School of Love Podcast

Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:37-41 – After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.  He entered and reclined at table to eat.  The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.  The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees!  Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.  You fools!  Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?  But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you."

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

How about that coming from a dinner guest!  Jesus is very serious about wanting us to live genuine lives.  He wants us to be clean on the inside, not just look clean.  This is a great reminder of the importance of doing a daily Examine, an Examination of Conscience at the end of the day, where we consider our sins, confess them and apologize to God, and pray and resolve to do better with God’s help the next day.  And this is also a great reminder of our need for Confession. Most Catholics don’t make it a priority to get to Confession regularly, even after they have sinned seriously. They approach Communion looking clean to everyone else, but inside they are caked with sin. 

Our family needs to take the Sacrament of Confession seriously.  We need to try to go more regularly.  God wants us to encounter Him in His mercy, and He wants to clean us from the inside out.  Imagine Him as our dinner guest…what joy it would be to hear Him say: “Inside you are filled…with Me!”  During prayer, let’s examine our consciences as well as we can and plan to go to Confession soon.    

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

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Monday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:29-32 – While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.  Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.  At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.  At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here."

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“There is something greater than Solomon here…there is something greater than Jonah here.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

The people who hear Jesus are amazed because He teaches “with authority.”  This doesn’t necessarily mean that He raises His voice or pounds His fists on the pulpit.  It means that He teaches not just about important things, but about the most important thing: Himself.  This is a part of Jesus’ message that most people today don’t grasp, but people in Jesus’ time understood.

We have to make a choice, not simply about Jesus’ teachings (which, fundamentally, most people agree with), but about Him, the Person of Jesus.  Is Jesus the Son of God?  To simply like Jesus, or to think He is a great teacher, isn’t enough: “something greater is here.”  Our lives are about choosing Jesus.  

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

For a shorter option of today’s Gospel reading, please visit:  http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Matthew 22: 1-14 – Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.  The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.  Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come.  Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.  But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

This parable about the Kingdom of God has both stern and merciful parts to it.  It is always a wicked thing to reject an invitation to God’s Kingdom.  However, look at the great mercy that is brought about by this rejection of God.  At the rejection of the King and his invitation by those first invited, the king then says, “Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find…” whomever you find.  Whom is God willing to welcome into the Kingdom?  Anyone.

God is willing to welcome anyone into His kingdom, “the good and the bad alike.”  Does it sound strange that the bad can be welcomed into the Kingdom of God?  God, in His infinite mercy, pardons sinners of their past offenses against Him.  One central truth present in this parable is that it is God who saves us; we cannot save ourselves.  He saves us not because we deserve it, but because He is merciful.  Another truth presented in this parable is that we must accept His invitation of mercy.  We aren’t automatically saved; we must accept and respond to His grace.  Our one job, always, is to say “Yes” to God.

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:27-28 - While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

God the Father speaks only a few times in the Gospels, and gives only one instruction, “Listen to Him.”  Mary, Christ’s Mother, speaks only a few times in the Gospels, and gives only one instruction, “Do whatever He tells you.”  God our Father and Mary our Mother are telling us how much we need to learn from and listen to Christ.  But how do we “listen” to God?  

There are a lot of ways to listen to God.  Perhaps the best place to start is in the Scriptures, which are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The Gospels in particular reveal the words, teachings, and life of Jesus Himself.  The more exposure we have to the Gospels, the more exposure we have to Christ.  Let’s consider how we might better prioritize this time of family prayer, so we can hear God’s word and better follow Him.  

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)   

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Friday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:15-26 - When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons."  Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.  But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.  And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.  But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe.  But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, 'I shall return to my home from which I came.'  But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.  Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first." 

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

People were awful to Jesus!  They accused Jesus of being evil, even though He had done so much good!  In a similar, but much smaller way, Christians today who stand up for the truth are accused of being closed-minded, intolerant, and even cruel.  People who say these things about good Christians today are wrong, just like the accusers of Jesus.  

Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me…”  We should be very confident every time we do the right thing, regardless of what others might think.  We should feel very confident when we set certain standards in our marriage and family, regardless of what other marriages and families do.  The way we spend our time, the things we choose for entertainment and media, the way we spend Sundays, might look different from those around us.  But we should be confident because we stand with Christ.              

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)   

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:5-13 - Jesus said to his disciples: "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed.  I cannot get up to give you anything.’  I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?  Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?  If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

Pretend that you are a hungry child and you need bread.  Stop for a moment and think about asking a stranger for that bread...  Now, think about asking your father for that same bread.  What a huge difference there is between the two.  Why?  The need doesn’t change.  The gift doesn’t change.  What changes is the relationship.  How much better it is to ask your father!

Jesus isn’t simply teaching us to ask God for things because He can give them.  He is teaching us to ask God for things because He is our Father.  What a huge difference it would make in our attitude if we asked for God’s help not as strangers, but as His beloved children.  Then see “how much more will the Father in heaven give.”  Is there anything you would like to ask of God your Father today in prayer?   

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)  

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 11:1-4 - Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”  He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name, 

your Kingdom come.  

Give us each day our daily bread 

and forgive us our sins 

for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, 

and do not subject us to the final test.”

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

Yesterday we heard about the prayer of Mary of Bethany, and how Jesus honored her decision to pray—calling it the one necessary thing.  St. Luke follows this story with today’s Gospel.  Here, Jesus is praying, and the disciples ask Him to teach them to pray like Him.  We, the readers, are supposed to see in these stories the importance Jesus gives to deep prayer, and, with the disciples, we are also meant to ask the question: “How do we do that?”

Jesus teaches the disciples what we now call the “Our Father” or the “Lord’s Prayer.”  There is so much to be said about it, but one thing that first comes to mind is that Jesus is telling His disciples to bring their whole lives to God in prayer.  Look at what is contained in the short lines of the “Lord’s Prayer”: praise, petition and contrition are all found therein.  This prayer encompasses so much of what the human soul needs to express to God.  It applies, in some way, to every part of our lives.  We can understand from this that our whole lives can and should be filled with prayer.  Consider the four types of prayer and see which ones are missing from our daily lives: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Petition. 

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 10:38-42  - Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.  She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.  Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me.”  The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Martha, burdened with much serving…”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

Families (especially parents), listen to this!  Listen to this!  Martha was “burdened with much serving.”  She wasn’t burdened with anything bad—not with sin or selfishness.  She wasn’t even burdened with anything neutral—work or money.  She was burdened with something good—she was burdened with serving.  She was sincerely trying to do something for the Lord… But it wasn’t what He wanted from her.  Families, parents, why do we work and work and work trying to do good for each other and for God, never once stopping to listen to what He really wants?  It is fine and good to serve God if we are doing what He is asking.  

To find out what God is asking, we first need to sit at His feet and listen.  What good is it to spend our lives doing things for God if we are constantly doing something He doesn’t want from us?  It’s a waste of our energy.  God has something better for us.  He knows that we need time…to sit and listen.  We need to make time to sit and listen.  We need to make more time to sit and listen.  Jesus is asking us to listen… Will we stop and listen?  Take a moment, right now, and answer Jesus in all honesty: “Yes” or “No”?

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)  

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Luke 10:25-37 - There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“Go and do likewise.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

The parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the best-loved parables of Christ, is wonderful on many levels. Certainly, it is a wonderful story of human compassion. It is also a beautiful expression of God’s desire to include all people in His family. Finally, it is a profound story that many people, including St. Augustine, have seen as an allegory of the story of Redemption: the dying sinner is us, the Good Samaritan is Christ, and the innkeeper watching over the sick man until the Savior’s return is the Church.

But Jesus doesn’t simply wish to leave us with a story. Jesus doesn’t just want to teach us about principles—He wants His words to be put into action, to change our lives. After Jesus finishes answering the pompous scholar of the law, He challenges the scholar with his own line of questioning. After He is sure the scholar understands His point, He says, “Go and do likewise.” Understanding Jesus’ message isn’t quite enough… We have to go out and live it. Who is hurt, sick, sad, lonely, disabled, old, unpopular, discouraged…that we would choose to avoid? Consider that person…and go and help them!

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Matthew 21:33-43 – Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: 

The stone that the builders rejected 
has become the cornerstone; 
by the Lord has this been done, 
and it is wonderful in our eyes? 

Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud

“the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family

To help us understand a part of any story, it helps us to see where this part belongs in the larger story. To better understand this parable, we should see it in context of the whole story. Here Jesus has recently entered Jerusalem triumphantly accepting the shouts of a large crowd declaring Him the king. Then He goes to the Temple, and instead making a scene declaring opposition to the Romans (as the Jews expected from the Messiah) Jesus makes a scene declaring opposition to some current Jewish practices by overturning tables of money-changers and those selling pigeons for sacrifice. So at this point, the leaders of the Jews are furious and demanding answers. With this parable Jesus is calling these leaders the wicked tenants who were put in charge but have repeatedly failed to obey God’s will, who have repeatedly rejected and killed God’s messengers the prophets, and who soon will kill His very Son. Therefore, Jesus tells them, the kingdom of God will be taken out of their hands and given to others.

God is patient; but He will not be a doormat. God has a will that is perfect, for us and for others. So he expects of us that we would fulfill it, for our sake and for the sake others. If we ignore His will, reject His will, oppose His will…He will be patient, but ultimately He will be decisive. So let’s be very grateful for the many, many chances God has given us… but let’s not be so foolish to think that He will not act definitively and powerfully.

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)

Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.

Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)

Subscribers to Pier receive family prayer delivered daily via email.

Congrats, you’re subscribed to Pier! You’ll start receiving Daily Family Prayer via email very soon.