Episodes

Joseph had to listen carefully to the angel in his dream as Mary was betrothed to him and it was discovered that she was pregnant! What was Joseph to do? I’ll go over this passage today in the latest episode of Opening God’s Word and talk about Joseph’s response to Mary’s pregnancy. As we move through this 3rd week of Advent, I hope you are paying very close attention and anticipating the miraculous event coming next week – the birth of Christ! Don’t let yourself be distracted! Don’t let the...

In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word we’re talking about lists! Opening to that first chapter of Matthew we find “The Genealogy of Jesus.” For many of us this might simply look like a list of names of unknown people, but that is not how it would have been initially received. Let’s talk about the significance of this list and make a relatable list of our own family history. I hope you are having a wonderful Advent and that you have been opening your mind and heart to the wonders of this se...

In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word, I am encouraging you not to be a fence sitter. - Maybe you have questions about the existence of God or faith in general; today’s scripture passage puts our questions (and our answers) into perspective. -

Surely the image on Juan Diego’s tilma must have surprised him! - Because today is the Feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are talking about Mary, the Mother of Jesus again! If you don’t know the story of Mary’s visitation to Juan Diego,

Are you struggling with past sins? - Have you rationalized your personal life so that you are comfortable and happy, even though you know it is not wholly aligned with God? - Do you think you are a bad person, unworthy of forgiveness? -

Do you know what the Immaculate Conception is? If not, jump over to my blog at janetcassidy.blogspot.com and you will find a terrific link that explains it. Today, though, I am going to focus on Mary’s Yes! to the angel Gabriel. Then, I’m going to share with you a significant Yes! I made to God. And finally, we’re going to talk about YOUR Yes! to God! You don’t want to miss this episode of Opening God’s Word that will hopefully get you thinking! And if you don’t mind, will you please make y...

You know the bible is the inspired word of God. You know that it is God revealing himself to us, speaking to us, right? Well, today, in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 9 (verses 27-31) Jesus asks two blind men a question. It is the same question he asks us today. How will you answer God’s question? I hope you will tune in for a thought-provoking question that should give you pause to deeply reflect on your own faith. Do you know someone who has been asking faith-filled questions, or maybe som...

Every Tear will be Wiped Away! - Are you ready? I sure hope so! - Here we are in the first week of Advent, reading Isaiah and Matthew. Isaiah reminds us that God will always take care of us and wipe away every tear! We sure want that, don’t we?

Do you have the faith and confidence of the centurion in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 8) in today’s reading? In this episode of Opening God’s Word we are encouraged to trust in Jesus before we experience the healing we need in our life. Persevere in asking God for what you need, but remember, prayer is an act of submission to God’s will, and even though we think we know what is best, we have to trust in God, who loves us without fail. As we begin this season of Advent and look forward to th...

What would you do if a mysterious hand appeared on a wall in front of you and wrote and message that you couldn’t read? I’ll bet you would search for someone who could give you the message. Well, that’s what happened to the king in today’s reading from the Book of Daniel. Tune in to find out the three things that were in that message and who it came from. Is it possible that from this Old Testament book we can find an important word for us today? This is a striking passage and I hope you wil...

I’ve got a secret that I will share with you today. I want to make sure that you are ready for the end. Like the followers of Jesus in Luke 21, you might be asking, “What sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” What does Jesus say about the coming of the end of the world? You won’t want to miss this episode of Opening God’s Word! Give me just a few minutes of your time today so you, too, will be in on the secret. I would bet that you know a few people that would be int...

Let’s talk money! - Wait! Before you decide you don’t want to hear anything about money + church, just give me a few minutes of your time. - In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word I reflect on what Jesus has to say about our contribution and give m...

Do you need a kick in the pants? Looking for some motivation? - Is it time to change your ways, or are you ready to make a difference? - Today’s episode of Opening God's Word may be just what you need. - Jesus is in the temple, cleaning it out.

If you were entrusted with ten gold coins to take care of for someone, what would you do with them? - That is the question in today’s parable in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 19. - What does that mean for us today? - Well, we could ask the question,

Need a change in your life? Do what the Blind Beggar did in yesterday’s passage and what Zacchaeus did in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 19 today. Seek Jesus. Look for him and open your house to him. Open your heart to him. It doesn’t take much, that’s for sure. Just open your eyes and look for him. You will see his presence everywhere. Don’t miss today’s episode of Opening God's Word! I pray that you desire to seek Jesus just as much as the blind beggar and the sinful tax collector did. Have ...

026 - OGW, Blind Beggar, Lk 18 - Today we tune in to a special event in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 18. Jesus performs a miracle! He heals a blind beggar! - You might want to write this off as just a nice story,

You may recall me talking about the Book of Wisdom, Chapter 13 before because it is one of my favorite Bible passages. I have a lot of favorites, but this one WILL make go deeper as you contemplate the existence of God. I encourage you to open your Bible and spend some time with it. Sit in your favorite chair and think, “Hmm, I guess I hadn’t thought about that before.” Just do it, today, and let God speak to you! This episode of Opening God’s Word can be found at janetcassidy.blubrry.net. I...

Today we’re talking about the Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17. - What is it? - Is it here, now? - Is it coming? - It can seem so confusing! Join me today for this episode of Opening God’s Word and let’s get it cleared up! -

Are you one of the Ten Lepers in today’s Gospel (Luke Chapter 17) who was healed? - Are you like the one who turned back to say thank you, or did you go on your merry way as one of the nine and not even recognize who healed you? -

In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word I explore the question Jesus asks in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17. Basically, he wants to know how likely it would be for you to ask a person who works for you to drop what he/she is doing, and take a break to sit and eat with you, leaving their tasks undone? He compares this situation to what is expected of those who follow him. Listen in as I give a modern-day example that helps us enter into this passage a little more clearly. I hope you have a b...

Have you found yourself grumbling a lot lately? Complaining about work or the world around you? - Time to sing a new song! - Psalm 98 is just what we need when we feel like we are living in a vacuum that is overtaking the joy in our lives. -

This is it! This is all we need to know and we can find it in Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 13. - Paul brings up the commandments, but then, he says it: "Love is the fulfillment of the law." - Are you being loving?

Have you ever thought, "I really don't have any gifts to use"? - When you look at the great saints, do you ever think, "I could NEVER do that"? - Are you kind of quiet and don't feel like you can "get out there" and make a splash like some people do?...

In today’s gospel passage Jesus talks about how you should behave if you are an invited guest to a lunch or dinner, and if you are the host, who you should be inviting. This passage can be difficult for us today as we ask ourselves, “Am I supposed to be inviting strangers into my home and feeding them?” What if you are not in a position to do that? Do you just ignore this passage altogether? While contextually Jesus is speaking about the people of Israel and the Gentiles of his time, his ulti...