Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 11:25-27. Jesus’s prays for the disciples as He sends them out to share the Gospel. Jesus was their “support behind the scenes”.

We have the same. Jesus prays for us. Scripture tells us that Jesus intercedes for us as the perfect high priest before God.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The Gospel is Matthew 11:20-24. When Jesus comes to proclaim the Gospel, He proclaims the Gospel of repentance by calling to example cities where paganism ran rampant. He says if those cities had seen the signs people He preached to had seen, they would have repented quickly.

Fr. Sam also details the Carmelite Spirituality. So many great saints have come from the Carmelite order, under the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Through the Intercession of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel may we share in the spiritual fruits of the Carmelite communities.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today is the feast of St. Bonaventure, the Gospel reading is Matthew 10:34 - 11:1. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the fact that there are many who will not accept the Gospel. Not only this, but there will even be division within the household over faith in Christ. When people receive us and the Gospel message, they are really receiving Christ.

St. Bonaventure understood what it meant to preach the Gospel with fidelity, to carry the Good News despite obstacles and difficulties, to the world. Let us pray for the same grace to do so.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today’s Gospel Reading is Mark 6:7-13. Jesus sends out the disciples two by two with nothing but a walking stick. Where you are welcomed, receive it, drive out demons, heal the sick and share the Good News. At every moment Jesus desires us to be evangelists in all moments, in the various settings of our lives.

We are called to be witnesses and we are to take nothing except the Gospel, the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 10:24-33. Jesus continues to send his apostles out as messengers and witnesses. As he prepares them for persecution and difficulty he reminds them who is really in charge. Suffering is not a sign that you are no longer in God’s favor. Rather, they are to remember that God knows and loves them intimately. They have been won by the Blood of Christ.

So too, we have been counted, numbered, and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ! As such, we are to be witnesses of the Good News to the entire world.

Let us pray for the grace to be ready to give witness to the truth, the goodness, and the mercy of Jesus Christ!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Matthew 10:16-23. Jesus is sending out his apostles out as sheep among wolves. As such they must be shrewd as serpents but as gentle as doves. So too, they are not to prepare their defense ahead of time, the Holy Spirit will give them the power to give testimony.

We should rely on the Holy Spirit, but remember what else the disciples did, they learned how to be a witness from the Lord Himself. So too, we need to spend time with Jesus every single day, we need to reflect on His words, we need to learn the Catholic Faith. By doing these things, we prepare ourselves to give testimony as sheep among wolves.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today is the feast of St. Benedict, our reading is Matthew 10:7-15.

Jesus sends the disciples out to every town and village to cure the sick and preach the word. It is active and moving.

St. Benedict founded monasteries to be stable institutions. What St. Benedict understood was that Christianity is more than just going out and proclaiming the word, it is also contemplating God, much like Jesus on the mountain top.

St. Benedict, pray for us. Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 10:1-7. Jesus sends the 12 out to the lost sheep of Israel. Israel, awaiting its savior, will come to know of its Messiah.

Just as Jesus sent out the 12, He sends us out. Not only to those who will listen to us, but to those who haven’t yet heard the Good News. To those who are sheep without a shepherd.

And still, we witness to one another as well.

Let us pray for the grace to bring the Mercy of God to the world.

Praised Be Jesus Christ!