Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Jesus is the capstone of our faith. He is the one who bears the weight of our sins and makes amends for them. He is the one who holds us all together. We cannot support ourselves without his strength. He is the one who upholds us when we are weighed down by worldly worries and cares. He is the one around whom we grow together as one Body, united through the sacrifice of His Body and Blood. It is through following his teachings and example that we are built together into a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. So, let us all lean on Jesus in times of joy and times of sorrow so we might make ourselves into living temples sacred to the Lord, our God.

Have we built our lives around Christ as our capstone? In what ways has Jesus held our lives together? What can we do to shore up our trust and whole-hearted dependence upon God?

O Lord, build us into a dwelling place for your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Jesus’ body and blood speak eloquently to all of us of what it means to be a good and faithful servant. It means being willing to give up everything in order to know, love, and serve God and all His children. We might be intimidated by this radical call of self-sacrifice, but it is a vocation none of us can ignore if we want to be a part of God’s Kingdom. We cannot deny what God is asking of us and share in the inheritance He offers us. If we accept His adoption, then we must accept the sufferings that come with becoming His heirs. The only way we can become enrolled in Heaven is to sprinkle ourselves with the blood of sacrifice.

Are we willing to be sprinkled with the blood of suffering and sacrifice in this life so we might join in the feast of the next one? What sacrifices are we being asked to make in order to fulfill God’s Will? What are we doing to prepare ourselves to be God’s good and faithful servants?

O Lord, sprinkle us with your blood.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

"This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Our lives are meant to proclaim the life, passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord until he comes again. If we want to be good and faithful God-bearers, then we need to remember Him in every moment of our lives. We need to make Him present in our thoughts, words, and works. We do this best when we go to mass and receive the Blessed Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This spiritual food nourishes our souls and grants us the graces we need to do God’s Will. We should do everything in our power to prepare our hearts to receive God through the Eucharist. We should make our bodies into living temples dedicated to housing the Holy Spirit and bringing people closer to our Heavenly Father.

How can we prepare ourselves for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament? What can we do to receive God into our hearts as His humble servants? What can we do to remember and make present God in our everyday lives?

O Lord, help us to do all things in remembrance of you.

Amen.

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

My beloved ones, avoid idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one Body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

The Devil will try to lead us astray in many ways. He will seek to distract us from what is good through temptation, fears, doubts, and worldly things. He will try to turn our minds and hearts toward false idols. He will seek to do everything He can to deny us a share in everlasting life and communion with God. He will especially try to keep us away from the mass and the Blessed Sacrament, which armors us against his wickedness. This is why it’s so important to keep holy the Sabbath Day. It is in the mass that our spirits are fed on the Word and the Eucharist and given the strength and graces we need to resist temptation and be united to the Body and Blood of Christ.

Have we let the Devil lead us astray in some way? How can we guard against false idols? What can we do to prepare ourselves to worthily receive the Body and Blood of Christ and all that it signifies?

O Lord, we, though many, are one Body in and through you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them.

The Word of God can nourish and sustain us if we allow it into our hearts. There is a feast of virtue contained within the pages of the Bible. There is a banquet of goodness set before us in the teachings of Christ. We are all asked to partake in this meal through the Liturgies of the Word and the Eucharist. Both mind and body are fed at the celebration of the Mass and we would do well not to starve ourselves of their bountiful fruits. Through the reading of the Scriptures and the sharing of the Blessed Sacrament, we are given heavenly foods that are sweeter than any honey and more fulfilling than any food.

Do we read Scripture every day and allow God to nourish our souls through His Divine Word? Do we make every effort to receive the Body and Blood of Christ whenever we can? Are we willing to bear God’s Good News to all, even if it means being persecuted for it?

O Lord, give us the good food of your Divine Word.

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.

Thursday within the Octave of Easter

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.

Repentance is key to our faith. God knows we are not perfect and so He sent His Son to die for us so our sins might be washed away. Jesus broke his Body and poured out his Blood to feed our faith and cleanse our offenses. All we have to do is come to God with humble and contrite hearts and accept the saving grace He offers us through the sacraments. If we do so, then He will refresh our souls and lead us to eternal life with Him. Of course, true repentance isn’t always easy. Sometimes it requires us to give up something we enjoy. Other times it requires us to amend our lives and strive to be better people. However, the sacrifice God asks of us is a mere drop in the bucket when compared to the ocean of Divine Mercy He has prepared for us.

What sins do we need to repent for? How can we cultivate humble and contrite hearts? Are we willing to accept God’s grace and all that it will require from us?

O Lord, convert our hearts and wipe away our sins.

Amen.

Holy Thursday

I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

“Do this in remembrance of me.” These words are repeated for both the Body and Blood of Christ and are a commandment we keep as dearly as the ten commandments of Moses and the golden commandments to love God and neighbor. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is foreshadowed by the Lord’s Supper. Through the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we fully participate in the Passion and Death of Christ. We make present Jesus’ sacrifice for us through the sacrifice on the altar. We proclaim the death of the Lord each time we partake in the Blessed Sacrament, but we also anticipate the Resurrection and the Second Coming in the same act. Jesus died for our sins and through his death we have been granted the saving grace we need to heal our souls.

Do we keep holy the Sabbath day? In what ways can we prepare ourselves to fully participate in the Lord’s Supper each week? How can we make the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross more meaningful to us so we might receive it more respectfully and worthily?

O Lord, we celebrate your sacrifice on the cross with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! You have sown much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; And whoever earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it.

It is not enough to spend our lives sowing, but never reaping. Or eating, but never being satisfied. Or drinking, but never being exhilarated. Or clothed, but never warmed. Or to earn wages, but just as quickly lose them. What God is telling us is we need to sow the seeds of faith in our lives so we can bear good fruits to offer God and feed others, spiritually. He wants us to eat His Body and drink His Blood because it is only through sharing in the Eucharistic Feast that we can be truly satisfied and exhilarated. He wants us to be clothed in him because it is only by putting on Christ that our hearts can be warmed by the fires of the Holy Spirit. He wants us to earn our wage as co-workers in His vineyard, cultivating consciences and souls, and not wasting our time, talents, and treasures on worldly endeavors. When our lives are built on temporary earthly successes they fall apart and fail. However, if we build an everlasting temple to God within ourselves and give God honor and glory in everything we think, say, and do, then our lives will last forever with Him in Heaven.

Have we taken time to consider our ways and how they match or deviate from the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ? What can we do to more firmly found our lives upon God? Are we spending our lives wisely and well?

O Lord, help us to consider our ways and amend them so they build up the faith within ourselves and others.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in, let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

As Christians, we frequently pray for our daily bread through the Our Father. In this prayer we express our need for God’s Presence in our lives each and every day. We cannot sustain ourselves on worldly things. Only the Body and Blood of Christ given to us through the sacrament of the Eucharist can truly nourish us. Sometimes we can become so busy worrying about tomorrow we forget to provide for our daily spiritual needs. We might make time for breakfast, lunch, and diner... and maybe a few snack times, but what about partaking in the Presence of God? Shouldn’t we spend as much, if not more, time feeding our spirits through prayer, meditation, contemplation, good works, acts of mercy, and all the other things that nurture holy souls? It is so much easier to feed our bodies, and yet we do ourselves and others a disservice by forgetting to provide for our spiritual well-being. We all need a steady diet of our Daily Bread, our Jesus, through whatever forms we can get him whether through the sacrament of the Eucharist, or prayer, or imitation of him through our acts of faith, hope, and love.

Do we set aside time each day for our daily bread, even if only through spiritual communion? In what ways do we feed our spirits? How can we become a more Eucharistic people?

O Lord, rain down your presence upon us, especially through the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Amen.

Fifteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.

As Christians, it is important to remember the Passover and its relationship with Jesus. It was at the celebration of the Passover meal that Jesus gave us His Body and Blood and in many ways our Mass reflects this Jewish tradition. We might not dress like those in flight when we attend Mass, but we should all clothe our hearts as pilgrims setting out to the Promised Land. We do not belong to this world, but to the next and so we should keep in mind this image of flight from Egypt because it reminds us that our home is not in earthly things, but in heavenly ones. And just as the Passover meal is a celebration of deliverance, so too the Liturgical and Eucharistic rites are focused on celebrating the promise God made us... to deliver us from our sins and give us eternal life in His Kingdom. The Mass makes present the Body and Blood of Christ, which marks us as houses of the Living God and protects us from God’s Righteous Wrath.

In what ways do we celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ? How can we remember that we are merely pilgrims on this earth, passing through to another life? What do we do to mark ourselves as Christians in thought, word, and deed?

O Lord, mark us as your own.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is the reason we come to mass. Gathering together as a community is important, but it is the Holy Communion that unites us in faith. Listening to the Scriptures is enlightening and uplifting, but it is the Blessed Sacrament that gives us the grace to fulfill God’s Will. The best way to meditate upon the mysteries of the Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is to receive the Divine Bread and Wine he blessed so long ago. The centrality of the Eucharist to our faith is undeniable. We must eat of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ if we want to be a part of God’s Kingdom and rise to eternal life with Jesus. It is also through this Blessed Sacrament that we welcome God into our lives. And if we are sincere in our reception of the Eucharist, then God will remain with us in a special way, providing us with many graces we can get nowhere else and that will carry us forth into the world.

Do we place our focus on the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ whenever we go to mass? How do we show God respect and sincerity before, during, and after our reception of the Blessed Sacrament? In what ways do we cultivate the graces of the Eucharist?

O Lord, you are our true food and drink. Remain with us forever and ever.

Amen.

Holy Thursday

This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.

What sets us apart from worldly people is our disentanglement from people, places, and things in favor of a holy attachment to God. This detachment does not mean cold-hearted indifference to others, but rather a willingness to sacrifice everything we hold dear in order to do God’s Will. It is this sacrificial spirit that makes us true disciples of Christ. Just as he offered himself up for us, so we offer ourselves up for the glory of God, the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of souls. Our participation in the Eucharistic celebration at mass prepares us for the long road of holy surrender that we must all walk. Our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ marks us as the sons and daughters of God and co-heirs of the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. When accepted with humble and contrite hearts, the Blessed Sacrament brings us life and protects us from death.

Are we detached from the world? Are we attached to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do we mark ourselves as Christians through the passionate celebration and humble reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our Savior?

O Lord, your Eucharistic feast is our sustenance and shield.

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.

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.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

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

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

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

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

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.

Jesus is our shepherd. He is our leader, our life-giver, and our protector. He will never let anything happen to us without doing everything in his power to help us overcome our obstacles and succeed. He even feeds us with his own Body and Blood to sustain our spirits through good times and bad. He will never abandon us, even if we abandon him in sin and get lost in the world. He will search for us no matter where we go and will offer us forgiveness if we will come back to him. He also offers to carry us when we are weak from doubts, anxieties, illness and other troubles. He promises to tend us with a loving kindness that will heal and strengthen us even in the midst of our greatest trials. All we have to do is call out to him, to let him lift us up, and lead us where we need to be.

Are we listening for the voice of God in our lives? Are we willing to let Jesus lead us, enliven us, and protect us? How can we become better followers of Christ?

O Lord, lead us to eternal life and never let us perish.

Amen.

The Third Friday of Easter

Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus into the world to save us through the sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He didn’t need to suffer his Passion and die in order to do this, and yet, he choose to be immolated for our sake. He did this because he understood how difficult it is for us to grasp what it means to be forgiven for our sins. We needed a concrete symbol to help us visualize the harm our sins do to us and the terrible price we pay for turning away from God. That symbol is the cross, which reminds us not only of the harmful effect of our sins, but also gives us hope that we can find forgiveness. However, we also needed a sacramental sign of forgiveness to help sustain our faith, hope, and love in times of trouble. And this is why before Jesus' Death, he gave us the Eucharist. It is the perfect, and unbloodied, sacrifice that reminds us not only of God’s Mercy, but also the promise of eternal life that awaits everyone who partakes of the Blessed Sacrament and lives their lives as tabernacles to the Lord.

How do we prepare ourselves for the reception of Jesus’ Body and Blood? How do we express our gratefulness for Jesus’ sacrifices on the cross and on the Eucharistic table? How can we prepare our hearts to be worthy recipients of your Blessed Sacrament?

O Lord, give us your Body and Blood so that we might live forever.

Amen.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

Every day we have the opportunity to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. If we work, we may not be able to do it every day in the morning, but at the very least we have an opportunity to do so during the Sunday liturgy. These daily or weekly feasts with the Lord infuse us with His Divine Life. Unlike the food we eat at our own tables, the Body and Blood of Jesus can consume us if we allow it to. We are blessed beyond all imagination through the Eucharist. This sacrament offers to us eternal life and salvation, if we are willing to let it transform us into Christ. What a gracious gift Jesus has given to us in His Body and Blood. May we never take it for granted or miss an opportunity to receive it.

When we partake of the Eucharist, do we truly appreciate the graces it gives us or the sacrifice within it? Do we give thanks to God for the gift of the Blessed Sacrament? Do we allow the Body and Blood of Christ to transform us into better people?

O Lord, we want nothing more than to eat of your flesh and drink of your blood so that we might have eternal life and be raised on the last day.

Amen.

Thirteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

Jesus’ gospel message is new. It cannot be contained by the laws of Old Testament. It demands a new way of thinking and living. Jesus tells us that we must make ourselves into wineskins in order to preserve ourselves. His love, mercy, and grace demand it. He will not let himself be contained in the legalistic code of the Law. Instead he writes his commandments in his own flesh and blood and calls upon us to make ourselves into an acceptable sacrifice to God and for our fellow children of God.

Do we see the commandments of Christ as legal obligations or as spiritual fulfillment? How do we receive and preserve the word of God? How do we receive and preserve the Body and Blood of Christ?

O Lord, make us into fresh wineskins so that we might preserve your gospel and be preserved by it.

Amen.