Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.

We are not alone. As Christians, we have the Church and its witnesses to help us to celebrate our faith and support us. We have the saints, especially Mary, to watch over us and intercede for us with God. Most importantly, we have a leader: Jesus. With the Church and the saints cheering us on and Jesus leading the way, we can run the race that lies before us. We can cast aside our sins, overcome every obstacle, endure any cross, and reach the finishing line that leads to eternal life. All we need to do is train our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies to follow in the footsteps of Christ and to be humble enough to let him lead us along the right path to Heaven.

Do we seek support from the Church and its members? Do we pray to the saints for help in running the race toward heaven? Have we accepted the need for us to follow Jesus and let him perfect our faith?

O Lord, give us the endurance we need to finish the race to eternal life with you.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Ordinary Time

Out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders. Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth. Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.

We are all weak, but just like the prophets and apostles, if we place our trust in God, we can be made powerful. We can face our spiritual battles with confidence and turn back the temptations that assault us. We can withstand the mockery, persecution, and injuries that others cause us. We can even rise from the dead, knowing that God worked deeds great and small through us. We might not be seen as worth anything in the world. But if we keep the faith, then it will not be us who are unworthy of the world, but rather the world that is unworthy of us. For the heavenly things we will gain by leading Christ-like lives are far better than anything the world can offer us. They are worth more than fame, fortune, or any possession. The reward that waits for us is the Beatific Vision and a life everlasting with the God of Love.

What are our weaknesses? How can we let God transform them into strengths? How can we imitate the prophets, apostles, and more importantly Jesus in our everyday lives?

O Lord, forge our weakness into your strength.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.

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

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name. He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol. 

Throughout our lives we will be put to the test, not because God wants us to fail, but because He wants us to succeed. He wants us to learn how to know, love, and serve Him and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds and strengths. He wants us to choose what is right and to avoid those things that lead us into sin. He wants us to be willing to sacrifice everything for Him. He does this because He knows that without a tested conscience and well-formed free will, we could not love Him and His children as we should. We could not understand what it means to be charitable and merciful without the ability to choose to be selfish and unforgiving. True love and mercy are tested in the fires of temptation and quenched in the waters of opportunity. Hopefully, we shall prove our worth by being made stronger by our spiritual tests.

What tests are we undergoing at the moment? How can we overcome them? How can we learn to trust in God as much as Abraham trusted in God?

O Lord, give us the strength to overcome every test and trust in you.

Amen.

Third Friday of Ordinary Time

Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering. At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated. You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.

We must be willing to endure great suffering in our lives. Proclaiming our faith through word and work will not always be easy. Many times it will require sacrifices of us. These trials and tribulations can be discouraging, but our faith should not be founded on how painless our lives are. We should not see our faith as a bargaining chip that we can use to bribe God. Just because we believe in God and imitate Christ doesn’t mean our worldly lives will be blessed. In fact, the world may come to hate us, mock us, and persecute us for our beliefs. But if we endure and keep the faith even under the worst that life throws at us, then we shall have a great recompense and the reward of eternal life with our good and gracious God.

Are we willing to endure great suffering for our faith? How can we prepare ourselves to accept whatever sufferings do come our way in life? How can we increase our confidence that God will provide us with everything we need to overcome our sufferings?

O Lord, give us an enduring faith in you and your promises.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.

Although we might not be ordained like Timothy or Titus, we all should seek to stir into flame the gift of faith that God has given us and fulfill our vocation to be a priestly people. We are asked to be courageous in our faith and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, the love of Christ to pour out of us, and the self-control demanded by the Father to make us into good and faithful servants. We should not be ashamed of the testimony we give to our Lord through our every thought, word, and work. Instead, we should bear every burden with the strength that comes from following God’s Will. Then, and only then, will we proclaim the gospel of the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and become a truly priestly people.

How can we stir the flame of our faith? What can we do to become courageous in our spiritual lives? How can we live out our calling to become a priestly people?

O Lord, give us the spirit of power, love, and self-control.

Amen.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’

All of us persecute God in one way or another. Some of us persecute Him through indifference and laziness. Others persecute Him through sinful actions. Still others persecute Him by denying Him or His teachings and choosing our own way above His Will. No matter how we persecute God, we all are constantly being called to see the light, hear the voice of God, and do whatever He tells us to do. And like Paul, we must get off the ground, dust ourselves off, and allow Him to lead us where we need to be and inspire us to do everything He has appointed us to do. We cannot do this if we remain blind and deaf to God. But if we open our eyes and ears to Him, then we shall be converted from persecutors of God to witnesses to His Love and Mercy.

In what ways are we persecuting God? How can we stop these persecutions? How can we become better witnesses to God’s Good News?

O Lord, what shall we do?

Amen.

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

Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who come to worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually each year. Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer have had any consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is only a yearly remembrance of sins, for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins.

Merely following the commandments or making sacrifices isn't enough to take away our sins. We have to want to do God's Will above our own and then express that desire through the frequent reception of the sacrament of reconciliation. It is only by seeking to make ourselves right with the Lord that we can truly consecrate ourselves to God in body, mind, and spirit. In order to follow Christ to Heaven, we need to recognize our weaknesses and sins and seek to reform ourselves and make amends for our selfish ways.

What are the sins that we need to cleanse ourselves of? Are we taking every opportunity to express our contrition to God through the sacrament of reconciliation? Are we following through on our confessions and truly trying to amend our lives?

O Lord, help us to make good confessions.

Amen.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Our faith is bookended by the two comings of Christ. At the beginning is Jesus’ incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas. It was the moment in time when God came down from heaven and became one of us. At the end of time, Jesus will come a second time, but instead of the focus being on him entering our world, it will be upon us entering into salvation. The second coming is what we pray for during mass and it is what we hope for with all our hearts, because the second coming will unite us with God in a joyful feast that will last forever and ever. Our faith is one of past, present, and future. It looks to the past for guidance from the Word Made Flesh. It is grounded in the present in the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments. And it gazes into the future with anticipation of the second coming and the fulfillment of our destiny to be ruled by Christ our King and Savior.

What can we learn from Jesus’ life that will help us to live holier lives? How can we celebrate God’s love for us today, tomorrow, and all the days that remain to us? Do we pray with all our hearts for the second coming of Jesus and look forward to what it will be like to remain in the presence of God forever and ever?

O Lord, take away our sins and bring salvation to us.

Amen.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus calls us all to be fishers of men. Like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, we are being asked to be willing to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and to trust that the plan God has prepared for us is the best one. We might not have to leave everything we know behind like the apostles did, but we should be willing to do so if that is God’s Will. We have to be willing to sacrifice our jobs, our families, our worldly possessions, and anything else that might stand in the way of following Christ. It is not an easy path to heaven, but it is the most rewarding way to live.

Have we answered Jesus’ call to holiness? Are we willing to sacrifice everything for God? How are we acting like fishers of men?

O Lord, make us fishers of men.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

The Blood of Christ has been offered up to heaven for us and it is through Jesus’ sacrifice that we are made clean. However, in order to be washed of our sins and come before God with unblemished hearts, we must accept that Jesus has not only died for us, but also given us an example to follow. Just as he made himself into a living sacrifice to God for others, so must we be willing to do the same. If we are unwilling to imitate Christ in this way, then we turn our backs on the Blood of Christ and refuse to drink of the chalice of self-surrender we are all called to drink from. We have a choice to make, either we choose to partake in the Blood of Christ and the sufferings we are asked to endure or we choose to avoid the blood and sweat that are needed to live holy lives and perish.

Do we recognize God as the source, center, and summit of all the good things in our lives? Do we realize how important it is to accept the Blood of Christ and all the sacrifices its reception asks of us? How can we cleans our consciences so that we might accept God’s Will in regards to our sufferings?

O Lord, sanctify us and make us into living tabernacles of your Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Amen.

Second Friday of Ordinary Time

I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The laws of the Lord are written in our hearts. They are ever-present within us and we are constantly reminded of them by our conscience. As long as we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, which informs our sense of right and wrong, we shall be God’s people. We shall do good and avoid evil. We will not be afraid to live out our faith. Our thoughts will be guided by the Truth. Our words will be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Our works will be achieved through the gifts God has given us as heirs to His Kingdom.

Do we listen to our consciences? In what ways do we make the law of the Lord central to our lives? How can we show God that He is in our hearts?

O Lord, put your laws in our minds.

Amen.

Second Thursday of Ordinary Time

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself.

Jesus offered himself on the cross for all of us. He made the ultimate sacrifice to make up for all of mankind’s sins. This is because no matter how much we sacrifice in this life, it would never be enough to make up for our sins because the weight of our sins are measured by who we sin against. If we spit on a random person on the street, we suffer a lesser penalty than if we spit on a policeman or the President of the United States. The title and station of the person we sin against magnifies the debt we must pay. So when we sin against God, our debt is infinite and cannot be repaid by any of our deeds. However, when Jesus took our sins upon himself, he made an infinite sacrifice for us because he, too is infinite. As such, it is only through Jesus’ intercession that we are able to be made clean of our imperfections and given the power to think, speak, and do good.

How do we express our thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice? Do we turn to him whenever we are in need of forgiveness?  How can we lead holy and innocent lives?

O Lord, intercede for us.

Amen.

Second Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

We are all called to be a priestly people. This means living holy and righteous lives oriented toward God and bringing others to Him through our thoughts, words, and works. This means not only participating in the sacraments, but internalizing them, embodying their significance, and bearing fruits through them. In order to be raised in the order of Melchizedek, we are asked to make our lives a living sacrifice to God and to imitate Christ, who was the perfect High Priest. It is Jesus' example that shows us what it means to be filled with the power of life that cannot be destroyed and to testify to it with our whole being.

How can we answer the call for us to be a priestly people? Is celebrating the sacraments a central action of our faith lives? Are we full of the power of life and willing to testify to its importance?

O Lord, make us a priestly people.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.

God is just. He knows our minds and hearts and souls and whether or not our thoughts, words, and works are done for good or evil ends. He will not overlook anything we do (or fail to do) whether it is a virtue or vice. He sees all and knows who is a good and faithful servant and who is a selfish usurper. If we want to have a place in heaven, then we need to demonstrate our goodwill through acts of charity and mercy and by knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our abilities. We should be eager for the fulfillment of God’s Will, humbly hopeful of our salvation, faithful imitators of Christ, and patient. If we do all these things, then we shall inherit the promises of Christ.

Do we keep in mind God’s presence throughout our day? How does knowing He is with us affect our daily lives? Do our thoughts, words, and works imitate those of Christ?

O Lord, we are eager to demonstrate our love of you and your children.

Amen.

Second Monday of Ordinary Time

In the days when he was in the Flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Prayers, reverence, and obedience are key to imitating Christ. Prayers are needed because they’re not only a means of expressing our faith and asking for God’s help, but also for opening our hearts to God’s Will and listening to His inspirations. We are also called to live reverential lives, respecting God in all His presences in our lives from the Eucharist to the image of God within every human being. Lastly, just like Jesus, we are asked to be obedient to God’s Will and to put it before our own selfish interests.

Do we pray to God as often as we should? Are we acting with reverence toward God and His image in others? Are we obedient to His commandments and willing to put His work before our own?

O Lord, help us to be prayerful, reverent, and obedient.

Amen.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”

The world tells us to strive to be on top, to be number one. But that is not the point of life. John realized this. His whole life was devoted to one thing: preparing the way of the Lord. His disciples would have made him into a false Messiah if he’d let them. He could have turned his back on his mission and choose to make himself number one. However, he didn’t because he realized the only way his life would be fulfilled was if he decreased so Jesus could increase. He recognized something greater than himself and placed his own pride aside and welcomed the coming of the Lord. In the same way, we are called to recognize the first place God should hold in our own lives. He should be the source, center, and summit of our lives. We should be willing to give up anything for Him. And like John, our lives should be a constant preparation for the Lord leading others and ourselves closer to God.

Have we given God first place in our lives? If not, then how can we put Him above all else? How do our lives make God known to others?

O Lord, you will always come first.

Amen.

First Saturday of Ordinary Time

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

We all have weaknesses. We are all sinners. God knows we are not perfect and He does not expect us to be perfect. He knows what it is like to be human because he was made flesh through the Son. He knows our temptations, our worries, our insecurities, our misperceptions, and all the other things that can lead us to sin and imperfection. He knows what it’s like to be tested and so He is forgiving of our faults and constantly offering His Grace to us. He pours out His Divine Mercy on us so we might be made better Christians, more faithful servants, and more loving children. His Hand is always being offered to us. All we have to do is take it and let Him lift us up to stand among the saints.

What are our weaknesses? Do we pray to God to help us to overcome them? Are we just as forgiving and helpful to those who trespass against us as God is merciful toward us?

O Lord, we confidently approach your throne. Grant us your mercy and grace.

Amen.

First Friday of Ordinary Time

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; and again, in the previously mentioned place, They shall not enter into my rest. Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

We are all called to rest in God. He is our seventh day, our Sabbath. It is in Him that we shall find eternal rest from the world. However, if we are disobedient and fail to live our lives according to His Good News, then we shall not enter into His Rest. In a world where we are constantly tempted to work toward earthly rewards, we can often lose sight of the need to rest our spirits and take time to simply be with God in prayer and solitude. But if we are always on the go and never reflect on our choices, successes, failures, joys, or sorrows, then how can we learn from them and grow in our faith?

Do we take time out of each day to rest with God? Do we keep holy the Sabbath Day? How can we make our lives more spiritually restful?

O Lord, we want only to rest in you forever.

Amen.

First Thursday of Ordinary Time

Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart,
so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.

Being a follower of Christ is a daily battle against evil, temptation, and sin. We have to be on constant guard against thoughts, words, and works that could lead us astray or harden our hearts. We should not put off doing good today because we do not know if tomorrow will come. Temptation and sin are deceitful. They convince us that they are harmless, for the best, or can be made up for later. But they are not harmless, they are always for the worse, and although we can make amends through the sacrament of reconciliation, we must be truly contrite and willing to do penance, which can be made more and more difficult when we blind ourselves with sinful actions. However, if we hold to the Truth, follow the Way, and live the Life of Christ, then we shall be firm in our faith from beginning to end and God will recognize us as His good and faithful servants.

How do we encourage ourselves daily to know, love, and serve God and His children? Do we act like partners in Christ? When we fail to do the right thing do we seek God's forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation?

O Lord, help us to hold firm to you from beginning to end.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Jesus was tested just like we are each day. He understands what it means to be human because he became human himself. The Incarnation gave him a unique perspective built upon the shared experience of what it means to toil and suffer in body and spirit on the earth. As the Son of God, his response to our condition was to love us and show mercy to us in spite of our sins. He wanted to help us and gave his life as an example of what it means to be a good and faithful servant. The cross is a sign of his sacrifice and triumph over sin and death. We might be tested by trials and tribulations and be tempted to sin, but Christ always stands before us as proof that with God’s grace we can overcome every obstacle and lead holy lives that imitate Jesus. All we have to do is follow Christ, becoming more like him as he once became more like us.

How do our own trials and temptations help us to be merciful toward others and more faithful to God? Do we turn to Jesus when we are being tested and seek his help through prayer? In what ways can we imitate Christ in our daily lives?

O Lord, help us who are being tested.

Amen.

First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin.

Just as Jesus was made perfect through suffering, so are we made better by it. We might not want to suffer, but without the possibility of failure or rejection then we wouldn’t appreciate our successes or learn how to love unconditionally. If there was no choice to be made between following the easy path of worldliness and the harder one of holiness, then we would be left wandering without direction. It is by choosing good over evil that we prove ourselves to God and are consecrated to Him. Uniting our sufferings with Christ’s is one way we can give glory to God and proclaim our allegiance to the Holy Trinity.

How can we live lives that give glory to God? How can we transform our sufferings into expressions of our love for God and His children? What can we do to consecrate our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths to God?

O Lord, make us better followers of your will through the consecration of our suffering to your glory.

Amen.

The Baptism of the Lord

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Jesus’ baptism unites him with us. It is through it that Christ identifies himself with sinners and takes the next step in the story of salvation. And like him, when we are baptized, we are prepared for our ministry through the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the children of God. Of course, we might not feel worthy of what we are being asked to do in this life, but God often asks us to move out of our comfort zone in order to serve Him. He asks us to set aside our feelings of inadequacy and do His Will because it is part of His Plan for the salvation of souls. This leap of faith can be great or small, but no matter what it is, we will need to jump or miss out on a chance to show God that we love Him more than life itself.

How do we unite ourselves to Jesus? How can we overcome our sense of unworthiness and do God’s Will in spite of our anxieties? In what ways do our lives fulfill all righteousness and further God’s Plan for the salvation of souls?

O Lord, may our lives be spent fulfilling our baptismal promises and lead to the salvation of souls.

Amen.

The Epiphany of the Lord

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

No matter who we are, we all choose to follow something in our lives. It can be a person, an idea, a vice, or any number of worldly things. However, it is only when we follow God that we can truly find our way to eternal life. It is in Him that we will find never-ending joy and fulfillment. Everything else is nothing compared to what awaits us in heaven. Sometimes, like the Magi, we might lose our way, but as long as we continue to seek God, He will lead us to where we need to be. And when we arrive, we shall find a peace and happiness which cannot be lost as long as we trust in God and give Him the gold of our acts of charity, the frankincense of our prayers, and the myrrh of our fasting.

Are we lost spiritually? How can we regain our bearings? When we do discover what we are called to do, do we pay homage to God and offer Him the fruits of our labors?

O Lord, lead us by your light to where we need to be.

Amen.

Christmas Weekday

We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. 
We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.  And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

We all have the ability to discern good from evil. Our consciences let us know when we are doing right and warn us when we are falling into sin. However, if we do not listen to our consciences and do not practice discernment, then we weaken our ability to know what truth is. If we become lazy in our approach to living out our faith, then we shall slip into a sinful slumber and be unable to wake our consciences. When this happens, we become spiritually dead and can only return to our senses through the reviving sacrament of reconciliation. This is why it is so important to remain in a state of grace and retain our discerning spirits. Without our consciences, we are lost, but with them we know the spiritual direction we are called to travel and what is best for us.

Do we belong to God or the world? Do we exercise our consciences? How can we discern the truth in our lives?

O Lord, give us a spirit of discernment to discover the way to eternal life.
Amen.

Christmas Weekday

This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and Blood.  The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three who testify, the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord.

The Spirit, the water, and the Blood testify to the truth of God’s love for us. The water of our baptism proclaims us to be beloved members of the Body of Christ. The Eucharistic Blood of Christ unites us with Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross so we can share in his resurrection. The Spirit strengthened through our confirmation reminds us God is our advocate and our guide. All three of these point to how much we are loved by God. He wants us to be with Him forever in paradise and so He gave us Himself. He became man as an expression of His desire to be with us forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

How do we express our love for God through our baptismal promises? What can we do to better prepare ourselves for the reception of God’s love through the Eucharist? How can we open our hearts to the truth being given to us through the Spirit?

O Lord, we want to be in accord with you, especially through the celebration of the sacraments.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

Our love for God and others is our proof what we are God's children. If our love is tainted by selfishness, comes with caveats, or is impure in any way, then we will remain in death. However, if our love is pure and without exceptions, then we shall pass from death into life. God laid His life down for us through Jesus Christ. This act of ultimate sacrifice is one we need to be able to make as well. We might never be called on to martyr ourselves the way Jesus did, but we must have the spirit of martyrdom within us. We need to be able to love not only in word or speech, but in deed and truth. We need compassionate and loving hearts that are able to overcome our selfish hatreds and choose to do good even to those who are our enemies.

O Lord, help us to love in thought, word, and work.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

When it comes down to it, we are either children of God or the Devil. We can't be both. They are completely incompatible. We either love virtue or sin. We either love God or ourselves more than anything else. We might fall and falter at times or waver between one and the other, but in the end we will be in one camp or the other. We will be loving and virtuous or selfish and sinful. It is important to remember why Jesus came into the world. It was to destroy the works of the Devil. If we end up doing the Devil's work, then we will be destroyed, too. However, if we do God's Work, we will be saved from our sinful selves and remain in God's loving embrace, always.

Are we children of God or the Devil? Are we doing everything in our power to remain in and with God? How can we make plain that we are God's children?

O Lord, we belong to you and you alone.
Amen.

Christmas Weekday

If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him. See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.  We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.
As children of God, we are called to righteousness and purity. God gave us the perfect example of these virtues in His Beloved Son, who was righteous and pure in all his thoughts, words, and works. God did this because He loves us and wanted to give us a concrete model we could look to for guidance. Because of the example of Jesus Christ, we know who God is, what He wants from us, and how we should act toward Him and our neighbors. So, if we what eternal life with our Heavenly Father, we must be like Christ and have hope in our Creator.
Are we righteous and pure or selfish and sinful? What is getting in the way of our being Christ-like in our thoughts, words, and works? If we are sinful, how can we make ourselves righteous and pure going forward?
O Lord, make us righteous and pure.
Amen.

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.  Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.  If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.

There are many ways in which we can deny Jesus. We can do it through our sinful words and works. We can be dismissive of those in need. We can choose ourselves over others. We can become so prideful that we see ourselves as better than others. We can fall into despair and falsely believe we are not worthy of God's Love or Mercy. It is important as followers of Christ to remain in and with God in our everyday actions so that we can come to share in the eternal life God offers us. We might be tempted to listen to the world that denies Christ and tells us to do the same, but we must resist and instead confess our belief in Jesus all the more strongly.

What are the ways we are tempted to deny Jesus? How can we solidify Jesus' teachings so they remain in our hearts? How can we more faithfully confess the Good News in spite of what the world tells us?

O Lord, help us to remain in you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

As we celebrate Mary, the Mother of God, we should remember what a blessing it is to have her as our own spiritual mother. She is our mediator, the Queen-Mother of heaven. She knows how best to present our needs before her Father, Son, and Spouse the Holy Trinity. She can make the smallest act of love into the most precious sacrifice. She knows how best to cleanse us when we have soiled our baptismal promises. She is full of grace and more than willing to help us to be full of grace, too. She gives us an example of what it means to follow God’s Will no matter what He asks us to do. God’s face shines upon us because she choose to give Him her eternal “Yes!” We would do well to echo that same fiat in our own lives. Then, God will look kindly upon us and give us peace because we remind Him of His beloved Mother.

Do we give thanks to God for giving us Mary as our Heavenly Mother? Do we seek her intercession when we are in need? How can we model our lives after hers?

O Lord, through your mother you have blessed us.

Amen.