January 2026

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020126.cfm The Strength of Meekness. Years ago, I rode a horse at a hacienda in Venezuela. I will never forget a raging bull charging at us out of nowhere. My horse went into a gallop, and I held on for dear life. When it was safe, the horse slowed to a trot, and I took

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013126.cfm Do Not Be Afraid To Go Deep. I Will Raise You Up.  One early spring morning, I was fishing in Long Lake in Central Illinois with an old friend of my Dad’s, Bud Sepich. We were fishing for bluegill and bass from a boat in 15 feet of water. It was still cold, and

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012926.cfm Use It or Lose It!   The craze for working out and keeping in shape is a huge industry. I remember joining Lifestyles years ago. It didn’t take long to learn that I needed a trainer and a buddy to work out daily. After a three-month recovery from ankle surgery, all I had gained seemed

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012424.cfm Life Is Not A Daydream  Suffering seems like such a waste of time and energy. It can be an illness, a tragedy of some description. I know I have had my share of hospitals, surgeries, time off work, and everything else. My joints keep giving out on me. I find comfort and even strength

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012726.cfm    “Who Are My Mother And My Brothers?” How truly heartwarming it is to belong to the family of Jesus, which we call the Church. The life and love he wanted to share with the world were too big to be passed down through a human bloodline. That would be too limiting. So Jesus

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012526.cfm What Can I Proclaim? When you hear the words “Proclaim the Gospel,” it’s natural to feel like it’s a daunting task. Many of us think it’s something only clergy or catechists should do, but that’s not true. The Gospel that Jesus shared with us isn’t just a story we read or listen to; it’s

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012426.cfm    Life Out of Bounds?  A while back, speakers were innovative in thinking “out of the box.” The “box” is a fact of life. We must obey speed limits for everyone’s safety. Play stops in sports if a player goes “out of bounds.” Going on diets has been around for a while, limiting our