Fasting reminds us through our experience of hunger about our fundamental need to receive nourishment. This experience helps us understand our spiritual need for the Lord, and out of this awareness we can cultivate gratitude in our heart for the blessings lavished upon us. What's more, as we comprehend our basic needs we become more willing to help those in their need as well.
February 12, 2016 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com for an archive of all presentations.
Moses tells the people he has set life and death before them...choose life! Jesus reminds his disciples what profit is there to gain the whole world and lose your life? As we repent and believe in the Gospel, may we always choose to follow the Lord - the source of all life.
February 11, 2016 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes or at www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com for an archive of all presentations.
Ashes are common in our daily life - every fire leads to them. But note these two qualities:
Welcome to the reality of sin: The ashes we wear are an outward sign that we wish to turn away from all that soils our souls and harms our hearts. May the words we hear today help us to seek the cleansing life that comes from Christ. The words are clear:
Repent, and Believe in the Gospel
February, 10, 2016 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com for an archive of all presentations.
Christ comes to Jerusalem - knowing that he will suffer and die - that through his Cross and Resurrection we might be saved from sin and death. Like a firefighter, he approaches the fire to rescue us. He invites us to take his hand, that he might lead us into a freedom of faith and eternal life.
Our invitation is to let go of the sins and hurts that have bound us; to unclench our hands from past injuries and allow his saving grace to set us free.
March 29, 2015 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci - studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to threegreatthings.libsyn.com or "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
Live is precious and sacred - a gift from God that can invite us to consider two points:
Jesus Christ values our lives; he paid for them with his blood on the Cross. May we cherish and live this precious gift with faith, hope, and love!
March 22, 2015 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci - studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com or "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
Jesus uses an image of a grain of wheat: how it falls to the ground, dies, and then rises into new life. This pattern of death to new life will be traced in Holy Week as the Lord offers his life on the Cross and changes the world through his Resurrection.
This pattern of death to new life applies to us as well. One day we will also make the journey from death to eternal life. Furthermore, at this moment we can use this pattern to die to sin and rise with God's grace.
March 3, 2015 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
We use the words "I love you" all the time - even when life is difficult. Love is an affirmation that we cherish others...particularly when challenges and struggles occur. The same is true for the Lord:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..."
These words are spoken to us in hope - that even when we make big mistakes God reaches out to us in love. God remains faithful, welcoming, and present to us. May we accept the love of God into our hearts and share that love with those placed before us.
March 3, 2015 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
Often as spring starts to roll around many of us look around at the parts of the house that you could use a little cleaning. Maybe it's something we haven't used for a long time, or perhaps there are items that simply need to be recycled, repurposed, or regifted to another. Whatever it is, the process is the same: we evaluate what we have and determine what should stay, and what needs to go.
The same process is true for our spiritual lives. The 10 Commandments were given to the people of Israel to help them know how to live - to determine what needed to stay or go from their hearts.
In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the Temple and teaches that his own body - a temple - will be destroyed and raised up. This cleansing and the lesson of death/life is true for us as well. Christ comes to cleanse our hearts, and through his death and resurrection he will not only purify our lives, but he will create a temple where he will dwell among us.
March 3, 2015 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
The sacrifice of Isaac sounds truly terrible - that someone would offer their only beloved son. It assaults our sense of goodness, human dignity, and respect...and this is an accurate assessment.
And yet this is exactly what God did for us. The Father offers his beloved son as a sacrifice. A working definition for "sacrifice" may be:
"to give up something because we believe in something greater"
Simply put, the depth of our sacrifices reveals the extent of our values, convictions, and love. It is the love, revealed in the transfigured glory of Christ, which inspires us to offer our lives as a sacrifice for others.
March 1, 2015 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
Christ's words in the Gospel of Mark are brief and to the point:
To do these two crucial points we look at three parts of our lives: thoughts, words, actions. We evaluate these parts by three steps:
This simple sentence has the potential to quickly and decisively evaluate our Lenten journey.
February 21, 2015 - St. William Church - Foxboro, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
The messy, dirty, grimy ashes on the outside remind us of the messy, dirty, grimy reality of sin in our hearts. As we repent and believe in the Gospel, may we call upon the Lord to wash us clean with the grace of Jesus Christ.
February 18, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com
The death of the Lord on the Cross reveals God's uncondional love to take away sin and as Jesus stood in our place.
April 12, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts, go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
Lazarus, brought back to life by Jesus, is given a second chance - a gift - to live his life. His example reminds us that every day is a gift from the Lord to share our lives with joy and power.
April 6, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts, go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
Thirst is a common experience of human life. We need water, and we have all experienced the physical sensation that tells us what we need:
The same is true for our souls, when we feel the thirst - the longing - for something in our hearts. In our need Jesus Christ comes to us - with the living water that restores us to life.
March 23, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts, go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
A test determines the extent and limit of our ability, knowledge, and power. Tests reveal our strengths and weaknesses - showing us parts of our lives that we might not otherwise notice.
Temptation, like testing, uncovers those parts of our hearts where we our vulnerable. The weaknesses of Adam & Eve are redeemed by the Lord, who faced his three temptations and triumphed over them. May we turn to Christ and draw strength, that even when we are tempted, we can trust in his grace.
March 9, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI
Fr. Andrew Ricci
studyprayserve.com
For more podcasts, go to "Catholic Inspiration" in iTunes.
or www.threegreatthings.libsyn.com