Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

See how the Lord blesses those who fear him. Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

In life, we must choose whom we are going to disappoint. We cannot find favor with everyone. We cannot please one and all. We either love God and do everything in our power to glory, honor, and praise Him or we love the world and go our own way. The roads to salvation and destruction may occasionally cross from time to time, but they ultimately diverge. And we must make a decision as to which path to follow. The wide and easy way to sin and death or the narrow and difficult trail to holiness and resurrection. We cannot walk the line between good and evil. We either seek to be good or we are evil. Yes, we might falter and fail, we are sinners after all. But if we have chosen God over the world, then we will ask for forgiveness with contrite hearts, do penance, and continue to strive toward holiness.

Do we fear disappointing God? Are we willing to walk His ways even if it means suffering and sacrifice? How can we grow in God’s blessings, good fruits, and favor?

O Lord, guide us along your ways.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Friday in Ordinary Time

Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus freed us from sin and death and the Mosaic Law. However, this freedom comes with its own responsibilities. His Way, Truth, and Life requires great sacrifices from us. Yes, we have been liberated from the wickedness and snares of the Devil, but our liberty also requires us to make a choice. We can live our lives by faith, hope, and love. Or we can live our lives in pride, envy, and selfishness. We can either become slaves to Christ or slaves of Satan. There is no middle ground... if we are indifferent or lukewarm, then we shall fall into Hell just as easily as those who chose evil outright. We had best keep these things in mind whenever we are tempted to sin or indifference so we might remind ourselves that if we want to receive the promise of Christ, then we must life out our faith without reservation.

Do we thank God for freeing us from slavery to sin and death? How can we know, love, and serve Him and His children more faithfully? What can we do to fight off the temptation to sin or be indifferent?

O Lord, ransom us from evil and make us into good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Discerning God’s Will for us isn’t always easy. Yes, sometimes the path is clear, but other times we are faced with multiple ways to go forward and it is difficult to know which one is the best. Sometimes He is calling us to leave behind something. Other times He is asking us to try something new. Sometimes the changes in our lives are forced upon us by the loss of a job, a loved one, or some other circumstance. Other times we have time to prepare for a choice we know must be made. Whatever decisions we are faced with, the best way to undertake them is to pray and allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

What is the Will of God for us? How can we more faithfully discern the path God wants us to follow? How can we lead others to the right path, too?

O Lord, we thank you for everything you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Thirteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.

To be truly free, we must be willing to give up our selfish and sinful pursuits and choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. This free choice can be a difficult one and the Devil will do everything he can to convince us that we are enslaving ourselves unnecessarily. He will try to convince us it is better to rule ourselves, then to be ruled by righteousness and goodness. However, his assertion is a lie... as are all his temptations. The choice we are given may be made of our free will, but in the end, we are choosing who will be our master... God or the Devil. Good or Evil. Justice or Injustice.

Are we seeking good and avoiding evil? How can we cultivate a deeper love of the good and a hatred of evil? What can we do to make the right choice and choose God over ourselves?

O Lord, we choose you above all.

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.

Eighth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished Lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Everyone in the world has been ransomed from death and sin by Jesus. However, not everyone accepts their release from our worldly prison. Some refuse to be unbound and instead cling to the chains of their sins and remain in darkness. They prefer their slavery to sin and its momentary pleasures to the freedom of virtue and its eternal joy. The choice between these two is obvious when looked at objectively, and yet everyone falls and fails. We are not perfect like our Heavenly Father is. We are not all loving like Jesus is. We are not sanctified like the Holy Spirit. We are imperfect, selfish, and sinful. However, God does offer us the graces we need to overcome all these failings by accepting the Body and Blood of Jesus into ourselves and uniting with the perfect, loving, and holy Trinity. Whether we take God’s outstretched hand is up to us. Hopefully, we do and choose to be ransomed from sin and death once and for all.

Do we appreciate the ransom Jesus paid for our forgiveness? Are we accepting of the help God is offering us? How can we resist our imperfections and choose to follow the perfect God?

O Lord, we are imperfect, but with you we can be freed to be better people.

Amen.

First Friday of Lent

If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.  Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD.  Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?

Our lives are full of choices, both good and bad. Sometimes we choose sin over virtue. Sometimes we allow opportunities for good to pass us by without seizing them. Sometimes we do the wrong thing for selfish reasons. However, God is willing to forgive us if we are willing to turn away from our sins and make amends. If we seek Him out through the sacrament of confession, He will be more than willing to forget our past offenses and wash away our iniquities. But we must stay on the narrow path to heaven if we wish to have eternal life because just as he will forget our sins when we seek forgiveness, so too, He will forget our virtues if we fall into mortal sin. This is why it is so important to be ever on our guard against all temptation and choose good over evil.

What temptations and sins do we need to turn away from? How can we guard against them? Do we make regular use of the sacrament of confession?

O Lord, help us to turn away from our sins.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.

The choice before us is clear: life with God or death with sin. We can either give our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths to God or to the world. There is no middle ground... no sitting on the fence. If we are lukewarm in our faith, give into our temptations, or allow ourselves to be lead astray, then we have chosen the world and will have to face the consequences. If, however, we obey the commandments of the Lord and follow the teachings of His Good News, we will be blessed by Him. We shall go forth, grow in the faith, and live in peace and prosperity. Perhaps not as the world sees success, but rather a spiritual success that leads us to know, love, a serve God and others more perfectly and fruitfully.

Are we choosing life or death? How can we live more faithfully the Good News? How can we love God, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments, statutes, and decrees?

O Lord, we choose life and prosperity with you.

Amen.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Worldly things will not last. They are as temporary as shadows at dusk. They soon disappear. Our love should be focused on God and His children. God first of all. All the temptations of the world will try to entice us away from our Heavenly Father, Loving Brother, and Holy Advocate. It is up to us to make the choice to turn our backs on the empty, temporary things of this world and instead embrace and value the promises of Heaven.

Are we doing God’s Will? What worldly things do we have the most difficulty resisting? How can we find the strength to choose our love of God over all else?

O Lord, may our relationship with you always be more enticing than all the world.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

God doesn’t get tired of us. He loves us just as much when we are saintly and when we are sinful. He does not force us to do anything, but rather lets us choose. He wants us to be good and faithful servants because we love Him and He is willing to wait patiently for us to come to Him. His unwavering love does not grow faint or weary, but that doesn’t mean His Love and Mercy for us will trump His Justice. If we fall into sin, He is more than willing to forgive us. However, we need to be contrite for our sins and honestly desire to amend our lives. We might not always succeed, but we should not grow weary of trying to be holy. God gives us every strength and grace we need to overcome the temptations we face. He gives us spiritual vigor during our times of trial and will renew us after every battle with our sinful selves. If we let Him, He will grant us wings which will bear us to heaven and eternal life.

Do we give thanks to God for being so patient with us? Are we truly grateful for the love, mercy, and support He has given us throughout our lives? How can we express our thanks for all God has done for us?

O Lord, give us your strength and vigor.

Amen.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.  And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

In the end, there are only two destinations for us: heaven or hell. Our thoughts, words, and works paired with our faith in the Holy Trinity determine where we go. If we know, love, and serve God and His children to the best of our abilities and with faithful and hopeful hearts, then we shall go to heaven. If we love ourselves more than God and choose worldly goods over heavenly ones, then we shall send ourselves to hell. If we are willing to suffer and sacrifice for the good of others and the glory of God, then we shall be rewarded with eternal life. If we sacrifice others for our own gain and seek only to exult ourselves, then we shall be humbled in infernal flames. If we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to where we need to be and what we need to do, then we shall find the narrow path to God and enter the Gates of Heaven. If we ignore our consciences and make our own way, then we shall wander the wide road to our own destruction. The choice is ours... either we bend the knee to our Lord and King or we enslave ourselves to sin and selfishness. Hopefully, we choose the former.

Are we acting like God’s sheep or the devil’s goats? Are we willing to let go and let God be Lord and King over our lives? How can we give Him glory, honor, and praise through our actions?

O Lord, we are your sheep... lead us to where we need to be and show us what we need to do.

Amen.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws.

When we are faced with choices in this life, we need to think not only of the effect our decision will have on us, but also on others. What people see us do influences them, especially the young, who are impressionable. If they see us take the easy way out or use deception to get what we want, then they will carry that lesson into their lives. We might not even know how our sins effect them in this life, but when we die God will show us how we lead others astray. At the same time, if we do good and avoid evil, then we give others an example of what it means to be Christian. We show them how to live our lives in imitation of Jesus and to be not afraid to become living sacrifices to God’s Glory.

Do we think about others before we make our decisions? How can we live lives that model what it means to be Christians? What can we do to show others, especially the young how to know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, make us into noble examples of how to sacrifice ourselves for you.

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.

We are proved each and every day of our lives. Either we remain pure and virtuous or we become impure and sinful. Our choices determine whether we are worthy of becoming an offering to God or if we need more refinement in the fires our daily trials. If we do good and avoid evil, we shine for all the world to see and set the world on fire with love and mercy. If we do evil and avoid good, then we become blind and may even lead others into the darkness of sin. God judges us on how we think, speak, and act, holding us accountable for what we do, but also willing to forgive and forget if we are willing to admit our faults and do penance. 

Do we prove our faith, hope, and love each and every day? What can we do to remain pure and virtuous? How can we be a light for the whole world, leading others to God?

O Lord, prove us in the fires of your love and mercy.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Sometimes we might wonder why there is evil in this world. However, it wasn’t God who brought sin and wickedness into His creation, but the Devil and our own pride. The temptation to believe we know better than God is one we constantly are faced with in great and small ways. Evil exists because God gave us the freedom to choose between right and wrong, but this free will is also a blessing because it also allows us to love and do good. God could have chosen to uproot evil in the human race, but that would have robbed us of our Divine Image and made us into something less than human. Without choice, we cannot love God or His children or do good works because there is no other option and love and goodness cannot be forced upon us. And so God lets evil exist, not because He wants it to, but because He doesn’t want to violate our humanity or rob us of His Divine Image.

What are the weeds in our lives? How can we uproot them and become more faithful servants? What can we do to use our free will for good?

O Lord, burn away our imperfections and sins, leaving us only with the fruits of your divine image within us.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.

The goal of our lives is to be with God in heaven. We know that God wants us to join Him in Paradise, not for Himself, but for our own good. He loves us so much He sent His Beloved Son to preach the Good News to us, give us the sacraments, and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of souls. He has prepared a place for us in His Kingdom from the very beginning and it is a very good place if we are willing to accept it. He gives us every grace and inspiration to lead us along the narrow path to the Gates of Heaven. He has given us the gifts of faith, hope, and love. He has provided us with the Church and His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. These are all foretastes of His Goodness and the wonders of the love He will reveal to us when we see Him in Heaven. However, He will not force heaven on us. He gives us a choice. We can either be of this world or the next. Hopefully, our hearts choose the eternal joys of heaven over the fleeting pleasures of earth.

Are we living our lives as if our afterlives depend upon it? Do we believe God has prepared a place for us in heaven? Are we making a place for God in our hearts so we can accept God’s invitation into His Own Heart of Hearts?

O Lord, lead the way to heaven and we will follow.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.

Before choosing his Apostles, Jesus sought out a place of solitude and spent the night in prayer. How many of us seek out quiet prayer before making a major decision in our lives? We live in an impulsive world where we are constantly making decisions on the fly, but sometimes we need to take a step back, slow things down, and pray to God about what we should do. Taking these steps will help us to discern what is the right thing to do and can help us to not only make more fruitful decisions, but also avoid making rash ones. We would do well in our lives to take the time to gain the perspective we need to choose good over evil. We may not always have such time, but whenever we do, we should remember to turn to God first and then make our decisions.

Do we seek out God's guidance when making choices, both great and small? How often do we spend time in prayer to God? How can we make God more central to our decision-making process?

O Lord, help us to make the right decisions throughout our lives.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

There are two conflicting voices that speak to our hearts. One is the voice of the world and speaks of earthly things such as the pursuit of power, money, and glory. It tempts us to sin or to choose the lesser goods in our lives. The other voice testifies to heavenly things like faith, hope, and love. It encourages us to give witness to our faith and to know, love, and serve God and His children. It is up to us to choose which voice to listen to and put into action. If we choose the worldly voice, then we will ground ourselves in selfishness. If we choose, the heavenly one, then we will allow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit to lift us to new heights. By accepting the guidance of the heavenly voice, we will become more and more Christ-like in our thoughts, words, and works. We will be given gifts by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s Will and live our lives in accord with Jesus’ teachings. And so, our hearts will expand and overflow with an abundance of life and virtues that will never end.

Do we listen to the earthly or heavenly voices in our lives? How are our lives a testimony to the trustworthiness of God? What can we do to fill ourselves with faith in the Father, hope in Jesus, and love through the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, let us never ration the gifts of your Spirit.

Amen.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

When we are undergoing persecution or suffering, we are faced with a choice. We can either be like the first criminal or the second one. We can either question God, demanding that He prove Himself to us before we’ll believe in Him or we can respect God’s Will and ask Him to remember us. All of us will have times in our lives when we will have to bear our crosses and be crucified in one regard or another. Some of us will suffer in our minds, others in our spirits, and still more in our bodies. However, no matter what we suffer, we should put our trust in God and hope that at the end of the dark nights of our souls there will be a glorious dawn.

In what ways are we tempted to question and doubt God’s Will? How can we become more trusting of God’s Divine Plan, even in the midst of our sufferings? How can we transform our sufferings into stepping stones to Paradise?

O Lord, remember us and bear us into your kingdom at the ends of our lives.

Amen.

Fifteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Today’s gospel is full of hard teachings. Jesus tells us we need to love him more than our family, to take up our cross, and to lose our lives for his sake. The first teaching is not about rejecting our families because they are bad for us, but rather that we should not cling to them so tightly that we miss opportunities to do God’s Will. Sometimes when we are with family we have a harder time acting Christ-like toward them. However this is what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to be able to leave our family behind and come follow him. He also asks us to take up our crosses. This is also a difficult thing to do. We might be comfortable with our lives or feel like we are suffering enough. However, we should never fear bearing the cross with Christ. He will always give us the strength we need to carry our burdens. The worst thing we can do is reject our cross because by doing so we reject the sacrifices of Christ. Lastly, Jesus asks us to lose our lives for him and seek him, rather than the pleasures of the world. Life isn’t bad, it’s good, but if we don’t orient our lives toward God, then we can corrupt the inherent goodness of life by focusing on living for our own sakes, instead of living for God.

Do we love our family and friends more than God? Have we picked up our crosses or denied them? Do we live our lives for God or for ourselves?

O Lord, grant us the grace to pick up our crosses and love you more than our families and ourselves.

Amen.