Take into consideration the following passages from the Gospel according to John: John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to …
From the Gospel Reading for Saturday after Ash Wednesday: Luke 5:27-32 Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.He said to him, “Follow me.”And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,and a large crowd of tax collectorsand others were …
I have added some tools to this blog make it more convenient to read and access. If you scroll down the sidebar, you’ll notice that I’ve added links to enable you to add Sober Catholic to your customizable MyYahoo and Google pages. The same for a customizable MyCatholic.com page, but please bear in mind that …
We are not celebrating a chair, so to speak, but rather the authority of the Pope, who derives his authority to teach and lead the Catholic Church by virtue of being the legitimate successor to St. Peter, the first Pope. Jesus established His Church on Earth, and appointed St. Peter to lead it in His …
From the First Reading from the Mass for Ash Wednesday, 2007: Joel 2:12-14 Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich …
Today marks the beginning of Lent. For the next 40 days (Sundays excluded) we prepare for the Passion of Christ (the trial, sentencing, Crucifixion and Death of Jesus , the Son of God). Forty is a significant number in the Bible. It usually marks a time or period of trial or a passage through some …
I had a post marking the beginning of Lent, which starts tomorrow, but lost the whole thing during an edit. I took it calmly. Really. I shall attempt to re-write it tomorrow. So instead, a small plea: If you are Catholic, please go to Mass tomorrow and receive the mark of ashes on your forehead. …
The First Reading from today’s Mass Sirach 2:1-11 My son, when you come to serve the LORD,stand in justice and fear,prepare yourself for trials.Be sincere of heart and steadfast,incline your ear and receive the word of understanding,undisturbed in time of adversity.Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not;thus will you be wise …
From the Gospel reading for Friday, February 16: Mark 8:34-38 Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,take up his cross, and follow me.For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses his life for my sakeand that of the Gospel …
From the Gospel reading from today’s Mass: Mark 8:22-26 When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,“Do …