in store for you now?

How can persecutors see themselves as true worshippers? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Are you sensitive to the voice of the world in some area? Is there any reality of this world that at times may appear to be the highest good for you, instead of the living God? How has the Lord strengthened your faith through the witness of the Holy Spirit?

What does Jesus mean when He gives us his peace? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Does this gospel help you discover the sign of Christ's peace in your life, as a peace that is different from the peace of the world? How is Jesus inviting you to live in his peace at this time?

Why did Jesus tell the disciples that the world would hate them? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why do you think you that need to hear this from Jesus today? In what ways does the voice of the world affect you? How is the Lord strengthening your faith, that you may not be overcome by the world?

Jesus calls us to friendship with him - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has that life of Christ been manifested in you? Which of the elements mentioned here have expressed your experience of life in Christ?

Remaining in the love we have received - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways have you experienced Christ's love? What does it mean for you to remain in that love? Have you been able to express a love that goes beyond your natural capacity for love?

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you seen in this time the fruits that result from being united to Christ? Has the Lord done some pruning in your life, that you may bear more fruit?

What kind of peace does Christ want for the Church? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you identify moments in your life in which you lived in the peace of Christ and when you lived in the peace of the world? How were those different? What is preventing you from loving others, from following Christ's voice right now? What are the fears He wants you to overcome?

How is our relationship with Christ connected with his commandments? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are some steps you took in your life that enabled you to receive Christ's message? How has the thought of Christ and your love for him shaped your identity? How could it shape it even more?

How could Christ's passion glorify the Father? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What do you find distinctive in Christ's love for us? How is He inviting you to imitate that love? Have you seen that love of Christ in you or in others shine through dark moments, as it did at the time of Judas' betrayal?

Can we know what God is like? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What have you come to know about the Father? What gestures and words of Jesus are especially luminous to you? What does the Father want you to pray for in the heart of Christ?

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What experiences have led you to discover Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life? How can you deepen that reliance on Christ, so as to find encouragement in him, and not just in human securities?

The spirituality of messengers - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What situations require humility of you, so as to stay committed to your post? Is Jesus inviting you to assimilate the message you bring by taking action in some way? Why do the advantages of sending human messengers outweigh the risks? Have you seen situations in which the fragility of the vessels highlights the value of the treasure they carry?

Remaining in Christ's love and friendship - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways has Jesus manifested his love for you? What is your perception of Christ's commandments? Why is that? Is there anything that is keeping you from opening your heart to God in prayer?

Why did some not follow the Good Shepherd? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What elements in Christ's description of his sheep do you recognize in yourself? Do you also find in yourself some of the attitudes of the authorities that Jesus confronts? How is the Lord inviting you to grow as a disciple?

Why did Jesus say that He was the gate? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways has Jesus been the gate through which you have found access to your true self, to freedom, to a higher kind of love? How is Jesus calling you to conform your thoughts and desires with his, so that you may in turn guide others?

No one can take us out of the hands of the Good Shepherd - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what sense are these qualities that Jesus speaks about here good news to you? Do you see these qualities reflected in your life? How is the Lord encouraging you to grow in your ability to establish profound relationships with him and with others?

Should faith always make sense? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has the Lord purified your faith? Is He calling you to a deeper faith in him, to trust in him, to accept his teachings? How have you handled rejection?

Why does Jesus say we cannot have life unless we eat his flesh? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the hidden aspects of the Eucharist that Jesus wants you to rediscover today? What are the needs and desires in your soul that only this food can satisfy? What are the thoughts and feelings of Christ that the Holy Spirit wants you to receive? Or, to put it another way, what action or moment in the life of Christ would you like to connect with through the Eucharist?

“Mannas” that are not enough - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are those daily “mannas” you go for? How has the Father been drawing you to Jesus? In what ways has your relationship with Christ become life-giving?

How could the crowd not believe if they had seen? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has your faith grown over time? What steps of faith is the Lord inviting you to take? What do you find encouraging in Christ's faithfulness?

The life of Jesus is the bread of life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Was there a time in which God sustained your life, as He protected Israel in the desert? How could you grasp this idea: that Jesus has become the sustenance, the one who restores you to your true identity? What aspects of Jesus' life speak of that to you?

Jesus blended thoughtfulness and sternness - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What do you find intriguing and thought-provoking in Jesus' responses? What do those responses reveal about the mystery of the heart of Jesus? In what ways do you think that Jesus would challenge you to seek higher things?

The apparition of Christ at the Sea of Tiberias - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you recognize Christ in the journey of your life, and maybe in more recent events and circumstances? Imagine Jesus asks you that triple question: Do you love me? What is He expecting from you? What would you reply?

Jesus will return to us by dwelling in our souls - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

The pedagogy of desire - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why does the Lord want to involve his disciples in distributing his gifts? What are the natural blessings that may result from people being drawn to him? What are the higher gifts He wants us to discover through those natural blessings?