The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.  I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.

As we stand on the verge of a new year, we are challenged by the Gospels to beware of the antichrists in our lives and to cling to the truth no matter what comes our way. The antichrists are all those people, activities, and things that take away from our time with God. They are the instigators of our selfish impulses. They promote sin and keep us from doing good. Each year we struggle against these worldly influences. Sometimes we fail and as we begin a new year we should make a fresh start by confessing our sins, doing penance, and avoiding sins. So too, we need to renew our dedication to living out the teachings of our faith, especially those we find most difficult because only the truth can set us free from selfish thoughts and lead us to the selfless lives we are called to live.

What are the antichrists in our lives? How can we overcome them? Do we follow the teachings of Christ, especially those that are most difficult?

O Lord, help us to know the truth and follow it all the days of our lives.

Amen.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, 
he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.

Throughout the nativity story, Joseph listens to God’s messages and carries them out without complaint. He could have complained about how unfair his lot in life was. His plans for marriage and a family were high jacked by God’s plans. He could have complained about the public shame he must have suffered when Mary was found to be with child before his official marriage to her. He could have refused to raise a child that wasn’t his own. He could have grumbled about having to leave everything he ever knew and flee to Egypt. He could have protested about being told to come back to Israel only to find out someone just as bad as Herod had taken over. He could have whined about a lot of things, but he didn’t. He accepted God’s Will and took Mary as his beloved wife and Jesus as his beloved son. He did what he was told without hesitation. He took it on faith that everything his family was going through had a reason and a purpose. He might not have understood why, but he understood God’s Providence would provide and everything would make sense in the end. In the same way, we need to trust in God’s plans for our families and ourselves. We might want to complain or run away, but God gave us our parents, siblings, and other family members for a reason and a purpose. We would do well to remember that it is not necessary for us to understand our family to love them as God loves them.

Do we complain about our family or hesitate to help them? Are we willing to accept we won’t always understand why certain things happen to our loved ones or ourselves? How can we be more trusting of God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, help us to be holier families.

Amen.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.

It’s not easy to walk as Jesus walked. Our sins can be constant obstacles and stumbling blocks along the narrow path to Paradise. We can let pride, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth either lead us to do evil or cause us to forego an opportunity to do good. If we want to know, love, and serve God and His children, then we have to strive to be Christ-like in everything we think, say, or do. It is only by imitating Christ that we can be truly perfected in him. It is not enough to claim we are disciples. We also have to follow in his footsteps and become living sacrifices to God for the good of others.

Do we keep God’s commandments? Do we truly know, love, and serve God and His children? Are we united with Christ as we make our spiritual journey?

O Lord, we want to walk just as you walked from Bethlehem to Calvary, from cradle to grave.

Amen.

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.

We are not perfect. We all have our blind spots and our sinful inclinations. However, as long as we try to walk in the light, recognize our sinfulness, and seek to amend our lives, then God will be merciful. We’ll get lost along the way through pride, envy, lust, or some other sin, but if we are contrite and seek fellowship with God, then He shall lead us back to where we need to be. The trouble comes when we cannot recognize our sinfulness or think we are better than others. If we are unable to recognize our vices, then we need to pray for God to show them to us so we can address them with humility and allow God to cleanse us of every wrongdoing.

Are we in fellowship with God? Are we striving to follow the way of light? What sins do we need to overcome in our lives?

O Lord, forgive and cleanse us.

Amen.

Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

The Word of Life lived among us and showed us the way to live. He showed us how to be forgiving, compassionate, merciful, and loving. He gave us a model of faith, hope, and charity and an example of what it means to make our lives into testimonies to God’s Goodness. He offers us an illustration of what it means to proclaim the Truth and follow it without complaint. Last but not least, he showed us how to know, love, and serve God and His children in a spirit of fellowship.

Are we living our lives according to the examples Jesus gave us? How do we testify and proclaim the Good News? How do we live out our fellowship with God and His children?

O Lord, in you we find the only true and never-ending fellowship.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.  As they were stoning Stephen, he called out “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Martyrdom was constantly a reality for the early believers in Jesus. It is a less constant now, but there are areas in the world where Christians are being killed for their faith on a daily basis. Recently, there have even been terrorist threats against our places of worship. We might not appreciate how close to martyrdom we are just by choosing to follow Christ. Our persecution might not be as overt as that of the early Christians, but it is ever present. We might not be martyred in body, like St. Stephen, but our thoughts, words, and works might cause us problems and even put our lives and livelihoods in danger.

Do we appreciate the dangers that we face as Christians? Are we lending support to those Christians who are suffering for their faith? Are we willing to proclaim the Good News even if it causes us trouble?

O Lord, receive our spirits.

Amen.

Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Word made flesh. This is what we celebrate at Christmas. God’s gift of His Beloved Son to us for the revelation of the Truth, the teaching of the Way, and the granting of Life everlasting. From Jesus's birth to his crucifixion and resurrection has one goal in mind: to save us from sin and death. We all came into the world through the Word and we shall all pass out of it through Jesus. He shall judge us before His father for all we have done and failed to do. Under His enlightening gaze all will be revealed to us and we shall know what we did right and wrong and we shall be convicted to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell based on our words and deeds. We can only hope that we keep the light of Jesus alive in our hearts because alone we are nothing, but with Him we are made worthy to play in Paradise.

Do we listen to the Word of God? Do we thank God for our own beginnings, our own lives? What can we do to keep our eyes open to the light of Jesus?

O Lord, help us keep you always in our sight so that we might pass through the darkness and into your light.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Advent

“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? “‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel.  I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

David wants to build a house for the Lord, but God makes clear He doesn't need one. Sure, David had good intentions, but God reminds him God is not looking for a place to live outside the hearts and minds of his followers. He already lives in Heaven and wants us to join him there. He doesn't need an earthly home with us when He has already prepared a far better one with Him. It is up to us to prepare ourselves to join Him. We do this best by doing good, avoiding evil, trusting in God in our times of affliction, and ultimately resting in the palms of His Hands.

How are we preparing ourselves for Heaven? What can we do to help others reach the Promised Land, too? Are we allowing God to dwell within and work through us?

O Lord, give us rest with you in Heaven.

Amen.

Fourth Friday of Advent

The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.

By becoming flesh, Jesus consecrated all of mankind to His Father and made us the adopted children of God and heirs to His kingdom. Nothing can take this away from us. God loves us as Himself, He loves us in a way that completes us. We cannot find a greater love than this. We can try to substitute people and things, but no matter how much we love someone or something it is a mere atom compared to the universal love God has for us. The Incarnation is just one of the ways God expressed His boundless love for us and as we celebrate this Christmas Eve, anticipating the Birth of Christ, we should also keep in mind what that birth means: God is with us because He loves us as Himself.

How do we give thanks to our Heavenly Father? How do we make Jesus a central part of not only Christmas, but every day of the year? What does the gift of the Incarnation mean for us?

O Lord, we give our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths to you in praise of the gift of your beloved Son.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Advent

For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

God wants to refine and purify us so we are precious and pleasing in His sight. He wants us to be polished and shaped by the virtues of faith, hope, and love so we can more perfectly reflect His Divine Image. We cannot fulfill this purpose if we mar our souls with sins and muddy them with imperfections. Each time we do evil or fail to do good, we need to be refined and purified once again through the fires of contrition and penance. Then, once we are made clean in the eyes of the Lord, we will become an acceptable sacrifice to God.

Are we willing to allow God to refine and purify us through whatever means He decides is best for us? Are we willing to make our lives into living sacrifices to God? How can we be more pleasing to God?

O Lord, refine the metal of our souls and purify us of all our imperfections.

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday of Advent

“Pardon, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” She left Samuel there.

Just as Hannah consecrated Samuel to the Lord, so does Mary consecrate us. Everything we are and have is God’s and it is in Him that we find our fulfillment. Both Mary and Hannah were willing to offer up their beloved sons to God and likewise we need to be willing to give up whatever is most beloved to us. We are all called to dedicate ourselves to God and let Him think, speak, and work through us. If we do this, then we shall become good and faithful servants living sacramental and prophetic lives.

Have we dedicated our lives to God? Are we willing to sacrifice our most beloved people, places, and things to know, love, and serve God? How can we repay God for all He has done for us?

O Lord, we give ourselves to you through the hands of your Holy Mother, Mary.

Amen.

Fourth Tuesday of Advent

My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come! For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!”

God is our lover. The Bible is the greatest love story ever told. Our lives are chapters in the never-ending story. Each one is different, but God wants the same ending for us all. He wants us to be with Him forever in paradise. He sees the beauty in all people and gives them every chance to grow in faith, hope, and love. He treats each of us as His beloved. He calls to us to come with Him, prune away our sins, to celebrate life, and bear good fruits.

Do we appreciate how much God loves us? What can we do to prune away our sins and imperfections? How are our lives an expression of God’s Love to others?

O Lord, you are our beloved, our beautiful one.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Advent

Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

 At first glance Ahaz’s words might sound like a good idea. We shouldn’t test or tempt God. Instead, we should trust in Him. However, God was the one who wanted to perform a sign for Ahaz in order to reinforce his faith. Ahaz turned Him down because as long as no sign was given Ahaz was free to do as he wished, to trust in himself. But if he asked for a sign and received it, he would have given God power over his decisions. He would have had to live according to God’s Will and not his own. Sometimes we act like Ahaz. We trust in ourselves over God. We choose our own way. We close our eyes to the signs around us that are pointing us to a better way of living. Our only hope is to humbly put aside our self-reliance and accept that we need God’s help. Then, and only then, will we empty ourselves enough to be filled with the grace we need to live holy lives.

Are we open to God’s influence in our lives? Do we trust God more than ourselves? Can we learn to humble ourselves before God?

O Lord, we trust in you and the greatest sign you ever sent us, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

As followers of Christ, we should be guided by the Beatitudes in every aspect of our lives. When others hear or see us, they should hear and see the Beatitudes. We should be poor in spirit so that we can be rich with confidence in God’s Divine Providence. We should be willing to mourn with others so that God will comfort us during our own sufferings. We should be meek so that we will learn to be humble enough to go wherever God wants to lead us. We should hunger and thirst for righteousness because it is only in doing good and avoiding evil that our consciences can be satisfied. We should be merciful because by doing so we act as Christ did and obtain forgiveness for our own sins. We should have clean hearts because it is only by keeping ourselves unsoiled by sin that we can see the Will of God. We should be peacemakers because when we help others heal their relationships we become true imitators of Christ and heirs to his promise of salvation. We should be willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness because Jesus showed us in his life that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth suffering and dying for. We should be willing to suffer insults and persecutions in the name of Christ because when our souls are right with God no amount of difficulty can lessen our joy and gladness. If we do all these things, then our reward will be great in Heaven and our lives will be truly blessed.

Are we leading lives guided by the Beatitudes? How can we make our words and works more in line with these ideals? What can we do to bring these blessings into the lives of others?

O Lord, make us into living Beatitudes.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Advent

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The LORD our justice.”

Jesus is the Lord of Justice. His righteous life gives us the perfect model of what true justice means. It is founded on love, forgiveness, and mercy and its aim is not to punish people, but to save them from themselves. He wants all of His Father’s children to be good and faithful servants and to be with Him in paradise. He does everything in his power to lead us to live holy lives. And when we fail and fall into sin, he offers us the sacrament of reconciliation to cleanse us of our sins, strengthen our consciences, and give us the support we need to resist temptations and avoid sins.

How can we imitate God’s just and righteous nature? Do we seek Him out when we have need of being cleansed of our sins? Do we thank Him for His constant love, forgiveness, and mercy?

O Lord, in you are our justice and security.

Amen.

Third Friday of Advent

You, Judah, shall your brothers praise–your hand on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to you. Judah, like a lion’s whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, While tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people’s homage.

Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise to Judah. He is the greatest fruit from the tree of Jacob, Judah’s father. He came into this world to be praised and so he is among his faithful. He came to conquer the enemies of man and he did conquer sin and death for us. He came to be worshiped as our Lord and Savior and we are all given the chance to do so as individuals and as members of His Spiritual Body, the Church. He is the King of Kings and we would be wise not to rouse His wrath by choosing vices over virtues. He is our Lord forever and though we might rebel against him for selfish reasons, we cannot escape his rule. And when we are caught by Him, we have only two choices: to refuse him and be cast into Hell or to pay him homage and enter eternal life with him.

Do we give God the praise that is due to Him for all He’s done for us? When we rouse God’s anger with us through sin do we confess our failings and seek to make amends with Him? What kinds of homage can we give God?

O Lord, we praise you for all you have done, are doing, and will do for us.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Advent

This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

God loves us and is merciful. He wants us to have peace in our lives, even in the midst of our trials and tribulations. He is not out to destroy us. He is not angry with us. He does not wish to turn us away at the gates of Heaven. He gives us every opportunity to obey His commandments, follow in His Son’s footsteps, and listen to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. However, He will not force us to obey, follow, or listen to Him. He wants us to choose to love Him and His children of our own accord and not because it is forced on us. It is up to us to accept His Love and return it to the best of our abilities. And if we do this, then we shall find Heaven not only open to us, but joyous at our coming.

Is our image of God one of justice tempered with mercy or do we fear He is too angry with us to forgive our sins? How can we thank God for the mercy He has shown to us? Do we live our lives knowing He will never abandon us?

O Lord, grant us your love, peace, and mercy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word: To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear, Saying, “Only in the LORD are just deeds and power. Before him in shame shall come all who vent their anger against him. In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory of all the descendants of Israel.”

God is the source of justice, good deeds, and power. As long as we turn to Him, we will be safe. However, there are many things in this world that will tempt us to be unjust, to sin, and to trust in our own power before God. All those who allow themselves to be lured away from God will have to answer for their wrongs, while those who stand fast with Him will be vindicated and witness the glory of the Beatific Vision. So let us bend our knee to God and proclaim His Goodness all the days of our lives. This is what it means to be a disciple: to take God as our beginning, middle, and end and no other.

Do we turn to God in our times of need? Do we bend our knees and proclaim the greatness of God? Do we recognize God as the source, center, and summit of all our good deeds?

O Lord, in you we shall find our vindication and glory.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

On that day You need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain. But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

As long as we are willing to admit our mistakes, ask God for forgiveness with contrite hearts, and do penance, then we shall have nothing to be ashamed of when we stand before God. All our rebellious actions will be washed away in God’s Mercy. The key to doing all these things is humility. We must be willing to prostrate ourselves before God and cast aside our prideful impulses. It is only then that we shall be able to live our lives based on the Eternal Truth and not our own opinions.

Have we sought God’s Mercy for our sins, great and small? Are we willing to humble ourselves before God so He can raise us up on the Last Day? Do we live our lives according to the Truth or our own desires?

O Lord, wash away our misdeeds and rebellious actions with your never-ending mercy.

Amen.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.”

Mary is the mother of our salvation. She is our Blessed Mother and Most Holy Mediator between God and us. She shows us through her Most Immaculate Life how to know, love, and serve God with all our hearts and minds. It was through her humble acceptance of God's Will that God's Saving Power, namely Jesus, came into the world. Her mildness gave birth to the greatest authority of all… the Son of God! This doesn't mean her life wasn't hard. Far from it! She ran into difficulties from the very first moment she accepted the angel's annunciation. However, she did not let her fears, anxieties, and problems keep her from doing God's Will. She found a way to overcome all the obstacles in her way and became the Most Faithful Servant of All. In the same way, we are called to become living vessels of God's Will no matter what stands in our way.

What are we giving birth to in this world? Are we imitating Mary's trust, love, humility, and mildness in our own lives? Do we turn to Mary and her beloved Son, Jesus, when we are trying to be good vessels of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace?

O Lord, may your salvation and power come into the world through us as it did through Mary?

Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

We might not give sight to the blind, cure the lame and lepers, heal the deaf, or raise the dead, but we can proclaim the Good News to the poor and recognize Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Sometimes we want everything a certain way. We have expectations for the future. However, we need to remember that God did not put us in this world to have everything our way or to meet all our expectations. We aren’t all called to live spectacular lives full of fame, glory, or wealth. No, most of us are called to live quiet lives. Ordinary in every way, except that as Christians we recognize the source of our goods and are asked to proclaim it by knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. In short, we are called to live our lives in anticipation of Jesus’ coming, not expectation of earthly rewards.

When people look at us, what do they see? Do we proclaim the good news to the best of our ability? Are we living lives of anticipation or expectation?

O Lord, bless us with a spirit of anticipation of your second coming.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Advent

In those days, like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah whose words were as a flaming furnace. Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits; By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire. How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!

Just like Elijah, our words should be like a flaming furnace. They should warm the hearts of others. Thaw the ice of indifference. Enkindle the fires of love. Call out to the Holy Spirit: Come! They should shatter misconceptions, prejudices, hatreds, and all those chains that keep us from loving God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. They should be willing to warn others when they are in spiritual danger and rebuke those who would lead others astray. Every word should speak to the awesome power of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace and come from a heart that is thankful for all the wondrous deeds He has done through us.

Are we fulfilling our calling to be prophets of the Good News? Do we let the enkindling flames of the Holy Spirit spread from our words and works? Do we recognize God as the source, center, and summit of all our good deeds?

O Lord, may the fires of your love be spread through us and into the world.

Amen.

Second Friday of Advent

I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; Your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, Their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence.

God knows what’s good for us. He can teach us what is for our good. He can lead us where we need to go. However, it is up to us to recognize His Wisdom and let Him guide us. We cannot do this if our eyes are blinded by temptations, our ears clogged with pride, or our hands and feet chained to sinfulness. However, if we allow God to cleanse and heal us through confession and penance, then we will be able to follow God’s commandments and our lives will prosper at least spiritually because of it. It is only by living holy lives that we can be vindicated in the eyes of God and grow in faith, hope, and love.

Are we willing to let God teach us what is for our good? How can we become better followers of God’s commandments? What can we do to keep ourselves in the presence of God?

O Lord, lead us on the way we should go.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

When we do something wrong, we have a tendency to look for excuses or blame others. This is exactly what Adam and Eve do. Adam blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent. This temptation to fault everything and everyone but ourselves is one we have to struggle with throughout our lives, especially when we feel unfairly treated by people or wonder why things aren’t going our way. Instead, we should accept responsibility for the consequences of our sins, confess them with contrite hearts, and do penance with the joy that should come from being freed from our burdens.

Who do we blame for our problems? What are our excuses for sinning? How can we train ourselves to own up to our failings and strive to be better?

O Lord, we are naked before you. Clothe us in your mercy and grace.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Do you not know or have you not heard? The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

No one who trusts in God will truly fail in life. We might suffer setbacks and be seen as failures in the eyes of the world, but God looks beyond the outcomes of our words and actions and to the effort and spirit within them. As long as we think, say, and do things for the right reasons, we shall not falter, nor grow weary, nor faint even if everything seems to be going against us. Every setback is an opportunity to show God what we are made of. Our faith and perseverance will be rewarded, if not in this life, then in the next, which lasts forever.

Do we face our failures with hopeful hearts? Are we unbowed by our setbacks? How can we turn our troubles into opportunities to show God our faith and perseverance?

O Lord, grant us wings to soar over all the obstacles in our way.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Advent

Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

God is powerful and His rewards are immeasurable. He feeds us with His Holy Word through the scriptures, the celebration of the readings at mass, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. He feeds use on His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. He gathers us into His arms from the moment of our birth in order to protect us and guide us. And we will lift us to His bosom on our last days as long as we are willing to be found and caught by Him. He also leads us through good times and bad ones with a care that is perfect. He wants only the best for us, but He will never force us to accept his gifts. It is up to us to recognize His Voice and follow in His footsteps.

Do we thank God for all the gifts He has given us? Do we feed ourselves upon God’s Word and Body? Are we willing to let Him gather us into His Arms?

O Lord, press us to your heavenly heart and lead us with care to paradise.

Amen.

Second Monday of Advent

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.

We all have weaknesses. Some of our weaknesses are in our bodies, others our minds, still others in our spirits. However, if we trust in God’s strength, then we shall have nothing to fear. Our weaknesses shall be fortified and we shall be able to overcome the trials before us. Perhaps not in the way we expected or planned, but in the way that is best for us. God will save us if we let Him. But we have to be open to His Will and accepting of His solutions. By doing so, we let Him into our hearts where He can do the most good for us. He can cure our blindness, physical, mental, and spiritual. He can heal our ears so that we can hear His guidance and inspiration. He can give us the confidence we need to take the leaps of faith that will lead us closer to Him and the voice we need to proclaim Him in word, prayer, and song.

What are our weaknesses? Do we pray to God for strength to overcome them? Do we thank Him for saving us from them when He does help us?

O Lord, you make us strong and fearless in our faith.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

We have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and the fire of love so we might not burn in the unquenchable fire of selfishness. Jesus has given us an example of what it means to be on fire for God and a light for the nations. If we do not repent or accept God’s offer of forgiveness, then our hearts will become like chaff. Dried out husks with no good fruits within them. However, if we allow God to nourish us on the waters of love and mercy, then grace shall grow within us and we shall bear abundant fruits. And at the end of our lives, Jesus will gather our good works into the heavenly storehouse and we shall be counted among His good and faithful servants.

Are we repentant? Are we willing to let the Holy Spirit enkindle our hearts, minds, and bodies? What fruits are we producing?

O Lord, baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left.

We are faced with many challenges in our lives. Moments of doubt, fear, and sorrow. Moments of hunger and thirst. Moments of decision for good or evil. Our character is determined by the choices we make during these times. Our spirit is strengthened or weakened by whether we listen to Jesus’ teachings and follow his commandments. We would do well if we listened to the conscience within us and walk in the Way of the Lord. If we let His Truth guide us, then we shall be made worthy of His Life and never weep again.

Are we thankful for the answers God gives us? Are we grateful for the food and drink He gives us? Will we listen to His guidance and follow in His way?

O Lord, lead us where we need to be.

Amen.

First Friday of Advent

Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, They shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

As Christians, we have nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. As long as we keep our eyes opened and see the work of God’s hands in our midst. Every day of our lives, we are witness to miracles, great and small. Moments in which God does great things for us. Moments when He gives us a small grace to get us through the day. If we keep in mind how much God does for us, then how can we not keep God’s Name holy and reverence Him? We might not always understand what He has done, but if we trust in Him, we shall gain understanding. We may not be perfect, our faults might drag us down, but if we seek forgiveness, then we shall receive the instructions we need to do better.

Are we uplifted by and fearless in our faith? Do we keep God’s Name holy and reverence Him for all He has given us? Are we seeking understanding and instruction?

O Lord, we are in awe of you and all your gifts to us.

Amen.

First Thursday of Advent

A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you.

The traits of the nation in this scripture should also be our traits. They are the traits God wants us to have because they reflect His Goodness and led us to holier lives. We are called to be just as the Heavenly Father is just. We are called to keep the faith, just as our ancestors did during good times and bad. We are to have a purpose, just as Jesus did. He came into the world to reveal the depth of God’s Love and Mercy and our lives should reveal the same. We are called to keep the outer peace just as the Holy Spirit provides us with inner peace. Last but not least, we are asked to trust in God and allow Him to lead us through the darkness and into the light of eternal life.

Are we dedicated to justice and keeping the faith? Do we have a firm purpose in our lives to know, love, and serve God and His children? Do our words and actions keep the peace?

O Lord, in peace, we trust in you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

As Christians, we are called to profess our faith through our words and works. The people who hear and see us should know without a doubt we are Christians by our expressions and acts of love and mercy. And if we do these things, we will never be put to shame. No persecution, mocking, failure, disrespect, or other suffering will be able to touch us because our hearts will be protected as long as they remain true to God and believe in the promise of eternal life. It is this belief in the resurrection that sparks us to action and to sacrifice for God and for others.

Do we confess that Jesus is Lord through word and deed? Do we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead? Do we trust that no matter what might happen to us God will never allow us to be put to shame?

O Lord, we believe in you with our whole hearts.

Amen.

Two Year Anniversary!!

First, thanks to everyone who has joined me on this journey of spiritual reflection. It is good to know others are reading these reflections and hopefully getting something out of them.

Second, I look forward to reflecting on the daily Old Testament readings (since we've read all the daily gospels over the course of the past two years) and Sunday gospels from Mathew with you in the coming year.*

Lastly, I hope you will continue to walk with me on this journey and explore the wonderful readings the Catholic Church.

*For those who don't know, each year's readings focus on a particular gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John is used for special occasions, such as the Easter season. This way Catholics essentially read the entire New Testament every three years.

First Tuesday of Advent

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.

All these things are true of Jesus, but they are also meant to be true of us, too. We are meant to be a blossoming sprout of goodness in the world. The Spirit of the Lord should rest on us, too. We should be wise, understanding, and full of good counsel and spiritual strength. We should cultivate our knowledge and fear of the Lord so that we can better live the Good News and be faithful servants to God and His children. We should not judge others by their appearance or hearsay, but rather be just in all things, especially to the poor and afflicted.

Do our lives reflect the life of Christ? How can we grow in goodness, wisdom, compassion, and justice? What can we do for the poor and afflicted?

O Lord, help us to blossom in goodness and justice.

Amen.

First Monday of Advent

Then will the LORD create, over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, a smoking cloud by day and a light of flaming fire by night. For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain.

If we lead holy lives, then God will protect and shelter us. He will give us rest and keep us from harm. He will overshadow us with His Love and guide us with the light of His Truth. With God, all things will be possible for us. Our words and works will honor and glorify God. And at the end of time, our world will be remade into a paradise. And if we have been good and faithful servants, then we shall be given the greatest gift of all: eternal life with our Beloved God.

Are we leading holy lives? Do we trust that God will protect us? Are we willing to make Him our refuge not only in this world, but in the next, too?

O Lord, you are our shelter and the light of our lives.

Amen.

First Sunday of Advent

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

In this season of Advent, we are all called to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the coming of Christ into the world on Christmas. However, we are also preparing ourselves for the Second Coming of Christ as well. Both the Incarnation and Second Coming are central beliefs in our faith. They are the bookends to what it means to be Christian. It is our belief in the Incarnation that is the bedrock of our faith. It reveals to us a loving Savior, who was willing to suffer, die, and be buried for us so that we could rise again with him. It is the Second Coming that gives us hope in a merciful judgment at the end of time and the possibility of eternal life spent with God if we follow His commandments, teachings, and inspirations. Taken together these two revelations provide us with the greatest expressions of love we will ever experience. And it is this love we are all called to imitate throughout our lives by being there for God and others, acting with love toward God and His children, and showing mercy toward those who have trespassed against us.

How can we prepare ourselves to celebrate the gift of the Incarnation at Christmas? Are we preparing ourselves for the Second Coming by living good and faithful lives? How can we give thanks to God for these great gifts, both past and future?

O Lord, help us to stay awake and prepare a place for you in our hearts.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.

Be vigilant at all times. This message is one we should take to heart. We are constantly tempted to lose our focus on what is important in life, namely knowing, loving, and serving God and others. Our good thoughts, words, and deeds can drown in the anxieties of daily life. Our sins can make us drowsy and cause us to fall spiritually asleep. However, the things of the world are passing, they can’t sustain our souls that yearn for the eternal life. Nor can they give us peace of mind or heart. The only one who can lead us to paradise is Jesus Christ, who gave us the roadmap to the narrow path to Heaven. Now it is up to us to be vigilant, pray for strength, and be willing to stand before God, trusting in His Divine Love, Justice, and Mercy.

Are we being vigilant in our spiritual lives? How can we overcome the traps of sin and anxieties? How often do we pray to God for the strength to do His Will not matter the cost?

O Lord, give us the grace to be vigilant at all times.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Friday of Ordinary Time

Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Jesus’ words will not pass away. His Truth will triumph over ignorance and deception. His commandments to know, love, and serve God and His children will always remain. His promise of life after death for those who follow him will never go unfulfilled. His words of forgiveness and mercy will echo throughout eternity. Everything Jesus said was to enlighten us and lead us to a never-ending life with him in heaven. We would do well in this life to remember his Good News and live it out to our fullest.

Have we listened to and learned from God’s words in scripture? Are we listening to God’s inspirations through the Holy Spirit? How can we make the gospel message of Christ into the source, center, and summit of our lives?

O Lord, may we be incarnations of your divine word.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

There are so many things to be thankful for. We should be thankful for our lives. We should be thankful for friends and family. We should be thankful for the great things. And the little ones. We should be thankful for our health, if we have it, and for our suffering because it brings us closer to Christ. We should be thankful for the successes we have enjoyed, but also the failures we have learned from. Most of all, we should be thankful because we are children of a loving and merciful God. He is our Heavenly Father and will do everything in His power to cleanse and heal us, if only we will give Him a chance and trust in His Will.

What are we thankful for? Have we expressed this thanks to God? How can we led more thankful lives?

O Lord, thank you for everything you have done for us, great and small, noticed and unnoticed.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Not a hair on our heads will be destroyed if we persevere in our faith. We might lose our livelihoods, possessions, and our earthly lives, but if we are true to God, then we shall gain eternal life. We might be betrayed by our parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, but if we are good and faithful servants, then we shall become a part of a heavenly family. We might be hated, persecuted, and mocked, but if we remain true to our beliefs, then we shall be loved by Love itself.

Are we willing to persevere in our faith through the loss of all our worldly possessions?  Are we willing to persevere through betrayal? Are we willing to persevere through persecution?

O Lord, give us a spirit of perseverance.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

If we seek to adorn our lives with costly things or make a show of our faith without any real substance, then in the end we will be thrown down. The weight of our earthly possessions will weigh us down and keep our thoughts from rising up to the heavens. If our prayers and actions are misguided and selfish rather than holy and sacrificial, then we shall have nothing to stand on when we come before God. Instead, our lives should be spent building up a treasure house of spiritual rewards built upon charitable and merciful words and works. Without these we are nothing, but with them we show ourselves to be good and faithful servants of God and His children.

Are we adorning our lives with worldly things or heavenly ones? Are our prayers and works meant to exult ourselves or God? How can we build the temples of our souls upon the firm foundations of faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, tear down the house of my pride and build me up into a temple of humility.

Amen.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we have nothing to offer God or others. We are too busy, too poor, too unworthy, or too afraid. But Jesus reminds us that we are not called to give out of our surplus, but from our poverty. It is our willingness to make time for God and others, to give of ourselves in spite of our hardships, to take a leap of faith, and to trust in God’s Providence that makes us into true Disciples of Christ. Our livelihood should be founded upon knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our ability. We might fail more than we succeed, but if Jesus has taught us anything it is that what the world might see as folly can become a triumph if we are willing to sacrifice ourselves for God and others out of love.

Are we giving out of our surplus or our poverty? What can we give to God and others that we aren’t already giving? Are we willing to give our whole livelihood?

O Lord, we want to give you more of ourselves.

Amen.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews."

Jesus could have easily saved himself, but instead he choose to lay down his life for us. This choice is his crowning moment, when he proclaimed himself King of Paradise and our Savior. And although we are not faced with a true crucifixion like Christ, we are faced with many moments of crucifixion throughout our lives. If we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, then we must learn to embrace our trials and seek not to save ourselves, but to save others. This is what it means to be Christ-like, to live a self-sacrificial life, and to ultimately be remembered in the Kingdom of Heaven and be always with our God in Paradise.

Are we seeking to save ourselves or others? How can we learn to embrace our crosses like Christ did? How do we pay homage to Christ, our King?

O Lord, you are our King and salvation.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Lord is the God of the living and He wants all of His children to live with Him forever. However, we cannot do this if we turn our backs on Him and choose to die in sin. To live with God means choosing virtue over vice, selflessness over selfishness, and good over evil. If we cannot do this, then we shall die and have no one to blame but ourselves. However, if we recognize Jesus as our teacher and live in accordance with his commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as Jesus loves them, then we shall have eternal life.

Are we choosing life in the Lord or death in sin? Do we give thanks to God for not only giving us life, but sustaining our lives? Do we recognize Jesus as our teacher?

O Lord, you are our life.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

The temples of our hearts need the same cleansing as the Temple area in Jerusalem during Jesus’ time and just like Jesus, we need to drive out those things that are not in accord with God’s Will. We need to make ourselves into houses of prayer with the incense of our prayers rising up to God in thanksgiving and praise. We cannot do this if we harbor sins within our hearts. We cannot do this if we live lives of sin. To transform ourselves into worthy temples to God, we need to rid ourselves of our pride, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth. Then and only then can we make room for God to enter into our hearts, minds, and bodies and triumph over sin and death.

What sins do we need to cleanse from our hearts? How can we prepare ourselves to be true houses of prayer? Are we ready to live lives of virtue?

O Lord, make us temples of your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.

We will not have peace in our lives until we recognize that God is with us. We can try to fill the void in our hearts with every kind of worldly thing, but none of it will fulfill us as the love and mercy of God can. And if we let the world surround us and keep our spirits hemmed in, then we like Jerusalem shall fall and all we have built shall be torn down. However, if we accept God’s call to sally forth and proclaim the Good News through our thoughts, words, and works, then we shall overcome our enemies and free ourselves from the chains of sin and selfishness that keep us from seeking the peace that only comes from doing God’s Will.

Are we seeking our peace in the empty promises of the world or in doing God’s Will? What are those things in our lives that are keeping us hemmed in spiritually? Are we willing to break out of our bad habits, sins, and frailties so that we can come to know, love, and serve God more perfectly?

O Lord, we recognize your call and want to answer it wholeheartedly.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

Fear of failure can keep us from reaching our full potential as Christians. We can’t do good if we’re afraid of the cost in time, money, popularity, etc. We can’t avoid evil if we’re worried about ourselves more than others. We can’t be good and faithful servants if we are too anxious about what God is calling us to do. Sometimes we hide our gifts and talents beneath a blanket of insecurities. But Christ isn’t interested in our excuses. He demands good from his disciples. Anything less is unacceptable.

Have we buried our gifts and talents beneath our fears? How can we overcome our anxieties to become fruitful followers of Christ? In what ways can we return God’s Love and Mercy with spiritual interest?

O Lord, we want to multiply the gifts and talents you’ve given us.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

When we trust in God’s Will and act in accord with it, we become true descendants of Abraham. It is one thing to think and say we believe, but quite another to act on our faith when we have doubts and fears. However, being Disciples of Christ means we must put aside our own insecurities and sense of unworthiness and take up the challenge to live Christ-like lives. We might not do so perfectly, but as long as we struggle to do good and avoid evil and repent for our failures, then we shall be able to answer God’s call when it comes and be saved.

Do we trust God’s Will? How can we place ourselves in the path of Jesus? Are our hearts open to responding to the call of Christ?

O Lord, bring salvation to our homes.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Monday of Ordinary Time

As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

There are many voices in our lives that tell us to remain silent about our faith. Sometimes our family doesn’t want to hear our beliefs. Sometimes our friends don’t want to hear us. Sometimes our neighbors want us to keep our faith to ourselves. Much of the time it is our own fears, insecurities, and doubts that keep our lips sealed. However, we should not allow any person, including ourselves, keep us from proclaiming the Good News. It is part of our calling as Christians to give witness. This is not to say that we should do so to make a spectacle of ourselves, that is not the point. Rather, we do so because it is the right thing to do.

Are we willing to express our faith even when others will frown upon it? Do we echo the words of the blind man, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us”? Are we willing to witness to our faith no matter what others might say?

O Lord, give us the strength to proclaim our faith.

Amen.

The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Perseverance is the key to following in Jesus’ footsteps. Jesus’ entire life is one constant act of perseverance. From the persecutions of Herod and his family’s flight to Egypt to the trial of Pilate and his crucifixion, Jesus has shown us what it means to overcome all obstacles to our faith, to keep hope alive, and love without waiver. We might not be understood or loved by others because of our beliefs, but that should not matter to us. We should believe because it is God’s Will, not because it will make us popular. If we accept this truth, then God will protect us with His mighty hand. He will guide us where we need to be and help us to triumph over evil and enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Are we willing to do the right thing even if it means we will be hated for it? Do we trust that God will protect us if we persevere? What can we do to ensure that our faith endures?

O Lord, give us the grace of perseverance.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 
because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”

We can never pray enough, especially if we think of prayer as not only a mental or verbal activity, but also as a physical one. When we pray, it should be with our entire being, our every thought, word, and work. Our days should be a persistent prayer of praise to God for all He has done for us and our loved ones. If we do this, God will render a just decision for us out of love rather than annoyance. We can never ask God for too much help or seek His advice too many times. He is always willing to listen and aid us. We should not hesitate to speak to Him whenever we have the opportunity because He is the one Counselor who will never let us down.

Do we pray to God persistently? How can we build up the habit of prayer? Do we give thanks to God when He answers our prayers?

O Lord, we trust that you will render a just decision for us against our adversary,

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.

We are constantly tempted to attach ourselves to worldly things and if we give in we can lose out on many chances to follow God’s Will. We don’t know the day or hour when our lives on earth will end, or when the Second Coming will arrive, but we should constantly be preparing ourselves for it through our choices. How we spend our time, talents, and treasure has a great effect on our salvation. We cannot be so enamored with the world that we would choose it over an eternity with God in Paradise. There is nothing on earth that could ever take God’s place in our hearts and we shall be nothing but empty shells if we try. Instead, we should seize every moment that we can to do what is right and to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. And this means detaching ourselves from the world so that we can empty ourselves and let God fill us with His Love, Mercy, and Grace.

What are the things we are attached to? How can we detach ourselves from them? Are we truly willing to lose our lives in order to know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, help us to let go of this world so that we can embrace you in the next.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.

Although it is good to plan for the future and dream of better days, we should not lose sight of what is right before us. There are so many opportunities to do God’s Will and to love our neighbors that we should not ignore them in favor of what might be. We should remember that Jesus, and the Kingdom of God, is among us in those who need our help. Once we have taken care of our present obligations, then we can look to the future and our greater hopes. It is only by being vigilant in our faith that we can make sure that we are ready for God when He comes into our lives.

Are we taking advantage of those opportunities to do God’s Will right now? Are we keeping our hearts open to those moments when Jesus is calling us to service of Himself or His children. Do our lives make the Kingdom of God present to others?

O Lord, help us to recognize you when you come into our lives.

Amen.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

“Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

We should all be consumed with zeal for our God. He should be the first thing we think of in the morning. He should be at the center of our every thought, word, and work throughout the day. He should be the one we turn to at the end of each day for forgiveness and the strength to be better people. We should cast out everything within us that does not lead us to a deeper relationship with God, just as Jesus cast out those who we defiling his Father’s house. And once we have accomplished this, we shall have nothing to fear because even if the temple of our body is destroyed, we shall have confidence that we shall rise again.

Are we willing to rid ourselves of those things that keep us from being a worthy temple for the Holy Spirit? How do we express our zeal for our Heavenly Father? What can we do to unite ourselves with the sacrificial spirit of Jesus?

O Lord, fill us with zeal for you.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’

Following the commandments, doing good, and avoiding evil are all things we are obliged to do as Christians. If we do them, we cannot expect God to be impressed or indebted to us. We are merely doing what we are supposed to do. We are indeed unprofitable servants. We have no claim to anything beyond the fact that if we do our duty, then we can be thankful to God for giving us the teachings and graces to do what is right.

Are we following the commandments, doing good, and avoiding evil? Do we recognize that we are unprofitable servants with no claim to consolation or reward for doing our duties? How can we put aside our pride and accept the fact that we are lowly servants of the Lord?

O Lord,  please have mercy on us, your unprofitable servants.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Monday of Ordinary Time

If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.

Sometimes it's easier to forgive than to rebuke our family, friends, and neighbors. We often are tempted to let certain sins slide because we don't want to get into a confrontation with our loved ones or with strangers. However, our inaction doesn't do the other person any good. By saying and doing nothing, we let the person keep sinning and create a deeper and deeper gulf between them and God. It is not an easy thing to do, but we should be willing to compassionately tell others our concerns about their actions. At least then they will know what we see and that we don't like it. We might suffer because we say what needs to be said, but this is exactly what Jesus did in his life and one of the ways in which we are called to follow him. In addition, to being willing to rebuke others, we should also be willing to forgive them for the wrongs they commit against us. By doing this, they shall see that we love them and be more open to hearing our concerns.

Are we willing to rebuke others when they are living sinful lives? Are we willing to forgive everyone who has trespassed against us? Who are the people in our lives who need to be rebuked or forgiven?

O Lord, give us the conviction to rebuke those who are sinning and the compassion to forgive those who repent of their sins.

Amen.

The Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

We are all sons and daughters of the resurrection. Besides the cross, the resurrection is the foundational symbol of our faith. We believe that we suffer and die in this life so that we might rise and celebrate in the next. Our lives can seem barren and unfruitful in terms of money, fame, pleasure, and other worldly things, but if we have faith, act in hope, and love God and His children to the best of our ability, then our lives have been a success. God has not put us on this earth to exult ourselves and prosper materially. These things might happen to us, but they are not the goal of our lives. Instead, we are called by God to live sacrificial lives in imitation of Christ and accept our role as children of God. When we do this, our hearts are made happy, our minds are given clarity, and our wills choose what is right because our entire being is pointed not toward this life, but toward the resurrection and life everlasting.

Is the way we are living worthy of attaining the resurrection? If not, then what can we do to make the resurrection a central part of our lives? How can we embody the spirit of the resurrection in our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, we want to be worthy of the resurrection.

Amen.

Thirty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?

There are many things in this world that can claim our attention. Money, popularity, and all sorts of distractions can lead us astray. However, if we have these things it does not mean that we will lose our way. Rather it is how we use these things that determines if we are good and faithful servants. How we handle dishonest money and popularity will determine how we handle honest riches and recognition. If we use these things wisely and well, then we shall grow in virtue and God will trust us with rewards beyond anything the world can offer us. And if we do not have money or popularity, then we shall be judged by how we handle our lack of these things. If we act righteously, then we shall be lifted out of our earthly poverty and given heavenly treasures beyond counting.

What worldly things are vying for our attention? How can we use our earthly riches, popularity, or talents wisely and well? How can we prove our trustworthiness in both great and small things?

O Lord, we want to be your trusted servants.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’

Unlike the steward, we don't need to lose our jobs in order to treat others fairly. Our charity should not come from selfish reasons. We should not expect a return on our good deeds. However, the steward does show us how to react prudently when faced with difficulties and to forgive the debts of others. He does the wise thing when he gives up his portion of each debt so those whom are indebted to his master will welcome him for his generosity. Sometimes we are tempted to demand repayment for something or hold it over people, but this is not what Jesus preaches. He teaches us to forgive other's debts to us so that our own debts might be forgiven. We cannot be a collector and a forgiver at the same time. We have to choose if our lives will be base on taking what we want or on giving what we have.

Do we treat others fairly? Are we charitable and forgiving? Are we prudent in how we treat others?

O Lord, we are willing to forgive the debts of others. Please be willing to forgive our debts as well.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday of Ordinary Time

What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

We should all strive to find sinners and lead them back to God. We should never give up on them, even if they make it painful and difficult to bring them back. Nor should we be discouraged if they refuse to return with us and continue to run away from their Lord and Savior. We are to be satisfied with seeking out, finding, and offering help to those in most need of God's Love and Mercy. We cannot save everyone, but we can search for them and let them know there is a way back. And sometimes we shall have to carry a person back upon our shoulders, weighed down with their burdens, but if we are faithful and trust in God, He shall give us the strength to carry our living crosses just as Jesus did so long ago. Then, when we reach the finish line, we shall be able to see all those whom we helped along the way and they shall bear us on their shoulders and proclaim that we were good and faithful servants to them and to God.

Are we willing to set aside our own plans, needs, and wants to help others to return to God? How can we help others to find God and a place in paradise? Are we willing to carry others back to God when they are too lost or weak to do it on their own?

O Lord, we rejoice in every lost sheep you send our way.

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.

Just like Jesus, we were sent to this earth not to do our wills, but the Will of God. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him out of our own free choice and to do the same for all His children. He does not want to lose any of His children and it is up to us to do everything within our power to ensure that those who are entrusted to us won't be lost, but rather will rise again on the last day. We cannot do these things if we act selfishly and reject God's call to be a beacon of His love to the world. It is only by embracing this role that we will come to completion and know what it means to be whole in Christ.

What can we do to ensure that we do not reject anyone who comes to us? Are we willing to place God's Will before our own? How can we make sure we do not lose anyone who has been entrusted to us by God?

O Lord, we will do your will and not our own.

Amen.

Solemnity of All Saints

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We all suffer the loss of loved ones. Some of us know what it's like to lose a parent, others know what it's like to lose a sibling. We know what it's like to lose an extended family member or friend. We might even have witnessed the death of someone firsthand. How we respond to these moments can define who we are and who we will be in the future. We can choose to mourn with and comfort others or we can be selfish and blame others (and God) for what has happened or avoid reality altogether. It is in comforting others that we are comforted, it is in mourning with them that we can heal. It is by being empathetic, sympathetic, and loving that we can become beacons of blessing to others and lights for the whole world. And it is through our prayers that we not only give glory to God, but also lead souls from Purgatory to Heaven.

How do we mourn? How do we comfort others? How do we pray to those in most need of God's Mercy on earth and in Purgatory?

O Lord, help us to mourn faithfully and comfort others with hope and love.

Amen.

Thirty-First Monday of Ordinary Time

When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

We should make it a point to do everything we can for those who are in need. For the poor, we should enrich their lives with acts of mercy and love. For the crippled and lame, we should do what we can to help them succeed. We should give a hand to those who need it and go the extra mile for those who need someone to walk with them on their journeys. Our family and friends are important, but we should also remember that Jesus made others the focus of his life's mission and we are called to do the same.

In what ways are we enriching the lives of the poor and helping those in need? What can we do to invite others into our lives and help them? How can we make others the focus of our lives?

O Lord, may we always imitate you in how we treat others.

Amen.

The Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."

If only we were all a little more like Zacchaeus and willing to go out of the way to place ourselves in Jesus' path. If only we would respond quickly to Jesus' call. If only we would be willing to give up everything for Jesus and repay him four times over for all our trespasses against him. This is what it takes to become a disciple of Christ and be saved. It is in seeking that we find. It is in answering the call that we become who we are meant to be. It is in sacrificing that we are enriched in love, mercy, and grace.

What can we do to place ourselves in the path of Jesus? What can we do to respond to the call of Christ? Are we willing to make amends for our sins and live charitable lives?

O Lord, let us come quickly when you call.

Amen.

Thirtieth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Humility is something we all struggle with. Pride has a way of sneaking up on us and creeping into our lives. It starts out small, just like many other sins, and slowly grows until we think we're better than other people or place an inordinate amount of value on the things we think, say, or do. It also causes us to depend more and more upon ourselves and less and less on God. We start to believe that our reasoning is always correct and if we pray we praise ourselves more than God. Pride leads us to make ourselves into false idols and turn away from God. However, humility keeps us from making all these mistakes because it opens our eyes to our faults and constantly reminds us of our dependency upon God in all things. It also inspires us to give thanks to God because it is by His grace that we are exalted.

Do we exalt God or ourselves? How can we learn humility? What can we do to rid ourselves of sinful pride?

O Lord, make us your humble servants.

Amen.

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.

Before Jesus made the decision about whom he would name Apostles, he went off by himself and spent the night in prayer. This is how we should pray before making our own decisions, great and small. We should ask God for guidance and trust He will lead us to the best decision. We cannot secure salvation on our own, and we would do well to understand our dependency on God for this and for many other graces that get us through each day. It is by God's Love and Mercy that we are saved and we should recognize this in our prayer lives. We cannot become good and faithful servants without turning our lives over to God and allowing Him to lead us where we need to be and not necessarily where we want to go.

Do we turn to God in prayer before we make important decisions great and small? Do we allow God to lead us where we need to be? How can we make our lives more open to prayer and its fruits?

O Lord, call us to you and make us your good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Thirtieth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.’”

Jesus doesn't let the worries of others rule his actions. He does not let the threat to his life paralyze him. What the Pharisees tell him could've been said out of fear for Jesus' life, but also it could've been said to drive him away. And yet, Jesus does not waver in his mission. He says he must continue no matter what. We need to act in a similar way when it comes to proclaiming our faith. We cannot let the fears of others or our own anxieties drive us away from the calling God has given us. Instead, when faced with adversity we must continue to walk the narrow path to Heaven even if it means persecution or death.

What worries and anxieties are tempting us to leave the path God has made for us? How can we continue the mission our Lord has given us as Christians and individuals? If we are afraid of being persecuted for our faith, then how can we overcome those fears?

O Lord, give us the strength to continue on the narrow path you've prepared for us.

Amen.

Thirtieth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’”

Being a Christian doesn't guarantee us a place in heaven. We can't just say we believe, but not live it out in such a way as to make our very lives a proclamation of the Gospels and God's message of love, mercy, and grace. If we want to enter through the narrow gate to heaven, then we must strengthen our hearts, minds, and souls to do God's Will. When we fail to do this we make ourselves strangers to Christ and disfigure the image of God that resides within each of us. And so we strive to be better people, to know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts so that as humble servants we might enter Paradise and enjoy the heavenly feast with our Lord and Savior.

Are we striving to become holy people? Are our feet on the narrow path to God or the wide one to ruin? Will God be able to recognize us through our good works and virtues or be unable to recognize us because we've veiled ourselves in sin and selfishness?

O Lord, help us to strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Amen.

Thirtieth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Little acts of love and mercy can have great effects on our lives and the lives of those around us. We might be tempted to believe that we cannot make a difference in this world. We might be tempted to disbelieve that what little we can do has the potential to raise people up to heavenly heights. However, God gives us gifts, talents, and graces for the very purpose of expanding His Kingdom on earth. We cannot do that if we are afraid, doubtful, or hesitant in regards to our faith. This is why Jesus constantly reminds his disciples to "Be not afraid." The Holy Spirit speaks these same words to us through our consciences and it is up to us to set aside our insecurities and trust in God's Plan. If we do this, then we can leaven the world, raise it up, and nourish the souls of those around us.

What little things can we do to know, love, and serve God and His children? What gifts, talents, and graces has God given us in order to do His Will? How have we used them in the past and how can we use them better in the days ahead?

O Lord, make us into leaven for the world and raise it up to heavenly heights.

Amen.

Thirtieth Monday of Ordinary Time

“Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

The best way to keep holy the Sabbath is not only going to Mass, but also doing good works. We should do good whenever the opportunity arises. This spirit of compassionate charity should be at the heart of our faith. Our religious observances shouldn't be the end of our faith, but only the starting point. Both faith and works are necessary for our salvation. Faith in God is founded on our trust that our Heavenly Father will provide us the graces we need to do good, avoid evil, and be saved. Acts of charity and mercy give God proof that our faith isn't just words or empty promises, but beliefs at the very core of our existence. In truth, every day should be a Sabbath day for us where we can rejoice in the Lord, proclaim our faith, and perform acts of almsgiving and prayer.

How do we celebrate the Sabbath? How do we express our faith beyond religious observances? How can we make charity the very heart of our Christian identity?

O Lord, may our lives be filled with acts of faith and love so that we can bring hope to all your children.

Amen.

The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

We should never allow ourselves to be convinced of our own righteousness. All of us are sinners is some shape, form, or fashion. So of us are prideful, others envious, still more wrathful. Some are lustful, greedy, slothful, or gluttonous. As such, we should never see ourselves as better than others. This does not mean condoning other people's sins, but rather to remember that we are all in need of God's Mercy and as such we should act compassionately toward each other. Part of acting compassionately is pointing out when someone is doing something wrong and trying to help them do what is right. It doesn't matter how many "good" works we do if we do not do them with loving hearts and for the right reasons. It should be our aim in life to recognize our sinfulness, humbly ask for God's Mercy, and then try to amend our faults, great and small, so we can do God's Will more faithfully.

Do we believe we are better than certain people? How can we learn to be more humble and to remember we are sinners, too? Do we call out for God's Mercy with humble and contrite hearts?

O Lord, be merciful to us sinners.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Saturday of Ordinary Time

There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.

God gives us every chance to bear good fruit in our lives. It is up to us to choose to be fruitful. God can't force us to do what is right. He can't make us love Him or others. We have to choose that on our own. God gave us this life to use it wisely and well and yet we so often refuse to bear fruits. We avoid opportunities to do good because we are too afraid, too lazy, or to blinded by sin. Instead, we choose evil, selfishness, and a sense of entitlement. However, all these things do are wither us from the inside out. In a state of sin, our spiritual growth is stunted and in some cases completely cut off. It is only when we cultivate the ground of our souls with virtues and fertilize it with the sacraments that we can truly blossom and bear good fruits. Otherwise, we shall be cut down and cast into the fire like dead wood.

What is keeping us from bearing good fruits? How can we cultivate and fertilize our hearts? What can we do to increase our spiritual growth?

O Lord, cultivate the soil of our souls with your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday of Ordinary Time

When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

It is easy for us to understand worldly things. We can predict a lot of what will happen to us each day and yet we don't use that foresight to lead holier lives. We use it frivolously. Many of us have regular schedules that we follow and yet how often do we schedule in time to just be with God and pray? If we are asked when our favorite TV show is on, we know immediately the day and time, but how many of us know when and where we can go to confession, daily mass, or volunteer opportunities with our church? We are so knowledgeable about the world and yet so blind to the Will of God. Perhaps instead of making worldly plans, we should open ourselves to letting God pencil Himself into our lives and helping us to know how to interpret our days.

Do we make time to spend with God each day? What can we give up to make time for Him? How can we open our hearts so that God can help us to interpret His Will?

O Lord, give us the grace we need to interpret what you are calling us to do.

Amen.