As promised, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, we have begun sharing our daily Mass preaching from our House of Studies in St. Louis, MO. For the daily readings to accompany these preachings see the USCCB.

Fr. Kevin Stephens, O.P., asks us to look at the question of fear. In both the first reading and in the Gospel  passage, a woman fears for her life. We too, in our own lives, suffer from fears, both ordinary and extraordinary. But Psalm 23, our responsorial psalm, reminds us of an essential truth: God always walks beside us. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God remains by our side. When we turn to him in prayer it is not so much that we are asking for some supernatural miracle or for God to somehow 'change his mind' but we are turning to him and asking for the reassurance that is his Presence. 

Lord, grant us your peace and help us to recognize your Presence which never leaves us.