America Magazine: The Word

The Word is a daily Scripture app from America Media, the Jesuit magazine. Each day it walks you through the Catholic Mass readings with a reflection.

You get the daily readings together with a short commentary from America's writers, priests, theologians, and lay experts. It is built to help you pray with the readings and see how they land in ordinary life, and it includes homily help for those who preach.

The draw here is the quality of the writing. America has been at this a long time, and the reflections tend to be thoughtful without being heavy. If you want a little intellectual depth attached to your daily readings, not just a paragraph of encouragement, this is a good place to find it.

Good for daily Mass-goers who want to arrive having already chewed on the readings. Good for deacons and priests looking for homily help. Good for anyone who likes the Jesuit, reflective approach to Scripture.

The Jesuit, America-magazine voice is a particular one. It tends toward the thoughtful and sometimes the progressive end of Catholic commentary, which some readers love and others would rather not. The readings themselves are simply the Church's. The reflections are where the house style shows.

Free, made by America Press, Inc. Available on the App Store: America Magazine: The Word. If you want daily readings with serious, well-written reflection, it is an easy one to recommend.