Daily Gospel Meditations - Saint John Society

What was the sin of the rich man? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How does this story help you detect the roots of sin in your own heart? How does it help you detect the ways in which sin wants to work its way into your mind, justify itself, and become a hollow identity?

Why didn't Jesus reject this ambitious request right away? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has Jesus redirected your own desires in the past? What ambitions would Jesus encourage in you, even when they are imperfect, and in need of purification? How would the Lord challenge you to purify your desires?

Temptations around religious authority - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Which of these perspectives better reflects your position? What is the Lord telling you through this reading? How is He encouraging you to consistency, humility, and trust?

Unpacking the golden rule - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In today's meditation, observe the traits of Jesus: his generosity, his patience, his disposition to forgive. And then reflect: How is the Lord encouraging you to grow in these?

The Transfiguration as an anchor of the soul - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways has God manifested himself to you, so as to strengthen your faith? Do you discover his providence, in the way He prepared you for trials? Did some blessings reach you indirectly at times, through graces God gave to others?

What love of enemies can do - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is the way in which Jesus wants you to love those that are hard to love? Have you received love from the Lord and from others when you feel you didn't quite deserve it? Have you experienced first-hand the power that Christ's love has to bring about personal transformations?

Why is Jesus so strict about anger? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the things that may commonly trigger anger for you? How could you apply Jesus' teaching to those situations?

The connection between life and prayer - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How much do you trust God's goodness? How has He transformed your desires over time? What is the Lord inviting you to desire more eagerly?

Why did Jesus only offer the sign of Jonah? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are some of the signs that God has given you? In what way has the person of Jesus been a sign for you? Have you seen the example of people who have responded to God with a humble and generous faith, even when receiving simple signs?

The Lord's Prayer - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

How works of mercy fit in the spiritual life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways is the Lord asking you to practice works of mercy? How has the practice of works of mercy enriched other aspects of your spiritual life? How is the Lord challenging you to grow, maybe from callousness to fear, or from fear to perfect love?

The temptations of Jesus in the desert - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Which of these distortions do you detect behind the temptations you wrestle with? How is Jesus inviting you to unmask them and resist them? What step of faith is Jesus inviting you to take?

The unlikely conversion of Levi - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you imagine what those steps leading up to Matthew's conversion were like? Can you find any resemblance with other cases you know, or with your own journey? Finally, what does this sudden conversion of Matthew inspire in you?

Why were the disciples not supposed to fast when Christ was with them? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have there been times in which you experienced God's closeness or felt naturally inspired to do good things? Or have you also experienced times in which the good ideals and motivations you had for a time were eclipsed all of a sudden? Is there any particular area in which you sense that lack of traction toward the good today? What can you offer as a sacrifice in connection with that?

The contrast between spiritual and natural blessings - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you experienced the wisdom of this paradox, that in dying to yourself you find life? What leads you to trust Jesus, when He says something so radical and counterintuitive? Have you experienced the reverse of this: that in refusing to deny yourself, you didn't find the abundance you were looking for?

Walking before the Father's gaze - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is the Lord encouraging you to do in these three areas? What needs to change in you, so that you can walk before the Father's gaze?

What is the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Do you notice that the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod has, in some aspect, made its way into your soul? How would Jesus respond to those in your own circumstances? Could it happen that over-focusing on something you feel at fault about could make you miss other important lessons that Jesus wants to convey to you?

Why did Jesus refuse to argue or provide a sign to this group? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Do you find any areas of your soul that may adopt the attitude of the Pharisees? What is the step of faith and obedience Jesus is inviting you to take?

Jesus, the Living Law - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.In what ways are you inspired by what Jesus teaches? In what ways are you tempted to discouragement? Talk to the Lord about these things. What is Jesus inviting you to work on in your own heart?

Why did Jesus multiply the loaves of bread for that crowd? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you experienced that compassion of Jesus for you and for others? In what ways has Jesus invited you to enter his thoughts and sentiments? What are those loaves of bread and fish that you need to bring to the Lord, so that He can multiply them?

What does the healing of the deaf man represent? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What calls your attention in the steps Jesus followed to heal this man? Has the Lord healed you in your capacity to connect with others? Is there a relationship or area in your life that needs to be healed? What change would that require?

Why did Jesus respond that way to the Greek woman? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Has something like this ever happened to you: has the Lord purified you, before giving you something you wanted? Why does God act that way at times? Does it make sense to give certain gifts in the context of a relationship, but not when that context is missing? Can you verify this in your own journey?

Our circumstances don't dictate who we become - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Are you giving too much weight to some circumstances? Are you allowing yourself to be simply carried away by some conditioning factors?

In what sense are human traditions wrong? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why do you think it was important for Jesus to confront the Pharisees the way He did? What do you make of the fact that Jesus uncovered that, behind their strictness, the Pharisees weren't really good observers of the Law? Have you incorporated habits that may be dissonant with the gospel in how you handle relationships, in the use of free time, in your concern for those in need, in the use of technology or money?

The connection between salvation and healing - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What wounds have you come to recognize in yourself? Have any lies derived from those wounds become a criterion of judgment? How does Jesus want you to cooperate in your healing process, by undoing the lies of sin, by cultivating wholesome attitudes? What attitude or gospel criterion do you need to “touch”, so to say, as an antidote to those wounds and lies?

Salt of the earth and light of the world - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Where have you seen that distinctiveness of Christ in your life experience? In what situations could you be tempted to hide the light? What fruit have you seen when you or others let their light shine?

How did Jesus manage such an intense life? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is most needed in your life right now? Do you need to incorporate more rest, prayer, reflection, time for others? Or to be more disciplined in your activity? Or to connect your activities with your purpose in life?

Sin and the loss of freedom - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you seen these dynamics of sin in your own life? Have you experienced the power it has to narrow down your choices and rob you of your freedom? How has Jesus set you free?

The instructions for the apostles' mission - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the signs of authority that Jesus has given you to radiate his light? It could be your testimony, your faith, your love for Him, your peace, your eloquence. What have been the signs that drew you to Christ in the people that the Lord sent your way?

How come people in Nazareth didn't believe in Jesus? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you seen someone go beyond what was naturally expected of them through the power of God? What is Jesus teaching you about the gift of faith? What is He teaching you about how to interact with those who do not yet share that same faith, and how to reach out to them?

Christ's miracles are doors to higher gifts - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.With which of these characters do you identify? What do you learn from the way in which Jesus addressed the needs of each of them? How would you handle emotions in a situation like the one Jesus found himself in? Try to enter his mindset, his criteria, his feelings. How would Jesus guide you to manage your emotions differently?

The selflessness of Simeon and Anna – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How does this passage resonate with you? What is that big picture the Lord wants to remind you of? What is the Lord teaching you through the selflessness of Simeon and Anna?

The Beatitudes – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What correspondences do you find between the beatitudes and the life of Christ and the saints? Which of these beatitudes applies to you in a special way? Which one is Jesus inviting you to pursue, and why?

Jesus calms the storm – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What calls your attention about the rhythm of Christ's life? What lesson do you draw from it? Has the Lord led you to face some storms, so that you could grow through that challenge?

The unexpected power of initial graces - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How were the beginnings of your faith journey? Where did you find refuge and encouragement? Do you verify in yourself this disproportion between the beginnings and the outcome? What are the stages the Lord led you through in your growth?

The images of the lamp and the measure - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How does Jesus intend that your light shine for others? Who are the people whose light, whose faith, love, example, have illumined your own path? What's the measure you use to judge what you expect from others? Are you living up to those expectations yourself?

The parable of the sower - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Can you identify situations for each one of these soils in your life? Which is the prevalent one? What would the Lord ask of you, so that you can become good soil?

How did Jesus deal with family rejection? – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

The mystery of willful blindness – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Could stubbornness get the best of you in some moments? How is the Lord reasoning with you, so that you may always stay open to the light? How do you resist those who oppose you? And what would Jesus want you to learn from the way in which He confronted his accusers?

What is meant by the coming of the kingdom of God? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What do you think was most striking for people who encountered Jesus in those early days of his ministry? What are the characteristics of the kingdom Jesus brought? What change of mentality do you need to enter that kingdom more fully?

The double cross Jesus chose to bear - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the crosses you find in your path right now? Which of them are the result of your choices to serve Christ? How have you been strengthened or transformed by those crosses? Is the Lord inviting you to reconsider some of those choices, or to gain courage and go for more?

The task of calling and forming disciples - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Imagine Jesus forming his closest disciples. Then apply this to yourself: How has Jesus formed you? Who have been His human instruments in forming you in faith? He has called you to be with him. Are you nourishing this aspect of being with him? Where, to whom is He sending you?

How Jesus balanced an intense life - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is the motivation that drives you to undertake the different responsibilities you have, or may have, in your career, family, or ministry? What are the boundaries that the Lord is inviting you to set, so as to guard that important balance that you need?

How Jesus handled hard situations - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What calls your attention in these emotions we notice in Christ? How do these sentiments of Christ resonate with you? In what ways is He inviting you to imitate him?

Keeping the sabbath in perspective – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings. What would Jesus say to you?Would He encourage you to be more observant of Sunday as a day of rest? Would He say to you what He said to the Pharisees: don't make one single principle absolute when you need to balance it out? How would Jesus encourage you to achieve a better balance in your life?

Why were the disciples not supposed to fast while Jesus was with them? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the things you need to fast from, so as to reconnect with Jesus? Is Jesus inviting you to grow from an identity centered on disciplines and customs, to an identity centered on your relationship with him?

Why did Jesus come into the world as a sacrifice? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Why did God come in a sacrificial way? What connections do you discover between love and sacrifice? What does it look like to receive new life from God? What instances have you seen of something like that?

The conversion of St. Matthew - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.

Miracles pointing to spiritual restoration - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How has the grace of salvation you received shown in visible signs in your life? How are physical, relational, and spiritual healing connected in your experience?

Christ's sacrificial ministry of healing – Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is the Lord encouraging in you through this example? What fears does He want to dispel? What aspect of your life is He illumining through his example?

Christ's balance in the midst of intense activity - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What criteria and boundaries help you balance the many demands around you? How do you recover a clear sense of purpose when there are many things going on? What can you learn from Jesus in this passage?