Twelfth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Rise up, shrill in the night, at the beginning of every watch; Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your little ones Who faint from hunger at the corner of every street.

In times of distress, we should rise up and pray. We should pour out our hearts to the Lord and lift up our hands. We should make ourselves into living prayers, petitioning God for His aid. We should do this when we are in need or suffering and also when we see others who are in difficulties. And ultimately, we should trust in God’s Goodness and remain hopeful. We cannot let our trials or tribulations shake or uproot our faith. We cannot let our fears and doubts crush our spirits. Instead, we should believe in our Heavenly Father, His Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit... who do not wish us harm and will do all in their powers to guide us through all our troubles.

Do we pray to God when we are in need or suffering? What about when others are undergoing difficulties? How can we grow in our faith and trust in God even during our darkest of nights?

O Lord, we hunger for your heavenly aid.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

Just as Jesus poured out his Blood for us, so too, each of us are called to pour out our own lives for him. As his brothers and sisters, we have a responsibility to do everything within our power to bear God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace into the lives of others. Peter and Paul did this in their lives and paid the ultimate price to keep the faith. They finished the race with the crown of martyrdom and we must be willing to do the same. We might not be called to die physically, but we must all die to our own selfishness so we might live in the Holy Spirit. The crown of righteousness awaits us if we are true to God and willing to accept the thorns that come with it. And the most amazing thing is God doesn’t care how successful we are in the world, He only cares whether we competed faithfully and well.

Are we willing to pour out our blood for God and His children? Are we willing to accept the crown of righteousness and all the sacrifices it requires from us? How can we compete more faithfully in the race to our salvation?

O Lord, we pour ourselves out to you like a libation, holding nothing back.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive. And he carried off all the treasures of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel, had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.

There are consequences to doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. Although He is merciful, He is also just. He can reach His limit and say, “No more.” He will turn us over to our enemies and let them take away all that we have and bring us low. He does this not out of spite, but out of love... in hopes that we might learn from our mistakes and make amends for our sins. It is up to us to humble ourselves and ask for God’s forgiveness and if we are contrite, then He shall grant us His Divine Mercy and restore us to a life.

Do we presume too much on God’s Mercy? What can we do to make amends for our faults and failings? How can we cultivate humble and contrite hearts?

O Lord, we surrender ourselves to you and pray that you might carry off all our evil inclinations and cleanse us of our sins.

Amen.

Twelfth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

He had the entire contents of the book of the covenant that had been found in the temple of the LORD, read out to them. Standing by the column, the king made a covenant before the LORD that they would follow him and observe his ordinances, statutes and decrees with their whole hearts and souls, thus reviving the terms of the covenant which were written in this book. And all the people stood as participants in the covenant.

We are all part of the New Covenant. We all know what our responsibilities are. We are asked by God to know, love, and serve Him with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. We are called to know, love, and serve our neighbors as He loves them. Every day of our lives we either choose to renew our baptismal promises or reject them. We either follow God and His teachings or we turn our backs on them and worship false gods.  There is no middle ground. We either choose to live for God or for ourselves. If we choose ourselves, then we shouldn’t be surprised if we are unhappy and empty of consolations. If we choose God, then we shall have an inner happiness and peace that cannot be upset by any suffering.

Have we taken the time to read Scriptures? What can we do to make the scriptures into a daily part of our faith lives? How can we renew our baptismal promises to know, love, and serve God and all His children?

O Lord, we will follow you and all your teachings.

Amen.

Twelfth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made the heavens and the earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!

Hezekiah’s prayer is one we all can pray when we feel beset upon by trials, sufferings, and threats to our life. God isn’t deaf to us in our times of difficulty. He isn’t blind to us in our tribulations. He won’t abandon us to the wolves of the world. He will defend us against the wickedness and snares of the Devil and all those things that lead us into temptation and sin. If we trust He will protect us from harm, then He will defend us from all our enemies.

Do we turn to God when we are in difficulty or distress? How can we cultivate a spirit of trust in the Lord and His Divine Plan? Do we place God firmly in the center of our lives so He can protect us from evil?

O Lord, you alone can save us.

Amen.

Twelfth Monday in Ordinary Time

And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and seer, "Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes, in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers and which I sent you by my servants the prophets," they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who had not believed in the LORD, their God. They rejected his statutes, the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and the warnings which he had given them, till, in his great anger against Israel, the LORD put them away out of his sight.

God calls upon all of us to give up our evil ways and keep His commandments. He has told us this through the prophets of the Old Testament, through His Son in the New Testament, and even through His Church. We have been given ample warning in this life to steer clear of the temptations of the world, the Devil, and indifference. If we fail to remain good and choose instead to do evil, we have no one to blame but ourselves. It is our own stiff necks, hardened by pride, that keep us from living as we should. However, if we are willing to bend our necks to the yoke of Christ and accept the sacrifices God asks of us, then we shall be able to leave behind our old lives of sin and wickedness and take up the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ.

What are the people, places, and things in our lives that God is warning us against? How can we rid ourselves of those influences and place our faith in God alone? What can we do to get rid of our evil ways and keep God's commandments?

O Lord, pour out your grace upon us and help us to keep your commandments.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, 'What do you suppose that I am' I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet."

Just like John the Baptist, we are all called to proclaim a life of repentance to all of God’s children. We are asked to be prophets of the God News spreading God’s Word to all those whom we meet each day. No, we are not Jesus or John... and perhaps we are not worthy to unfasten the sandals of either man’s feet, but we have the same mission as both of them... the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls. It is a vocation all Christians have and we must do our best to prepare the way of our Lord and God... for He is coming again and when he does we want to be able to stand before him and say, “We did our best to bring you into the world and bring others into your Way, Truth, and Life.”

Are we fulfilling our calling to be prophets of God’s Good News? How can we spread the Word of God to the world around us? In what ways can we prepare the way of the Lord?

O Lord, we are not worthy to unfasten your sandals, but with your heavenly aid, we shall unfasten the hearts of others so your Love, Mercy, and Grace can enter into them more fully.

Amen.

Eleventh Saturday in Ordinary Time

Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them: "God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'

There are many ways in which we might transgress against God. We might let worldly distractions keep us from doing good. We might allow temptations to lead us into evil. We might become indifferent to the needs of others or lukewarm in our faith. Thankfully, God gives us every opportunity to make amends for our failings and sins. He sends us warnings through our own consciences, through the counsel of others, and in many other ways. He does not want us to abandon Him, but He will not force us to know, love, and serve Him and His children. It is up to us to choose to humble ourselves, ask for forgiveness, and do our penance.

In what ways do we transgress against God? How can we overcome these weaknesses and lean upon the strength of God? How can we amend our lives to become better Christians?

O Lord, convert my heart so that I might prosper.

Amen.

Eleventh Friday in Ordinary Time

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD as one party and the king and the people as the other, by which they would be the LORD's people; and another covenant, between the king and the people. Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They shattered its altars and images completely, and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.

The two covenants in this Scriptural passage remind us of our relationships with God and all His children. We have responsibilities to God and to each other, which we must uphold if we wish to have any share in the Kingdom of God. God should have the first and foremost claim upon our time, talents, and treasures. He should be the beginning and the end of our days. The source, center, and summit of our lives. We should shatter all the things that keep us from being completely God’s children. In addition, we should seek to be good and faithful servants to our Lord and His people. We should be protectors of the innocent, teachers of the ignorant, and consolers of the suffering... imitating God, who is our one, true, King.

Are we fulfilling our covenant with God? Are we fulfilling our covenant with His children? How can we be more faithful and fruitful in our relationships with God and His people?

O Lord, help us to live up to our responsibilities to you and your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

Then Elisha, filled with the twofold portion of his spirit, wrought many marvels by his mere word. During his lifetime he feared no one, nor was any man able to intimidate his will. Nothing was beyond his power; beneath him flesh was brought back into life. In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds.

The Holy Spirit can move mountains through us if we let Him. He can do marvelous and wondrous deeds if we let Him. He can convert sinners and save souls through us if we lend him our thoughts, words, and works. If our souls magnify God, then we shall be like prophets, bearing the Good News to others and proving God's Goodness through our actions. With faith, all things are possible. We might not know exactly what to do, but we know that God is with us and will provide us with exactly what we need to do His Will.

Do we call upon and pray to the Holy Spirit each and every day? Do we allow Him to think, speak, and work through us? How can we make ourselves into living vessels of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, pour into us your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Eleventh Wednesday in Ordinary Time

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit." "You have asked something that is not easy," Elijah replied. "Still, if you see me taken up from you, your wish will be granted; otherwise not."

Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit and in a way, we are also called to ask for a double portion of the spirit of Jesus Christ. We should always be striving to be God's instrument of goodness, love, mercy, and grace to all the world. We should hunger and thirst for righteousness. We should be willing to make our lives into living sacrifices. All of this is what Jesus did in his life and his model should be one we strive to imitate. Our souls should magnify our Lord and Savior and rejoice in his work... done through us. Of course, we can never truly receive a double portion or ever surpass the holiness of Jesus Christ, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't seek to be the best version of ourselves.

In what ways are we striving to be better Christians? How can we make ourselves more and more into Christ? Are we willing to imitate Jesus even in those things we find most difficult?

O Lord, grant us a double portion of your Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Amen.

Eleventh Tuesday in Ordinary Time

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh. He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued. Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his time. I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son."

When we sin, we don't just affect our relationship with God and ourselves, but also our relationship with others and their relationship with God. We do not do good works or evil ones in a vacuum. The consequences for right and wrong echo throughout our lives and the world around us. We may not know how we've affected others, but in the end our choices both good and bad have an effect on our family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

Do we keep in mind that all our thoughts, words, and works have an effect on our relationship with God and others? How can we be more careful of how our decisions affect the faith and lives of others? Are we willing to humble ourselves after we sin and seek reconciliation with our Lord and God?

O Lord, have mercy on us.

Amen.

Eleventh Monday in Ordinary Time

His wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, "Why are you so angry that you will not eat?" He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.' But he refused to let me have his vineyard." His wife Jezebel said to him, "A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed! Get up. Eat and be cheerful. I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you."

The sin of jealousy or envy is a devious one. It worms its way into a person's heart slowly eating away at them from inside. It may lead to depression, but also may lead to evil deeds. Ahab may not have asked Jezebel to get rid of Naboth, but he probably could have guessed what she had planned when she told him that she would obtain the vineyard. However, he let his envy silence his conscience and is just as guilty as his wife. In a similar manner, we can sometimes let others come to harm because of our jealousy or our inaction. We might guess trouble is coming to someone, but keep quiet about it instead of warning them. There are times in our lives when we are tempted to ignore an evil done to someone else, especially someone whom we don't like. However, this does not excuse us. After all, God asked us to love others as He loves them... which means loving even our enemies. This means casting off our jealousy and protecting them as Jesus would protect them... from whatever it is that threatens them. This of course isn't easy, but the road to heaven isn't an easy on to walk. It is narrow and only those willing to die to themselves have a chance to make it to the end.

Are we jealous of someone else? How can we turn that jealousy into love? Are we willing to know, love, and serve even those whom we dislike?

O Lord, rid us of all jealousy and give us hearts full of love for all people, even our enemies.

Amen.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

As Christians, we should all aspire to be courageous, faithful, and good. We cannot let our fears overrule our better judgment and our responsibilities to God and His children. We cannot allow our doubts to paralyze us and ruin our faith. We cannot let our selfishness lead us away from good and toward evil. Thankfully, God has given us all the graces we need to resist these temptations so when we appear before the judgment seat of Christ, we shall be found worthy of God's Mercy.

What do we aspire to do in this life? Is it what God wants us to do? How can we be more courageous in our faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, grant us your courage.

Amen.

Tenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you." Elijah answered, "Go back! Have I done anything to you?" Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Sometimes God’s calling comes to us unexpectedly, when we are in the middle of something, or otherwise not ready. He places His cloak over us and leaves. It is then our choice to follow Him or not. Like Elisha, we should be thankful for our callings and do everything we can to start out on the right foot and stay on the narrow path to Heaven.

What is God calling us to do? How can we best respond to His call? Are we willing to leave everything we know behind and follow God into the unknown?

O Lord, help us answer your calling like Elisha… with thankfulness, sacrifice, and trust.

Amen.

Tenth Friday in Ordinary Time

Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"

God’s Voice is very rarely above a whispering wind. He Speaks to us softly, subtly, and sometimes He speaks to us through silence. He is not a dictator handing down edicts that we must follow or else. He wants us to make good choices on our own. It is more meaningful if we choose right over wrong out of our own choices. Sometimes we can’t hear God in our lives. We are too busy or pay attention to the wrong things, but God is always with us, whispering His Love, Inspiration, and Teachings into our ears. We have only to listen to Him carefully and earnestly and He will reveal to us what we are called to do.

Are we listening to God’s whispers? Are we allowing them to guide us to become better people? How can we learn to tune out the noise of the world and focus more on God’s Love, Inspiration, and Teachings?

O Lord, let us hear your whisperings.

Amen.

Tenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

"Climb up and look out to sea," he directed his servant, who went up and looked, but reported, "There is nothing." Seven times he said, "Go, look again!" And the seventh time the youth reported, "There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea." Elijah said, "Go and say to Ahab, 'Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.'" In a trice the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell.

We can only have one God. We either choose to follow our Heavenly Father and trust in His Will or we choose the Evil One and follow him to our destruction. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t straddle the fence. We must love our Lord and Him alone and live forever or we will love the world and die in sin. We must have faith that God will pour out the graces we need to grow in faith or we will have faith in nothing and wither in wickedness. There is no middle ground between Good and Evil, Right and Wrong. We either choose to be good and faithful servants of Jesus Christ or we become the vile tenants who kill him for our own selfish reasons.

Does our love of God come first and foremost in our lives? Are we willing to turn away from all those things that lead us away from God and into temptation and sin? Do we pray every day that God will pour His Love, Mercy, and Grace into our hearts and renew our spirits?

O Lord, make us persistent in pursuing your life-giving graces.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

"LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things by your command. Answer me, LORD! Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to their senses." The LORD's fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, "The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

Sometimes we can get so caught up in our daily jobs, sufferings, and struggles that we lose sight of God. We start to give our time, talents, and treasures to things that lead us astray... away from God. We make false idols out of all manner of things from money to TVs to computers to everything else. However, we must resist this temptation with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. We must make our lives into an offering to God and not to evil. We must fall to our knees in prayer and renew our baptismal promises. We must be confident that "The Lord is God!" and will never abandon us... even when we fail to follow Him as we should. We must trust that God will bring us back our senses after we sin and help us to confess, do penance, and sin no more.

Do we need to be brought back to our spiritual senses? What false idols do we need to reject from our lives? How can we prepare ourselves to be a living altar dedicated to our Lord and our God?

O Lord, prepare our hearts with your grace so that they will be completely dedicated to you.

Amen.

Tenth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"

As Christians, we shouldn't be afraid to be charitable, even with the last of what we have. Sometimes we are running late or worried about time, but someone comes along and needs us to listen to them or help them in some way. We could say, "I don't have the time," but Jesus always made time for others. Other times we don't have much money or other material goods, but someone comes along who is in need of what little we have. We could say, "I don't have enough to share," but Jesus always found a way to share what he had with those in need. We have to learn to trust that God will always give us the gifts and graces we need to do His Will. And if we trust in this truth, then our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths will never run out. We shall be able to care for ourselves and others all the days of our lives.

Are we afraid of giving of ourselves? How can we learn to let go of our time, talents, and treasures and let God use them for His Will? Do we trust that God will never let us go empty when we are doing His work?

O Lord, let us never be afraid of doing what is right and good.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord.

Barnabas was a good man and so too we are all called to be good. Sometimes this means leaving behind everything we know and love and following the Will of God to a new life. Barnabas traveled much in his life and sometimes we are asked to do the same. If we want to be good like Barnabas, we should seek to see the grace in others, reaffirm their faith, rejoice with them and encourage them to remain faithful. We also must open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit and allow him to fill us with faith, hope, and charity. If we do this, then we shall magnify the Lord in everything we think, say, and do and lead others closer to the Lord.

Do we rejoice with others when we see the grace of God at work in their lives? Are we striving to be good and faithful servants to God and His children? What can we do to draw more people deeper into our faith in Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we want only to be a reflection of your perfect goodness.

Amen.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.

The things in this world are indeed transitory… temporary. It might not feel that way as we live in the midst of our transition, but this is the truth. Whatever difficulties we face in this life are as nothing before the vast, great, and wonderful future God has promised us if we follow Him. The momentary afflictions of this world may weigh us down while we are on earth, but in the end, they will have no weight at all in the next life. Whatever goods we have here on earth will pale and vanish in comparison to the beauty and spiritual richness we will enjoy in Heaven. God’s Eternal Love will infuse everything in the afterlife and this alone will be enough for us forever and ever.

Do we recognize that this world is only transitory? How can we place more worth on our happiness in the afterlife than the pleasures of this world? Are we doing everything in our powers to prepare ourselves a dwelling place in Heaven?

O Lord, let us not be discouraged by the world, but trust in you and our eventual eternity in Heave with you.

Amen.

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

We are all charged with proclaiming the Word with whatever gifts and talents God has given us. Some may proclaim the work through the vocation of being priests and religious. Others through being ministers and volunteers. Still more through parenthood, being care-givers, or their jobs. Some may proclaim the Good News through words of wisdom, consolation, love, faith, or hope. Others through good works and acts of mercy. Still others through ideas that give glory to God or help to the needy. No matter what the calling is, we are all asked to be persistent in our pursuit of God’s Will... whether it is convenient or inconvenient for us. This means convincing the difficult, reprimanding those whom we love when they do wrong, encouraging others to patience, and teaching everyone we meet that the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ is exactly what they need to thrive in this life and the next.

Are we proclaiming the Good News as we should? What can we do to bear God’s Divine Word into the lives of those around us? Are we persistent in our faith, hope, and love even when it is inconvenient?

O Lord, we accept your charge to proclaim your word.

Amen.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Within the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we find all we need to understand the plan of salvation. It is a heart that is full of love, mercy, and grace. It is a heart that was pierced for our offenses. It is a heart that poured out its blood to wash away our sins. It is a heart rooted and grounded in love. It is a heart that is filled with compassion of God. It is a heart that can beat within each of us if we allow it. It is a heart that can fill us with the fullness of God.

Do we give thanks for the Sacred Heart of Jesus? How can we be more rooted and grounded in God’s Love? How can we make our hearts into dwelling places for Jesus?

O Lord, strengthen us with your Sacred Heart.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday in Ordinary Time

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

As a follower of Christ, we have to be willing to die to ourselves. We need to be able to detach our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths from all worldly people, places, and things. God, and God alone, must be our foundation stone. We must live for Him... to know, love, and serve Him with all our being. The world will throw all sorts of distractions in our way and it is up to us to step over these stumbling blocks and continue upon the narrow way to Heaven. We might not always succeed, but as long as we sincerely try to live with Him in all things, then He shall remain faithful to us and help us to grow in virtue and holiness.

What are some things we need to die to in this life? How can we learn to die to these things and live more perfectly in Jesus Christ? In what ways can we foster the spirit of detachment we need in order to live in the world, but not be consumed by it.

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from the world and unite ourselves to you.

Amen.

Ninth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

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. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design.

Our faith requires us to be brave. We cannot be cowards if we want to be like Jesus Christ. We cannot be cowards if we want to be saved from our sins. We cannot be cowards if we want to have a place in heaven. Instead, we must put on a spirit of power, love, and self-control. We might be called upon to suffer much for God's Glory and the good of others. And if this is the case, then we must bear our share of hardships for the Gospel without hesitation or complaint. We must trust God will grant us the strength we need to overcome all our trials and lead holy lives guided by His Divine Will.

Are we brave in our faith? How can we resist the temptation to cowardice in our spiritual lives? What can we do to bear the hardships of our faith with complete trust that God will see us through all our sufferings to a life without end?

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

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation. Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

As Christians, we all are awaiting and praying for the Second Coming of Christ and the Day of Judgment. This is difficult to do if we allow ourselves to be lead into sin or if we cling to our worldly goods more firmly than our heavenly ones. There is nothing in this world that should keep us from God. No man, no woman, no ideology, no earthly goods, nothing. This is why we are forewarned by Peter to be on our guard. The Evil One will test and tempt us throughout our lives trying to distract us, to lure us into sin, or to infect us with indifference to our fellow man. However, if we found our faith on the solid rock of Jesus, we shall remain stable through the storms, we shall grow in grace, increase in knowledge, and go through our lives without spot or blemish. We shall be at peace with God and God will mark us with the sign of salvation so that when the end comes... we shall be with Him forever and ever.

What are we doing to prepare for and bring about the Second Coming? What can we do to resist all the temptations of the world? Are our lives founded upon the firm rock of Jesus, our Lord and Savior?

O Lord, lend us your strength so that we might grown in grace and knowledge.

Amen.

Ninth Monday in Ordinary Time

Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.

Through His Divine Power, God has bestowed on us the gift of His Divine Image. He has made each one of us in His Likeness with all the goodness that comes from Him. The world may try to distract and corrupt us, but if we trust in God, then we shall be able to overcome our evil desires and escape from corruption. God even goes so far as to give us a roadmap to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, who showed us how to supplement our faith with virtues, to grow in knowledge, to temper our passions with self-control, to endure all things for God, to devote ourselves to the proclamation of the Good News, to have mutual affection for God and His children, and to love with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Do we take the time to contemplate what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God? Are we following the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ? What can we do to overcome our evil desires and choose the good thoughts, words, and words of God?

O Lord, grant us the virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, devotion, mutual affection, and love that we need to be your good and faithful followers.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

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.

Jesus Christ is both our High Priest and our purifying sacrifice. He proclaimed the Good News to us and gave us an example of what it means to be a child of God. He showed us how to live within this world, but not belong to it. He revealed to us how to make our hearts into living tabernacles... places where we can rest in God and He in us. He also demonstrated for once and all that we are called to become living sacrifices, pouring out God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace just as Jesus poured out his Most Precious Blood. When we look upon all Jesus has done for us, we see a roadmap to salvation and if we want to share in the heavenly feast, then we must make ourselves into priests proclaiming the Good News and sacrifices fulfilling it.

How can we make our lives into living sacrifices? What can we do to prepare our hearts to be tabernacles of the Lord? Are we willing to pour ourselves out in sacrifice and suffering for the glory of God and the good of others?

O Lord, make us into worthy sacrifices.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh.

If we want to be able to help God save others from the fires of Hell, then we have to do everything we can to build up our own faith. We have to pray to the Holy Spirit and trust that He will inspire and guide us in our decisions. We have to pray to God the Father to wrap us in the warmth of His love and protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil. We have to pray to Jesus Christ to pour out his mercy upon us and show us how to be merciful and forgiving. We have to pray to the Holy Trinity to lead us to eternal life. Once we have done this, then we can help those who are wavering in the faith by showing them our faith, hope, love, and mercy.

Do we pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for His help in building up our faith? Do we seek out the Father’s love and protection and put our hope in Him? Do we ask Jesus Christ to have mercy on us so we might have mercy on others?

O Lord, build up our faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

The end of all things is at hand. Therefore be serious and sober-minded so that you will be able to pray. Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.

As Christians, we should treat every day as if it will be the end of all things. We do not know the hour when our lives or the world will end. And so, we should do everything we can to fill our days with faith, hope, and love. We are all called to think the thoughts of God, to speak His words, and to do His good works. This requires us to be serious and sober-minded in our prayer lives and making sure we put aside some quiet time for God each and every day. It also asks us to be intense in our love and mercy so we can serve God and His children more perfectly. This isn’t always easy with all the distractions the world waves in front of us, but if we are to go to our ends with peaceful hearts, then we must die to ourselves and live through, for, with, and in Jesus Christ.

Do we treat each day we are given with the thanks we should? Are we serious about our prayers? How can we love God and others with more intensity?

O Lord, you are our beginning, middle, and end.

Amen.