The BreadCast

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Spirit-filled daily reflections on the Mass Readings of the Roman Catholic Church from the book Our Daily Bread by James Kurt (with imprimatur). The daily podcasts are voice only, while the podcasts for Sundays and Solemnities are produced with music and other elements. Another podcast recently added: Prayers to the Saints - a prayer to each saint on the calendar for the US. Also with imprimatur.

  1. 1 giờ trước

    September 3 - Thursday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

    (1Cor.3:18-23; Ps.24:1-6; Lk.5:1-11) "Amazement at the catch they had made seized him and all his shipmates." What a truly remarkable scene! Here upon the call of the apostles, the first of apostles, Simon Peter, "fell at the knees of Jesus." Here in his barque, boats once desolate now suddenly fill to bursting with fish flopping about everywhere, unable to be contained… This is a painting for the ages, this blessed moment! It is this image which drives the Church forth, filling the barque of Peter with blessed, saved souls. "From now on you will be catching men," the Lord says to His Rock – and so the Church is called, on this sunlit day. Yes, "the Lord's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it." And how wonderfully that fullness that is the Lord's is revealed in these boats continually filled "until they nearly sank," and how clearly these abundant fish represent we who dwell in God's world. Even literally our psalm is fulfilled: "He founded it upon the seas," David sings; and as He founded the world, so here He finds the Church, His renewal of the world, here upon the Sea of Galilee. Here He sends out His call to those who "stand in His holy place"; and through His apostles all will find the strength and purity to "ascend the mountain of the Lord." Here is the faith firmly rooted, here in the barque of Peter. The race that "seeks the face of the God of Jacob" shall find Him now, shall see Him even as clearly as Peter looking up at Him from here at His knees on this marvelous day. "All things are yours," Paul declares, "and you are Christ's and Christ is God's." Indeed, the fullness of heaven and earth are at our hands through Jesus and the ministry of His apostles. All the apostles are ours, the world is ours, life and death are ours, the present and the future… Why? Because we are in Christ, in the boat in which He sits, surrounding our leader on his knees – all is ours because we leave everything to become His followers. After the Lord's resurrection this scene shall repeat itself, and so the call be fulfilled. Here it begins though, here in "nets [that] were at their breaking point," here in boats that are filled – here in one man falling to his knees, all come before the Lord of all. ******* O LORD, it is only by your power anything is done – make us holy by your Word. YHWH, upon our knees let us come to you; in the way of your Son let us follow, and in Him and in His Church, all shall be ours. What can we lack if united to you? What is not ours if your abundance we know? O LORD, all the world and all those who dwell in it are in your hands. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the soul of every man you hold. And to your Son you give all. And to your Church you give the same. For those who follow Jesus, who leave all behind for the kingdom's sake, shall know your abundant blessings even this day. To what of this earth should we hold, LORD? What is of worth apart from you? Let us know nothing but your Son, the Christ, and we shall ascend your holy mountain, and become holy as you. This alone should be our goal, the desire of our heart must be to be united to you. Praise you for all your blessings, LORD! But praise you most for calling us through your only Son to dwell in your Church, where you reside.

  2. 1 ngày trước

    September 2 - Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

    (1Cor.3:1-9; Ps.33:12-15,20-21; Lk.4:38-44) "To other towns I must announce the Good News of the reign of God, because that is why I was sent." "And He continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea." And He continues to preach to all hearts through His blessed apostles, and His Church continues to grow. To the ends of the earth the kingdom progresses, and we each have a hand in its rising. Yes, "he who plants and he who waters work to the same end," but "neither he who plants nor he who waters is of any special account, only God, who gives the growth." As Paul has said to the Corinthians: "Who is Apollos? And who is Paul? Simply ministers through whom you became believers, each of them doing only what the Lord assigned him." As great as the work of any apostle may be, yet it is God alone through whom progress is made. He alone causes "His cultivation, His building" to grow; it is yet Jesus who announces salvation in any of our lives. Indeed, no matter how big our work, it is God who accomplishes all – but also no matter how small. For all are called. And even as Paul and Apollos plant and water by their great gift of preaching, so we are told of Simon Peter's mother-in-law that once Jesus had cast the fever from her, "she got up immediately and waited on them," entirely ready to perform her work for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God. As with the sick the Lord "laid hands on each of them and cured them," and as He taught with authority, so all in their way are invited to offer their service to the only God and thus become built into His kingdom. It is God who builds the House, but indeed "we are God's co-workers" and must cooperate with His grace. And how we should know Him and His working among us and through us! The demons declared, "You are the Son of God!" for they "knew that He was the Messiah" – they knew well He who had come to destroy them. Why is it we whom He has come to build up do not know Him just as well, or even more? Truly it is "He who fashioned the heart of each [of us], He who knows all [our] works"; it is He "who is our help and our shield," and "in Him our hearts [should] rejoice" – and through Him we should accomplish all. Do we know His presence with us so well? Do we rejoice in Him and do His works and become His work…? Brothers and sisters, let it be indeed that the Good News is announced clearly to all through the Lord working upon our soul. ******* O LORD, in your holy NAME let us trust, and we shall be healed of all our ills and grow unto the kingdom. YHWH, let your Word go forth through your people this day; to the ends of the earth let your Son travel, bringing the Good News of your reign to every soul through your Church and especially her apostles. You dwell in Heaven, O LORD, far above our mortal ways, and we take life and do our work only through you who call us. Let us be your co-workers, branches of the vine that is your Son, and your Church shall be built up in truth, in the power that is only upon Him. Let all be healed of their infirmities, LORD, that all might indeed serve you well; raise us from our bed of pain, release us from the grasp of the devil, and we shall work for you with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Let all be done as you will and all shall rejoice in your glory. It is you who have made us, LORD; we are but your poor creatures. But with the blood of your Son coursing through our veins we rise above this dying flesh and make our home in the Spirit. Let us grow in your House this day.

  3. 2 ngày trước

    September 1 - Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

    (1Cor.2:10-16; Ps.145:8-14,17; Lk.4:31-37) "We have the mind of Christ." The demon has been cast from us and we see the Lord as He is: "Good to all and compassionate toward all His works." "The glorious splendor of [His] kingdom" is before our eyes, and it is this which gives us light. We have bowed ourselves down before Him, the demon has thrown us "to the ground before everyone's eyes," and we have found that "the Lord lifts up those who are falling." No longer "the natural man" who finds "what is taught by the Spirit of God" complete "absurdity," filled with His Spirit we now "recognize the gifts He has given us." And in these gifts we rejoice, for we have become as He is. "The Lord is faithful in all His words and holy in all His works," and so what should we who are His works do but "discourse of the glory of His kingdom and speak of His might," brothers and sisters? Should not all our words and all our works give Him due glory? How can we do otherwise, knowing now how "gracious and merciful" God is and that His "kingdom is a kingdom for all ages"? "All generations" must be called into His holy presence. "He commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they leave." Here is the Good News in action; here is the glory of God come among us. All the evil that possesses the soul of man is cast out by a word from His Son's mouth. And so is paved the way to the kingdom. Brothers and sisters, embrace the Spirit of God at work in the world. Put on the mind of Christ. "The Spirit we have received is not the world's spirit but God's Spirit," and so should we not teach as we have been taught? If indeed the light of the Lord is upon us illumining our minds and hearts, is it not but just that we should be compelled to impart that same Spirit to others that they might not be in darkness but might also be able to "appraise everything" "in a spiritual way," that they too might know "the mind of the Lord"? Devils, be gone! Be silenced before the Son of God! All the evil of the world shall be struck and destroyed by the all-powerful Word of God. All His children sharply shine His saving light. ******* O LORD, let us have your Spirit within us, that our speech may be as your Son's. YHWH, let us be your children of light, with your Spirit within us. The mind of Christ let us put on, and we shall understand all things and be found in your presence. Your Son speaks with authority, LORD, for He speaks your NAME in every word. His word casts all demons from our midst, for what evil can stand before your Spirit? O LORD, let us speak of your glory to all souls, tell the nations of your might. Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages; your dominion shall not pass away. Holy are you, LORD, and no one can know you who does not seek your holiness. But you bless with great gifts those who love you and praise your NAME – your wisdom you grant to the spiritual man. Let us listen to your voice calling to our souls. Let all darkness and sin be cast from our hearts. O let us be faithful to your Word! and we shall find ourselves in your kingdom on high.

  4. 3 ngày trước

    August 31 - Monday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

    (1Cor.2:1-5; Ps.119:97-102; Lk.4:16-30) "Your faith rests not on the wisdom of men but on the power of God." Paul comes to the Corinthians with preaching that has "none of the persuasive force of 'wise' argumentation, but the convincing power of the Spirit," and with them he determines to "speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Similarly, when "Jesus came to Nazareth where He had been reared," in the synagogue He simply read the passage from Isaiah which prophesies the coming Messiah, sat down before the eyes of all, and stated, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." I AM here. I AM He. This is the day of salvation. Period. And here even at the beginning of His ministry we see how the crucifixion is already near, as His townspeople attempt to kill Him for the truth He speaks. Upon what is this simple wisdom, this power of the Lord, based but the Word of God? The psalmist, whose "meditation all the day" is the law of the Lord, declares in truth and in joy: "Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies." It grants him "more understanding than all [his] teachers" and "more discernment than the elders," because all genuine wisdom comes from the Word spoken by the mouth of God and not through human learning. We have seen that Scripture is the foundation of the teaching of Jesus Himself, who is the Word of God made flesh. Yes, He speaks much more through "the appealing discourse which came from His lips." Yes, there is oral tradition as well (for the Word of God is living and active); but on Scripture He begins His instruction, and continually He refers to the Word. Whether rejecting the devil's temptations, rebuking the Pharisees and scribes, or enlightening the people – as He tries to do today by referring to Elijah's having to go to Zarephath and Elisha's healing only the Syrian, to show how prophets are not accepted in their native place – the Lord's words are founded in the Word of God, in Scripture. And, of course, an integral part of that Word is the suffering the Christ must undergo. But notice that even as the people intend "to hurl Him over the edge" of the hill of Nazareth, just as directly as He has spoken truth to them, so directly and with the power of God He "went straight through their midst and walked away." For the Word is as a sword which pierces all the dark limits of the world, and even through death it shall lead all to salvation. Brothers and sisters, let your faith rest on this Word that is Christ found in Scripture and living in the Church, for the Spirit does not die with the devices of the human mind. This Spirit holds eternal life. ******* O LORD, open our eyes that we might see and know the blessing you bring us by your Son's Cross. YHWH, let us follow your Word and your way, the way of your only Son, the way of the Cross that leads to life. Of Christ crucified let us speak; with all our lives let us give witness to Him. Then we shall be obedient to your Word as He – then we shall make your wisdom our own. O LORD, let us meditate on the Word that comes to us in Scripture, that comes walking among us in your Son. All the day let our hearts be set on the illumination your Word brings. Though in the Word we are chastised for our sins, though it lead us along a narrow path; if we observe your precepts and follow in the way of the Christ, you shall guard our steps and keep us from every evil. For then we shall be wiser than all our foes, wiser than any other soul, for then your Spirit will be with us; His power will be upon us. May the Word of Truth come from our Savior's mouth and lived in His very flesh help us to walk straight through the midst of our enemies and come to you.

  5. 4 ngày trước

    August 30 - Sunday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

    (Jer.20:7-9; Ps.63:2-6,8-9; Rom.12:1-2; Mt.16:21-27) "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship." Paul says the same as Jesus when the Lord calls us to "take up [our] cross," to lose our lives for His sake. And as Paul instructs the Romans: "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind," so Jesus teaches Peter, and all His apostles and disciples, when He insists he think as God and not as man. Why? Why is the Lord so harsh with this Rock of the Church (and, as I say, with us all)? The answer is spoken clearly in our reading from Jeremiah. In it the prophet declares in near desperation: "The Word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all the day." He goes so far as to say the Lord has "duped" him, making evident that he had not expected to become "an object of laughter" upon taking on the mantle of prophecy. "Everyone mocks me," he cries; and yet he "must cry out" still the way of the Lord. Yet he must call the people from their sins and warn them of the "violence and outrage" that is near them. He cannot remain silent, though he would greatly wish to, because the Word of the Lord is "like fire burning in [his] heart, imprisoned in [his] bones," and he can do nothing but shout it from the rooftops, though it bring him scorn. And what has this to do with Peter? Peter has just declared that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, and it is his voice above all that will cry out this truth to the ends of the earth; thus he and his fellow apostles must know clearly that to which they are called. As the Lord "must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly… and be killed," so must they walk the same path of persecution. This they must see. The contradiction of the cross they must realize, even as they preach it in this hostile world. For to it they must give themselves completely. How? How can it be that the Christian take up such foolishness in the eyes of the world? How can it be that we die so freely, that we suffer such mockery, such persecution at the hands of sinners? Is it not that our "flesh pines and [our] soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless, and without water" for the living God? And is it not because we know that "as with the riches of a banquet shall [our] soul be satisfied"? The key is in this gospel quote: "The Son of Man will come with His angels in His Father's glory." The key is believing on the third day He was raised. If we have this faith it becomes easy to deny the pleasures of the flesh, for even in this we find the eternal life of the Spirit. Because our "soul clings fast" to God and to the hope that is only in Him, we are able to cling fast to His cross and so "discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." And so we die with Him to live. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Weightless Crucifixion" from The Whole Whale, eighth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, help us always to take the lowest place, that you might call us up to you. YHWH, you give a home to the forsaken and call us to do the same; as you have provided for our needy souls – though we deserved it not – so you call us to care for others, or we shall not find our place with you. We are truly lowly, dear God, for before you, who could stand? How can we hope to sit at the same table as your only Son and partake of the food He provides? Yet to His side He calls us; to be lowly as He is our great gift. His grace we shall know, and in abundance, if with Him we lay down our lives for those in need. 96 800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} Then we shall come to your holy mountain, to the heavenly Jerusalem with all your angels and saints. Washed in the blood of the Lamb you offer for our sakes, emptied of all the vanity of our race, we shall be exalted and chant your praise, dearest LORD, we who have made ourselves humble and lowly before you, we who have thus found our place at your table with Jesus, and been made perfect by His Cross.

  6. 4 ngày trước

    August 29 - Prayer on the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

    O witness to the Truth, to the Light that has come among us, you gave your very life and death for the sake of Christ, who redeemed us in His blood, blood you shed with your Savior; you who were a pillar of iron against the whole land and against its king, you who stood so strong against the lust of the world, suffering its persecution so willingly, fortified even in death by the Lord and His promise – how can our meager lives measure up to your blessed sacrifice; how can we who are so weak of knee endure our exile so bravely? Pray for us, O forerunner of the Christ both in word and in the giving of your life, that our blood may be joined to your own and so to that of our holy Lord.

  7. 5 ngày trước

    August 29 - Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

    (1Cor.1:26-31; Ps.33:12-13,18-21; Mt.25:14-30) "He called in His servants and handed His funds over to them according to each man's abilities." All comes from the hand of God. Yes. Do you see this? God it is who provides any talent you possess on this earth and "God it is who has given you life in Christ Jesus." Not yourself. It is not from you any power comes. God has proven His power by choosing "the lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing," and making them strong. This is you. You are nothing; and yet you have all things in God. Brothers and sisters, "mankind can do no boasting before God." How could they? It is He who looks down from heaven and "sees all mankind"; it is He who chooses "His own inheritance." It is He who places in our hands the "silver pieces" we employ on this earth – and it is He who expects us to use well that which we have been given. To Him we must answer for all things. And if we are "industrious and reliable" in our service, it is He who will declare, "Since you were dependable in a small matter I will put you in charge of larger affairs." On earth as it is in heaven… If our work is done well here, it shall lead to the greater fruits, and we shall "share [our] Master's joy!" But it is always His joy to which we come and not our own. God is all things to us. "He has made [Jesus] our wisdom, and also our justice, our sanctification, and our redemption." All that we have is from Him, and without Him we could not live. And should you be resentful of so great a gift? Should you return the gift of Himself He lays before you on your table? Or should you not rather take it up, make it your own, and by it produce fruit according to the abilities He has shared with you? This is all He expects of you: that the graces He shares with you, you share with others. "In His holy name we trust." Yes, "our soul waits for the Lord" and "in Him our hearts rejoice." For He does not fail us. What He gives He does not take back: it is we who reject His love; it is He who increases the yield within us. "Brothers, you are among those who are called," and so be among "those who hope for His kindness." For His kindness shall but enrich you each day as you make His will your own and find your "boast in the Lord." Praise Him for His gifts and for His grace, for by His grace the gifts He provides become eternally fruitful in our lives. Alleluia! ******* O LORD, enrich us with your blessings as we serve you humbly in this world. YHWH, let us trust in your NAME and in your NAME alone. How can we trust in ourselves or in the riches of this world when all this is but dust? But in your hands this dust we are becomes as gold, for we become as you who are so far above this world. O make us your own, dear LORD! Help us to look to you, to wait for you, to trust in you for all things. May our tongues praise your NAME and our hands work in your service, and then, O how we shall be blessed! For truly you will be with us, and we with you. Into your joy let us come, O LORD, the joy that surpasses any joy of this earth, the grace that passes not away. Let us boast in you, that you are great and do marvelous things for those who trust in you, those who know your love. From death let us be delivered – into your House let us come. O LORD, increase your yield in us; we are but instruments of your holy love, your poor children whom you raise from the dust.

  8. 5 ngày trước

    August 28 - Prayer to St. Augustine

    O shepherd made anew by Him who is within, Him who made us all, the Light above and beyond every soul who gave His life, His flesh as food that we might live – pray that the Lord and God of all will break through our deafness and dispel our blindness, that He will breathe His fragrant Spirit upon us and we too will be created anew, saved by His grace from the sin that has kept us from Him and thirsting for the wisdom which became your own, with which you shepherded His people apart from the things He created to His very Beauty itself, that all souls might rest in Him who made them.

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Giới Thiệu

Spirit-filled daily reflections on the Mass Readings of the Roman Catholic Church from the book Our Daily Bread by James Kurt (with imprimatur). The daily podcasts are voice only, while the podcasts for Sundays and Solemnities are produced with music and other elements. Another podcast recently added: Prayers to the Saints - a prayer to each saint on the calendar for the US. Also with imprimatur.

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    jameshkurt@gmail.com
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