The prophet Zephaniah urged his hearers: “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of...
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” What do you hunger and thirst for? For a good family, a comfortable life, to be accepted...
Homily Twenty-sixth Sunday Year C Are we complacent to the needs of others?
By spiritaflame 10:50 AM HomilyHomily: Twenty-sixth Sunday Year C Reading 1: We read from the prophet Amos last Sunday. He was called by God to be his prophetic voice to the northern kingdom of Israel, whose rulers...
Thought of the Day September 26, 2019 Examen: Am I pure of heart?
By spiritaflame 9:25 AM Thought of the DayListen to Pope Francis: “I would like to insist, primarily on the call to holiness that the Lord addresses to each of us, the call that he also addresses, personally, to you: ‘Be...
Thought of the Day September 25, 2019 Pure heart seeks holiness
By spiritaflame 10:02 AM Thought of the DaySt. Augustine explains that “the eyes by which God is seen are within the heart.” As if he is speaking to our age he admonishes, “how foolish then are those who try to...
Thought of the Day September 24, 2019 Pure heart is one that loves
By spiritaflame 9:56 AM Thought of the DayThis Beatitude--Blessed are the pure of heart-- helps us to look at what are the blind spots in our heart. How is man’s inner eye purified? How do we remove the (spiritual) cataract...
Thought of the Day September 23, 2019 Heart focused on Jesus
By spiritaflame 9:49 AM Thought of the DayWe continue our reflection on the Beatitude: Blessed are the pure of heart. Someone has said: “Pure olive oil includes no additive or adulterant. Pure water is water and nothing else. A pure...
Jesus says, “He who does not gather with me, scatters” (Luke 11:23). Unfortunately, this image of scattering or being hindered describes many of us whose lives are not ordered on the one thing necessary,...
Homily: Twenty-fourth Sunday Year C Reading 1: One of the mysteries of revelation is our God is a merciful God, not weak, but compassionate and forgiving. He is also a just God. The...
Thought of the Day September 12, 2019 Keep our eyes on the prize
By spiritaflame 9:45 AM Thought of the DayTo arrive at a pure heart, what we need is a well-ordered life with a single focus, so that each step, each decision leads in the right direction. We need to reflect on...
Reflection on Scriptures Twenty-fourth Sunday Gospel C God's mercy
By spiritaflame 11:05 AM Reading ReflectionsTwenty-fourth Sunday Gospel Reflections C 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...
Thought of the Day September 10, 2019 The place of Jesus in our lives
By spiritaflame 11:02 AM Thought of the DayReflecting on purity of heart the writer Mark Shea comments. He uses the illustration of a rose window in a Church or Cathedral to teach about what it means to be single-hearted. He...
In reference to purity of heart, Pope Benedict weighs in and says: “The heart—the wholeness of man—must be pure, interiorly open and free, in order for man to be able to see God....
In the Beatitude "Blessed are the pure of heart" what does the heart signify? Pope Francis reflected on this. He said: “Let us now try to understand more fully how this blessedness comes...
Homily Twenty-Third Sunday Year C Reading 1: Who can know the mind of God? God is perfect; we are imperfect. God is uncreated Spirit; we are created body and spirit. Our body is...
Thought of the Day September 5, 2019 The intention of the heart
By spiritaflame 9:41 AM Thought of the Day"Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God." This beatitude focuses on the true intention of the heart of the person. Why am I doing what I am doing? Am I...
Reflection on Scripture Twenty-third Sunday Gospel C Discipleship
By spiritaflame 10:36 AM Reading ReflectionsTwenty-third Sunday Gospel Reflections C Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, · Jesus gives some reflections on the role and life of a disciple. “If anyone comes...
Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God," Another translation has “Blessed are the single-hearted.” Which means “to be without admixture, to be simply one thing.” Of all...
Thought of the Day September 3, 2019 Conclusion on mourning for sin
By spiritaflame 8:57 AM Thought of the DayWhatever our response to mourning, the point of the beatitude is that a blessing remains on those who mourn because the blessing is due to the love of Christ, not the goodness of...
Thought of the Day September 2, 2019 Pope Benedict XVI on mourning
By spiritaflame 10:18 AM Thought of the DayPope Benedict XVI gives us his insight into the efficacy of mourning for the sins of the world. “Tradition has yielded another image of mourning that brings salvation: Mary standing under the Cross with her...
