Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The just one’s offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High. The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing, nor will it ever be forgotten. In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of free will gifts. With each contribution show a cheerful countenance, and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means.

If we wish our offerings to be acceptable to God, then we need to choose good over evil. This means being obedient to the commandments, charitable to others, refraining from evil, and avoiding injustice. All these things require sacrifice on our part. We have to put aside our pride, envy, anger, lust, greed, gluttony, and sloth and enrich ourselves with faith, hope, and love. It is only by living generously that we will grow wealthy in grace. It is only by giving with a joyful spirit that we will learn to let the Divine Image shine through us and give light to the world. All our goods come from God and it is too Him that we should return them through knowing, loving, and serving Him and His children.

Are we choosing good over evil? Are we making the sacrifices necessary to pay homage to God? Do we give love and mercy to others with a cheerful countenance?

O Lord, we want to give our love to you and others as you have given it to us.

Amen.

Eighth Monday of Ordinary Time

To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth. Return to him and give up sin, pray to the LORD and make your offenses few. Turn again to the Most High and away from your sin, hate intensely what he loathes, and know the justice and judgments of God, Stand firm in the way set before you, in prayer to the Most High God.

We are all sinners. God understands our weakened nature and that is why He always provides the penitent a way back to Him. If we are truly sorry for our failings and fully intend to make amends for them, then He will help us to succeed in obtaining His Mercy. He will give us the Truth that will set us free from our sins. He will show us how empty they are. He will encourage us to give up our sinful ways, pray to Him, and do our best to avoid temptation. He will give us the graces we need to turn our backs on evil and hate that which He hates. He will reveal His Justice and help us to stand firm in the Way we are called to walk. He will offer us a fulfilling life of holiness and every chance to keep our baptismal clothes clean of the stain of sin. And if we should fall again, He will be ready to lift us up and place our feet back on the narrow path to heaven. All we have to do is say, “Forgive me, Father for I have sinned.”

When we sin, do we immediately seek to make amends with God? Are we willing to give up our sins and reform our lives in accord with the Divine Image of God within us? What can we do to not only avoid evil, but also do good?

O Lord, give us the strength to stand firm in the way you've set before us.

Amen.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

God doesn’t want us to worry about worldly things. We should trust Him enough to let Him provide what we need to live in the world. Instead, God wants us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Our every thought should be focused on doing God’s Will. Our every word should proclaim the Goodness of our Lord. Our every work should express God’s Love and Mercy. God should be the source, center, and summit of our lives. His Divine Image within our souls and the Good News that springs forth from it should be sufficient for us. It should sustain us through our trials. It should give us faith that God will provide for our present and hope that He will do what is best for our futures because He loves us more than anything else and wants us to be with Him forever.

Are we worried about worldly things? If so, then how can we learn to place our trust in God? What can we do to refocus our lives on seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

O Lord, you are all that we need.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his justice and his judgments he has revealed to them. His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard. He says to them, “Avoid all evil”; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men. Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes.

God has given us many things. He created us in His Divine Image. He gave us dominion over the earth. He has offered us knowledge and wisdom. He has shown us what is good and evil. He has made covenants with us and revealed His Justice and Mercy to us. He has warned us against sin and provided us with the grace to know, love, and serve Him and His children. He watches over us every day lending us the aid we need to become good and faithful servants. And it is up to us to see all these good things and to repay Him for all He has done for us. We do this best when we keep His Divine Image clean within our hearts. When we treat creation with the same respect and love He does. When we use the truth He has taught us to make prudent decisions. When we imitate His Justice and Mercy with our own words and works. When we warn others away from temptation and sin and help them to be holier. When we lend others our help without expectation of return. In this way, we avoid all evil and live up to our end of the new covenant.

Do we not only accept God’s justice and judgment, but seek to reveal it through our words and works? Are we avoiding all evil? How can we make God’s precepts of love, mercy, and grace into the foundation stones of our lives?

O Lord, make us into living covenants.

Amen.

Seventh Friday of Ordinary Time

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; for he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.

There are many types of false friends. There are friends who only stay with us as long as we fit into their plans or further their goals. There are friends who become our enemies for selfish reasons. There are fair-weather friends who flee at the first sign of trouble. These are not the types of friends we want in our lives. They pressure us to do things we should not do. They betray us. They abandon us in our times of need. It is only the faithful friend who will support, forgive, and shelter us no matter what comes our way. They give us the greatest treasure there is... their love. And in return, we should be their faithful friend, their shelter in the storms of life, and their life-saving remedy. True friendships are forever. They will last, like God’s Love lasts, because they emulate the love God the Father has for His Son... the love that is alive in the Holy Spirit, who is alive in us.

How can we get rid of the false friends in our lives? What can we do to discern good from bad friends? How can we become faithful friends to others?

O Lord, make us and our friends faithful to each other.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

Rely not on your wealth; say not: “I have the power.” Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart. Say not: “Who can prevail against me?” or, “Who will subdue me for my deeds?” for God will surely exact the punishment. Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?” for the Most High bides his time. Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: “Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.” For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath.

There are many ways we can convince ourselves we do not need God in our lives. We can assume ourselves to be self-sufficient because of money or power. We can believe we have the ability to overcome every obstacle and enemy by ourselves. We can have a false sense of security and hubris. We can be disrespectful of God’s Love and Mercy by taking it for granted. The truth is that we all need God in our lives. He is the source, center, and summit of all power. He is the one who can give us the healthy desires of our hearts. He is the one who can help us prevail and give us success in our good deeds. He is the one who will punish us for our selfish pride and our presumptions upon His Love and Mercy. He will set us straight when we go astray. All these things together remind us that we should not waste our time, talents, and treasures on selfish pursuits, but rather we should seek to be more deeply converted and willing to depend upon God for all that is good.

Are we prideful, presumptuous, falsely secure in our salvation, or disrespectful of God’s Love and Mercy? If we are, then how can we overcome these sins and depend upon God more firmly? How can we cultivate the virtues of humility, modesty, hopefulness, and respectfulness of God?

O Lord, cleanse us of our false sense of self-sufficiency and give us a childlike trust in you and you alone.

Amen.

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Although these words are directed at the leaders of the Christian community, they have meaning for all Christians. We should do everything in our power to help our Church leaders to tend to the flock of God. If we have time to give in volunteer work, then we should give it. If we have talents we can share, then we should share them. If we have treasures we can offer up for the good of others, then we should offer them. And we should do these things eagerly out of love for God and His children. We should be examples to others of what it means to be Christians and share our faith, hope, and love with all our strength. If we do these things, then we shall receive a crown of glory crafted out of good and merciful deeds.

What are we doing to support our Church leaders? How can we share our time, talents, and treasures with the Church? What can we think, say, and do to forge a life worthy of the crown of glory?

O Lord, help us to be examples to your flock.

Amen.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

My son, when you come to serve the LORD, stand in justice and fear, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, incline your ear and receive the word of understanding, undisturbed in time of adversity. Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not; thus will you be wise in all your ways. Accept whatever befalls you, when sorrowful, be steadfast, and in crushing misfortune be patient; for in fire gold and silver are tested, and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation. Trust God and God will help you; trust in him, and he will direct your way; keep his fear and grow old therein.

As Christians, we must be prepared for trials. Doing God's Will requires many sacrifices on our part. We must be willing to sacrifice our selfish desires, our goods, our possessions, and even our lives to follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We need to cultivate sincerity, steadfastness, and understanding during our times of adversity. We must learn patience, acceptance, and trust of God even in the midst of trial and humiliation. Most of all, we should fear disappointing God through our actions or inactions because it is this fear that helps drive us to do good and avoid evil.

Are we prepared for the trials and adversities that await us as Christians? What sacrifices are we willing to make? How can our fear of the Lord help us to make better decisions in how we live our lives?

O Lord, help us to serve you in justice and always be afraid of disappointing you.

Amen.

Seventh Monday of Ordinary Time

The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom and her ways are everlasting. To whom has wisdom’s root been revealed? Who knows her subtleties? To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed? And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways? There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring, seated upon his throne: There is but one, Most High.

All wisdom comes from God. Whether it is the wisdom that guided God’s Will before the creation, the wisdom underlying His Commandments, or the wisdom expressed through human laws, they all have their source, center, and summit in God. Wisdom is rooted in the divine. It cannot be separated from it. And if we want to be wise, then we have to drink from the fountain of wisdom which can only be found in God’s revelations to us. It is in the Scriptures and the traditions of the Church that we discover the knowledge we need to become truly wise. It is not enough to have the Word of God alone, but also the Action of God, which is at the heart of His Church.

Are there any areas of our lives where we are lacking in wisdom? How can we become wiser in God? In what ways can we put into practice the wisdom God has given us?

O Lord, you are the fountain of wisdom. Lead us to drink from you and be wise.

Amen.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles.  Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

It can be so tempting to repay unkindness with vengeance and imposition with rejection. However, these are selfish desires and do not reflect the commandment to love others as God loves us. God’s love is unselfish, it is given without expectation of return. In the same way, our acts of charity should be made not be engender praise or love for us, but because it is the right thing to do. Nor should our works of mercy be given half-heartedly or our forgiveness conditionally. If we want to be good and faithful servants of God, then our love must be selfless, freely-given, and persevering.

Are our hearts merciful and generous even to our enemies? What can we do to better know, love, and serve those who have hurt us? How can we do the same for those who take advantage of us?

O Lord, make our hearts fonts of your love and mercy.

Amen.

Sixth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.

Abel, Enoch, and Noah put their whole trust in God. Abel’s sacrifice was pleasing to God because he gave it with great faith. Enoch’s life was pleasing to God because he lived righteously. Noah’s willingness to do God’s Will reverently lead to the salvation of his household. Each of these men placed their hope in God and from that hope sprung up the rewards of faith. We, too, must place our trust in God and believe He will provide us what we need. We might not see or hear Him, but we can see and hear the love, mercy, and beauty present in His Creation and the God-instances of our lives when we experience Him through our faith.

Are we willing to sacrifice everything for our faith? How can we think, speak, and act more righteously? What can we do to put our hopes of salvation more firmly in God?

O Lord, you ordered the universe by your Word. Order our hearts as well.

Amen.

Sixth Friday of Ordinary Time

“If now, while they are one people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do. Let us then go down and there confuse their language, so that one will not understand what another says.” Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city.

The problem with the Tower of Babel wasn’t that people were building it, but rather the reason why they were building it. They were constructing the tower so they could make a name for themselves and not to give glory to God. This glorification of self is founded in the deadliest of sins, pride. They, like Adam and Eve, wanted to make themselves like gods. Because of this, God scattered them and stopped them from building the tower. There are times when we choose to build our lives upon selfish foundations and sooner or later these reasons fail us and we are scattered. There is only one firm foundation to build our lives upon and it is God as our Heavenly Father, our Brotherly Master, and our Holy Spirit. It is in Him that we shall find a name for ourselves which will last forever... Christian!

What have we founded our lives upon? How can we avoid the temptation to glorify ourselves? What can we do to give glory to God?

O Lord, help us to found ourselves on you and nothing else.

Amen.

Sixth Thursday of Ordinary Time

This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

God has entered into many covenants with us. Through each one He has given us many graces. With the New Covenant of Jesus, he has offered us a new sign of His promises... the cross. It is in the cross that we see the bridge between the death of sin and the life of love. It is in this symbol that we see the triumph of God through the sacrifice of the cross. But a covenant is a two-way promise and in return for the saving graces of His Beloved Son, God asks us to know, love, and serve Him as Jesus did by following the Way of the Cross. It is only by accepting the sufferings of this life and bearing them with hopeful and compassionate hearts that we will become living signs of God’s New Covenant. It is not enough for us to accept God’s Love and Mercy. We must also imitate Christ in our thoughts, words, and works. When people look upon us they should know we are Christians by our love and how we carry ourselves under the weight of our own crosses.

Are we living our lives according to the New Covenant? How can we make ourselves into living signs of the New Covenant? Do we ever take time to truly contemplate what God did for us through His Son’s passion, death, and resurrection?

O Lord, make us into living signs of the triumph of your cross.

Amen.

Sixth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Noah built an altar to the LORD, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the LORD smelled the sweet odor, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Noah burns his offerings in thanksgiving for God giving him and his family a chance to continue the race of man and rebuild man’s relationship with God. Although things didn’t turn out perfectly, for our race still had evil desires, God promises to never destroy us like that again. Instead, He prepares a new flood, a spiritual flood of His Love and Mercy in the form of His Beloved Son. Unlike the flood in Noah’s time, the Living Water of Christ will destroy sin and death rather than mankind's bodies. It will be an endless stream of life-giving and cleansing love poured out for us so we might become filled with the Holy Spirit and God’s Saving Grace.

Have we given God praise and thanksgiving for all the wonderful things He has done for us? Are we prepared to let Him flood us with His Love and Mercy? How can we in turn become living fonts of His Grace?

O Lord, make us into living floods of your compassion.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved. So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.” But Noah found favor with the LORD. Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.”

Sadly, we all have sinful inclinations. We let God down far more often than He wants or we would like. We have weaknesses in our lives. Blind spots where we simply fail to see where we are going wrong. All of these failings give God every reason to destroy us. We are not worthy of His Mercy and cannot make up for our sins on our own, but thankfully God has given us an ark. He has given us the Church and it is within her confines that we find salvation from the storms of sin. It is within the Church that we find the food for body, mind, and spirit that keeps us alive in the faith. The sacraments, instituted by Christ, preserve our lives and keep us safe from the drowning doubts, fears, and anxieties of the world. It is upon the cross that we find the ramp that leads us out of wickedness and into holiness. It is Jesus’ sacrifice that keeps us afloat in a sea of sin and leads us safely to the Promised Land. Without Jesus Christ and His Church we would be lost at sea, doomed to die, but with them we are given a chance to reach the heights of heaven and dwell there with God forever and ever.

How can we overcome our sinful inclinations? How can we become truly just people? Do we thank God for giving us His Beloved Son’s Church as our ark to the afterlife?

O Lord, lead us to the ark of your Church and to truly just lives.

Amen.

Sixth Monday of Ordinary Time

The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. So the LORD said to Cain: “Why are you so resentful and crestfallen. If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Envy is such a difficult sin to avoid. This is because it comes in many subtle forms. It can start out small, but as it burrows into our heart it grows, consuming our ability to love others and replacing it with a hollow hatred that can cause us to do terrible things to those we envy. However, God will always warn us, through our consciences, if we are straying into the realm of envy or sin. He gives us every support and encourages us to do better so we can hold our heads up high while not looking with evil upon others. The only person who can make us envious is ourselves. We have the power to determine who we love and who we hate and it is no one else’s fault when we let hatred seep into our souls. Instead of dwelling on what others have or the praises they are receiving, we should instead focus on all the good things God has given us and on our responsibilities and how we can do better. We are not called to measure ourselves against each other, but rather to celebrate each other’s successes and do God’s Will to the best of our ability.

Are we envious of someone else? If so, then how can we learn to love them? What can we do to open our hearts to the successes of others and celebrate them as if they were our own?

O Lord, help us to hold our heads up high. Not out of pride, but out of a knowledge that we are doing your will.

Amen.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

If we are true to our faith, then we should have no need to make oaths. The need to make an oath presupposes a person will lie if they don’t swear by something they hold dear. However, if we live like Christ, then we should have no predisposition to lie and will speak the truth at every opportunity. Our “Yes” means “Yes” and our “No” means “No.” If we lie, then we sin against God (and whomever we lied to) and disfigure the Divine Image within us. The only way to put things right is to confess our transgression with contrite hearts, try our best to put right our relationship with God and those we lied to, and tell the truth in all things. The truth should be one of the pillars of our faith lives, just as we should imitate Christ’s Life and follow His Way, so should we speak His Truth. If we do these things, then we shall be known as trustworthy by God and others and have nothing to fear when the final judgment comes.

Does our “Yes” mean “Yes” and our “No” mean “No?” If not, then what can we do to make amends for our falsehoods? What can we do to avoid the temptation to lie and make false oaths?

O Lord, inspire us so that every word we speak is the truth.

Amen.

Fifth Saturday of Ordinary Time

The LORD God called to Adam and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 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.”

After we sin, we have a tendency to blame others for our actions or make up excuses. However, God sees past our attempts to pass the buck or explain the reason for our misdeeds. And when we stand before Him at the Last Judgment, He will strip away all the pretexts and show us the truth. We are responsible for our own actions. We choose to do right or wrong. No one else chooses for us. Yes, people can lead us into situations that can tempt us to sin or put pressure on us to do wrong, but in the end we have the ability to reject these temptations. It might cost us greatly to do the right thing. It might require us to suffer persecution or sacrifice a friendship or possessions, but these are nothings compared to the eternal life we will receive when we do God’s Will over our own.

Do we make excuses or blame others when we sin? Or do we take responsibility for our actions and make amends for what we have done? Are we willing to sacrifice everything we have to do God’s Will?

O Lord, we are sorry for our sins. Give us the grace to avoid repeating them.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

“Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.”

God forbid the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with the following words: “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.” Notice how the serpent begins his temptation of Eve. He exaggerates what is forbidden in such a way to make God’s command sound unreasonable. Of course, Eve corrects the serpent, but her reply misstates God’s commandment to include touching the fruit. Lastly, the serpent rejects the commandment completely and then promises that breaking it will make Eve like a god. This is how temptation works, it first makes God’s Will sound unreasonable, and then it leads us to exaggerate the burdens involved with following God’s Will. Finally, temptation asks us to reject God’s Will and replace it with our own opinions and desires. Dialogue with evil always ends in sin. This is why we should ignore our temptations, avoid listening to them, and instead turn away from them and focus our minds and hearts on God’s Will.

Do we exaggerate the burdens our faith places upon us? Do we listen to our temptations and let them convince us that we know better than God? How can we close our ears to the alluring voice of evil and instead follow God’s Will?

O Lord, we want to serve your will and not our own.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.

To feel no shame. What a grace God gave humanity when He first created Adam and Eve! If only we could live like that again... without guilt or a sense of unworthiness. Of course, we can have glimpses and tastes of what our ancestors had before their fall, especially when we celebrate the sacraments. This is particularly the case when we seek God’s forgiveness in reconciliation. We go into the confessional full of doubts, fears, and sinfulness, but we come out of it cleansed, hopeful, and joyous. When we have given a good confession of our sins with humble and contrite hearts, we can feel no shame because we are as God wished us to be... holy. We should do all we can to retain this purity for as long as we can in the face of temptation. And if we do fall again, then we should seek out the sacrament of reconciliation and be renewed once again.

What do we have to be ashamed of? Have we confessed these sins? How can we overcome them and live holier lives?

O Lord, cleanse us of our sins and shame and make us into good and blameless servants.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. The LORD God gave man this order: “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”

We often forget that the Garden of Eden had delightful and good food for Adam and Eve to eat and the tree of life to partake of, if they had chosen it. We so focus our attention on the tree of knowledge of good and evil, on what was forbidden, that we overlook all the good things God wanted us to have. He wanted us to have all our needs provided for and to live with Him in peace and harmony for all eternity. However, our ancestors choose the knowledge of good and evil over a life of holiness. This act introduced the sinful selfishness we know as original sin, which has passed down to us in the form of an inclination to sin. Thankfully, although we were cast out of the Garden of Eden, God had prepared a new path to eternity with Him and that path is the Way of Jesus, which we can only walk if we accept His Truth and live His Life. If we do these things, then something greater than the Garden of Eden will await us at the end of our lives... an eternity of being with God.

Are we producing good and delightful fruits or stealing fruits from forbidden trees? How do we express our thankfulness to God for all He has provided for us? What can we do to resist our temptations and do God’s Will?

O Lord, we wish only to eat the good and delightful fruit of your love and mercy.

Amen.

Fifth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

In a world where we are surrounded by distractions and diversions, it can be difficult to keep holy the Sabbath let alone any other day of the week. We are constantly bombarded by computers, TVs, and radios with images and sounds that lure our thoughts away from heavenly things and to earthly ones. In a world full of sights and sounds, it can be hard to hear God calling us and to see the opportunities for good that we are presented with each day. This is why it is so important to make our Sabbath days holy, restful, and renewing in spirit. If Sunday is just another day to surf the web, watch TV, or listen to music, then we lose out on the richness of our faith. Sunday needs to be the pivotal point in our week, replenishing our spirits and giving us the word to live by and the body and blood to sustain us throughout the week. And if we have a chance, we should seek to bring a little bit of the Sabbath into the rest of our days. We could all do with a little less action in our lives and a little more conversation with God.

Do we keep holy the Sabbath day? How is our celebration of Sunday stand out in regards to all the other days of the week? How can we bring the peace and quiet of the Sabbath into the rest of our lives?

O Lord, bless our every Sabbath and help us to keep them holy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw how good the light was.

All of God’s creations are good. It is the free will of man that introduced the possibility for evil into it. Our Heavenly Father gave us that gift because as good as His creation was, it couldn’t be truly loving of Him without the ability to choose to accept or reject His call to love Him and His creations. We were given free will to reflect the Divine Image and choose to do good, but it is also what allows us to tarnish His Image within us and choose sin. We should not blame God for the evils of the world. He gave us free will out of love for us, knowing it would open the door for us to follow our own selfish and harmful paths. But it also opens the window of opportunity to truly know, love, and serve God and His children like no other creation. Yes, God’s creations are good, but if we choose to become lights for the whole world, then He shall see us as very good indeed.

Do we recognize the goodness in God’s creations? Do we use our free will to know, love, and serve God better or to disfigure His Image within us? How can we inform our consciences so that we make better use of our free will?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to respect your creations and to be very good.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

It isn’t easy being a light for the world. It can be tempting to hide our faith in order to avoid conflicts with our family, friends, and neighbors. We might do so because we don’t feel good enough or knowledgeable enough to present ourselves as Christians. We might not feel confident enough to proclaim the Good News or be willing enough to take that leap of faith that is required to become witnesses to the faith. However, if we want to be found worthy of heaven and share in the promise of eternal life, then we need to put aside our fears, doubts, and anxieties and bear the light of Christ into the world. If we want our families, friend, and neighbors to grow in holiness, then we need to burn with the light of love and mercy. It is through our good words and works that others come to see the goodness of our Heavenly Father and glorify Him.

How are we a light of God’s Love and Mercy for our families and friends? How are we a beacon of truth for our neighbors and the whole world? What can we do to enkindle, sustain, and grow the fires of our faith and the faith of others?

O Lord, may the lights of our lives shine before others and lead them to you.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Through Jesus, let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.

Our lives should be a continual sacrifice of praise to God. It is only by emptying ourselves of all we are and have that we can be filled with the love of God. If we want our minds to be holy, then we need to cast aside our earthly thoughts and dwell on heavenly things. If we want our words to be holy, then we need to overthrow our prideful desire to be heard and instead humbly listen to the Holy Spirit and confess Jesus Christ. If we want our works to be fruitful, then we must avoid sins, do good, and share what we have with others. By doing these things, we will please God and learn how to become living sacrifices and co-heirs of the Kingdom.

Are our lives continual sacrifices of praise? Are all our thoughts, words, and works holy? How can we make them more pleasing to God?

O Lord, we want to be living sacrifices of praise.

Amen.

Fourth Friday of Ordinary Time

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body. Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.

Brotherly love is a powerful and profound action. It requires us to see everyone as our brothers and sisters in Christ and to treat them with charity and respect. For we are all heirs to the Kingdom of God, and as such we should seek to live in peace and love with each other. We cannot do this if we let petty differences, old grudges, or any other prejudices enter into our relationships with others. We might not like what a person does, but that doesn’t give us a right to disown him. We are all children of God with inherent dignities that must be respected even in those we most dislike. This dignity also calls upon us to honor each other be it as family members, friends, or strangers. It requires us to set aside our personal desires and choose what is best for all God’s children. If we live according to the way of brotherly love, then we shall have but one Heavenly Father for our protector, who shall never forsake or abandon us.

Are our lives built upon brotherly love? How do we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when they are difficult to love? Have we chosen to love God the Father and His children above all else in this world?

O Lord, free us of those things that keep us from loving all others as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Amen.

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

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.

Just as John the Baptist was the messenger of the Lord and the preparer of His way into the world, so must we become heralds of God’s Will. Being His messenger means not only listening to the Good News, but proclaiming it through our every word and work. It means preparing ourselves in such a way to make our souls into living temples where God can dwell. It also requires us to perform acts of charity and mercy for others so that their hearts will be open to the coming of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do these things if we don’t refine our faith and let God purge us of our sins and imperfections. It is only through His Grace that we can increase in spiritual richness and attain our highest purpose.

Are we messengers of God or the world? How can we become better prophets of God’s Love and Divine Truth? What can we do to purify our souls?

O Lord, refine us and make us into faithful messengers of your Good News.

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children: My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges. Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as his sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

Discipline is a word that can evoke many feelings. On the one hand, the word can frighten us with thoughts of beatings. On the other hand we know instinctively that in order to form a good conscience, we need discipline. Of course beatings aren't discipline, rather they are a show of indiscipline. True discipline is nothing to be afraid of because its aim isn't to take out another's frustration on another person, but instead meant to guide a loved one back to the path of righteousness. This type of discipline is measured and meted out in order to show us the errors of our ways and not to merely satisfy the anger of the inflictor. God is the most perfect of all discipliners and through His trials of us He forms his followers into His disciples so we can bear good fruit in the world and one day join Him in Heaven. He does this out of love and we should be joyful for it, no matter the hardship He sends our way.

Have we resisted our sins to the point of shedding blood? Are we willing to accept the discipline we need to overcome our selfish sins and embrace the fruit of righteousness? How can we more faithfully endure our trials for God's glory and the good of others, including ourselves?

O Lord, help us to accept your disciple and bear the fruits of righteousness.

Amen.