Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

Ordinary Weekday / Martin de Porres, Religious

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

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) by Mr. Rob Corzine.

THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) First Reading: Wisdom 3: 1-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Second Reading: Romans 5: 5-11
Alleluia: Matthew 25: 34
Gospel: John 6: 37-40

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) by Mr. Rob Corzine.

THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS)

First Reading: Wisdom 3: 1-9

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Second Reading: Romans 5: 5-11

Alleluia: Matthew 25: 34

Gospel: John 6: 37-40

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints by Dr. Scott Hahn.

ALL SAINTS Solemnity First Reading: Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 24: 1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
Second Reading: First John 3: 1-3
Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28
Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints by Dr. Scott Hahn.

ALL SAINTS Solemnity

First Reading: Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 24: 1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

Second Reading: First John 3: 1-3

Alleluia: Matthew 11: 28

Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a

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Readings:
Deuteronomy 6:2–6
Psalm 18:2–4, 47, 51
Hebrews 7:23–28
Mark 12:28–34

Love is only law we are to live by. And love is the fulfillment of the Law that God reveals through Moses in today’s First Reading (see Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 5:43–48).

The unity of God—the truth that He is one God, Father, Son, and Spirit—means that we must love Him with one love, a love that serves Him with all our hearts and minds, souls and strength.

We love Him because He has loved us first. We love our neighbor because we can’t love the God we haven’t seen unless we love those made in His image and likeness, whom we have seen (see 1 John 4:19–21).

And we are called to imitate the love that Christ showed us in laying His life down on the Cross (see 1 John 3:16). As we hear in today’s Epistle, by His perfect sacrifice on the Cross, He once and for all makes it possible for us to approach God.

There is no greater love than to lay down your life (see John 15:13). This is perhaps why Jesus tells the scribe in today’s Gospel that he is not far from the kingdom of God.

The scribe recognizes that the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the old Law were meant to teach Israel that it is love that God desires (see Hosea 6:6). The animals offered in sacrifice were symbols of the self-sacrifice, the total gift of our selves, that God truly desires.

We are called today to examine our hearts. Do we have other loves that get in the way of our love for God? Do we love others as Jesus has loved us (see John 13:34–35)? Do we love our enemies and pray for those who oppose and persecute us (see Matthew 5:44)?

Let us tell the Lord we love Him, as we do in today’s Psalm. And let us take His Word to heart, that we might prosper and have life eternal in His kingdom, the heavenly homeland flowing with milk and honey.

Lecturas:
Deuteronomio 6, 2-6
Salmo 18, 2-4.47. 57
Hebreos 7, 23-28
Marcos 12, 28-34

El amor es la única ley en la cual debemos vivir. Y, al mismo tiempo, es el cumplimiento de la Ley que Dios le revela a Moisés en la primera lectura de hoy (cfr. Rm 13, 8-10; Mt 5, 43-48).

La unidad de Dios—la verdad de que es un solo Dios: Padre, Hijo, y Espíritu Santo—implica que lo tenemos que amar con un amor único; amor que nos lleve a servirle con todo el corazón, la mente, el alma y las fuerzas.

Lo amamos porque El nos ha amado primero. Amamos a nuestro prójimo porque no podemos amar a Dios, a quien no hemos visto, si no amamos aquellos que fueron creados a su imagen y semejanza; a quienes sí hemos visto (cfr. 1 Jn 4, 19-21).

Y estamos llamados a imitar el amor que Cristo nos mostró cuando entregó su vida en la cruz (cfr. 1 Jn 3, 16). Como escuchamos en la epístola de hoy, mediante su perfecto sacrificio en la cruz, El ha puesto a nuestro alcance, de una vez por todas, la posibilidad de acercarnos a Dios.

No hay amor más grande que el de quien da la vida por otros (cfr. Jn 15, 13). Talvez por ello Jesús, en el Evangelio de este domingo, le dice al escriba que no está lejos del reino de Dios.

El escriba reconoce que los holocaustos y sacrificios de la Antigua Ley buscaban enseñar a Israel que lo que Dios quiere es amor (Os 6,6). Los animales ofrecidos en sacrificio eran símbolo de nuestro propio sacrificio, de nuestra donación total, que es lo que Dios realmente desea.

Las lecturas de hoy interpelan nuestros corazones. ¿Tenemos otros amores que bloquean nuestro amor a Dios? ¿Amamos a nuestros enemigos y oramos por los que nos persiguen (cfr. Mt 5, 44)?

Digámosle al Señor que lo amamos, como cantamos en el salmo de hoy. Y escuchemos de corazón su Palabra, para que podamos prosperar y tener la vida eterna en su Reino, el hogar celestial donde mana leche y miel.

Love is only law we are to live by. And love is the fulfillment of the Law that God reveals through Moses in today’s First Reading (see Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 5:43–48).

The unity of God—the truth that He is one God, Father, Son, and Spirit—means that we must love Him with one love, a love that serves Him with all our hearts and minds, souls and strength.

El amor es la única ley en la cual debemos vivir. Y, al mismo tiempo, es el cumplimiento de la Ley que Dios le revela a Moisés en la primera lectura de hoy (cfr. Rm 13, 8-10; Mt 5, 43-48).

La unidad de Dios—la verdad de que es un solo Dios: Padre, Hijo, y Espíritu Santo—implica que lo tenemos que amar con un amor único; amor que nos lleve a servirle con todo el corazón, la mente, el alma y las fuerzas.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time by Mr. Clement Harrold.

Ordinary Weekday / Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: Romans 11: 1-2a, 11-12, 25-29
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 94: 12-13a, 14-15, 17-18
Alleluia: Matthew 11: 29ab
Gospel: Luke 14: 1, 7-11

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com