Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

God can only help us if we are willing to believe in Him and allow ourselves to be helped. Without the assent of faith, He will not perform mighty deeds for us. It is not that He does not want to help or heal us, but rather that we will not allow him to do so. God will not force us to know, love, or serve Him. We must choose to do these things ourselves and if we don’t, then we like the people of Nazareth will not have any share in His love, mercy, or grace.

Do we believe that God will help us physically, spiritually, or emotionally? Do we allow God to work His mighty deeds in our lives or do we try to fix everything ourselves? When we have trouble understanding God’s Will, do we pray for the humility to accept His Plan for us?

O Lord, if our faith is lacking, then help us build it up through trusting in you no matter our anxieties or doubts.

Amen.

Seventeenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

The net of the gospel and its commandments is all around us. There is no escape and we should not be looking for one. Instead, we should look at the commandments of God as leading us to a greater purpose. They help us to conform ourselves to the gospel. They keep us away from the sin. If we live lives that are good and holy, then in the end we will end up in Heaven with our Lord and God. If we seek only worldly things and sin without remorse, then we shall be tossed away. These are our only choices in this life: to be good and saved through the aid of the Holy Spirit or to be evil and damned through a snares of the Devil. There is no middle ground. And refusing to make this choice is a choice all the same.

Are we the good fish or the bad? Do we conform our lives to the gospel’s message or deny it? Do we live our lives as if we will be caught up in the net of Kingdom of Heaven at any time or think ourselves invincible?

O Lord, draw us to you and help us to be good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Memorial of St. Martha

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Sometimes when we are busy, worried, or otherwise distracted, we can lose sight of the important things in life. We, like Martha, let our emotions and sense of injustice get the better of us. We begin to judge others by our own standards and make assumptions about them based entirely on our own priorities. However, we are not called to judge others or force them to “do their fair share.” We should not let our own anxieties color our perception of others. Instead, we should try to put aside our worries, take a deep breath, and focus on what is really important in life, namely hearing the word of God and responding to it with true and active devotion. Martha does not see her sister’s active faith and so she thinks she is being lazy, but this is far from the truth. Mary is contemplating the gospel. Her mind and heart and soul are at work, while her sister focuses on the bodily needs of her guests. This is not to demean Martha’s work, which is also necessary, but rather that Martha in her business has not yet had the opportunity to interiorize the message of Jesus.

Are we too busy to contemplate the life of Jesus and his gospel? What anxieties and worries keep us from devoting ourselves to the spiritual life? How can we do a better job of choosing the better part of life?

O Lord, we are worried, but with your help we will chose the better part.

Amen.

Seventeenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.

Jesus sows the good seed in the world. He is the one from which all good things come and if we want a share in his kingdom, then we must be willing to allow him to sow us where he needs us to be. Jesus cannot force us to land on good earth and to grow in faith, hope, and love. We must allow him to bring us to those places where we can flourish in the faith. We do this by praying and discerning God’s Will for us. Most importantly we should make our lives a daily offering to God. Along the way, we will meet the weeds of the world and be challenged, berated, and persecuted for doing what is right. However, we must stand firm in the truth so that we will be able to shine like the sun and share in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Who are the weeds in our lives? Do we show them God’s love no matter what they do to us? Are we willing to let Jesus sow us where he needs us?

O Lord, sow us where you need us most.

Amen.

Seventeenth Monday of Ordinary Time

The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.

The seed of faith needs to be sown in our hearts. Without planting it, we will have nothing to show for our efforts on this earth. But how do we do this? First, we must accept the seed of faith. We cannot sow what we do not have. So we must be willing to trust in the gospel message and in the model of living that Jesus gives us. Secondly, we have to cultivate this seed through good words and works. As we grow in the habit of loving God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, our graces will branch out and provide the shade of hope for our family, friends, and neighbors. We, in a sense, make present the kingdom of God through our acts of faith, hope, and love. From the tiny seed of faith, we grow into large bushes wherein all of God’s children can rest.

Are we cultivating a lifestyle that will help us grow in God’s graces? What do we do to nurture our virtues and prune our vices? Do we allow others to rest in the shade of our love?

O Lord, cultivate the seed of our faith so that one day we might become a dwelling place for all your children.

Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.

Sometimes it’s difficult for us to put aside our worries and rest. Think of how anxious the disciples felt as the crowd gathered round and Jesus asked them, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” Phillip and Andrew express their worries by pointing out they don’t have enough money to purchase what they need to feed so many and what little they have is no good for so many. How many times in our lives do we make excuses when it comes to helping others? Perhaps we do not have enough money, time, or resources. Or maybe we don’t think we have enough to offer to make a real difference. However, when faced with the disciples’ lack of money or resources Jesus does not send the crowd home. Instead, he has them recline, blesses the bread and fish, and distributed what little he had. Jesus does not ask us to give out of our excess, nor does he ask us to give out of our lack. He wants us to give everything we can to him and to his children confident that it is in the giving that we do his will and not necessarily in the outcome. In this gospel, the people are all feed and there is much left over, but without the sacrifice of the little boy with the bread and fish, the miracle could not have occurred. Jesus asks us to follow the boy’s example and give whatever we can to him so that he can bless and multiply it a thousand fold.

What worries keep us from giving ourselves to God and his children? When faced with our own lacks, do we worry or do we recline with God and trust in His Providence? What sacrifices can we make—great or small—for the glory of God and help of his children?

O Lord, inspire us to give you all that we have so that you can multiply it according to your own Divine Will.

Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus calls us to service to God and to his children. He desires us to make ourselves into slaves of love, who seek nothing in return for their service but to please God, our Heavenly Master. The world does not uphold service and slavery as virtues. In the world it is better to be served and to hold power over others, but this is not what God wants us to do. He wants our bodies, minds, and hearts to be given over to His Will. Servants and slaves do not do what they want, but rather what they are called or asked to do by their master. We should keep our eyes and ears open to God’s calling so that when they do come we are ready to serve God and his children.

Do we have a spirit of service or entitlement? Have we made ourselves into slaves to God and servants to his children? Are we open to the call of service?

O Lord, give us the humility to be good and faithful servants-slaves to your Divine Will.

Amen.

Sixteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

Jesus makes clear to the disciples the dangers that face their flock. Some of those who hear the word of God will not understand it, others will fall away because of trials, and still more will be choked off by anxieties and the lure of riches. It is not enough for us to hear the good news, we must also understand it, persevere through the trials that come because of our understanding, and most importantly put our faith into action. We cannot bear any spiritual fruits if we are constantly concerned by and with the world. First and foremost in our thoughts should always be how we might use our gifts and talents to yield a harvest of good works for God and the salvation of souls.

Do we truly understand the gospel? Do we persevere through our trials and tribulations? What good works have we done in spite of our anxieties and the lure of the world?

O Lord, help us to bear fruit and yield a hundred fold.

Amen.

Sixteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.

When Jesus speaks of rich and poor in these terms, he is not talking about the monetarily wealthy, but rather the spiritually wealthy. He tells us that those who are rich in faith, hope, and love will continue to prosper, while those poor in these virtues will have everything taken away from them. He also goes further by saying those who understand his parables are blessed because when they hear the gospel message they are converted and healed. Those who do not listen to the good news or understand it will be spiritually blind and deaf. They will have no point of reference in regards to what God wants them to do in their lives. Jesus emphasizes the importance of opening our eyes and ears to his teachings and as long as we continue to do so we will grow in faith, hope, and love.

Do we keep our eyes and ears open to the messages God is trying to impart to us through our lives? Do we listen to and try to understand God’s Will so that we can better fulfill it? How can we cultivate our faith, hope, and love so that we can become spiritually rich?

O Lord, help us to grow rich in your gospel message.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.

When we are in the midst of trials, we can forget that God is with us. In our weeping, mourning, or even complaining, we can become so focused on our own needs that we fail to remember that Jesus is there beside us. We also fail to see how others are acting Christ-like toward us. The angels in the gospel try to comfort Mary by challenging her to look beyond her own worry about the missing Jesus and to see the miracle of the resurrection. She is so distraught that she can’t recognize Jesus when he is standing in front of her. It isn’t until he calls her by name that she finally realizes who she is talking to and sees the empty tomb as not an obstacle to her devotion, but a miracle of God’s Providence.

When we are in physical, emotional, or spiritual pain, do we keep our eyes open to God’s presence? Do we trust in God’s Will even in the midst of our trials and tribulations? We are the people in our lives who have acted Christ-like to us when we were in need?

O Lord, open our eyes to your presence.

Amen.

Sixteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

When Jesus’ family comes to speak with him, Jesus uses this as an opportunity to teach his disciples the meaning of true motherhood, brotherhood, and sisterhood. It is not a rebuke of his family members, but rather a reminder to his disciples that the spiritual family he is building is more important than his natural family. Jesus is more concerned with doing the will of the Father than with blood relations. Those who do his Father’s Will are his spiritual family, including Jesus’ mother and those natural family members who live out the gospel message.

Are we Jesus’ brother? Do we do the Will of God or our own will? How can we do a better job of knowing, loving, and serving our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, we want to be your brothers and sisters in spirit and in truth.

Amen.

Sixteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.

Jesus lets his listeners know that if they want to be truly repentant and wise, then they need to follow him and not look for signs. Jesus has given us all we need to live good and faithful lives in his gospel. He has shown us how to live lives of repentance and wisdom. Like the Ninevehites we have been given God’s words and been told about the coming judgment. We have no excuse not to follow Jesus in thought, word, and work. We have no excuse to claim ignorance because Jesus has made his commandments simple and clear: we are called to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and to love our neighbors as Jesus loves them. In the end our choice is simple: live in love or die in sin.

Are we living in love? Have we repented from our sins and amended our lives so that we sin no more? Have we not only sought the wisdom of Jesus, but internalized his gospel in our daily lives?

O Lord, we come to you in a spirit of repentance, seeking your wisdom.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

After sending his disciples out to preach the good news, Jesus gathers them together again, debriefs them, and then asks them to come with him to rest for a while. Jesus wants to impress upon his disciples the need to rest. We can’t keep going full speed ahead twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Just as God rested on the seventh day, so we too need to rest, relax, and reflect upon what we have done. In this way we can reenergize ourselves for the next set of tasks in our lives. Without rest, we get run-down and lose focus. We let our activities take over our lives without reflection upon their greater meaning. If we don’t rest, then we don’t gain the perspective we need to make the right choices in our lives. If we are always busy, than we shall miss out on opportunities for spiritual growth.

Are we too busy to rest and relax with Jesus as the disciples did? Are there things we do now that we could cut from our busy schedules so that we could have some more rest in our lives? Do we reflect upon our activities in order to better appreciate what they mean to us, others, and more importantly if they are in line with what God wants from us?

O Lord, gather us with you and lead us to rest.

Amen.

Fifteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

We can learn a lot from Jesus and the way he deals with those who persecute him. He does not challenge the Pharisees in a confrontational manner. He doesn’t cry out and make a scene. He doesn’t bruise anyone physically or emotionally or get angry with them. Instead, he brings justice, love, and mercy to his followers. He brings hope to the hopeless. In a similar manner, we are called to be meek and humble of heart, not to be pushovers (Jesus certainly wasn’t), but also not to push others. You can’t force faith, hope, or love. We nurture it and cultivate it with patience.

Do we contend with those who persecute us? Or do we act like Jesus? How can we foster within us the patience and mildness we need to act truly Christ-like?

O Lord, help us to bring your justice and hope to the world.

Amen.

Fifteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.

Jesus desires mercy, not sacrifice. Mercy is a sacrifice, not a physical one, but one of our spirits. When we are merciful toward others, we sacrifice a piece of ourselves. Saying the words, “I forgive you” can be very difficult in regards to certain people in our lives, especially when they do something terrible to us or one of our loved ones. However, Jesus wants us to go that extra mile and let go of our hurt feelings so that we can love others how he loves them. When someone harms us or does something we don’t agree with our first instincts can be to want to hurt them back, to complain, to belittle them, and to nurse our hurt feelings, but this is not the reaction God wants from us. He wants us to act like Christ, who looked at sinners and his enemies not with hate, but with mercy and love.

Who are the people in our lives, who we have the most difficulty forgiving? How can we express our forgiveness to them and keep forgiving them? What hurt feelings do we need to let go?

O Lord, you desire mercy, not sacrifice. Help us to be merciful people.

Amen.

Fifteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

We all need rest from time to time. Our bodies can’t keep going at top speed every hour of the day. We need to take breaks, naps, and get a good night’s sleep to help us rejuvenate. However, many of us do not do this for our spirits, which are in just as much need of rest. Our thoughts and emotions can take a lot out of us and we need to remember to rest our minds and hearts in God. Only He can renew our spirits when they labor with unanswered questions or are heavy with sorrows. Our passions, including our sensible devotion to God, wax and wane over the course of our lives. This is natural and we should not worry about the dry spells in our spiritual life. Sometimes God wants us simply to rest in Him and trust that He will provide for our spirits the energy we need at the time it is needed. There are many ways for us to rest our spirits. We can pray simply, listen in silence to God, or even spend time sitting quietly in the presence of the Lord during Adoration or after Mass.

What do we do to rest in the Lord? Do we come to Jesus when we are laboring or being burdened? How do we handle spiritual dryness?

O Lord, give us rest from our labors and burdens.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

We belong to Jesus. It’s as simple as that and yet we have such a hard time letting go of our independence. We try to do everything by ourselves. We only come to God when things get too heavy to bear on our own. However, we are never by ourselves. When we triumph, it is because God is with us and not because of our own efforts. When we persevere in times of trial, we do so because God is holding us up. We might not know God as we ought to or as we would like to, but one thing is certain: Jesus is with us in good times and in bad because we have been handed over to him and he never leaves his flock.

Do we try to do everything ourselves first? Wouldn’t it be better for us if we went to God first? How can we remind ourselves of Jesus’ presence in our lives in good times and bad?

O Lord, we have been handed over to you. We are yours now and forever.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.

Sometimes we take God for granted. When we pray for something and we receive it, we might thank God with a little prayer (or not), but fail to contemplate what He has done for us. When we are inspired by God, we sometimes forget to recognize where our good ideas come from. We are surrounded by daily miracles, great and small, and yet sometimes we continue on with life as if the world is what matters when in reality it is God and His Kingdom that we should be concerned about. Let us put our concerns in the right place from this day forward.

How do we remind ourselves to be thankful for God’s gifts and inspirations? What do we do to cultivate a spirit of repentance in light of all that God has done for us? How are we preparing ourselves for the day of judgment?

O Lord, you have done might deeds for us. Help us to respond with repentant hearts.

Amen.

Fifteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Today’s gospel is full of hard teachings. Jesus tells us we need to love him more than our family, to take up our cross, and to lose our lives for his sake. The first teaching is not about rejecting our families because they are bad for us, but rather that we should not cling to them so tightly that we miss opportunities to do God’s Will. Sometimes when we are with family we have a harder time acting Christ-like toward them. However this is what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to be able to leave our family behind and come follow him. He also asks us to take up our crosses. This is also a difficult thing to do. We might be comfortable with our lives or feel like we are suffering enough. However, we should never fear bearing the cross with Christ. He will always give us the strength we need to carry our burdens. The worst thing we can do is reject our cross because by doing so we reject the sacrifices of Christ. Lastly, Jesus asks us to lose our lives for him and seek him, rather than the pleasures of the world. Life isn’t bad, it’s good, but if we don’t orient our lives toward God, then we can corrupt the inherent goodness of life by focusing on living for our own sakes, instead of living for God.

Do we love our family and friends more than God? Have we picked up our crosses or denied them? Do we live our lives for God or for ourselves?

O Lord, grant us the grace to pick up our crosses and love you more than our families and ourselves.

Amen.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them."

When people reject our kind words or good actions, we can become offended and angry with them, but this is not what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to leave behind the hurt feelings caused by our trials. By doing this we shake off the “dust” of resentment that can cling to our soul after we experience persecution for our beliefs. We leave behind all those things that could keep us from being Christ-like toward those who reject our gospel message. In this way, we do not take out our frustrations or waste energy on those who oppose us, but rather leave everything in God’s hands. It can be difficult to let go and let God, to release our anger or annoyance with someone else and let God do the judging and the punishing, but it is necessary. We don’t need to carry extra baggage of resentment around with us. Instead, we should use these moments of strife to practice trusting in God’s Mercy and Justice.

How do we handle rejection and persecution? What can we do to be more Christ-like to those who hurt us? Are we willing and able to shake off the dust of our past encounters so we can focus on those we are with now and will meet in the future?

O Lord, give us the strength and wisdom to shake the dust off our feet and let you be the judge, not us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.

We can acknowledge Jesus in many ways. We can meditate upon his life, death, and resurrection. We can proclaim him with our words, not just those offered up in prayer, but also in those kind or comforting words we speak to others. We can give glory to him also through our every work, great or small. When we act with faith, hope, and love, we acknowledge Jesus by living out his gospel message. However, we can also deny Jesus in our thoughts, speech, and deeds. When we dwell on evil things, complain about or put down another person, or commit a sin or fail to do good works, we reject Jesus in our selfishness.

In what ways do we acknowledge Jesus through our thoughts, words, and works? On the flip side, how do we deny him through these things? What can we do better in light of these questions?

O Lord, help us to acknowledge you in all things.

Amen.

Fourteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Every day of our lives we are “handed over” in little ways. We might not suffer the threat of physical harm or death, but there are other types of persecution that attack our minds and our hearts. When we are undergoing these attacks from modern culture, family, friends, or neighbors, we must remember to keep silent and not to worry about what they say. Instead we should suffer patiently and wait for God to inspire our words so that they might have the greatest effect. When we feel unfairly (and sometimes fairly) criticized or persecuted, there is the temptation to respond without placing ourselves into God's presence and letting Him craft our response. We can rush into speaking, and before we can stop ourselves, we say something we wish we hadn’t. We lie, berate, belittle, and say so many foolish things when we don’t take the time to center our responses on God.

How do we react to being fairly or unfairly criticized? Do we really trust God to speak through us? How can we cultivate the patience we need to be able to allow God to craft our response to the criticisms of others?

O Lord, speak through us.

Amen.

Fourteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.

Jesus reminds his disciples that they have been given their gifts of casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead without cost and so they should share these gifts without cost. Similarly, we are given gifts, which God wishes us to share without cost. When we commit acts of love or mercy for others, we can sometimes fall into the trap of expecting them to return our good works when we ask them. Jesus tells us in today’s gospel that we should not give to others in hope of receiving a return, but rather we should give because it is the right thing to do. It is what Jesus did for all of us on the cross. There is nothing we could ever do that could repay him for his sacrifice on the cross, but one thing we can do is act like him and desire nothing in return for our good works except the glory of God.

What gifts has God given us? How do we use them to help others and to glorify God? Do we give them without counting the cost or expecting anything in return?

O Lord, help us to give without counting the cost.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

 As you go, make this proclamation: "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

After Jesus gives the Twelve authority over demons and illness, he sends them out to proclaim: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Twelve become heralds of not only God’s Mercy, but also of His promise of everlasting life with Him in heaven. We, too, are called to proclaim these things and to do good in imitation of Christ. We might not be able to cast out demons or cure the sick, but we can forgive and help those who are tormented by their sins. We can care for and tend to the needs of those who are ill. In this way, we go out into the world as the Twelve did, bearing the authority and love of God.

What are the gifts and talents we can use to proclaim the Kingdom? In what way do we proclaim the Kingdom through our everyday duties and chores? How do we reveal God’s Love to those in most need of His Mercy?

O Lord, let our every thought, word, and work proclaim your Kingdom.

Amen.

Fourteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus takes pity on all of us. He is moved by our every suffering, illness, setback, and trial. He becomes our shepherd through his proclamation of the gospel and his sacrifice on the cross. He cures us of our sins so we can walk his Way, he preaches the Truth to us, and he teaches us how to live our lives as children and heirs of God. We may feel troubled and abandoned at times, but we are never alone. Jesus is always at our side wanting us to turn to him and ask for his aid. When we do this, he gives it abundantly and without reservation. His compassion and forgiveness are unfathomable and we are blessed to have him with us on this earth. Let us hope we will be good and faithful servants so that we can spend the rest of eternity in his good graces.

What are we troubled about? Do we feel abandoned by God? How can we remind ourselves that Jesus is with us?

O Lord, show pity on us and lead your poor sheep through the heavenly gate.

Amen.

Fourteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping. "And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.

Sometimes when we try to help others or to do the right thing, others ridicule us and make us feel like we are doing something wrong. However, when we are faced with the opportunity to act out of love or mercy, we should not let the chance pass by because of what others think. All we can do in this life is to try to think, speak, and act like Jesus. We are called to be God-bearers just as Mary was in her life. When faced with ridicule, we must put the crowd out of our minds and do the right thing. In this way, we can raise the spirits of those whom we help and gain even more glory for God by doing it in spite of what others might think, say, or do to us because of it.

Who are the people who ridicule our faith? Do we let them keep us from doing the right thing? How can we be more Christ-like even in the face of opposition?

O Lord, help us to ignore the ridicule of others and act in accord with your will.

Amen.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" 
And they took offense at him.

The people of Nazareth speak these words when Jesus returns to his native place. Here they recognize his wisdom and mighty deeds, and yet they take offense at him. Why would they do this? Sometimes when we think we know someone and they do something unexpected, something that challenges our preconceptions about them, we can rebel against it. We are much more comfortable in a world where we can put people in a box and label them. This is what the people of Nazareth do to Jesus. They label him to be a carpenter, the son of Mary. Anything that challenges this opinion upsets the status quo. As Christians, we must not be afraid to change our opinions of people if they prove us wrong. We should not claim to know the hearts of others as the people of Nazareth do. Instead we should be open to having our opinions changed in light of the actions, good or bad, that others take.

Who are the people in our lives whom we might be misjudging? How can we be more open to them and less judgmental? What can we do to rebuild the faith of others, especially those whom we have let down?

O Lord, help us to be open to your wisdom and mighty deeds.

Amen.

Thirteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

Jesus’ gospel message is new. It cannot be contained by the laws of Old Testament. It demands a new way of thinking and living. Jesus tells us that we must make ourselves into wineskins in order to preserve ourselves. His love, mercy, and grace demand it. He will not let himself be contained in the legalistic code of the Law. Instead he writes his commandments in his own flesh and blood and calls upon us to make ourselves into an acceptable sacrifice to God and for our fellow children of God.

Do we see the commandments of Christ as legal obligations or as spiritual fulfillment? How do we receive and preserve the word of God? How do we receive and preserve the Body and Blood of Christ?

O Lord, make us into fresh wineskins so that we might preserve your gospel and be preserved by it.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Sometimes we can be as doubting as Thomas. We want to see God in action in our lives, otherwise we start to wonder if He’s really here with us. Our prayers become more demanding as things get worse for us. Can we imagine how bad things were for Thomas at the moment he utters these words? Jesus has just been crucified and all hope is lost. Then, the other disciples of Christ tell him they’ve seen Jesus and received the Holy Spirit from him. This is too much for Thomas to take in and he doesn’t believe them. Perhaps he wondered why Jesus would show himself to them and not to him. Whatever the reason, we sometimes act like Thomas. We don’t believe others, we don’t think God is still with us, and so we doubt. But we, like Thomas, need to remember the promises of Christ and realize he will never leave us alone. The nailmarks in his hands and the wound in his side show us this truth. Through them, he poured out his love, mercy, and grace upon all his brothers and sisters. We do not need to see signs or miracles to believe, we have only to believe so that we might see the signs and miracles that are already present in our lives.

What doubts do we have about God’s love for us? Why do we have them? How can we do a better job of opening our eyes to the God-instances (not coincidences) around us?

O Lord, help us to believe so we might better see your presence in our lives.

Amen.

Thirteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

Sometimes when we are in a state of sin, we need others to help us be healed. We, like the paralytic man, cannot do it ourselves. This is why we have the sacraments of reconciliation and the anointing of the sick. Through the priest, we are brought to Jesus and by own shared faith, we are healed by him. Sometimes we need others to point out our flaws, our blind spots, so that we can recognize where we are ill spiritually. These too, are like the people who brought the paralytic to Jesus. We might not always appreciate it when people point out our failings, but if they do it out of love, then we should be thankful for it. We should face our frailties with courage, knowing that Jesus will forgive us as long as we make our way to him through the help of family, friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

What are our physical and spiritual ailments? Who are the people who help us overcome them? Do we seek out the healing sacraments of confession and the anointing of the sick?

O Lord, give us courage to face our frailties and overcome our sins.

Amen.

Thirteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

After Jesus drives out the demons and the swine drown, the whole town comes out to meet Jesus. And do they thank him for helping the two people who were possessed? No, they beg Jesus to leave. Why do they do this? One thing that may not be clear at first is that the townspeople are Gentiles, not Jews, since they are tending “unclean” swine. Also those swine would have been a source of money and food for the people of the town. So why does Jesus cast the demons into the swine? Doesn’t he know that doing so would ruin their livelihoods? Perhaps this is exactly the reason he does this. He wants to remind us that the things of this world are passing away. He is the only true livelihood. He is the food of everlasting life. We should be more concerned with him than we are with earthly things, which are there one day and gone the next.

When we lose something we care about, what is our reaction? Do we blame others or God? Or do we try to learn from our loss and ground our reaction to it in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, let us put our trust in you and the everlasting life you promise us.

Amen.