Tuesday of Holy Week

Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.

We might not be Judas, but we all betray Jesus when we sin. All of his disciples betrayed him in some form or fashion during the Passion when things got difficult for Christ and all who followed him. We too face similar, though usually less dire, challenges to our faith and we fail just as they did back then. Sometimes we betray Jesus with a mortal sin like Judas. Sometimes we allow peer pressure to push us into denying some element of Jesus’ message like Peter. Sometimes we run away from those who we fear might persecute us for living out the Gospel like all the other disciples. Sometimes we fail to do the right thing in favor of the easy one like Pontius Pilate. These are all wounds in our relationship with Jesus and in the end we are too weak to heal them on our own. We need God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace to mend what we have broken. Thankfully for us, he offers these healing actions to us constantly, even though we do not deserve it. So the next time we fall because of our imperfections or sins, we should not be afraid because although we lost our way for a moment, Jesus will always give us another chance to follow him just as he did with all the disciples who were willing to accept his forgiveness.

What are our imperfections and our sins? What are those things which keep us from following Christ? How can we overcome these impediments?

O Lord, we know we have betrayed you, but with your help we will follow you once again.

Amen.

Monday of Holy Week

Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.

Priorities. That is what this gospel is all about. Everyone has them. Martha placed her priorities on serving others. Lazarus placed his on reclining at the table with Jesus. Mary placed hers on anointing her Lord. Judas placed his on money and will betray his Lord because of it. The chief priests placed theirs on their power and decided to kill Jesus because of it. And Jesus placed his priority in fulfilling his Father’s Will knowing full well that it means suffering his Passion and Death. His priorities should be ours and we should learn from this gospel what it means to place God first in our lives.

What are our priorities in life? What should they be? How can we bridge the gap between them?

O Lord, you knew what was being asked of you, help us to know what God is asking of us.

Amen.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Truly this man was the Son of God!

The centurion’s words have echoed the Divine Truth throughout the ages and today we reaffirm our belief that Jesus Christ was, is, and ever will be the Son of God. He is the model for all of us to base our lives on because like him we too are called to be sons and daughters of God. As we meditate upon Jesus’ Passion we are faced with how our own sinfulness has caused so much suffering to the Body of Christ, not just Jesus himself, but also his spiritual body—our fellow baptized and the Church. We also witness his love for us as expressed by his willingness to accept the sufferings rightfully belonging to us. We should keep this in mind the next time something happens to us and we wonder, "Why me?" or "Where are you Father?" Perhaps we should rather ask ourselves, "Why not me?" and "Why am I tempted to abandon you Father?" God has done more than we deserve by sacrificing his Son for us. We should not complain when we too are called to sacrifice something for Him.

What have we sacrificed for God? What have we sacrificed for his children? Are we willing to accept the sufferings we must endure in order to do God’s Will?

O Lord, you are truly the Son of God!

Amen.

Fifth Saturday of Lent

It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.

Caiaphas says this to the Sanhedrin as a matter of practicality, however, as the gospel points out he did not say this on his own. God put the words in his mouth as a prophecy. Caiaphas convinces the others to sacrifice Jesus for the good of the Jewish people. The prophecy, on the other hand, means Jesus is being sacrificed for all of God’s children: Jewish and Gentile. We should keep in mind this all encompassing sacrifice when we deal with our family, friends, and neighbors, especially those we find most difficult to love. The Sanhedrin found Jesus difficult to get along with so they killed him. We might not kill someone physically, but our words and actions (or inaction) toward them can kill them spiritually. This is why Jesus’ sacrifice is so important. He dies not just for saints, but for sinners. He gives us an example of putting aside our hurt feelings and doing the right, good, and loving thing, even to our enemies.

Who in our lives is the most difficult to deal with? Have we tried to reconcile with them? If we have and they still rebuke us, then what can we do to love them in spite of their dislike for us and our dislike for them?

O Lord, let us die to ourselves so that your people might live.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Lent

I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?

We should not expect ticker tape parades when we do the right thing or when we love people as we ought to. Instead, we should expect to be persecuted for these actions. If we go about life in this way, then when people show gratitude, we will be all the more thankful for it. However, if they show us hatred, then we have only received the same as Jesus and who are we to seek more than that? When we start believing we deserve to be treated better, or to be loved by others, and start thinking why can’t people love us as we love them… that is not the voice of charity speaking, but the voice of selfishness. We deserve nothing from God or others. What they give to us is all gain and we should not be so ungrateful as to ask for more.

Have we ever been charitable toward someone and had it thrown back into our face? Did we ever reconcile with that person? How can we learn to be thankful for what we have and not greedy for more?

O Lord, inspire us to do good works without thought of repayment by anyone but you.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Lent

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.

Death is something we all must face, but the death Jesus is talking about is not our physical death, but rather our spiritual one at the hands of our sins. When we commit mortal sin, we kill our relationship with God. We cut ourselves off from God and become like the mob who wants to stone Jesus. Thankfully, God is always waiting there for us to reconcile with Him. We do this by confessing our sins in the sacrament of penance and accepting God’s mercy within our contrite hearts. If we seek and accept God’s forgiveness we are given life, but if we do not do these things we remain dead. So let us keep Jesus’ word and make it flesh in us so that we might be the beloved and living children of God.

What sins do we allow to kill our relationship with God? How can we foster a contrite and mercy-accepting heart? How do we go about keeping the word of God?

O Lord, we want to keep your word and live forever with you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus… and of his Kingdom there will be no end.

We can learn a lot about how to interact with God from Mary. After being hailed by the angel she ponders its meaning. We can be taken aback in the same way as she was when we hear God calling us to do something unexpected. We know these moments well. They are the times in our lives when we are asked to follow Jesus into the unknown. We are invited to leave our comfort zone and pick up our cross. Just like Mary we are anxious about this idea. But thankfully, God reassures us just as he does for Mary. He tells us do not be afraid. The actions he is asking us to take will bear Christ into the world and advance the Kingdom of God. Like Mary, we might be astonished our calling and wonder, "How this can be?" The answer He gives Mary is the same He gives us: the Holy Spirit will overshadow us and give us the inspiration we need to do God’s Will. Then, when the moment of truth comes to us and we must make our decision.

Will we join Mary in saying, "May it be done unto me according to your word" or will we be selfish or timid and deny our calling? What fears and doubts keep us from doing God’s Will? What steps can we take to make our fiat to God wholeheartedly?

O Lord, grant your favor to us so that we might bear Christ into the world.

Amen.

Fifth Tuesday of Lent

You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.

Jesus belongs to His Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Together they form the Holy Trinity and it is to these three persons in one God that we should belong, not the world. It is easy for us to be caught up in worldly things. They are right in front of us. We can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch them. God, however, is seemingly invisible to us. We only believe He is there through our faith, hope, and love. We do not know for certain, but we trust He is there. To belong to what is above requires a leap of faith, a hopeful persistence, and an enduring love that is willing and able to dedicate itself to the unseen.

What are the worldly things in our lives that we belong to? What are the heavenly ones we need to attach ourselves to? How do we remind ourselves that God is with us?

O Lord, we want to belong to what is above. We want to belong to you.

Amen.

Fifth Monday of Lent

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.

We are all sinners and deserve to be punished, but it is not up to us to judge others and find them guilty or innocent. Neither should we stand idly by and condone the evils we see. Instead we are called to condemn the sin and love the sinner. This is not always our first instinct.  However, we must learn to foster this habit of merciful justice if we are to learn to love our family, friends, and neighbors as we ought to.

Who have we condemned in our lives? Who have we condoned? How can we cultivate merciful justice in our lives without being judgmental or liaise-faire?

O Lord, we are sinners remind us not to cast stones of condemnation at others, but rather offer them words of mercy.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Dying to self is hard to do, but this is exactly what Jesus is asking us to do. There are so many things in this world which we can do, so many temptations to deny, so many acts of mercy to perform. When we fall into temptation we choose to plant the seed of our soul in a dark place where the Light of Truth does not shine and we fail to grow spiritually. However, if we love God with all our hearts, bodies, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as ourselves, then we die to ourselves and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us choose self-sacrifice, so that we might be transformed from a single grain of God’s love into a tree of grace and mercy for all whom we meet.

What are the things in our lives which we need to die to in order to produce more fruit for God’s glory? How do sacrifice ourselves for love of God and His children? What fruits have we produced or failed to produce due to our choices?

O Lord, we wish to die to our selves and bear much fruit.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Lent

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”

Jesus speaks the truth with authority. He tells us not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear. He offers us the Living Word of God in himself. All we have to do is listen and then put his words into action. Throughout the gospels we hear people refer to Jesus’ authority. They recognize his authenticity. He doesn't just tell them the message of God’s Mercy, but shows them through his good works.

Do we listen to the authority of God? Do we reflect His Divine Truth in our lives? When others see us do they recognize us as Christians who speak and act authentically?

O Lord, help us to live authentic Christian lives.

Amen.

Fourth Friday of Lent

You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.

It is important for us to remember God has sent us into the world. Just like Jesus, we find our source in the Lord. There is a purpose to our lives beyond mere survival and worldly success. He sent us into the world to be reflections of His Divine Image and shine with the light of His Love, Mercy, and Grace. All of our good works come from Him and without Him we could do nothing.

How do we remind ourselves of the one who sent us? What purpose do we have in God’s Divine Plan? What is the best way for us to know, love, and serve God and His Children?

O Lord, send us into the world to do your will.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Joseph is one of the few people in the Old and New Testament who is called righteous. He does not speak a word to God. Instead he does what God tells him to do without questioning or complaining. This is what it means to be righteous: to put into action the words of the Lord without hesitation. We might not receive visions or dreams from God, but we do have the Gospels and they show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Do we listen to God? Are we receptive of His Word? Do we do what God commands us through the Gospels and inspirations of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, help us to be righteous by listening to your message and then working towards its fulfillment.

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday of Lent

I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

Jesus is always seeking to do the Father's Will. His judgments, his works, his words. They all flow from the Father, have their source in God Almighty. His relationship with the Father is at the center of his every action and is made manifest by the Holy Spirit. His very being constantly points to the One God who sent him. In the same way, our lives should always point back to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We must become the embodiment of all that is His Will. We should do nothing on our own, whether at work or at play. God should be there with us, remembered and evoked and thanked.

Do we realize that we can do nothing without God? How can we learn to seek God's Will and not our own? In what ways are we living up to our calling to be messengers of God's Love and Mercy?

O Lord, we can do nothing without you.

Amen.

Fourth Tuesday of Lent

“Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Jesus asks all of us if we want to be healed of our sins and how we answer determines whether or not we are. Some of us are too self-centered or stubborn to ask for help. We think we can take care of everything ourselves. However, we should remember that we cannot heal ourselves. Every time we attempt to do so we are like the sick man before Jesus comes to him. We see a possible solution and clamber after it only to discover it is another roadblock. We must be willing to listen for God’s saving question, "Do you want to be well?" If we do, then we need to answer Him and be willing to do whatever He tells us to do. When we do trust the Lord and follow his commandments, we rise up healed of our afflictions.

Do we want to be well? If so, then what is God asking us to do? What are the problems in our lives which distract us from the offer of salvation, which God gives us each day?

O Lord, we want to be well. Heal us.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Lent

Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe… You may go; your son will live.

Persistence pays off when it comes to swaying God to help us. The royal official could have heard the first words of Jesus and become timid or frightened to ask him for help. However, his love for his son and his faith in Jesus prompts him to ask again and he is rewarded with his heart’s desire. Sometimes when we ask for things they don’t come to us right away and we start wondering if God is listening to us. We work and pray in worldly time, while God works in his own. He knows when, where, and how to answer our prayers so that we have the best chance at the salvation of our soul. We can learn a lot about how to be a faithful follower of God by looking at the reaction of the royal official. When Jesus says your son will live, he believes him and immediately starts back home. He is persistent, but he also knows how to trust the Word of God. Other people might have insisted Jesus come with them, not trusting him. We should make sure that in our persistence we do not become so set on what we think God should do for us that we forget to trust Him and let Him do it His Way.

Do we really need signs and wonders to believe in God? What are the simple everyday things in our lives which remind us that God is always listening to us? Do we have the trusting persistence we need to ask God for what we need and then let Him provide it to us according to His Providence?

O Lord, help us to believe your word and live.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Whereas Moses raised the serpent in the desert in order to heal those bitten by the serpents in the desert, Jesus healed us of the spiritual poison of sin through the sacrifice of his passion, death, and resurrection. He is raised up before us on the cross for all to see and be saved. All we have to do to have eternal life is turn away from worldly things and gaze up to him with adoring eyes. He is our symbol of faith, hope, and love. He is the sign of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace. He is the paragon of a life lived in knowing, loving, and serving others.

When we suffer physical or spiritual trials do we look up to our Lord and Savior? When we look at the cross what truths do we see there? How are we signs of God's everlasting life for others?

O Lord, you were lifted up on the cross for our sake, let us look upon you and believe.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Lent

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

One of the ways the Devil attacks pious people is by convincing them of their own righteousness. There is nothing wrong with being righteous in the sense of doing the right thing, but when we start pointing out to others how right we are, then there is a problem. When we exalt ourselves we set ourselves up for a fall. Instead, we should be humble like the tax collector and constantly asking mercy for our sins, which are more numerous than even we know.

Have we treated anyone else as if we were better than them? How do we humble ourselves each day? Do we constantly ask for mercy from our Father?

O Lord, we humble ourselves before you.

Amen.

Third Friday of Lent

The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength… You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Love is the key to the commandments God has given us all. Our Lord asks us to open our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths for him and all His children. This request reveals the need for love to be a choice of our entire being. We cannot love others halfway. We either do or do not love them. We are also reminded in these commandments of the need to love ourselves as well. We need to love ourselves in light of God’s love for us in order to be able to live lives of Christian charity in regard to others. Just as there are three persons in Our One God, so too there are three persons we need to love in our lives: God, others, and ourselves.

How do we express our love for our God? Our neighbors? Ourselves?

O Lord, we love you, help us to love others and ourselves in light of that love.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Lent

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.

There are some people in this world who always look for the dark lining in the clouds or are never satisfied. We can perform all manner of good deeds and they will find some fault with us. We can speak the truth and they will ask for some sign that we are right. This is what Jesus faced in his opponents. They would always find some reason to complain or to ask for more. They are not satisfied with what Jesus is offering them and so they belittle and misuse him. We should always be on guard against falling into the traps of finding fault with others or asking God to prove Himself to us through signs. Instead, we should be thankful for the good works we see others do and accept that God has a plan that will see us to heaven if we are willing to follow the only sign we will ever need… Jesus on the Cross!

Are we like the people who celebrate and are amazed at Jesus' good works? Or are we like those who complain or seek more signs? How can we resist these temptations and fully trust in God?

Amen.

Third Wednesday of Lent

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Jesus fulfills the law and prophets through his Gospel and sacrifice. The law and prophets were necessary before Jesus, because mankind needed them. However, Christ completes them through his priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission to the world. His words build upon the law and transfigure it into the Gospel message we have today. His actions complete the foreseen future of the prophets. This is why we as Christians do not depend merely upon the law or prophets of the Jewish people. We give them due acknowledgement, but there is something more than the law and the prophets in Christ. He calls us to follow his Way, Truth, and Life and in order to do that we must look past the letter of the law and the signs of the prophets to the spirit of the law and the sign of our salvation.

Do we live our lives according to the spirit of the Gospels? Do we focus our every thought, word, and work on the goal of saving souls, including our own? What are the sacrifices we are willing to make to follow God’s commandments?

O Lord, we want to fulfill your Gospel message and become prophets of your love.

Amen.

Third Tuesday of Lent

“Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”

When Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother, he is asking a question we probably ask ourselves in regard to family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. If we are sinned against, it wounds us. The closer we are to the sinner the more difficult it can be to forgive, especially if it is a grave matter. Sometimes our relationships with others are so poisoned we can hardly look at the person. However, Jesus requires us to forgive others, even those most difficult to forgive. If Judas had sought out Jesus’ forgiveness after betraying the Son of Man with a kiss, Jesus would have had mercy on him.

Would we be able to forgive a person who betrayed us in such a way as Judas? If not, then how can we get to that point of forgiveness with that person? Do we actually forgive others or do we just say we do and then bring up their failings later?

O Lord, give us the ability to forgive those who sin against us.

Amen.

Third Monday of Lent

Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.

Sometimes our family and friends do not accept our faith. They know us better than most people and yet that knowledge clouds their opinion of us (and our opinion of them). They might see us trying to become better Christians and they don’t understand it. They know our sinfulness and they point it out to us in such a way to make us wonder if we’re fooling ourselves. They tell us: Why are you wasting your time on prayer? Why are you trying to be someone you’re not? Isn't there something else you’d rather be doing than going to Church? Not all of us have these people around, but for those of us who do, it is a constant struggle to keep living the Christian faith when family and friends don’t live it themselves. We should remember that we are not here on earth just for them. We are here to do God’s Will and sometimes that means leaving our native place in order to fulfill our mission to the world.

Who are the people (not necessarily family or friends) in our lives who challenge our faith? How do we handle having our beliefs challenged? Do we offer up our trials for the reparation of sins and the conversion of sinners?

O Lord, we do not seek to be accepted by anyone else, but you.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Like the woman at the well, we are thirsty for more than just water. We thirst for eternal life too. We have physical and spiritual needs in our lives and if we tend to one and not the other problems arise. If we satisfy our bodies, but not our spirits, we become empty husks with no life in us. Sure we survive, we might even appear healthy, but everything we have lacks meaning. On the other hand, if we tend to our spirits, but not the flesh and blood God gave us, our bodies wither and die. If we are mystics graced with the ability to subsist on the Bread of Life alone, then this is a great grace, but most of us need to take care of the temples God has given us. By taking care of our bodies we are better able to know, love, and serve God and his children.

Are we thirsty for eternal life? What are we doing to ensure we satisfy not only our physical needs, but our spiritual ones? How are we a spring of eternal life for others?

O Lord, lead us to your spring of eternal life.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Lent

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.

We share a lot in common with the prodigal and older son in today’s gospel. We have taken the gifts and talents God has given us and squandered them. Some of are like the older brother. We waste our abilities a little at a time, here and there. We hardly notice the missed opportunities to do more than just what is required of us. We think obedience is enough, but it is not. Doing God’s Will requires self-sacrifice and humility. However, others of us are like the prodigal son. We blind ourselves to the good with our desire for worldly things. We let our physical wants guide us away from our spiritual needs. We starve on a lack of charity toward God, others, and ourselves. We have no harvest to tend to because we have not taken the time to purchase the seeds through sacrifice or plant them with love. However, the Father is always there for us, hoping we too will come to our senses and return to him like the prodigal son or realize that everything is ours like the elder one.

In what ways are we like the prodigal son? Do we identify with the jealousy of the elder son? How can we learn from both of these men and grow in our relationship with God, our father?

O Lord, help us to come to our senses and to know everything you have is ours.

Amen.

Second Friday of Lent

Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.

God sent his beloved Son into the world to obtain the heavenly harvest of souls and after Jesus death he asked us to continue his work. He asks us to go into the world, risk our lives as the other servants have before us, and work in the vineyard of the Lord. It is not an easy or safe task he has set before us. Many of us have been martyred, mocked, and persecuted for our belief in the Christian way of life. However, it is the most rewarding life we can live. If we rebel against God and do no good works, then we will spiritually starve in the afterlife. On the other hand, if we pour ourselves out for God and others, we will yield a harvest ten, fifty, or a hundred fold and have a bountiful feast at the heavenly banquet with God.

Are we like the first servants who rebel against God thinking we can do things our way? Or are we like the second servants producing good fruit? What words and works can we do to cultivate the vineyard of our souls?

O Lord, give us the strength to tend your vineyard and bear much fruit.

Amen.

Second Thursday of Lent

My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.

The world often mistakes wealth and success with being good and failure and poverty with being bad. However, this point of view is not God’s way of seeing. God looks past our actions and our possessions and sees what is within our hearts. His perspective is focused on our intellect, our hearts, and our will and not just our outward appearance. He knows whether our acts of seeming charity are truly good or if they are inspired by baser instincts. Judas performed all sorts of miracles as one of the Twelve. He certainly appeared to be good, and yet he betrayed Jesus with a kiss. It is not enough to do the right thing in regard to other people, we must also want with all our hearts, minds, and souls to do God's Will. In addition, we are asked to be charitable to those whom we might find most repulsive, either physically or mentally. Lazarus is covered in sores and a beggar. Two things which repulse many people. However, these are exactly the things which should attract us to love the infirm and the poor.

How many times have we allowed the outward appearance of others to keep us from acting charitably toward them? Are we like the rich man and so focused on worldly wealth and success that we forget to tend to those in need? How can we train our intellect and will to choose the good, not just for ourselves, but those around us?

O Lord, carry us away to your bosom in Heaven.

Amen.

Second Wednesday of Lent

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.

The bravery in these words is astounding. Jesus knows what will happen to him when he goes to Jerusalem and yet he still goes. What makes this statement even more poignant is the fact that the disciples are bickering about who will sit at his left and right hand in the coming kingdom. They have no idea of the sacrifice Jesus is about to make for them and all God’s children. They cannot fathom the suffering he will have to endure. They are unappreciative of what it truly means to be a suffering servant. They are still thinking in worldly terms and looking for worldly rewards. However, Jesus does not offer us a seat at his left or right, he only offers us the chalice of salvation, which is bitter-sweet just as his Passion was so long ago.

Are we willing to be handed over to our persecutors? Are we willing to be condemned for our beliefs? Are we willing to suffer mockery for our faith?

O Lord, let us go to Jerusalem with you so that we too might one day be raised to Heaven.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Lent

Do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.

Jesus asks us to practice our faith, not for the purpose of being seen, but for the purpose of humbling ourselves before God. We do not want to be like the Pharisees and live hypocritical lives that only burden others. We need a living faith, which aims to help and love others because it is the right thing to do. If we are able to do this we will be exalted with Christ because we will be a perfect reflection of his love, mercy, and grace to all of His children. Sometimes it is difficult to do this, especially when we see others getting away with lives of sin and prospering in worldly things, but we are not asked to prosper in this life in anything other than doing the Will of God. Our reward is the unseen, but hoped for salvation of our souls.

In what areas of our lives are we hypocritical? Do we place any heavy burdens on other people’s shoulders? Are our actions truly charitable or do they have some selfish purpose?

O Lord, we want to follow your example and live genuinely faithful and fruitful lives.

Amen.

Second Monday of Lent

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you.

When we judge and condemn others, we judge and condemn ourselves. We cast the stone even though we are not sinless. Judgment and condemnation are reserved for God alone and when we usurp them for ourselves we manifest the original sin of Adam and Eve by claiming what is rightfully God’s, namely the knowledge of good and evil. This does not mean we stand idly by while people around us do evil, but rather that we confront it with love rather than judgment. We are called to hate the sin, but love the sinner. When we do this, we are more forgiving and giving of ourselves in love, even to those we dislike or who persecute us. God knows our hearts and as long as we strive to forgive and love, He will forgive and love us.

Who are we judging and condemning? Who should we forgive or give ourselves to? How can we manifest the love of God to those whom we dislike?

O Lord, help us cast aside judgment and condemnation and take up the mantle of forgiveness and love.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Lent

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Jesus converses with both Moses and Elijah because he is the continuation and fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. This is why they disappear when Jesus is revealed as the beloved son of God. He alone is the accomplishment of God’s plan of salvation. Just as he is transfigured into the fulfillment of God’s Divine Will, so are we. When we become Christ in our daily lives, we reflect God’s love into the world and become well beloved sons and daughters to Him.

What can we do to be better reflections of Jesus? How can we make Jesus the source, center, and summit of our every thought, word, and work? How can we be transfigured into Christ?

O Lord, help us to converse with you and be transfigured into your Divine Image.

Amen.