Deacon's corner

Deacon's corner The reading are the daily reading of the Gospel in the Catholic Church and a short reflection.

06/25/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.

As we continue through the twelfth week of ordinary time, we discover that Jesus is teaching His disciples that His words and teaching is that of action. God wants us not only hear his words but to act on them. We must understand that Jesus came for us to follow him by word and deeds. May we understand the importance of this reading for our own salvation.

06/24/2026

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?”
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day
of his manifestation to Israel.

As we continue our journey through the twelfth week of ordinary time, we read of the birth of John the Baptist. The man who would teach us to repent and recognize Jesus for who He is. John taught us to decrease in who we are so that Jesus could increase in us. John was the last of the prophets and the greatest. He is the one who pointed mankind to Jesus. He is the one who showed us we are born for the purpose of bringing other to God. May we honor the Baptist today by bringing Christ into someone's life. May we identify the Lord and proclaim it wherever we are.

06/23/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

As we continue our journey through the twelfth week of ordinary time, we hear Jesus speaking of the Gift of heaven, eternal life. Jesus makes no doubt the entrance to heaven is small and not all will go through its gate. The gate of hell is wide and will be entered by many. Many believers believe that all are saved because of the blood of Christ, which is true but not all will choose that path to follow. The chose is yours, choose wisely.

06/22/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

As we continue our journey through the twelfth week of ordinary time, we hear Jesus telling us to quit judging one another. I think He would be screaming that in today's world of hiding behind social media and our politics. We have become a holier than though society. We judge others as if they were dolls and non human. Jesus reminds us that if we are going to call out the splinters in others eyes we better remove the plank in our own. May God give us the grace and insight to stop doing what the world seems to be pushing more and more and let us try to live with each others faults and try to remove our own.

06/21/2026

Jesus said to the Twelve:
"Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

As we continue our journey through ordinary time we have reached the twelfth week. Today we hear Jesus tell us do not be afraid. We are so special to God that if you believe in Him no one can hurt you. They may kill your body but not your spirit. We can look Francis and Clair, Mother Theresa, John Paul II, Maximillian Kolbe, Peter and Paul. We could go on and on because so many of the martyrs changed the world because they no longer feared the world rather they went out to change it. Everyone who commits themself to God will often be shunned by the world but remembered when they get to heaven. Be not afraid!

06/20/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
"No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?'
or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

As we continue our journey through the eleventh week of ordinary time, we hear Jesus tell his disciples "do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself." Another words have faith in God. Faith is not worrying about the things of Earth rather focus on the things of Heaven. We can learn not only about this faith from Jesus but from also from the Saints who followed him. Francis and Claire focused on the poor and rebuilding of the church. St. Theresa gave up her life as a principal to take care of the poor. Many saints gave up their lives for others. The early church martyrs helped transform an empire from polytheism to monotheism. May our faith in God help others see Him more clearly. Today pray for the faith of a martyr.

06/19/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be."

As we continue our journey through the eleventh week of ordinary time we hear Jesus state do not store up treasure here on earth that can be eaten up my moths or stolen etc. Jesus was stating our treasures are for sharing with one another. He did not say you could not save so you can have some for later but He did say if you over value these treasures they take over your heart. The message with our Lenten theme to make room in your heart for the grace of God. When we fill our wants and desire with earthly possessions we leave little if any room for the light of Christ. Take time today to reflect on Do i have possessions that take my eyes of Christ? If so the choice is yours to what to do with such possessions.

06/18/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

As we continue our journey through the eleventh week of ordinary time, we hear Jesus teach the apostles how to pray. Why was this important for Jesus to do? Other prophets were responsible for teaching their disciples how to pray. It is said John the Baptist's prayer centered around repenting. Jesus gave us the prayer which we call the Our Father. He taught us that our prayer is that of action not just contemplation. He taught us to know God already knows what we want before we pray so your prayer must be of belief. Jesus taught us to call God our Father and ask Him to be with us all day, everyday. He taught us our sins will be forgiven as we forgive those who sin against us. May we pray the Our Father today in Words, Actions and Spirit.

06/17/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

As we continue our journey through the eleventh week of ordinary times, we hear Jesus tell His disciple to fast, give alms and pray in private and not to let others know what you are doing. Jesus is teaching the disciples to be sure that you are performing acts for God and yourself, for if others know what you are doing you will be getting your reward here on Earth rather than in heaven. Do the works of God for the graces of heaven not the rewards of Earth.

06/16/2026

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

As we continue our journey through the eleventh week of ordinary time, we discover Jesus on the mountain continuing His sermon on the mount. To love our enemies and those who persecute you is what Jesus is asking us to do. Wait what? He wants us to love our enemy and be kind to them? This is a hard command and one many of us find difficult to do. When we reflect on this we realize those who did such a thing helped change the world. The early Christians went through trial and persecution that led to the cruelest, most anti Christian city of the world to become Christian. We watch many saints change the people and reshape the church by showing this love. We have seen hatred turn into love and nations become Christian. It has not stopped and is still happening today.

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