Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

When we follow our Father’s commandments, we are blessed. When we listen to what Jesus teaches us through his life, we are blessed. When we believe what God tells us through the Holy Spirit, we become blessed. We are surrounded by opportunities for blessing every day of our lives and the more we are open to these opportunities, the more we grow in faith, hope, and love. Mary is a great model of how to live a blessed life, a life that proclaims the greatness of the Lord and rejoices in God, our Savior. She shows us through her words and works what it truly means to humbly trust in God and to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. This is why we call Mary blessed and if we wish to be blessed too, then we ought to surrender ourselves to the Lord, recognize the great things He has done for us, and always keep holy His Name.

Do we believe in the commandments of the Father and the teachings of Christ? Do we keep ourselves open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the opportunities God presents us? How can our lives better proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in our Savior?

O Lord, we believe in you and want only to be your lowly servant.

Amen.

Ninth Monday of Ordinary Time

He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

Respect is something we should give to others every moment of our lives. This is because God dwells in all of us from the lowliest of the poor to the wealthiest of the rich. The image of God is emblazoned upon us and everyone around us. As such, we should treat everyone as God's Beloved Son. We cannot let selfishness, greed, pride, or any other vices get in the way of treating others with love and mercy. The tenants in this parable allowed their greed to rule over them and led them to do horrible things to others. They rejected the call to be good to and love others. They decided to build their lives on their own debased ideas. As Christians, we are called to cast aside our baser instincts and instead allow God to live and work though us so we can bear good fruits for the glory of God and the good of all.

Do we show respect to God in all things? How can we rid ourselves of the vices that might lead us astray? How can we become good and faithful tenants in the vineyard of souls that is the earth?

O Lord, let us not reject you, but rather choose to always respect you and the work you've placed before us.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."

Sometimes when we are faced with a daunting task, whether it's spiritual or not, we can be tempted to run away from it or try to push it off onto someone else. However, this is not what we should do when we are faced with people in need. Instead, we should take whatever resources we have on hand and do our best with them. This requires a great deal of trust in God and ourselves, but with God all things are possible. Might we fail? Yes, but at least we will have tried our best. This is what God wants from us, a willingness to do His Will no matter what obstacles stand in our way. He does not want us to turn our backs on others because we feel we have nothing to offer. We always have something to offer: ourselves, our lives, and our love.

Are we willing to risk failure in order to serve God and His children? How do we respond to those in need? Are we willing to place our faith in God, hand over everything we have, and trust that He will multiply our acts of charity and mercy to feed the hearts, minds, spirits and bodies of those around us?

O Lord, let us never turn away from those in need and always give of ourselves.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus’ authority comes from his divinity and his relationship with the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Together, the Holy Trinity can do all things. We, like Jesus and John, also have heavenly origins. God gave each of us the breath of life through the Holy Spirit. This breath enlivens and inspires us, allowing us to become kings of service, priests of sacrifice, and prophets of the truth. Of course, if we choose to follow the commandments of the Father, the way of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we should expect to be questioned, opposed, and even persecuted by the world. However, as long as we listen to God and trust in His authority over our lives, then we shall be able to overcome these obstacles and do what is right and good.

Do we believe in Jesus’ authority over our lives? Are we willing to follow the Father’s commandments, Jesus’ way of life, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to fulfill our calling to be prophets of the truth?

O Lord, we believe in you and your authority over us.

Amen.

Eighth Friday of Ordinary Time

Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.

We all have the potential to move mountains with our faith. However, we are constantly tempted by our doubts, fears, and anxieties to trust in the world and not in God. We are especially tested when things don’t go our way or when we suffer a trial we do not think we can bear. But if we put our trust in God and do not doubt in our hearts that our prayers will be answered, then we shall receive the answer we need. Jesus goes on to tell us that when we pray, we need to forgive those who have trespassed against us so that our Heavenly Father will know our hearts are filled with love and mercy, not hatred and vengeance. The act of forgiveness Jesus asks us to offer others may not be easy for us to give, but in the end we will be measured by how we treat the least of God’s children and those whom we found most difficult to love.

Do we have faith in God? Do we believe God would move mountains for us? Have we forgiven those who trespass against us?

O Lord, we do not doubt you will do great things for us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

Like the blind man, we too should cry out for Jesus’ pity in spite of whatever voices in our lives tell us to be quiet and suffer in silence. When our doubts, fears, and anxieties (or other people) try to shout down our appeals to God or seek to convince us to give up, we should keep calling out to Him. We should take courage that God hears us and wants to give us every possible chance to be healed of our sins and saved. And when Jesus does call out to us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we should heed his call, spring up, and come to him as fast as we can. Only then will we be able to stand up against those who persecute our faith. Only then will we be freed of those infirmities of spirit that keep us from seeing, hearing, and knowing the Truth.

Do we call out to Jesus when we are in need? Do we seek God’s pity and forgiveness? Are we willing to express our faith even when others tell us to be silent?

O Lord, have pity on us.

Amen.

Eighth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

We are all called to be servants. However, to be the best servants we need to know and love the people we are serving. This is what Jesus did for those whom he met. He listened to those he served. He was sympathetic and compassionate toward them. He loved them, especially those who were most difficult to love. He was merciful toward those most in need of mercy. He sacrificed himself for the good of others. He became the slave of all to set them free from their ignorance, sufferings, and attachment to sin. Just as he did all these things, so must we. If we wish to follow in his footsteps and receive the gift of eternal life, then we must live our lives not to be served, but to serve. We must be willing to ransom ourselves for the many. This is where true greatness comes from: the imitation of Christ.

Are we willing to be servants of God and His children, even those whom we find most difficult to serve? Are we willing to sacrifice everything, including our lives, to know, love, and serve others? Are we truly willing to lead the Christ-like life?

O Lord, we are your slaves. Make our every thought, word, and work a ransom for many.

Amen.

Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.

Jesus promises us that no matter what we give up to follow him, we shall be rewarded a hundred times more. The worldly things which we place so much importance on are as nothing compared to the boons of eternal life in the age to come. Of course, he also warns us that along with giving everything up, we will also suffer persecutions from others who do not understand why we turn our backs on worldly things. Sometimes those who oppose and tempt us will be family, other times friends, and still more will be our neighbors and those whom we meet each day. We should take heart in Jesus’ call to give everything up and follow him because if we don’t, we risk losing not only our purpose, but also our lives. We just have to be patient and mild, doing God’s work until the day He calls us home and rewards us for our good and faithful service to Him and His children.

Are we willing to give up everything for God? What are those things we have the most trouble letting go of? How can we sacrifice them to God for the forgiveness of our sins, the resurrection of our bodies, and life ever-lasting?

O Lord, we give up everything to you.

Amen.

Eighth Monday of Ordinary Time

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement, his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

How many of us could say to Jesus that we have kept all the commandments from our youth? And yet, this is not enough to inherit eternal life. Jesus, out of love, tells the young man that he is lacking in one thing: charity. How many of us are lacking in charity as well? Part of following Jesus is following God’s commandments, but just as important is our compassion and love for others, especially the poor and suffering, as expressed by our acts of charity and mercy. It is not easy to follow Jesus, he asks for our all, he wants us to empty ourselves of our worldly possessions so he can fill us with his love. Ultimately, we will have to make the choice between eternal life with Jesus and death. Hopefully, we will make the right choice: to give God and His children everything we have, and store up treasures in heaven.

Are we keeping God’s commandments? Are we leading lives of charity and compassion? Are we willing to go, sell what we have, give to the poor and suffering, and follow in Jesus’ footsteps?

O Lord, give us the strength to let go of our possessions and let you inside our hearts.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Every good we have is the Most Holy Trinity’s. We owe our very existence to the Holy Trinity and our every thought, word, and work should have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as its source, center, and summit. It is in the Father’s commandments that we discover His paternal love for us. It is in Jesus’ teachings that we witness the way we are called to live our lives. It is in the Holy Spirit’s inspirations that we encounter the truth, which will guide us and set us free. And just like Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we should seek to think, speak, and do all things not on our own, but as channels of God’s Will. When we do this, our actions glorify God and in turn we are glorified by Him.

Do we give thanks and glory to the Holy Trinity for all they have given us? Do we allow God to think, speak, and work through us? Do we declare ourselves His and only His?

O Lord, we declare ourselves to you. Do with us what you will.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Jesus makes it very clear that the Kingdom of God belongs to the child-like. He rebukes his disciples to make this point because they are acting like Jesus is their possession, instead of them being Jesus' disciples. Their possessiveness over Jesus isn't what Jesus wants from them. He wants them to be more like the children, who seek to touch him. It might not seem like much, but a child's touch shows trust and acceptance. Children don't touch things they don't like. Jesus knows this and he uses the children's actions to remind his disciples that they, too need to be child-like in their trust and acceptance of not only him, but other people. They should let everyone who wishes to take that leap of faith and believe come to Jesus. Lastly, Jesus embraces and blesses the children who come to him. It is the same for us, too. He wants to hold us in his arms and give us every spiritual blessing. All we have to do is approach him with child-like trust, reach out with acceptance, and receive his blessing in our lives.

Do we act like the disciples, deciding who is worthy to approach God and who isn't? How can we be more child-like? What can we do to show God our trust and acceptance of Him?

O Lord, may we be child-like in our love and dependence upon you.

Amen.

Seventh Friday of Ordinary Time

“Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

We can harden our hearts in many different ways. We can do so by becoming cynical. We can do it through pride. We can even do it out of what we believe is right. Adam and Eve hardened their hearts when they ate of the apple. They decided for themselves what was right and wrong, denying God His place as Eternal Judge. There may be things we don't understand about our faith, but that is why we should constantly pray, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." Today's gospel is a hard teaching for many people. This is understandable. We all know there are good reasons to leave a marriage: abuse, infidelity, etc. However, the Church follows the words of Christ in this and makes clear that civil divorce does not break the bonds of marriage. There is a permanence to the vows of marriage that not even the Church can break. Yes, there is annulment, but it requires proof that the marriage was never valid because the bride or groom did not enter the marriage with full consent, maturity, faithfulness, or intent of having children. These aren't easy to prove in many cases, which is why the Church encourages people to go through marriage preparation before saying their vows. This is to drive home the fact that both parties need to take their vows seriously and not enter the union lightly.

Have we hardened our hearts to any truths of the gospels? Are we tempted to decide what is right and wrong rather than letting God be the Divine Judge? Do we respect the fact that we will not always understand the teachings of Christ, but that it is okay to believe in spite of our doubts?

O Lord, soften our hearts and help us believe in your good news.

Amen.

Seventh Thursday of Ordinary Time

Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Jesus speaks of reward and punishment in these two lines. He speaks of the consolation of Heaven awaiting those who are charitable and faithful and the chastisement of Hell for those who do evil or lead others astray. In this way, Jesus reminds us that our lives aren't insular. They have an effect on others for both good and ill. We might try to convince ourselves that our sins are private and don't hurt others, but that isn't true. Even the most private of sins have some effect on others, even if only indirectly. This is why it is so important to not only be faithful, but also charitable. Charity requires us to think of others. It asks us to put aside our own selfish inclinations and do what is right and good for those around us. The wonderful thing about acting out of love is that it gives an example of God's love for others to see and be affected by. Our good works inspire others to do good, too.

Are we bringing cups of goodness to others? What are the sins we suffer from that are leading not only us, but others astray? How can we do a better job of leading people to Jesus and not away from him?

O Lord, let us remember that all our actions affect others in some way and to always choose the ones that lead others to you.

Amen.

Seventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time

“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

Why do the disciples try to prevent someone from driving out demons in Jesus' name? Maybe it is because they were jealous of the person. After all, a few short paragraphs before, they had failed to exorcise a mute demon because of their lack of prayer. Maybe they thought this new exorcist was seeking to take their place among the disciples. After all, they had just debated about who was the greatest among them and been rebuked about how the first must be a servant of all. Here is a new exorcist who is driving out demons and serving others… an ideal disciple and yet not one of them. And so once again Jesus rebukes his own followers, reminding them that jealousy has no place in his Kingdom. We would do well to remember that the next time we feel envious of others. We should be happy at the success of others and spurred on to do better ourselves. After all, it is a far better use of our time and energy than stewing in the sin of jealousy.

Who are we jealous of? How can we let go of these feelings of envy? How can we use the success of others as inspiration to do better?

O Lord, rid us of all our jealousy.

Amen.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

After telling his disciples that those who want to be first among his disciples must become the least and servants of all, he goes even further and shows them how to receive the lowly and the poor in spirit. He takes a child and wraps his arms around it. This hug expresses the depth of love Jesus has for us all. He wants his disciples to understand they must love others, especially the lowly, whom the child represents, with generous and gentle hearts. He makes clear that we will be judged by how we treat those who are most in need in this world. If we do treat them with love and respect, then we shall be blessed by not only Jesus, but His Father and the Holy Spirit.

How do we receive the lowly? Do we treat them well? How can we love those in need more perfectly?

O Lord, help us to receive others as you receive us.

Amen.

Seventh Monday of Ordinary Time

“How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Directly after his Transfiguration, Jesus is confronted with three things: arguing, the failure of his disciples, and doubt. These are common even now among those who follow Jesus. We continue to argue with those who doubt Jesus. We continue to fail him in many ways just as the disciples did. We sometimes doubt him ourselves. But this is why Jesus rebukes the mute boy's father when he says, "if you can." There is no "if" for Jesus. There is or isn't. He does not live his life in half-measures. He gives everything he has without holding back. Sometimes "if" slips into our faith lives. We pray to God with "if you'll do this, I'll do that." We convince ourselves, "if God loves us, then why is this happening to us?" If should not be in our vocabulary with God because it is a word full of doubts. Instead, we should echo the boy's father and say, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"

Do we believe God can do anything? Or have we let "ifs" slip into our faith? How can we be as faithful as we should be?

O Lord, we believe, help our unbelief.

Amen.

Pentecost Sunday

“Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peace be with you. These are the first words Jesus speaks to his disciples when he appears to them and they are words he constantly whispers to us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus and our Heavenly Father want for us to be at peace with them, with our families, friends, neighbors, and even ourselves. And if we are willing to accept the peace that comes with receiving the Holy Spirit, then we shall find an inner strength which shall sustain us through every trial and tribulation. We shall find within our open hearts, a trusted and wise advocate who will inform our conscience, enkindle us with the fire of God’s Love, and enliven us with holiness. We shall become living and breathing imitators of Christ, giving witness to the goodness of God through the glorifying wounds we received from the world for doing what was right. So let us be ever thankful for the peace our Heavenly Father has offered us and the Spirit of Life He has given us through the sacrifice of His Beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Is the peace of Jesus within us? How can we prepare and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit? How do our thoughts, words, and works breathe the Holy Spirit into the world?

O Lord, give us your peace and your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you:  love one another.

Jesus laid down his life for us, not just as our Savior, but also as our truest friend. It is hard to imagine God being our friend and yet Jesus sacrificed himself for us and is always with us in good times and bad. He loves us with everything he is and his greatest commandment asks us to love God and others with all that we are. Even more astounding is the fact that he chose us to be his friends, disciples, and beloved ones. All he asks in return is that we share his infinite love with those around us and bear abundant fruit that will remain always. We should be honored, humbled, and grateful for this joyous truth: Jesus is our friend, our beginning and our end.

Do we act like Jesus is our friend? Do we treat his teachings as coming from someone who truly loves us? What can we do to imitate his love?

O Lord, you chose us to be your friends, give us the graces we need to bear much fruit.

Amen.

The Seventh Friday of Easter

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

As we grow and mature in our faith, we begin to realize we are not always called to live the lives we imagined. Rather we are called to live the lives God wants us to lead, to more fulfilling ones. These lives might be more taxing physically, mentally, emotional, and even spiritually, but they are also more rewarding. They are lives that embody the God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. We glorify Him best through the following in Jesus Christ’s footsteps and imitating his willingness to sacrifice himself for others. Each and every day, we are given a choice to live either a selfish worldly life or a selfless spiritual life. Hopefully, we choose the latter because it is along the path of self-surrender that we will win victory over the grave and enter triumphantly through the Heavenly Gates.

Are we willing to give God control over our lives? Do we trust Him to lead us to a more fulfilling life? Are we willing to follow Jesus even to the point of death?

O Lord, we stretch out our hands. Lead us where you will.

Amen.

The Seventh Thursday of Easter

Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.

According to Jesus, we are a gift to him from his Righteous Father. Sometimes we can forget this, but it is good to remind ourselves that Jesus treasures us as much as any gift given to a child from a parent. We may be tarnished by imperfections, damaged by sins, or even broken in some way, but the love with which we were given to the Son makes up for all of that and more. This is why Christ wants us to be with him and to share in the glory the Father has given him. Just like a favorite gift, we are clutched close to Jesus’ heart. It is this love that gives us our worth and we magnify it best when we choose to live a Christ-like life and manifest God’s Love for others.

Do we consider ourselves gifts to Jesus? How does this belief shape our thoughts, words, and works? How do we manifest God’s Love for our family, friends, and neighbors?

O Lord, we are gifts to you. Do with us what you will.

Amen.

The Seventh Wednesday of Easter

I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth.  Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.

We do not belong to the world and so it hates us. Instead, we belong to Jesus and through him we belong to the Holy Spirit and our Heavenly Father. Part of belonging to Christ is choosing good over evil and being protected from the Evil One. Another part is being detached from the world and instead being consecrated to God and His Divine Truth. We also are sent into the world to bear witness to our faith through our thoughts, words, and works, to bring hope to all we meet, and to know, love, and serve God and all His children. To help us with these things, Jesus consecrated himself for us on the cross and through the reception of Christ’s Body and Blood, we are sanctified and made into a Holy People, bearing the Good News to all the nations.

Do we belong to the world or to God? Do we give thanks and praise to God for all the times He has kept us from the Evil One? Are we consecrated in the Truth of the Gospels?

O Lord, your word is truth. Consecrate us in it.

Amen.

The Seventh Tuesday of Easter

I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.

Jesus is constantly praying for us. He is not only the prophet of Divine Truth passed down by our Heavenly Father. He is also our Master and Shepherd. He may not be with us physically, but he is always speaking to His Father on our behalf and present to us through the Holy Spirit. He has given us everything he is in order to help us to truly understand his origins, gospel message, and the way he is calling us to follow. And when we do follow Christ, we glorify Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father.

Do we recognize that we belong to Jesus? Are we open to letting ourselves become servants and even slaves to God’s Divine Will? Do we recognize and give thanks for all Jesus has done for us?

O Lord, let our lives give glory to you.

Amen.

The Seventh Monday of Easter

Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.

Immediately after Jesus’ disciples said that they understand him, he tells them that they will be scattered and leave him alone. Sometimes we believe that we understand God’s Divine Plan for us, too. We convince ourselves we are right about something when in reality we do not understand what God is asking of us and sometime even confuse our will for God’s Will. However, Jesus does not tell his disciples (or us) that we do not understand without also giving us the hope that one day things will work out. We might not understand how God will do this, but if we have faith in Him, hope in Him, and let His Love flow through us, then we will have the inner peace and courage we need to see things through to the end.

How can we keep ourselves open to God’s Divine Plan? Are we open to the peace that comes with letting go of our plans and letting God move forward with His plans for us? Do we seek God’s help in becoming more courageous in our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, let us have peace in you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Luke’s gospel begins and ends in the temple. This is not only an effective literary device, but also a wonderful symbol for each of us to carry around in our hearts. Just as the disciples, we are called to continually praise God with great joy. No matter how difficult our lives might get, we should always strive to find the silver lining in the storms around us. This sense of optimism finds its source in our trust of God’s Divine Will and the firm belief that He loves and blesses us. We might not understand what blessings might come to us from our sufferings, but He always finds a way to make good come from even the darkest of circumstances. We just have to let go of our selfish perceptions and seek to look at the world through Jesus-colored glasses. When we do so, we are willing to sacrifice our goods for God and others, even to the point of suffering our own crosses, persecutions, and even deaths.

Do we give Jesus homage for all he has done for us? Do we keep our eyes open to the silver lining in our lives and the great joy that can come even in the midst of suffering? What can we do to place more trust in God?

O Lord, we praise you for all your blessings.

Amen.

The Sixth Saturday of Easter

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.

Jesus might have left our world, but he did not leave us alone. He gave us his Holy Spirit as our protector and guide. He also has become our mediator before our Heavenly Father. His intercession transforms his Father’s justice into mercy. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are more deeply loved by God, not only as His creations, but also as His friends and beloved ones. We can never repay Jesus for the love and grace he has given us, but as his disciples, we can choose to love God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. In this way, we can become more Christ-like through our own personal sacrifices. Then, one day, we will leave the world and go back to our Father, who will tell us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Do we turn to the Holy Spirit when we feel alone? Do we ask Jesus to speak to our Heavenly Father on our behalf? How do our lives imitate Jesus Christ’s life?

O Lord, we love and believe in you.

Amen.

The Sixth Friday of Easter

When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

As Christians, we are all like expectant mothers. Daily we bear God into the world through our thoughts, words, and works. We give birth to Christ through our good works, our acts of mercy, and our charity. We might be mocked, persecuted, or oppressed for doing God's Will. We might suffer greatly for making God present in the world. We might go through many pains and much anguish because of our decision to bear Christ into the world. But that is what we are called to do. And it is only in passing through these trials that we can come to experience the joy of bearing the Good News to the world. Seeing the face of one person touched by our choices and brought closer to God will be enough to make us forget all the trials that came before.

How are we bearing Christ into the world? What anguish or pains are we suffering? Are we offering them up to God for the reparation of sins and the salvation of souls?

O Lord, help us to bear you into the world without questioning you.

Amen.

The Sixth Thursday of Easter

“Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

While we are on earth, we can’t see Jesus directly and this can cause us to have questions about our faith in him. However, we can see him indirectly through our interactions with others and through the participation in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. These glimpses of Christ help to sustain us through each day and if we live in faith, hope, and love, then one day these glimpses will become the full Beatific Vision. We will see Jesus, our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit together in all their glory and in all their love for each other and us. Then our weeping will turn into laughing. Our mourning will turn into dancing. And our grief will turn to joy.

Are there times when we question God and do not understand what He his telling us in our hearts? Do we trust God enough to let go of our doubts and trust in His Divine Providence? Do we see the presence of Jesus in those around us, in the sacraments we receive, and in the beauty of nature?

O Lord, turn our questions into answers and our grief into joy.

Amen.

The Sixth Wednesday of Easter

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit constantly guides all of us toward the truth. He speaks to us through our intellect, feelings, and especially through our conscience. He fortifies our faith, inspires us to hope, and encourages us to love. He declares God’s Way, Truth, and Life to our very souls. He prepares the way to heaven by empowering us to be holy. He will glorify God by helping us to live lives that honor and praise the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the one we should turn to when we need answers or seek the truth. He will lead us to them if we ask and he will help us to proclaim the Good News to the world through our inspired actions.

Do we seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives? Are we listening to the truths the Holy Spirit is speaking to us? How can we make the Holy Spirit a more integral part of our spiritual lives?

O Lord, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we might glorify you.

Amen.

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.

Jesus is our way to salvation, our freeing truth, and our fruitful life. From him comes all the goods in our existence. Although Jesus speaks of knowing his Father through him, we also come to know the Holy Spirit through him, too. Through Jesus’ life, we come to know the truth about our Heavenly Father’s Love. Christ also shows us the way we should think, speak, and act in order to free ourselves from sin and open our hearts to God’s Mercy and Grace. Furthermore, after his ascension, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit, who inspires and empowers us to lead holy lives. It is through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that we come to know, love, and serve the Holy Trinity and realize how much God is willing to sacrifice for the good of our souls and to give us life everlasting with Him.

Are we following the Way, Truth, and Life of Christ? Do we recognize everything he has done for us through his life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension? How do we show our gratitude to the Holy Trinity for all they have done for us?

O Lord, lead us on your way, to your truth, so we can lead your life.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.

Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit from his Father so that his followers would be inspired and be able to testify to the truth even in the face of persecution and the temptation to fall away. The Holy Spirit enkindles our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies with a sanctifying fire that protects us from the darkness that surrounds us and seeks to destroy us. By choosing to be Jesus’ disciples, we have chosen a narrow path to climb and one that is fraught with peril. Our family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and even our own selfish inclinations may oppose us on our journey toward holiness. We will also be assaulted by those evil spirits that prowl the world seeking the ruin of souls. However, as long as we turn to God for strength, guidance, and inspiration, then we shall find our way and one day enjoy the heavenly banquet with the Holy Trinity.

Do we ask the Holy Spirit to testify to the truth through our thoughts, words, and works? Are we willing to suffer and even die in order to live lives that proclaim the Good News? Do we turn to God in our hours of need?

O Lord, we welcome your Holy Spirit into our hearts and only wish for our lives to testify to the truth.

Amen.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and we shouldn’t forget this. Sometimes it’s easier to remember to pray to God the Father and God the Son, but it is just as important to pray to the Holy Spirit. After all, the Holy Spirit is the breath of life within us. He is the Divine Spark that enkindles our souls. He is our encourager, catalyst, and sanctifier. He informs our conscience, inspires our thoughts, words, and actions, and strengthens us in our times of need. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, the more peaceful our spirits will be and the more peace we will channel into the world around us.

Do we remember to pray to the Holy Spirit? Do we let the Holy Spirit think, speak, and work through us? What can we do to make our hearts more welcoming to the Holy Spirit and the peace that Jesus Christ promised us?

O Lord, grant us your Holy Spirit and the peace that comes from doing your will.

Amen.