Dad Talk guide to the Sunday Mass readings

Our Sunday Mass readings carry an important theme: keeping our covenant with God. Along the way, this week's Dad Talk will also focus on additional lessons we can draw about apostolic succession and what it means to be "saved." Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Jesus's true presence - body, blood, soul, and divinity - in the Eucharist is one of the Catholic Church's distinctive doctrines, the source and summit of our faith. And though the mystery of the Eucharist is revealed in the Bible beginning in Genesis and continuing all the way to the Book of Revelation, the readings for this Sunday's Solemnity are key pieces of the puzzle. We'll dive deeply into these readings because it's so important to understand that our lives are united with God's when we receive the Eucharist in faith.

PLEASE share this Dad Talk episode with a friend, especially one who struggles accepting that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. God bless! Dad

This week's readings are short, but they contain beautiful and eternal truths about the Most Holy Trinity. They also give us a choice. We'll discuss all that - and conduct a refresher on what it means to have a "Solemnity" - in this week's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

As Pope Leo the Great explained, "the law was given on Mount Sinai fifty days after the immolation of the paschal lamb. Similarly, after the passion of Christ in which the true Lamb of God was killed, just fifty days after his resurrection, the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles and the whole group of believers. Thus, the earnest Christian may easily perceive that the beginnings of the Old Covenant were at the service of the beginnings of the gospel and that the same Spirit who instituted the Second Covenant." As usual, the New Testament can only be understood in light of the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New! We'll discuss that beautiful feature of Pentecost -- and much more -- in this week's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Unless you're in the Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, or Philadelphia Dioceses, then this Sunday you're celebrating the Ascension of the Lord. In this week's Dad Talk, we'll explore the many wonderful details of the readings associated with that celebration. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This Sunday's readings are filled with references to the Holy Spirit, the paraclete. In this week's Dad Talk, we'll unpack those references and discuss how we should be thinking about the Holy Spirt in our prayer life. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In this Sunday's first reading, we see the consecration of the Church's first deacons! We'll talk about that passage at length, as well as our own role in teaching and evangelizing the Good News. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This week's readings include the difficult teaching that suffering is our vocation as Christians. We suffer for Christ, our Good Shepherd, because he suffered for us. We'll discuss that subject - and why it was such a big deal for the early Christians to call Jesus "Lord" - in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

The common thread between this Sunday's three readings is that God planned to save us through Jesus's passion, death, and resurrection from the beginning of time. And the readings' details are amazing - from how Jesus died in atonement for our sins to the institution of the Mass, including the Eucharistic celebration. We'll discuss it all in this week's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This weekend, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a devotion that came from the life and writings of Saint Faustina. What's amazing is that our Gospel reading is about Jesus instituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation by giving the Apostles the power to forgive sins—one of the most merciful acts imaginable. We'll discuss that—and how God wants to refine us like gold until we are Saints—in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

We'll take a quick look at all the readings from the Easter Vigil (and there are many) because collectively, they contain the entirety of salvation history. We'll conclude with Jesus's encounter with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in Matthew's Gospel, which is a beautiful reminder that we need to know and understand the Bible and the Church's teachings AND ALSO have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to truly be his disciples. Happy Easter, He is Risen! God bless, Dad.

As we enter into the holiest week of the year, it is especially important to pay attention to all the details in our Sunday readings. Hidden inside Jesus's passion narrative are countless prophecies from the Old Testament, plus lessons about how we must be disciples. There's SO much to discuss in this week's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This week's Gospel reading includes two powerful messages: suffering often glorifies God, and Jesus has the power to defeat death itself. But along the way, the passage throws a few curveballs, such as the curious fact that Jesus "remained for two days in the place where he was" after learning that his friend Lazarus was ill. In today's Dad Talk, we'll dive deeply into the details and also unravel why the prophet Ezekiel is talking about the Lord opening graves in the first reading. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

During this Sunday's Gospel reading, we learn that it is not Jesus or the blind man (who can now see) who are on trial but rather the Pharisees - who persist in their spiritual blindness. In today's Dad Talk, we'll discuss how Jesus calls us to the light, and how we must respond when we see darkness in the world. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

St. Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” That's absolutely true. But sometimes we forget that Jesus's heart is also restless until we rest in Him. This week's Dad Talk will unpack the Gospel story about the Samaritan woman at the well, and how that story's details serve as a powerful reminder of what Jesus wants from us—during our Lenten journey and every day. As we celebrate the First Scrutiny for those entering the Church this Easter Vigil, please share this Good News with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Anthony the Great explained that Abraham's response to God's call—to do as God directed and leave everything behind—is the model for how we should respond to Jesus's call to repent and follow Him. In today's Dad Talk, we'll discuss the circumstances that make Abraham's response so remarkable, and what following Jesus means for us today. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This Sunday's readings contain the entire history of our fallen nature, from Original Sin in the Garden of Eden, to the resulting concupiscence passed to each generation, to our redemption in Christ's death and resurrection.  We'll examine the connections between these readings—and the incredible symbolism of what was going on in the Garden—in this week's Dad Talk.  As we enter into Lent, PLEASE share with a friend, and God bless!  Dad

As an anonymous early Church Father explained, Christ's commandment contains the law, but the law does not contain Christ's commandment. In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus walks through several of the 10 Commandments, then elevates them by explaining how we must avoid sin interiorly as well as exteriorly. We'll explain what that means in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In this Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus exhorts us to be salt and light for the world. But what does he mean by that? And how are we supposed to live that way? We'll explore that subject in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

We may tend to move quickly through the Beatitudes in today's Gospel, but they teach us something very important - how to live like Jesus, leading to salvation and evangelization.  We'll discuss how in greater detail in today's Dad Talk.  Please share with a friend, and God bless!  Dad

Like Abraham, the Apostles in today's Gospel reading heard God's call and immediately left everything behind to do what God asked. We'll discuss what that means for us—and why we hear about Zebulun and Naphtali in both the first reading and the Gospel—in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless!

When John the Baptist sees Jesus, he cries out, "Behold, the Lamb of God." What does he mean by that? We'll explore that comment - and how Paul calls us to be holy - in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This week's Dad Talk will explore the significance of the Baptism of the Lord as depicted in the Gospels, highlighting unique aspects of each Gospel account. It delves into the prophecies of Isaiah, the theological implications of Jesus' baptism, and the universal call of baptism and our responsibilities that come with being heirs in Christ. Please share with a friend, and God bless!

This Solemnity's readings include one of the most famous passages in the Gospels: the visit of the three magi. There are many mysteries to unpack in this story—including how the Church Fathers ask us to imitate the magi at every Mass we attend—all in today's Dad Talk. God bless! Dad

We have three short readings for today's Holy Day of Obligation, but they pack a theological wallop. As we honor Mary, today's Dad Talk will focus on how our relationship with God our Father changed as a result of the incarnation. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

This Sunday’s first reading and Gospel reading are a juxtaposition of someone who lacked humility (King Ahaz) and someone who was truly humble (Joseph).  We'll discuss that in more detail—and why we shouldn’t assume that Joseph believed Mary had committed adultery when he learned she was pregnant—in this week’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today’s Gospel reading starts with John the Baptist asking if Jesus is the Messiah (“the one who is to come”) or if they should wait for another.  Did John have doubts about Jesus’ identity?  Or did he have another purpose for his question?  We’ll discuss that, plus the three exhortations in the second reading from James, as we continue our Advent journey in this week’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and god bless! Dad

Today we celebrate a special Holy Day of Obligation - the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. We know that the Church teaches that Mary was born without Original Sin and remained sinless her entire life; but where can we find this belief in the Bible? As it turns out, in many places! We'll discuss them in this Bonus Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

So many questions from today’s readings!  We know Jesus is the “stump of Jesse” in the first reading from Isaiah, but how do we know that? If John the Baptist wants to encourage conversion and repentance, why did he center his ministry in the desert and the Jordan River? Matthew mentions that John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt; what is this fashion statement doing in the middle of today’s Gospel? John the Baptist recognizes that Jesus is greater than John, but why did he bring up Jesus’ sandals? And in Paul’s letter to the Romans, what are the “promises to the patriarchs” fulfilled in Jesus Christ? We’ll discuss the answers to these questions—and learn more about how all three readings are connected—in today’s Dad Talk.

Happy Advent and happy Church New Year! It's that time when we prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But this preparation period is not simply to celebrate Jesus's birth; it's a time to prepare for the second coming of Jesus at the end of Time, when all people and all nations will be judged. In today’s Dad Talk, we'll discuss how today’s Advent readings instruct us to prepare. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today, we close our Church year with an important Solemnity. But do you know why Pope Pius XI instituted it? If so, then you can appreciate why we need this feast – and today’s readings – more than ever.  Learn all about it in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

As we near the end of our Church year, the readings shift to discussing the Four Last Things: Final Tribulation, Return of Christ, Judgment, and Resurrection. We'll discuss the Final Tribulation (today's Gospel reading) and the Last Judgment (today's first reading) in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today's Feast celebrates the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome, the "mother and head of all churches in the city and the world." To go along with that Feast, our readings beautifully explain how we should think about our church buildings and communities as places where God can dwell. We'll dive into the topic in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

All Souls' Day is a great reminder to pray for the souls in Purgatory. But why is Purgatory necessary? And what does the Bible have to say about it? We'll explore those questions in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today’s Gospel reading is the origin of a famous 4th century petition called the “Jesus prayer” or “prayer of the heart.” It's a beautiful expression of humility, recognizing that we are creatures, not the creator. Equally beautiful is Paul’s reflection in the second reading as he prepares for his martyrdom. We’ll dive into the details of both in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

God already knows our needs; he doesn't require us to bring those needs to his attention or to ask for them. So why does God ask us to pray unceasingly? We'll answer that question in this Bonus Dad Talk.

In today’s first reading, Moses persistently prays to God using the “orans posture” that is distinctive to priests at Mass. Why should we refrain from using that posture at Mass - even during the Our Father? The Gospel then picks up on the importance of persistent prayer to God in the Parable of the Persistent Widow, promising that God will “see to it that justice is done for [those who pray] speedily.”  So why doesn’t God speedily answer our every request when we pray?  We’ll explore these questions and more in today’s Dad Talk. And be sure to listen to the Bonus Dad Talk - Why do we pray?

Please share with a friend, and God bless!

Dad

Faithful Dad Talk listeners will immediately look for the connection between the first reading and the Gospel reading and say, "Aha!  Both of these readings involve curing leprosy!" But the connections and meaning run much deeper than that. To see them, we need to study Elisha and this mysterious Naaman figure in the reading from 2 Kings. Learn all about that, and much more, in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today's beautiful readings have the common theme of "faith." But they speak about that topic in some surprising ways. We'll explore them in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Lots of questions from today’s readings. What was the big deal with eating lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall? Who was the “Timothy” to whom Paul was writing? What was the “bosom of Abraham,” and why didn’t anyone warn the rich man that merely calling to Abraham was insufficient to save his eternal soul?  Answers to all these questions and more in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke is a puzzler.  Why would Jesus praise the dishonest steward?  Here’s a hint: it has to do with his shrewdness.  Learn all about the first century Jewish context of the reading and what Jesus is asking us to do in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God Bless! Dad

Today's Feast Day - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - has an amazing history. In today's Dad Talk, we'll discuss how the True Cross was discovered, the beginning of public veneration of the Cross, why the crucifix is not a forbidden "graven image," and what Christ's crucifixion means for the way we live. Don't miss this episode, and be sure to share it with a friend. God bless! Dad

Today’s first reading from Wisdom makes clear that God’s ways are not our ways.  Jesus makes that abundantly clear in the Gospel reading from Luke, when he says we must hate our family and give up all we own to follow him.  But don't Jesus's demands make us his slaves?  Not at all!  In today’s Dad Talk, we’ll explore how giving up earthly things makes us truly free - and why we must always love our parents. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Pride is considered the first and worst of the deadly sins, and it's the subject of our first reading and Gospel this weekend.  We'll discuss pride and its antidote, humility - and also unravel a very dense and confusing second reading - in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless!  Dad

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches that “many” who know Him will not be welcomed at the heavenly banquet. What do we need to do to make sure we have a seat at the table? And what tools does God give us to help? Believe it or not, it is afflictions and discipline! We’ll discuss those helps and more in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In today’s first reading, the prophet Jeremiah is dropped into a cistern.  How does that story connect to today’s Gospel reading about divisions in the family, or to the second reading about running a race with our eyes fixed on Jesus?  Quite beautifully.  We’ll put all the pieces together in today’s Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In the final portion of today's Gospel reading, did you catch the foundational principles regarding the doctrine of purgatory? We'll discuss those - and what it means to have the faith of Abraham - in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

Our first reading from Ecclesiastes begins, "Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, . . . All things are vanity!" Who is Qoheleth? What is he talking about? And what does this reading have to do with the parable of the rich fool in today's Gospel? We'll answer those questions—and discuss the importance of detachment—in today's Dad Talk. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray the Our Father, making this one of the most important Dad Talks of the summer. In it, we'll explore many of the prayer's nooks and crannies and what those details mean for our prayer life. Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad

In today’s second reading, Paul says that he is “filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.”  Is he saying that Christ’s atoning sacrifice was somehow incomplete?  Absolutely not!  Learn what Paul was saying, as well as the difference between Abraham and Martha's hospitality, in today’s Dad Talk.

Please share with a friend, and God bless! Dad