Podcasts about mass readings

Isaiah 58: 7-11; Matthew 19: 13-21; Haydock Commentary“Soldiers of Christ: A Traditional Catholic Handbook for Young Men” is available on my donation page (see below) as well as on Amazon in paperback form: https://a.co/d/0iuT0LPG"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Micah 6: 1-4, 6-8;Matthew 12: 38-42;Haydock Commentary“Soldiers of Christ: A Traditional Catholic Handbook for Young Men” is available on my donation page (see below) as well as on Amazon in paperback form: https://a.co/d/0iuT0LPG"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 395 The Saint of the day is Saint Apollinaris Saint Apollinaris' Story According to tradition, Saint Peter sent Saint Apollinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century. Reflection Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Romans 8: 12-17; Luke 16: 1-9; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19; Romans 8: 26-27; Matthew 13: 24-43; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Faith grows through trial and prayer. We all want a greater faith...and we all want a purified love. But how does our faith grow and how does our love get purified? Through trial and prayer. But we do not know how to pray as we ought. Prayer is more a posture than it is a procedure. And the posture is trust. Mass Readings from July 19, 2026: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16Romans 8:26-27 Matthew 13:24-43

Full Text of Readings Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 106 The Saint of the day is Saint Mary MacKillop Saint Mary MacKillop's Story If Saint Mary MacKillop were alive today, she would be a household name. It's not that she sought the limelight. On the contrary, she simply wanted to serve the poor wherever she found them in her native Australia. But along the way, she managed to arouse the ire of some rather powerful churchmen. One even excommunicated her for a time. Born in Melbourne in 1842, to parents who had emigrated from Scotland, Mary MacKillop grew up in a family that faced constant financial struggles. As a young woman she was drawn to religious life but could not find an existing order of Sisters that met her needs. In 1860, she met Father Julian Woods, who became her spiritual director. Together they founded a new community of women—the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Josephite Sisters. Its members were to staff schools especially for poor children, as well as orphanages, and do other works of charity. As the congregation grew, so did Mary MacKillop's problems. Her priest-friend proved unreliable in many ways and his responsibilities for direction of the Sisters were removed. Meanwhile, Mary had the support of some local bishops as she and her Sisters went about their work. But the bishop in South Australia, aging and relying on others for advice, briefly excommunicated Mary—charging her with disobedience—and dispensed 50 of her Sisters from their vows. In truth, the bishop's quarrel was about power and who had authority over whom. He ultimately rescinded his order of excommunication. Mary MacKillop insisted that her congregation should be governed by an elected mother general answerable to Rome, not to the local bishop. There also were disputes about whether or not the congregation could own property. In the end, Rome proved to be Mary's best source of support. After a long wait official approval of the congregation—and how it was to be governed—came from Pope Leo XIII. Despite her struggles with Church authorities, Mary MacKillop and her Sisters were able to offer social services that few, if any, government agencies in Australia could. They served Protestants and Catholics alike. They worked among the aborigines. They taught in schools and orphanages and served unmarried mothers. Money, actually the lack of it, was a constant worry. But the Sisters who begged from door to door, were bolstered by faith and by the conviction that their struggles were opportunities to grow closer to God. By the time Mary MacKillop was approaching the end of her life, the congregation was thriving. She died in 1909 at the age of 67. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1995. In 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her, she became Australia's first saint. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on August 8. Reflection The story of many foundresses of religious communities and the tales of the early days of those communities can make for fascinating reading. Those women were dedicated and tough and fought for those they served. Let's thank the Lord for raising up such wonderful examples of faith.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Mass Readings for 16th Sunday on Ordinary Time - July 19, 2026 Reading 1, Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 Reading 2, Romans 8:26-27 Gospel, Matthew 13:24-43

Micah 2: 1-5; Matthew 12: 14-21; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

1 John 3: 13-18; John 15: 12-16; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 394 The Saint of the day is Saint Camillus de Lellis Saint Camillus de Lellis' Story Humanly speaking, Camillus was not a likely candidate for sainthood. His mother died when he was a child, his father neglected him, and he grew up with an excessive love for gambling. At 17, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg that remained with him for life. In Rome he entered the San Giacomo Hospital for Incurables as both patient and servant, but was dismissed for quarrelsomeness after nine months. He served in the Venetian army for three years. Then, in the winter of 1574, when he was 24, Camillus de Lellis gambled away everything he had—savings, weapons, literally down to his shirt. He accepted work at the Capuchin friary at Manfredonia, and was one day so moved by a sermon of the superior that he began a conversion that changed his life. He entered the Capuchin novitiate, but was dismissed because of the apparently incurable sore on his leg. After another stint of service at San Giacomo, he came back to the Capuchins, only to be dismissed again, for the same reason. Again, back at San Giacomo, his dedication was rewarded by his being made superintendent. Camillus de Lellis devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick. Along with Saint John of God he has been named patron of hospitals, nurses, and the sick. With the advice of his friend Saint Philip Neri, he studied for the priesthood and was ordained at the age of 34. Contrary to the advice of his friend, Camillus left San Giacomo and founded a congregation of his own. As superior, he devoted much of his own time to the care of the sick. Charity was his first concern, but the physical aspects of the hospital also received his diligent attention. Camillus insisted on cleanliness and the technical competence of those who served the sick. The members of his community bound themselves to serve prisoners and persons infected by the plague as well as those dying in private homes. Some of his men were with troops fighting in Hungary and Croatia in 1595, forming the first recorded military field ambulance. In Naples, he and his men went onto the galleys that had plague and were not allowed to land. He discovered that there were people being buried alive, and ordered his brothers to continue the prayers for the dying 15 minutes after apparent death. Camillus de Lellis himself suffered the disease of his leg through his life. In his last illness, he left his own bed to see if other patients in the hospital needed help. Reflection Saints are created by God. Parents must indeed nurture the faith in their children; husbands and wives must cooperate to deepen their baptismal grace; friends must support each other. But all human effort is only the dispensing of divine power. We must all try as if everything depended on us. But only the power of God can fulfill the plan of God—to make us like himself.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Isaiah 8: 1-8, 21-22; Matthew 12: 1-8; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

1 Timothy 6: 6-12; Matthew 19: 27-29; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 393 The Saint of the day is Saint Francis Solano Saint Francis Solano's Story Francis came from a leading family in Andalusia, Spain. Perhaps it was his popularity as a student that enabled Francis Solano in his teens to stop two duelists. He entered the Friars Minor in 1570, and after ordination enthusiastically sacrificed himself for others. His care for the sick during an epidemic drew so much admiration that he became embarrassed and asked to be sent to the African missions. Instead he was sent to South America in 1589. While working in what is now Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, Francis quickly learned the local languages and was well received by the indigenous peoples. His visits to the sick often included playing a song on his violin. Around 1601, he was called to Lima, Peru, where he tried to recall the Spanish colonists to their baptismal integrity. Francis Solano also worked to defend the indigenous peoples from oppression. He died in Lima in 1610 and was canonized in 1726. His liturgical feast is celebrated on July 14. Reflection Francis Solano knew from experience that the lives of Christians sometimes greatly hinder the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis lived an exemplary life himself, and urged his fellow Spaniards to make their lives worthy of their baptisms.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Isaiah 26: 7-9, 12, 16-19; Matthew 11: 28-30; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Sirach 24: 23-31; Luke 11: 27-28; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 392 The Saint of the day is Our Lady of Mount Carmel The Story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. Saint Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” Saint John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion day, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary. There is a tradition—which may not be historical—that Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary's own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way. Reflection The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Sirach 31: 8-11; Luke 12: 35-40; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Isaiah 10: 5-7, 13-16; Matthew 11: 25-27; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 391 The Saint of the day is Saint Bonaventure Saint Bonaventure's Story Perhaps not a household name for most people, Saint Bonaventure, nevertheless, played an important role in both the medieval Church and the history of the Franciscan Order. A senior faculty member at the University of Paris, Saint Bonaventure certainly captured the hearts of his students through his academic skills and insights. But more importantly, he captured their hearts through his Franciscan love for Jesus and the Church. Like his model, Saint Francis, Jesus was the center of everything—his teaching, his administration, his writing, and his life. So much so, that he was given the title “Seraphic Doctor.” Born in Bagnoregio in 1221, Saint Bonaventure was baptized John, but received the name Bonaventure when he became a Franciscan at the age of 22. Little is known about his childhood, but we do know that his parents were Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria Ritell. It seems that his father was a physician and a man of means. While Saint Francis died about five years after the saint's birth, he is credited with healing Bonaventure as a boy of a serious illness. Saint Bonaventure's teaching career came to a halt when the Friars elected him to serve as their General Minister. His 17 years of service were not easy as the Order was embroiled in conflicts over the interpretation of poverty. Some friars even ended up in heresy saying that Saint Francis and his community were inaugurating the era of the Holy Spirit which was to replace Jesus, the Church, and Scripture. But because he was a man of prayer and a good administrator, Saint Bonaventure managed to structure the Order through effective legislation. But more importantly, he offered the Friars an organized spirituality based on the vision and insights of Saint Francis. Always a Franciscan at heart and a mystical writer, Bonaventure managed to unite the pastoral, practical aspects of life with the doctrines of the Church. Thus, there is a noticeable warmth to his teachings and writings that make him very appealing. Shortly before he ended his service as General Minister, Pope Gregory X created him a Cardinal and appointed him bishop of Albano. But a little over a year later, while participating in the Second Council of Lyon, Saint Bonaventure died suddenly on July 15, 1274. There is a theory that he was poisoned. Saint Bonaventure left behind a structured and renewed Franciscan Order and a body of work all of which glorifies his major love—Jesus. Reflection Bonaventure so united holiness and theological knowledge that he rose to the heights of mysticism while remaining a very active preacher and teacher, one beloved by all who met him. To know him was to love him; to read him is still for us today to meet a true Franciscan and a gentleman.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Isaiah 7: 1-9; Matthew 11: 20-24; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

2 Timothy 4: 1-8; Matthew 5: 13-19; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States] Lectionary: 390 The Saint of the day is Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Saint Kateri Tekakwitha's Story The blood of martyrs is the seed of saints. Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lelande were tomahawked by Iroquois warriors, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom, Auriesville, New York. Kateri Tekakwitha's mother was a Christian Algonquin, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four, Tekakwitha lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Blackrobes—Jesuit missionaries—but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Blackrobes who lodged with her uncle, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. Tekakwitha refused to marry a Mohawk brave, and at 19 finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri–Catherine–on Easter Sunday. Now she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday, Kateri received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God's love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people. She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest, Kateri Tekakwitha stole away one night and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village at Sault St. Louis, near Montreal. For three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, in charity, and in strenuous penance. At 23, Kateri took a vow of virginity, an unprecedented act for an Indian woman whose future depended on being married. She found a place in the woods where she could pray an hour a day—and was accused of meeting a man there! Her dedication to virginity was instinctive: Kateri Tekakwitha did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this, she and two friends wanted to start a community, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an “ordinary” life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. Kateri Tekakwitha died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2012. Reflection We like to think that our proposed holiness is thwarted by our situation. If only we could have more solitude, less opposition, better health. Kateri Tekakwitha repeats the example of the saints: Holiness thrives on the cross, anywhere. Yet she did have what Christians—all people—need: the support of a community. She had a good mother, helpful priests, Christian friends. These were present in what we call primitive conditions, and blossomed in the age-old Christian triad of prayer, fasting and almsgiving: union with God in Jesus and the Spirit, self-discipline and often suffering, and charity for her brothers and sisters.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Isaiah 1: 10-17;Matthew 10:34 - 11:1; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Romans 6: 19-23;Matthew 7: 15-21;Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 389 The Saint of the day is Saint Henry Saint Henry's Story As German king and Holy Roman Emperor, Saint Henry was a practical man of affairs. He was energetic in consolidating his rule. He crushed rebellions and feuds. On all sides he had to deal with drawn-out disputes so as to protect his frontiers. This involved him in a number of battles, especially in the south in Italy; he also helped Pope Benedict VIII quell disturbances in Rome. Always his ultimate purpose was to establish a stable peace in Europe. According to eleventh-century custom, Saint Henry took advantage of his position and appointed as bishops men loyal to him. In his case, however, he avoided the pitfalls of this practice and actually fostered the reform of ecclesiastical and monastic life. He was canonized in 1146. Reflection All in all, this saint was a man of his times. From our standpoint, he may have been too quick to do battle and too ready to use power to accomplish reforms. But granted such limitations, he shows that holiness is possible in a busy secular life. It is in doing our job that we become saints.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Mass Readings for 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time -July 12, 2026 Reading 1, Isaiah 55:10-11 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 Gospel, Matthew 13:1-23 Reading 2, Romans 8:18-23

Isaiah 55: 10-11; Romans 8: 18-23; Matthew 13: 1-23; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Romans 6: 19-23; Matthew 7: 15-21; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is possible to live the rest of your life with no more bad days. Life can be so overwhelmingly difficult and challenging. But challenge and suffering can and do change us; they can break us down or they can change us. Not only that, but every challenge can be united to Christ and can change lives. Mass Readings from July 12, 2026: Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23

Full Text of Readings Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 103 The Saint of the day is Saints John Jones and John Wall Saint John Jones' and Saint John Wall's stories These two friars were martyred in England in the 16th and 17th centuries for refusing to deny their faith. John Jones was Welsh. He was ordained a diocesan priest and was twice imprisoned for administering the sacraments before leaving England in 1590. He joined the Franciscans at the age of 60 and returned to England three years later while Queen Elizabeth I was at the height of her power. John ministered to Catholics in the English countryside until his imprisonment in 1596. He was condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. John was executed on July 12, 1598. John Wall was born in England but was educated at the English College of Douai, Belgium. Ordained in Rome in 1648, he entered the Franciscans in Douai several years later. In 1656 he returned to work secretly in England. In 1678, Titus Oates worked many English people into a frenzy over an alleged papal plot to murder the king and restore Catholicism in that country. In that year Catholics were legally excluded from Parliament, a law which was not repealed until 1829. John Wall was arrested and imprisoned in 1678, and was executed the following year. John Jones and John Wall were canonized in 1970. Reflection Every martyr knows how to save his/her life and yet refuses to do so. A public repudiation of the faith would save any of them. But some things are more precious than life itself. These martyrs prove that their 20th-century countryman, C. S. Lewis, was correct in saying that courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, that is, at the point of highest reality. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

1 Peter 5: 1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16: 13-19; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Isaiah 6: 1-8; Matthew 10: 24-33; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot Lectionary: 388 The Saint of the day is Saint Benedict Saint Benedict's Story It is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of a man who has exercised the greatest influence on monasticism in the West. Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of Saint Gregory, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of his career. Saint Benedict was born into a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome, and early in life was drawn to monasticism. At first he became a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb. He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose Saint Benedict as their leader for a while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity, fraternity, and permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino, commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountains north of Naples. The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor, and living together in community under a common abbot. Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of Saint Benedict. Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation encompassing the men and women of the Order of St. Benedict; and the Cistercians, men and women of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Reflection The Church has been blessed through Benedictine devotion to the liturgy, not only in its actual celebration with rich and proper ceremony in the great abbeys, but also through the scholarly studies of many of its members. Liturgy is sometimes confused with guitars or choirs, Latin or Bach. We should be grateful to those who both preserve and adapt the genuine tradition of worship in the Church.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Proverbs 31: 10-31; Matthew 12: 46-50; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 387 The Saint of the day is Saint Veronica Giuliani Saint Veronica Giuliani's Story Veronica Giuliani's desire to be like Christ crucified was answered with the stigmata. Veronica was born in Mercatelli, Italy. It is said that when her mother Benedetta was dying she called her five daughters to her bedside and entrusted each of them to one of the five wounds of Jesus. Veronica was entrusted to the wound below Christ's heart. At the age of 17, Veronica Giuliani joined the Poor Clares directed by the Capuchins. Her father had wanted her to marry, but she convinced him to allow her to become a nun. In her first years in the monastery, she worked in the kitchen, infirmary, sacristy, and also served as portress. At the age of 34, she was made novice mistress, a position she held for 22 years. When she was 37, Veronica received the stigmata. Life was not the same after that. Church authorities in Rome wanted to test Veronica's authenticity and so conducted an investigation. She lost the office of novice mistress temporarily and was not allowed to attend Mass except on Sundays or holy days. Through all of this Veronica did not become bitter, and the investigation eventually restored her as novice mistress. Though she protested against it, at the age of 56 she was elected abbess, an office she held for 11 years until her death. Veronica was very devoted to the Eucharist and to the Sacred Heart. She offered her sufferings for the missions, died in 1727, and was canonized in 1839. Her Liturgical Feast Day is July 9. Reflection Why did God grant the stigmata to Francis of Assisi and to Veronica Giuliani? God alone knows the deepest reasons, but as Celano points out, the external sign of the cross is a confirmation of these saints' commitment to the cross in their lives. The stigmata that appeared in Veronica's flesh had taken root in her heart many years before. It was a fitting conclusion for her love of God and her charity toward her sisters.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Romans 6: 3-11; Mark 8: 1-9; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Hosea 11: 1-4, 8-9; Matthew 10: 7-15; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 386 The Saint of the day is Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions Saint Augustine Zhao Rong's and Companions' Stories Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China's relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. Reflection The People's Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today's feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese. The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today's martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Proverbs 31: 10-31; Matthew 13: 44-52; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Hosea 10: 1-3, 7-8, 12; Matthew 10: 1-7; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings The Saint of the day is Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions' Story Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1823, ordained in 1856, and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained bishop of North Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9, 1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of Mary—the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these martyrs were beatified in 1946, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in 2000. Reflection Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Hebrews 7: 23-27; Luke 10: 1-9; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Hosea 8: 4-7, 11-13; Matthew 9: 32-38; Haydock Commentary"5 Minute Theology: A Primer on Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine" is available on my donation page (see below) and in Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0cF4XpHc"Commentary on the Traditional Latin Mass Readings For Every Sunday of the Year" Volumes I https://a.co/d/01qdaN4a and IV https://a.co/d/02IgWoJn are also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and on my donation page (see below)You can purchase the PDF versions of these books on my donation page. buymeacoffee.com/catholicdailybriefPlease consider giving a five star rating and sharing the podcast with your friends and family.

Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 384 The Saint of the day is Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions' Story Not much is known of the early life of Emmanuel Ruiz, but details of his heroic death in defense of the faith have come down to us. Born of humble parents in Santander, Spain, he became a Franciscan priest and served as a missionary in Damascus. This was at a time when anti-Christian riots shook Syria and thousands lost their lives in just a short time. Among these were Emmanuel Ruiz, superior of the Franciscan convent, seven other friars, and three laymen. When a menacing crowd came looking for the men, they refused to renounce their faith and become Muslims. The men were subjected to horrible tortures before their martyrdom. Emmanuel Ruiz, his brother Franciscans and the three Maronite laymen were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926. Reflection The Church in Syria has known persecution throughout its history. Yet it has produced saints whose blood was shed for the faith. Let us pray for the Church in Syria.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 383 The Saint of the day is Saint Maria Goretti Saint Maria Goretti's Story One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonization—250,000—symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. She was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. When Maria made her First Communion not long before her death, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class. On a hot afternoon in July, Maria Goretti was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside, and a neighbor, 18-year-old Alessandro, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help. “No, God does not wish it,” she cried out. “It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.” Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger. Maria Goretti was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the good—concern about where her mother would sleep, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family), and her devout welcoming of Viaticum, her last Holy Communion. She died about 24 hours after the attack. A Prayer for Maria Goretti Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria Goretti gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years, his first act was to beg the forgiveness of Maria's mother. Devotion to the young martyr grew, miracles were worked, and in less than half a century she was canonized. At her beatification in 1947, her 82-year-old mother, two sisters, and her brother appeared with Pope Pius XII on the balcony of St. Peter's. Three years later, at Maria's canonization, a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy. Reflection Saint Maria may have had trouble with catechism, but she had no trouble with faith. God's will was holiness, decency, respect for one's body, absolute obedience, total trust. In a complex world, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God, and to love him—at any cost.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Mass Readings for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 5, 2026 Reading 1, Zechariah 9:9-10 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 Reading 2, Romans 8:9, 11-13 Gospel, Matthew 11:25-30

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Citizens must live with conviction, responsibility, and courage. On the 250th anniversary of our nation, it is a moment to stop and reflect on our identity. Are we "subjects" or are we "citizens"? Are we "American Catholics" or are we "Catholics who are citizens of America"? And what would it be to live as a citizen without the virtue of patriotism? Mass Readings from July 5, 2026: Zechariah 9:9-10 Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14Romans 8:9, 11-13 Matthew 11:25-30

Full Text of Readings Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 100 The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Zaccaria Saint Anthony Zaccaria's Story At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Zaccaria. His mother became a widow at 18, and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He received a medical doctorate at 22, and while working among the poor of his native Cremona in Italy, was attracted to the religious apostolate. Anthony Zaccaria renounced his rights to any future inheritance, worked as a catechist, and was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Called to Milan in a few years, he laid the foundations of three religious congregations, one for men, one for women, and an association of married couples. Their aim was the reform of the decadent society of their day, beginning with the clergy, religious, and lay people. Greatly inspired by Saint Paul—his congregation is named the Barnabites, after the companion of that saint—Anthony preached with great vigor in church and street, conducted popular missions, and was not ashamed of doing public penance. Anthony Zaccaria encouraged such innovations as the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate, frequent Communion, the Forty Hours devotion, and the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays. His holiness moved many to reform their lives, but as with all saints, it also moved many to oppose him. Twice his community had to undergo official religious investigation, and twice it was exonerated. While on a mission of peace, Anthony became seriously ill and was brought home for a visit to his mother. He died at Cremona at the age of 36. Reflection The austerity of Anthony Zaccaria's spirituality and the Pauline ardor of his preaching would probably “turn off” many people today. When even some psychiatrists complain at the lack of a sense of sin, it may be time to tell ourselves that not all evil is explained by emotional disorder, subconscious and unconscious drives, parental influence, and so on. The old-time “hell and damnation” mission sermons have given way to positive, encouraging, biblical homilies. We do indeed need assurance of forgiveness, relief from existential anxiety, and future shock. But we still need prophets to stand up and tell us, “If we say ‘We are without sin,' we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time The necessary risk we must take. Jesus calls us to love Him first. To place Him ahead of every other goal or desire in our lives. In order to answer the question "What are you living for?", we have to take the risk of knowing what we are NOT living for. Mass Readings from June 28, 2026:2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a Psalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Matthew 10:37-42