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Christ Died for the Ungodly (Romans 5:5b-11)

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. The parable of the lost sheep reveals the tenderness of God’s love, and St. Paul in Romans 5:5b–11 reveals its cost. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not only the ima...

The Joy of Heaven Over One Sinner: One Soul, Infinite Worth (Luke 15:3-7)

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “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? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 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.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. On this Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 27th), the Church invites us to gaze into the very heart of God—a heart that does not remain distant, but draws near to seek, save, and rejoice over the lost. Today’s Gospel, along w...

The True Disciple Does God’s Will, Not Just Great Works (Matthew 7:21-29)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them a...

False Prophets: By Their Fruits You Will Know Them (Matthew 7:15-20)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns His disciples: “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves ” (Mt 7:15). The language is striking and intentional. False prophets are not merely mistaken teachers; they are dangerous, deceitful, and spiritually destructive. Outwardly, they may appear gentle, trustworthy, and truthful, but their message distorts the truth and leads others astray. They often sound convincing and spea...

Born to Prepare the Way: The Mission of John the Baptist (John. 1:6–8, 15; John. 3:28–30; Lk. 3:3–6)

A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.5:35. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” 28 You yourselves can testify that I said [that] I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him. 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. 30 He must increase; I must decrease.” 3 He went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5 Every valley shall be filled and every mount...

Ask and Seek, for God Is Generous—But the Way Is Narrow (Matthew 7:7-14)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 12 “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14 How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. In verses 7 to 11, Jesus encourages His disciples with one of the most beloved promises in the Gospels: “ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and th...

Pearls Before Swine: A Call to Discernment (Matthew 7:6)

Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. Following His teaching on avoiding hypocritical judgment (Mt 7:1–5), Jesus immediately offers what may seem like an abrupt change in tone: “ Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces ” (Mt 7:6). To modern ears, this verse may sound harsh or exclusionary, but it is deeply rooted in both biblical imagery and divine wisdom. In Jewish culture, “ dogs ” and “ swine ” were not simply unclean animals—they symbolized those who rejected or mocked sacred things. “ What is holy ” likely refers to sacrificial offerings or even the Eucharist, while “ pearls ” represent the precious truths of the Kingdom (cf. Mt 13:45–46). Jesus’ teaching here is not a contradiction of His earlier warning against judging others. Rather, it is a complement to it. ...

The Measure You Use for Judging Others (Matthew 7:1-5)

Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye. In Matthew 7:1–5, Jesus addresses a temptation as old as humanity itself: the impulse to judge others while ignoring the need for personal conversion. “ Stop judging, that you may not be judged ” (v. 1) is not a call to moral indifference, but a warning against harsh, hypocritical, or self-righteous judgment. Some may misinterpret this verse to mean that if they refrain from judging others, they will not be judged themselves—as though abstaining from judgment earns a fr...

Visions, Grace, and True Apostleship: Not for Glory, but for Grace (2 Corinthians 12:1–5)

I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter. 5 About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Paul defends his apostolic authority to the Corinthians, not by boasting of worldly success or persuasive speech, but by reluctantly speaking of divine revelations. He writes, “ I must boast; not that it is profitable… ”—indicating that such boasting is not beneficial in itself, but necessary, because some were questioning his legitimacy in comparison to the so-called “ super-apostles ” who had impressed the Corinthians with powerful speech and outward signs(cf. 2 ...

The Bread That Points to Eternity (Luke 9:10-17)

When the apostles returned, they explained to him what they had done. He took them and withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida. 11 The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him. He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. 12 As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” 13 He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” 14 Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” 15 They did so and made them all sit down. 16 Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them t...

Seek First the Kingdom and Live Without Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of ...

Serving God, Not Wealth: A Spiritual Choice (Matthew 6:19-24)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be. 24 “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus instructs His disciples about the proper disposition toward wealth and earthly treasures. He begins by cautioning against storing up treasures on earth, which are vulnerable to decay and theft. Instead, He urges them to store up treasures in heaven—faith, love, good works, and a deep relat...

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