Twelfth Monday of Ordinary Time

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel, pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name. Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.

We should be building altars to God within our hearts just as Abram built altars in his own life. We should remember what God has done for us. We should remember to invoke God’s name in thanksgiving as well as supplication. And just like Abram, we shall continue our journey towards heaven in stages. The conversion of our hearts, minds, and souls usually happens in small steps along the narrow path, each step leading us closer to God and further along the way to holiness. Sometimes God may give us opportunities to grow in our faith and love by leaps and bounds, but other times we shall struggle inch-by-inch toward heaven with only hope keeping us going. However, as long as we keep our eyes on God and our thoughts, words, and works moving forward toward God, then we shall be given every grace we need to enter the Heavenly Kingdom through the narrow gate of Christ.

Have we made a spiritual altar within our hearts? In what ways do we give thanks to God for all He has done for us? How can we take the next step in our faith journey?

O Lord, may our hearts be an altar to you and our thoughts, words, and works a sacrifice of thanksgiving to you.

Amen.