Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

“Quiet!  Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Sometimes we will be faced by trials and tribulations beyond our ability to control and we will feel helpless like the disciples. It is during these moments that we must draw upon our faith in God and trust that he will calm and still the storms around us. When we do this our souls will be calmed and we will be saved.

What are the storms in our lives at this moment and on the horizon? Do we trust God enough to lead us out of our troubles? How can we overcome our fears and quite our souls in the midst of trials?

O Lord, give our souls the faith we need in order to be calm during the storms of our lives.

Amen.

Third Friday of Ordinary Time

This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.

God sowed the seeds of His Kingdom at the beginning of time and we grow without a need for understanding why or how we do so. Some of us will die before producing a yield, others of us will go a long time without a grain of produce and then near the end of our lives we will bear fruits, and then there are the faithful few who will yield a hundred fold. We do not know God’s plan for us, but we seeds of life have one purpose to fulfill and that is to grow in faith, hope, and love. When we do this we ripen as Disciples of Christ and God will harvest us into His Kingdom.

What have we done in our lives to grow in the gospel? Do we trust in God’s plan for us? Are we willing to do His Will without hesitation?

O Lord, help me grow and yield much fruit.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Ordinary Time

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and it is he who lends us his flame of love. He ignites our hearts and makes us into lamps of his goodwill toward all. When we accept His Light into our lives, we are tasked with lifting it up for our family, friends, and neighbors to see. By doing so we reveal the hearts and minds of those around us and give God’s children a chance to participate in the revelation of what it means to be a servant of the Light. Of course, being a disciple of Jesus also means opening up ourselves and revealing the hidden recesses of our hearts in order to allow His Love to fill us up. Once we are full of his charity, the shadow of sin has no way to enter because all is light within us.

Do we hide the light of the gospel in our daily lives out of fear of what others might think about us? What are our secret sins, the ones which keep us from being a light for others? What can we do to lift up the Light of the Lord and make ourselves into sacramental signs of God’s love for all?

O Lord, make us lights unto your people.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

We all want to be rich soil. However, as Jesus’ parable points out there are a lot of things which stand in the way of our fruitful reception of the Word of God. First we must survive the Devil and his temptations, which lead us into sin. Secondly, we have to face our fears of being persecuted for living out our faith in a meaningful way. Thirdly, we must conquer our worldly anxieties, desires, and cravings. These things are not from God and ultimately lead us away from Him. Yet, if we are faithful and live out our lives as a fulfillment of God’s Word, then we, like Christ, will bear abundant fruit.

What are the temptations in our lives and what can we do to overcome them? Are we willing to be persecuted by our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers in order to live a more perfect Christian life? What can we do to put heavenly things first in our lives and worldly things second?

O Lord, sow the seed of your Word within us so that we might bear good fruit.

Amen.

Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.

We are called to do God’s Will through our baptism when we are made into spiritual brothers, sisters, and mothers of Christ. Some read this gospel and think it is a rebuke of Jesus’ family, especially his mother, however, if we look closely at what Christ says we see he is using this moment to teach his disciples about their spiritual family. He makes this statement not to belittle his physical family, but to expand the concept of family to the spiritual realm. Those who see this as a rebuke of Mary forget she embodies the perfect model of doing the will of God and therefore she too is a spiritual brother and sister and mother of Christ. In light of this, we should remember to reflect on Mary’s life when considering how we should live ours in accord with what God wants us to do.

How do we fulfill the will of God in our everyday routines? In what ways do we express our baptismal calling to be a brother and sister and mother to Christ and our fellow siblings in the faith? What are the virtues in Mary’s life which we can model our lives on today?

O Lord, help us to do the will of God and become worthy of being called your brothers and sisters and mothers.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.

The unforgivable sin in this gospel is the scribes’ attribution of the good works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Jesus points out to them that if they cannot tell the difference between good and evil then they are doomed to be divided and destroyed. If they cannot see that driving out demons is a good act, then how can they claim to even know what good is? Sometimes we can become so sure of ourselves that we act like the scribes in this gospel and judge other people when we should be seeking to reconcile with them. We should always remember that we condemn the sin, and not the sinner. It is God’s job to determine whether someone is evil or not.

Who are the people in our lives whom we have judged? Have we ever tried to see our relationship or their actions from their point of view? If something is wrong, then how do we condemn the sin, while loving the sinner?

O Lord, let my heart be united with yours and grant me the grace to love even those whom I find most difficult to love.

Amen.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.

God calls on us to repent and believe in His gospel message. This requires us to convert our hearts from the selfishness of worldly things to self-sacrifice of heavenly ones. We are being asked to put aside our childish things and put on Christ. When we do this we become the fulfillment of God's Will on earth. Like the disciples, we are called to set aside our worldly works and follow Christ where he needs us to go.

How do we embody and emanate the belief that the kingdom of God is at hand? What are the worldly things we need to repent of so that we can better believe and live out the gospel? Are we truly willing to sacrifice ourselves for our Heavenly Father's Will?

O Lord, we come to you with repentant hearts. Grant us the faith we need to believe in the gospel and live out its message of love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 

Sometimes when we do God’s Will those whom we are closest to might question why we are doing what we are doing. They do not understand why we sacrifice certain things for a God we cannot see. We should not let them seize us and keep us from doing what is right. We need to continue to fulfill our mission of being good and faithful servants of Christ. However, we also need to keep in mind that sometimes we can indeed lose our way and during those times we need to have the humility to recognize our errors and listen to our loved one.

Are we sure we are doing God’s Will? If not, where should we be heading and what do we need to sacrifice to get there? If we do believe we are doing His Will, are we willing to suffer anything to accomplish it?

O Lord, protect us from the snares of those who would keep us from following your Way.

Amen.

Second Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.

Jesus summons the Twelve to join him in as co-bearers of the Gospel. He sends them forth to preach the Good News and grants them the authority to drive out demons. They are made missionaries of Christ’s message of love. He does not call perfect people to serve him, but rather sinners like Peter (who denies him) and Judas (who betrays him). We too are imperfect followers of Christ, but we must not let our sins keep us from fulfilling our mission to know, love, and serve God and his children. We should preach the Gospel through our words and works, and although we might not drive out demons we can however cast out those things which keep us from being good and faithful servants.

How do our actions proclaim the Good News? What are the sins we commit that deny or betray our mission of love? When we do fail, how can we let God pick us off the ground and get us back on track?

O Lord, we have been summoned to serve you and your children. Grant us the grace to come follow you.

Amen.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.

We all have our failings, our illnesses, those things which weaken us both spiritually and physically. Jesus offers us healing and it is up to us to seek him out, to find him, and to knock at his door. This is what the crowds following Jesus did as they stretched out to touch him. They might not have understood the significance of their choice, but we do. We can see the full fruit of Christ’s life and the salvation He offers us.

Do we spend our days seeking out Christ like the crowds do? Do we stretch out our hands to touch Jesus and draw strength and healing from His graces? How can we help those who are weakened by sin or illness?

O Lord, we stretch out our hands to you let your grace flow into us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?

The Pharisees and Herodians decide to put Jesus to death after he heals a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath. It can be difficult for us to understand how people could see someone doing a good deed and react in such a way. However, it might not be as difficult to think of people who misunderstand our words or actions and become angry at us. Sometimes we try to do the right thing, but someone else comes along and says, "Why’d you do that?" We should not expect to be loved for doing good or even recognized for doing so. We should instead do it because it is right no matter what problems might arise because of our actions.

How do we respond to others when they misunderstand or persecute us? Do we love them in spite of what they might say or do to us? How can we save lives through our words and works?

O Lord, help us to do good on the Sabbath and every other day of our lives.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.

The Sabbath was made for us. It is a day we should keep holy, but it is also a day for feasting and doing good works. Just as in the Mass we celebrate and feast with God, so too should we carry the sense of thanksgiving into our daily lives. We should spend time with family and friends, help those in need, and do all we can to proclaim the Gospel through our words and works.

How do we spend our Sabbath? In what ways can we celebrate it in a meaningful and spiritually rewarding way? How do we thank God for giving us the example of a day of rest?

O Lord, grant us the wisdom to enjoy the Sabbath with you.

Amen.

Second Monday of Ordinary Time

As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

As Christians we are called to bring a balance of celebration and sacrifice into our lives. We celebrate the Mass, the Eucharist, and the other sacraments, but we also sacrifice ourselves as well. We give up our time, talents, and treasures to our faith. We sacrifice time to go to Mass. We offer up our talents on the same altar as the Eucharist. We also abstain and fast during Lent as we await the joy of Easter. We are both a celebratory and sacrificial people.

How do we celebrate our faith in a meaningful way during the week? In what ways do we sacrifice for it? Do we have a balance between the two or are we all one and none of the other?

O Lord, grant us balanced hearts full of joy and willing to sacrifice.

Amen.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

What are you looking for?

God asks this question of all of us and it is up to us to give him the answer. Some of us may be looking for forgiveness, others for help with our troubles, but deep down all of us are looking for true love. This is what Jesus offers His disciples and us. This is why he gave himself over to death, death on a cross, because He loved us enough to sacrifice himself for us even though we are sinners.

So what are we looking for? How can we express our gratitude to God for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us? How do we live our lives as an expression of God's love?

O Lord, we are looking for your Love in our lives, open our eyes so we can see it.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

We are all sick with our own issues and sins. We all have an illness here or there in our souls. We all need the Heavenly Physician to heal us and make us whole. We might think we are righteous, good, and healthy, but only Jesus and his Holy Mother Mary can claim to be perfect or full of grace. We might have much grace in our lives, but there are wounds within us only God’s mercy and our contrition can cure.

What are the things which make us spiritually sick in this world? Do we consider ourselves righteous or above others? In what way can we imitate Christ and be physicians for others?

O Lord, we are sick heal us.

Amen.

First Friday of Ordinary Time

Child, your sins are forgiven.

Forgiveness is a wondrous gift to give someone who offends us. It can heal the relationship between two or more people and foster a flicker of hope where there was none before. Jesus offers forgiveness to us each and every day of our lives for our imperfections and our sins. His compassionate heart holds nothing back and all we have to do is place ourselves in his presence and ask for his mercy. When we do this we truly become the children of God and find peace within our souls and the strength to pick up our mats and go home to heaven after the breath of life leaves us.

What are the sins in our life which we should seek forgiveness for? What are the actions that have offended us which we can forgive of others? In what way do we thank God for the mercy He offers us?

O Lord, forgive our sins and inspire us to be merciful to those who sin against us.

Amen.

First Thursday of Ordinary Time

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”

The leper puts his trust in Jesus when he asks to be made clean. We too are asked to do the same in regard to our needs. We need to trust in God’s love, mercy, and grace. We need to humble ourselves and recognize the Lord’s compassion for us and allow him to heal us in our times of need.

What are the things in our lives that keep us from approaching God and asking for His mercy? How can we increase our trust in God so that we might allow Him to cleanse us of our imperfections and sins?  How do we reflect Jesus’ compassion to those whom we meet?

O Lord, we beg you to heal us of those things which keep us from loving you as we should.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.

We have a tendency in our lives to want to be popular or recognized for our works. In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us we are not called to be famous, but rather to preach the Good News with our words and our deeds. Everyone is looking for Jesus after he cures so many people, but He leaves the area and continues on in spite of their desire for him to stay. He chooses to continue His mission over His own personal gratification and that is something we should keep in mind the next time we expect the recognition of others.

How many of us would be willing to do our work and walk away from all the praise and recognition? What are those things which most tempt us away from continuing on in our life to the next village? Are we too comfortable where we are and if so what can we do about it?

O Lord, we want to preach your Good News and continue our spiritual journey with you. Please, show us the way.

Amen.

First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Authority is a very important concept in faith teaching. When we are taught about our faith we need to believe in the authority of our teacher or at least in the material he is teaching otherwise we will doubt everything they claim. The scribes and Pharisees drew their teaching authority from their scriptures and the traditional interpretations of them. When they spoke it was with the authority of the Old Testament. However, Jesus speaks with his own authority and this astonishes his crowds because he does not depend upon the Old Testament. This is because Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the New Testament. He fulfills the old and grants new insights into it through his teachings. His authority challenges the long held beliefs of those who hear him just as it challenges us today.

Who is the authority we turn to in the midst of the world? Is it Jesus Christ and His message of the Gospel or is it ourselves and our sometimes misguided interpretations of the Good News? What can we do to internalize and externalize the authority of God in our lives?

O Lord, you teach the Gospel with authority. Help us to receive your teaching with an open heart and willing spirit.

Amen.

First Monday of Ordinary Time

Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Jesus calls all of us to be fishers of men. He asks us to repent and believe in the Gospel. If we do these things then we can be His disciples. Being a fisherman takes a great deal of patience and fortitude and as fishers of men we too will need all the patience and fortitude we can get. When we follow in the footsteps of Jesus we are asked to take on this task and do it to the best of our ability. We must also be aware of our surroundings, the signs that tell us when and where the greatest spiritual catch might be. Let us hope we are aware of these opportunities in our lives and make the most of them from this day forth.

In what ways have we been faithful fishers of men? In what ways have we failed at this calling? Are we willing to follow Jesus even if doing so leads to a place we do not want to go?

O Lord, we want to follow you and become a fisher of men. Grant us the grace and the faith to walk where you need us to be.

Amen.

The Baptism of the Lord

You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

We are all children of God. However, we are not always pleasing to our Heavenly Father. We can be selfish and let a variety of sins and imperfections keep us from being the best of children. Thankfully, we are all beloved by God, even when we are least loving toward Him. It is through our baptism that we recognize God as our Father and through it we inherit a great mission to know, love, and serve God and all his children to the best of our ability. We might not always be successful in our attempts, but it is the trying which God wants from us. He, unlike the world, is not interested in a tally of wins or losses, successes and failures, he is much more interested in the doing of good no matter the cost. It is in being good and faithful servants that we too will be found pleasing to Him just as Jesus was, is, and ever will be pleasing to Him.

Do we feel beloved by God? If not, why do we think our sins can keep God's love at bay when the only thing that can do that is our denial of His love through our own despair or lack of contrition? How do we live out our baptismal calling to know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, prepare us for the great and little missions of love in our lives and help us to live them out according to our baptismal calling.

Amen.

Saturday after Epiphany

He must increase; I must decrease.

In our modern world the idea of decreasing is contrary to most concepts of success. We are told more is better and the one with the most is best. However, sometimes less is more. We fill our days with thoughts, words and works, but how many of them are necessary? We have a tendency to convince ourselves of needs which are really just wants and in so doing we spend more and more time gaining more and less and less time thankful for what we have. Perhaps if we focused more on less, we would have more fulfilling, rather than hectic lives. We would in worldly ways decrease, but in heavenly ones increase because we would have the time to reflect on ourselves and our goods and understand the grace beneath it all.

What are the things in our lives which draw our attention away from God and His Will for us? What can we do to get rid of these things and decrease a little so that God might increase in us? How often do we stand and listen to God and rejoice in His Voice?

O Lord, decrease our dependence upon ourselves and increase our openness to you.

Amen.

Friday after Epiphany

Be made clean.

We all have our own unclean habits, which keep us from being in full communion with our God and our neighbors. These are the sins we must guard ourselves against every day lest we find ourselves spiritual lepers. After curing the lepers in today’s reading Jesus sends them to present themselves to the priest and rejoin their community. We are given the same gift by the Christ through the Church’s sacraments of forgiveness. When we seek out one of these sacraments we like the leper say, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." God responds to us just as Jesus did to the leper, "I will do it."  Our simple act of contrition and petition are enough to make us clean in the eyes of God.

What are the sins in our lives which make us unclean? How can we allow God to work through us in order to rid ourselves of these sins? Have we ever really appreciated the magnitude of God’s mercy towards us?

O Lord, make us clean.

Amen.

Thursday after Epiphany

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

We all have the opportunity to invite the Spirit of the Lord into our hearts and it is through this invitation that we become servant leaders to those in our lives. We serve our families, friends, and neighbors and bring glad tidings to them and the poor. Of course the poor are not just those without wealth, but with other things lacking in their lives. Perhaps a family member is poor in self-esteem, or a friend is poor in faith, or a neighbor is poor in patience. It is important to remember there are many ways to be poor and we all need the help of each other to truly be healed.

In what way are we poor and in need of help? How do we address the needs of those around us physical, mental, and spiritual? In what way do we make our presence a glad tiding for the poor?

O Lord, enter into our hearts and make us into bearers of the richness of your Good News for all your children.

Amen.

Wednesday after Epiphany

And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray.

After the miracle of the loaves Jesus goes off to pray. We are not told what he prays about, but perhaps that is not as important as the act of praying itself. Jesus gives us a model of living and in this model both work and prayer are needed. Prayer allows us to put our works into context and offer them up to God for the reparation of sins, ours and others. It is a time when we allow God to speak to our hearts and minds. Jesus also goes off alone and as such reminds us that solitude and silence are needed in order to enter into the deep prayer God is calling us to in our daily lives.

How do we marry our work and prayer life? Do we seek the solitude and silence necessary for deep contemplation or are we too busy with worldly things? How do we use our prayer life to replenish and renew ourselves?

O Lord, lead us to a place of peace when we are praying to you and silence all those things which keep us from listening to your voice.

Amen.

Tuesday after Epiphany

Give them some food yourselves.

Sometimes when we are faced with a difficult situation we hope it will go away or someone else will take care of it. However, Jesus tells us what we should do instead. We should show pity and fix it ourselves, no matter how imposing the circumstances. Compassion for others in the midst of trials is an important aspect of our Christian calling. We are not just supposed to feed His sheep when it is easy, but also when it looks near impossible. Ultimately, the disciples trust in Jesus carries them through their miraculous mission to feed the crowd and because of this trust they gather a bountiful harvest from the crowd.

What do we do when faced with a difficult task? Do we try to run from it or pass it off to someone else or do we confront it and put our trust in God and do it ourselves? How do we show our pity and compassion to others in the midst of our own trials?

O Lord, help us to feed your flock through our thoughts, words, and works.

Amen.

Memorial of St. John Neumann

Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Our repentance is necessary for God’s forgiveness. It is one of the things lacking in Christ’s sacrificial and saving action of dying for us on the cross. He cannot be contrite for us and he cannot accept the forgiveness He offers us. We have to do these things. We also need to keep in mind that the Kingdom of heaven is indeed at hand. It is not some distant and ethereal destination, but rather here with us in the Eucharistic presence of Christ. We might be awaiting His Second Coming, however, we should not forget that He is Emmanuel, the God who is with us.

What are the things in our lives which we should be repentant about, but have not yet sought forgiveness for? How do our thoughts, words, and actions reflect the reality that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand? Are we with God as much as He is with us?

O Lord, grant us a repentant heart so that we might one day dwell in the Kingdom of heaven with you forever and ever.

Amen.

The Epiphany of the Lord

They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We can learn a lot from the Three Magi about how to pay God homage. They approach Jesus in humility and with hands outstretched with their gifts. They offer these gifts to Him as symbols of his kingship and divinity. They also remind us of the three missionary callings all Christians have: kingly, priestly, and prophetic. The gold represents our kingly mission to shepherd the world through our actions. The frankincense represents our priestly calling to pray for the world. The myrrh represents the prophetic mission to proclaim the healing power of the Gospel to the world, even though it might cost us our lives.

How often do we prostrate ourselves physically, mentally, or spiritually to God? What are the gifts we have to offer to God? How do we fulfill our kingly, priestly, and prophetic missions in the world?

O Lord, we offer you all our gifts and talents to do with as you Will in accord with the kingly, priestly, and prophetic missions you want us to undertake for your Glory.

Amen.

Christmas Saturday

Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

When we step back and consider what Jesus’ birth means for us it can be a bit overwhelming. The baby Jesus’ reason for coming into this world is singularly to save us, you, me, and all of mankind who will accept his forgiveness. It is also confounding for us to think of all the sins Jesus died to take away from us. Our every moment of pride, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth was placed upon his shoulders as he fulfilled His destiny to be the Lamb of God. It is difficult to imagine someone willing to die for those who most abuse, despise, and hate Him, but this is exactly what he does. Yet sometimes we falsely convince ourselves that what we have done is so wrong not even God will forgive us. This of course is a sin of pride on our part to think we could create a sin not even God could save us from. Let us all remember God is the final arbiter of forgiveness. He is the one who decides and thankfully so because we are often our harshest critics and the worst judges of others. The only unforgivable sin is the one we never seek or accept forgiveness for.

What are the sins we have trouble seeking forgiveness for? Why do we allow ourselves to be convinced that these sins are unforgivable? What are the sins of our lives which blind us to God’s mercy?

O Lord, take away our sins and grant us the grace to see past their darkness to the light of your love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen

I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.

We are all unworthy. This is a reality that we sometimes forget in the successes of our lives. We say good things and do good works, and a part of us believes these things make us worthy of God’s forgiveness. However, these things although often signs of grace and expressions of our love are not guarantees of our salvation. We can do all the right things for the wrong reasons. We can say yes to God with a part of our minds, but fail to will it with all our heart. In the end, God gives us forgiveness as a gratuitous gift and it is in our seeking this gift in contrition and accepting it in humility that we find our salvation.

Have we ever felt holier-than-thou towards anyone? If so, how can we make up for this transgression? If not, than how do we remind ourselves of our unworthiness without falling into despair?

O Lord, we are not worthy to receive you into our hearts, but you have said the Word through your Son Jesus Christ and we are made worthy through the healing power of your Love.

Amen.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

When the shepherds come to see the Holy Family they bear the good news of the angels to them. Mary reflects upon this message of the birth of the Messiah and Lord, of God’s glory, and peace for His favored ones. She, like the shepherds, must have wondered what all this might mean for them and perhaps even why they had been chosen. It is important for us to meditate upon the good news in our own lives too keep all of God’s love, mercy, and grace in our hearts.

What do we keep in our hearts? What are the things we are being asked to reflect upon in our lives in order to bring us closer to God? What is the good news in our lives today?

O Lord, teach us how to reflect upon the good news in our lives.

Amen.