Podcasts about Ordinary Time

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Mr. Rob Corzine. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 14: 7-12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1bcde, 4, 13-14 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28 Gospel: Luke 15: 1-10   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

The parables of mercy - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.How did Christ seek you out when you were lost? To whom is He sending you now? What's the change of heart that needs to take place in you, so that you have the same interests Jesus has?

ROSARY - LUMINOUS MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Thursday.  BONUS:  TCW WAKE UP CALL for Thursday.  I hope you enjoy it.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Mr. Rob Corzine. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 14: 7-12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1bcde, 4, 13-14 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28 Gospel: Luke 15: 1-10   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 15:1-10The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 13: 8-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 112: 1b-2, 4-5, 9 Alleluia: First Peter 4: 14 Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study, beginning November 5. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

Read Online“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'”  Luke 15:4–6Some of the great saints point out that the number one hundred represents perfection. One hundred refers to the perfection of the Kingdom of God, which represents not only all of the saints in Heaven but also the angels. The one lost sheep represents all of humanity as we make our way through this life. Jesus, of course, is the Shepherd Whose attention turns to fallen humanity on a diligent search for us so as to carry us home.First, notice that the Shepherd does not search for the one stray sheep out of anger but out of concern and love. Understanding this is essential if we are to have a correct understanding of how our Lord sees us when we stray. We must see His deep concern, His diligence in searching, and His unwavering commitment to find us in our straying condition. This is not a God Who sits back in judgment and anger but a God Who came to us, took on our fallen human nature, and endured all suffering so as to find us and bring us home.Notice also that in this parable, the Shepherd places the lost sheep on His shoulders and carries the sheep home. Oftentimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that we must make our way back to God by our own effort. But the truth is that God is always there, waiting to pick us up and carry us home. Our duty is to surrender to His merciful hands and to stop running. This is done by turning to Him and allowing Him to come to us and minister to us. The primary effort is on the part of our Lord once we surrender ourselves into His gentle Hands.Finally, notice that the rejoicing mentioned in this parable is on the part of the Shepherd. Of course we also will rejoice at being picked up and carried home to the perfection of God's Kingdom, but our rejoicing is done in response to the joy of our Lord. It is His joy we are invited to share in. It is His heart that is filled with gratitude as we allow Him to tenderly carry us home. “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep,” He says. Reflect, today, upon this holy image of the Good Shepherd. As you ponder this parable and imagery, be attentive to the various thoughts, memories, emotions and fears that are evoked within you. Each one of us is different, and our Lord deeply desires to come to each one of us right where we are, in the midst of our sins. Pondering the compassion of this Good Shepherd will open the door for our Lord to speak to you and to invite you personally to come to Him, turning away from the ways that you personally have strayed. Do not run away. Remain in confidence as He comes to you. Listen to His voice and say “Yes” to Him as He lifts you up to carry you home. My gentle Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd. You love me and search for me with diligence and fidelity. May I trust You enough to stop running from You and hiding from Your gentle voice. Please come to me, pick me up, place me on Your shoulders and carry me home. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via PixabaySource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Send us a textMemorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop | Tuesday, November 4, 2025Check out the JIBM Web site at:  https://www.joeinblackministries.com/Please use the following link if you would like to financially support Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr…Support the show

Gospel Luke 14:25-33 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."Reflection The hidden message is that there is something demanded of us in terms of us responding to the life that God calls us to share with him. It is not without struggle, it is not without work. And one needs to sit down and figure out if they can do it. And what seems clear to me, he's saying, you can't do it. You don't have enough to build a tower. You don't have enough strength to overcome evil. What he's trying to say, indirectly is, please let me open you to the resources that you do not see, that you do not feel, for they're there constantly being offered to you. Closing Prayer Father, your desire to see us change and grow, participate with you in the salvation of all those around us. You are the source that is most important, keep us fixed on you, not on our strength, so that we can be the instrument you call us to be. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Wednesday evening liturgy during the Fall season of Ordinary Time for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #5” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music (BMI).“Wishing Elsewhere” by Emily Hanrahan, © 2020 Emily Hanrahan.“My Savior Left His Throne Above” by Julie Anne Vargas and Zac Hicks, © 2015 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP) & Julie Anne Vargas, CCLI #7056910.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral and the University of Notre Dame.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.Mentioned in this episode:Discover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator...

The most important relationship you have is the one you have with Christ

Could Jesus really be asking us to hate our families? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What does it mean for you to give God the first place in your life? What are the fears that Jesus is inviting you to confront? Have you been able to persevere in spite of the opposition you've found around you? What fruits have come out of that perseverance?

ROSARY - GLORIOUS MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Wednesday.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 13: 8-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 112: 1b-2, 4-5, 9 Alleluia: First Peter 4: 14 Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study, beginning November 5. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

5 November 2025

Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 14:25-33Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,and he turned and addressed them,"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,wife and children, brothers and sisters,and even his own life,he cannot be my disciple.Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after mecannot be my disciple."

(Rm.14:7-12; Ps.27:1,4,13-14; Lk.15:1-10) "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Since "every one of us will have to give an account of himself before God," who are we to "sit in judgment" or "look down on" a brother? Why are our eyes set upon others' sins instead of the Lord's glory? Why do we fall into this pit of condemnation? Yes, Jesus welcomes sinners. For this has He come. How blessed are we that He makes such "a diligent search" to retrieve our souls from the grave of sin; how blessed are we when He finds us and puts us "on His shoulders in jubilation." In this forgiveness should we glory. In this grace we should praise the Lord, and seek to help others come to such blessing. But do we blind ourselves to the grace at work in our souls by setting our sights on the sins of others rather than the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ? Are we as judgmental as the Pharisees and as those Paul warns today against condemnation of others? Brothers and sisters, we should rather be with David in his psalm and seek "to dwell in the house of the Lord" forever, and set our "gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate His temple"; we must not let our sights fall from heaven to earth and so lose ourselves in the judgment of others' sin. This is the great danger. This is the devil's temptation: "Look at him," he says, "see how evil he is." If he cannot get us to believe it about ourselves and so lose hope of redemption for our souls, he attempts to distract us with the sins of others, and so achieve the same ends. We must realize that "both in life and death we are the Lord's," that He loves us and desires our salvation, and that He loves and desires the salvation of all our neighbors. And so we must come to Him, take refuge in Him and in His love and forgiveness, and then we will "see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living" and not die a miserable death. Brothers and sisters, let each of us be that "repentant sinner" over whom the angels of God rejoice. The Lord welcomes us though we are sinners. Let us not forget His grace. And let us welcome others. ******* O LORD, let me be that one repentant sinner you find and place upon your shoulders – come to me even this day. YHWH, it is your great joy to see the repentance of the sinner, and so your Son has come among us to invite us to such grace. And if we are your friends, will we not rejoice with you? If all of Heaven rejoices at the conversion of the poor lost sinner, we show ourselves not to be of you, not to be of Heaven, if instead we look down upon our brother. O save us from such a miserable fate! We all must bend the knee before your Son; we all shall have to appear before your judgment seat and give an account of our lives. And is any of us without sin, except your Son's dear Mother? Then we must know that to dwell in your House, to contemplate your face, we all require your blessed forgiveness, LORD, that without it we will be left standing outside your gates. And so, let us praise you for your goodness to us, and to others. Let all souls be found rejoicing in your kingdom.

Lk 15:1-10The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."So Jesus addressed this parable to them."What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of themwould not leave the ninety-nine in the desertand go after the lost one until he finds it?And when he does find it,he sets it on his shoulders with great joyand, upon his arrival home,he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'I tell you, in just the same waythere will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repentsthan over ninety-nine righteous peoplewho have no need of repentance."Or what woman having ten coins and losing onewould not light a lamp and sweep the house,searching carefully until she finds it?And when she does find it,she calls together her friends and neighborsand says to them,'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'In just the same way, I tell you,there will be rejoicing among the angels of Godover one sinner who repents."

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens. Charles Borromeo, Bishop Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Romans 12: 5-16ab Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 131: 1bcde, 2, 3 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28 Gospel: Luke 14: 15-24   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Bible Across America is a new FREE Scripture study initiative that brings Catholics together to read and study God's Word from the heart of the Church. Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

Read OnlineGreat crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”  Luke 14:25–26After this startling opening line from our Lord, Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Thus, at first read it appears that we are called to not only renounce all we possess but also to hate those within our own family. But is this truly what our Lord means? Let's begin with the idea of “hating” those within our family and even our own life.Obviously the word “hate” in this Gospel passage is not the same as the sin of hate and anger. In commenting on this passage, one Church Father explains that there are some cases when the best way to love another is through a form of hate. That is, if another were to act as an obstacle to God, working to deter us from the will of our Lord, then our “hatred” for the actions they do must be firmly expressed. But this is love. A refusal to turn from God, by rejecting another's disordered actions, is a way of sharing the Gospel with them. Let's take an extreme example. Imagine that you lived at a time and circumstance where being a Christian was a crime. You were arrested and commanded to publicly renounce your faith. Instead, you renounced that command with every strength of your soul. In this case, you exercise a form of holy “hate” for the persecution the person is imposing upon you. But that is also an act of love toward them as you fully reject their action by renouncing their command.Or consider also how you hate even your “own life.” Let's say that you fall into serious sin, over and over. The appropriate response is not only to repent but also to have a form of holy hatred for the habit into which you have fallen. This is a true hatred for yourself in the sense that it is a hatred for that which you have become by your sin. But this holy hatred has the ultimate goal of passionately overcoming your sin and is therefore a true act of love for yourself.The concluding line of today's Gospel mentioned above calls us to renounce all of our possessions. In other words, we must renounce anything that we are attached to in a way that is contrary to the will of God. Of course, in God's providence most people (except those who take a vow of poverty) are invited by God to have various possessions so as to meet the material needs of life. But even in this case, we must “renounce” all that we possess, meaning, we must not allow ourselves to become attached to anything other than God. But this is freedom in the truest sense. Even if you have many things, it must be understood that those things do not make you happy. Only God and His will can fulfill you. Nothing else. Thus, we must learn to live as if God and God alone suffices. And if it is God's will that you obtain a house, car, computer, television and other modern conveniences, then so be it. But true “renunciation” of all of these possessions simply means that if at any time you were to lose them, then this would be fine. Therein is perfect detachment. The loss of something material would not deter you in any way from loving and serving God and His holy will.Reflect, today, upon these radical words of Jesus. Try to hear them in the way our Lord meant them. Work to be detached from everything that is contrary to the will of God and everything that becomes an obstacle to God in your life. In the end, possessing God alone is more than you could ever hope for. And only if you fully possess our merciful God will you be able to love yourself and others with the pure heart and love of Jesus our Lord. My demanding Lord, You call us all to a life of radical holiness. You desire that I come to love You above all with all my heart. Please give me the grace and wisdom I need to renounce all that is an obstacle to my love and service of You. May You and You alone be glorified in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Rembrandt, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

This is the Tuesday evening liturgy during the Fall season of Ordinary Time for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #5” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music (BMI).“Wishing Elsewhere” by Emily Hanrahan, © 2020 Emily Hanrahan.“My Savior Left His Throne Above” by Julie Anne Vargas and Zac Hicks, © 2015 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP) & Julie Anne Vargas, CCLI #7056910.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral and the University of Notre Dame.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.Mentioned in this episode:Discover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator of

The spiritual problem of acedia - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Do you recall your capacity to connect with God at a young age, if that happened? Did some experiences lead you to forget that joy? How was it rekindled in you? Are there activities, possessions, relationships, that may weaken your love for Christ, because of the way you live them out?

Fr. Bliss Spillar, our senior pastor, preaches on the twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.Readings from Sacred ScriptureDaniel 7:1-3,15-18Psalm 149Ephesians 1:11-23Luke 6:20-31We join Christians worldwide by reading weekly texts from the Revised Common Lectionary and, over time, hearing the whole gospel story read within our community.Intro for Sermon Podcasts Outro for Sermon AudioWe are a community hoping to live the Jesus-way in our city as a people of God's hospitality, God‘s restoration, and God's shalom. Learn more about All Souls Charlottesville: www.allsoulscville.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens. Charles Borromeo, Bishop Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Romans 12: 5-16ab Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 131: 1bcde, 2, 3 Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28 Gospel: Luke 14: 15-24   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Bible Across America is a new FREE Scripture study initiative that brings Catholics together to read and study God's Word from the heart of the Church. Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn. Ordinary Weekday/ Martin De Porres, Religious First Reading: Romans 11: 29-36 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 69: 30-31, 33-34, 36 Alleluia: John 8: 31b-32 Gospel: Luke 14: 12-14   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read Online“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.”  Luke 14:16–18Do you ever excuse yourself from the will of God? Do you pass up His invitation to feast at the table of His great dinner? More than anything else, the invitation God has given us to this “great dinner” is the invitation to participate in the Holy Mass and to pray. The fact that some would regularly excuse themselves from such an invitation shows that they do not understand that to which they have been invited. Others attend physically, but interiorly they are far from the feast that they attend.In this parable, one after another of the invited guests did not come. So the man throwing the dinner sent out an invitation to “the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.” This is a reference to those Jews of Jesus' time who recognized their need for the gift of salvation. They are those who were aware of their weaknesses and sins and knew that Jesus was the answer.After the poor, crippled, blind and lame came to the feast, there was still more room. So the man sent his servants to invite those from “the highways and hedgerows” which is a reference to the Gospel being preached to the Gentiles who were not of Jewish origin.Today, this feast continues to be offered. There are many lax Catholics, however, who refuse to come. There are those who find that life is too busy for them to make time for prayer and for Mass. They are those who are so caught up in worldly pursuits that they see little personal benefit in devoting themselves to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.If you wish to be among those who attend the feast of our Lord, you must work to identify yourself with the poor, crippled, blind and lame. You must recognize your brokenness, weaknesses and sins. You must not shy away from seeing yourself this way because it is to those that Jesus sends a desperate invitation. His desperation is an all-consuming desire for us to share in His love. He wants to love and heal those in need. We are those who are in need.When we come to our Lord's Feast through prayer, fidelity to His Word, and by our participation in the Sacraments, we will notice that He wants others to join us for His feast. Therefore, we must also see ourselves as those servants who are sent forth to the highways and hedgerows where we will find those who do not follow God's will. They must be invited. Though they might not feel as though they belong, God wants them at His feast. We must do the inviting. Reflect, today, upon two things. First, reflect upon any excuse you regularly use when God invites you to pray, to deepen your faith, and to participate in the Eucharist. Do you respond immediately and with eagerness? Or do you excuse yourself more often than you want to admit? Reflect, also, upon the duty given to you by God to go forth to the most lost souls so as to invite them to God's feast. Our Lord wants everyone to know they are invited. Let Him use you to send forth His invitation. My generous Lord, You have invited me to share in the glory of Your great Feast. You invite me every day to pray, grow strong in my faith, and to share in the Holy Eucharist. May I always respond to You and never excuse myself from Your invitations. Please also use me, dear Lord, to send forth Your invitation to those most in need. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Андрей Николаевич Миронов (A.N. Mironov), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Father shows us how racism goes against the universality that is the call of everyone in Christ.

Gospel Luke 14:12-14 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. He said to the host who invited him, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Reflection A banquet is a meal of great abundance. And it's an image of the kingdom of God that we are being called into. And what he is noting in this particular passage about the Pharisees is that they have a way of never being separated from their need for using people, needing something from people. And that's the life they were leading. And everything about the banquet is, it's an abundance of great food and great wine offered to those who recognize their poverty, their brokenness, their need. The Pharisees and scribes are far from the kingdom of God, and Jesus is trying to make it clear to all of us their mistake. Closing Prayer Father, bless us with an awareness of your goodness, your desire for us to be fed and nourished. Awaken in all of us our poverty, our longing for the most marvelous gift that you offer us. Your presence, your understanding, your compassion. It is truly what feeds the world and brings it closer to you. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Monday evening liturgy during the Fall season of Ordinary Time for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #5” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music (BMI).“Wishing Elsewhere” by Emily Hanrahan, © 2020 Emily Hanrahan.“My Savior Left His Throne Above” by Julie Anne Vargas and Zac Hicks, © 2015 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP) & Julie Anne Vargas, CCLI #7056910.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral and the University of Notre Dame.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.Mentioned in this episode:Discover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator of...

"Come be with me."

Why Jesus wants us to invite those who cannot repay - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you verified this spiritual law, that going beyond your comfort zone helps your love grow in quality? How is Jesus challenging you to love in a selfless way?

ROSARY - JOYFUL MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Monday.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn. Ordinary Weekday/ Martin De Porres, Religious First Reading: Romans 11: 29-36 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 69: 30-31, 33-34, 36 Alleluia: John 8: 31b-32 Gospel: Luke 14: 12-14   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary TimeLuke 14:12-14"Rather, when you hold a banquet,invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Read Online“When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” Luke 14:12–14Is Jesus telling us that it is sinful to invite friends and family to a dinner party? Certainly not. He is teaching us about something much deeper. Throwing a dinner party for others is good when our motive is love. But if the goal of the dinner, or any other act of charity, is vainglory, then the vanity we achieve from such an act is the payment we will receive. Sadly, the “payment” of vainglory is sought and obtained by many in various ways. Jesus' lesson teaches us that our only motive for the good we do should be the humble and hidden motive of loving service.As a result of the temptation to pride, we can easily find ourselves being inordinately concerned about what others think about us. Holding a lunch or dinner for friends, family, and your wealthy neighbors is simply an illustration of the sin of pride at work. Within this context, Jesus is speaking about a person who performs some act for the sole purpose of building up their self-image and obtaining praise and flattery from others. This form of “glory” is truly vain in that it is not only worthless to the good of the soul, it is also damaging. Why do you do what you do? Are your good actions done so that others will see and praise them? Do you go out of your way to show people how good you are? Are you overly concerned about the opinions of others? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you might be struggling with pride more than you realize.On the contrary, are you content with doing some good deed that is hidden from the eyes of others? Can you take delight solely in helping others, even if no one knows about it? Are you motivated to serve and give of yourself for the exclusive reason that you want to make a difference in the lives of others? This is what Jesus means when He says you should hold a banquet for the poor, crippled, lame, blind, and everyone who is unable to repay you. In other words, when you are not able to receive the “reward” of vainglory, that is good. That must be your goal.Reflect, today, upon how strong your desire is for notoriety. Consider some scenario where you worked hard day and night for some time to do some good work. Imagine that the good work accomplished great benefits for others. Then imagine that no one knew you were behind that good work and, therefore, you received no gratitude or acknowledgment. How would you feel? Ideally, you would rejoice for two reasons. First, you would rejoice that you were able to serve and make a difference. Second, you would rejoice that God and God alone was aware of your act of charity. When God sees our goodness and selfless service, He puts Himself in debt to us in a certain sense. The “debt” that God takes on is His gratitude and love which are expressed to us through eternal rewards of His making. Seek to obtain these eternal rewards by striving to serve in the most hidden and humble ways possible. Those rewards infinitely surpass the fleeting rewards of vainglory. Most glorious God, You came to earth to suffer and die. In that act of perfect love You brought about the greatest good ever known. You offered this holy service of love in the most hidden and humble of ways. As a result, You are now glorified forever. Help me to share in Your acts of humble and hidden service so that I, too, may one day share in the glory of Heaven. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe StockSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

This is the Sunday evening liturgy during the Fall season of Ordinary Time for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #5” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music (BMI).“Wishing Elsewhere” by Emily Hanrahan, © 2020 Emily Hanrahan.“My Savior Left His Throne Above” by Julie Anne Vargas and Zac Hicks, © 2015 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP) & Julie Anne Vargas, CCLI #7056910.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral and the University of Notre Dame.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.Mentioned in this episode:Discover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator of...

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 9: 1-5 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 147: 12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Alleluia: John 10: 27 Gospel: Luke 14: 1-6   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Bible Across America is a new FREE Scripture study initiative that brings Catholics together to read and study God's Word from the heart of the Church. Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Boniface Hicks, Alex Jones, Katie McGrady, and Heather Khym for our Advent Bible Across America study, beginning November 5. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/america  

Gospel Luke 14:1-6 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?" But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them "Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?" But they were unable to answer his question. Reflection Father, there's a way in which when we're following regulations and rules, we feel confident, confident that we're doing everything that you've asked us to do. But in fact, it is not the heart of the gospel. It is not the heart of the good news. The heart of the good news is a way that we are touched so deeply by an awareness of where we haven't been that we're shown so clearly where we need to be. And it's the transition that's so important. Closing Prayer Father, bless us with an openness to seeing our own faults, our own weaknesses. Help us not to fall into shame, or disappointment, or self condemnation, but rather simply to long for the gift that enables us to do the work. It's not our work, it's yours and ours. Help us to remember this. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sunday should not be an extension of Saturday

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Romans 8: 31b-39 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 109: 21-22, 26-27, 30-31 Alleluia: Luke 19: 38; 2: 14 Gospel: Luke 13: 31-35   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com This December, consider joining Catholic author Mike Aquilina, historian James L. Papandrea, and Fr. Kevin Barrett on a unique pilgrimage to Sicily. Please visit https://stpaulcenter.com/pilgrimages to learn more.

Read OnlineOn a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. Luke 14:1 Jesus accepted an invitation from this prominent Pharisee to dine at his house. The people at the dinner were “observing him carefully.” It's somewhat easy to picture the scene. For most people, being invited to a dinner with many strangers who are observing them carefully may leave them feeling quite uncomfortable and self-conscious. But Jesus showed up with perfect confidence and an unwavering commitment to share the Gospel. One thing we can learn from this dinner and Jesus' disposition at it is that uncomfortable situations are actually great opportunities to share your faith.We will all have times when we are put in an uncomfortable situation. Imagine, for example, being invited to a party for a distant relative or a new neighbor. You decided to attend and knew that you would know very few people there. The tendency for those who are shy would be to show up, find someone they know, and then spend the rest of the time with that person. But consider what Jesus did. He probably knew very few people at this dinner. Jesus' primary purpose in attending was not to just relax and have a fun time while He met new friends. Instead, His primary purpose was to preach His saving message to those in need. Thus, He went to those in need and did so with confidence.Whether you are one who likes to socialize and meet new people, or are one who dreads such settings, consider the simple fact that these settings are wonderful opportunities to share your faith. Like our Lord, if you are willing to put yourself out there, entering situations that are new and unfamiliar, then you may start to discover that the opportunities abound. New settings and new people are new opportunities to evangelize. True, they are also opportunities to make new friends and enjoy yourself. But if you have a heart set on the desire to share the Gospel, then you will regularly look for new opportunities in which you can somehow share your faith with others. Reflect, today, upon this simple Gospel scene of Jesus attending a dinner, with many people He did not know, for the purpose of sharing the faith with them. Imagine yourself joining our Lord at this meal. How would you have felt? Would you have been self-conscious and uncomfortable? Or would you have seen it as an opportunity to share the Gospel? Reflect upon how zealous you are in your efforts to evangelize others and recommit yourself to this holy endeavor. Tell our Lord you are ready and willing to be used by Him wherever He sends you and then try to see every new adventure and experience in life as a new opportunity to share Christ's saving message with others. My saving Lord, You desire that Your saving message be shared far and wide, to the ends of the earth. Please fill me with zeal for souls. Give me an unwavering desire to share the Gospel with everyone I meet. Please use me, dear Lord, in the way You desire, so that Your love and mercy will be brought to those in need. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Pierre Subleyras, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.