First Wednesday of Advent

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"

In the end, God will destroy death for all those who choose to follow Him. He will release us from the bonds of sin and its fruit of death. He will wipe away our tears of suffering and save us from all the pains and ills of this world. His Saving Grace, will bring joy and happiness to all of us who walked the path of salvation with Him. This freeing and wondrous future is offered to us all. We have only to accept it from God’s open hands and choose the good over the evil, the right over the wrong, justice over injustice… virtue over vice.

Are we allowing God to unveil our eyes so we can see right and wrong clearly?  Do we believe God will save even us, who are sinful? When are we going to accept God’s Grace and Mercy and amend our lives so He can invite us to Heaven with Him?

O Lord, save us!

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.

Death no longer has power over us. God has conquered it and sin through the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He has show us that death has no power over us if we know, love, and serve Him as faithfully as we can. As Christians, we have been crucified with Christ, we have accepted our crosses and willingly bear them toward our own Calvary. We proclaim our readiness to suffer and die for the glory of God and the good of others. And so, we do not fear death because we believe it is only a gateway to a more perfect union with God in Heaven. We see it as merely a threshold to cross so we can be with our Lord and nothing more.

Are we afraid of death? Do we fear what God might ask us to sacrifice in order to have eternal life with Him? How can we overcome these fears and place our trust in God?

O Lord, crucify our selfish selves and sinful bodies so we might be made anew in and through you.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Monday in Ordinary Time

This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.

The Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus is all the sign we should need in order to repent. Through Christ’s Life, we are shown the Way and the Truth that will lead us to the Promised Land. Through His Passion, we are shown what it means to mortify ourselves, accept our crosses, show compassion to others, and love our enemies. Through His Death, we are given an example of what it means to be willing to die for what we believe in. Finally, through His Resurrection, we are shown the promise of to everlasting life for all who proclaim the Good News until their final breath. Indeed, we have a great tome of wisdom set before us in the New Testament, which reveals what God is calling us to be as Christians. So, let us heed the Word of God Made Flesh and live as good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

In what ways do we imitate the compassionate Life of Christ? How do we deal with the sufferings and sacrifices that come with our own passions? How have we prepared ourselves for our death and eventual resurrection? 

O Lord, we seek and follow only the sign of your Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish,  that I may gain Christ and be found in him,  not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Jesus lived, suffered, died, and resurrected for us. He sacrificed everything to bring us salvation. In the eyes of the world, He lost all that he had. And yet, in the eyes of his faithful, He lost nothing. Instead, he gained everything. Should it be any different for us? No, we must also be willing to lose everything in order to do God’s Will. We must consider the world and all it offers us to be so much rubbish. We must strive to be faithful and righteous in a land that is neither. In the end, the only way for us to attain resurrection from the dead is to be willing to die to our passions, our desires, and ourselves.

Are we willing to accept the loss of all things in order to do God’s Will? How can we nourish our faith in Christ so we might grow in righteousness? What can we do to know, love, and serve God and all His children more faithfully?

O Lord, conform us to your death so we might attain the resurrection.

Amen.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

Death has no victory over true believers. If we keep the commandments, do good, avoid evil, and love God and our neighbors to the best of our abilities, then death will have no sting. Death comes from sin and selfishness, but it cannot enter into the refuge of our hearts if we protect them with selfless love. Our corruptible flesh might wither and die and turn to dust, but our incorruptible spirit will live on and one day take on an immortal body in Heaven. We should do everything we can to remain in God’s Grace because we want to enjoy everlasting life with Him in Heaven.

What are the things in our lives that attempting to corrupt us? Where have we left ourselves open to death? How can we clothe ourselves with incorruptibility and immortality?

O Lord, give us victory over death.

Amen.

Sixth Thursday of Ordinary Time

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth. Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”

God wants to free us from the chains of sin and prison of death. He does everything in His power to give us the graces we need to resist temptations, do good, and lead Christ-like lives. He didn’t need to do any of this for us, but He choose to do it anyway because we are made in His Divine Image and He unconditionally loves us. He wants us to choose freedom with Him over slavery to our worldly desires. Hopefully, we end up choosing life over death.

What are the sins and worries that chain and enslave us? How can we break free of these things and be released from our bondage? Do we praise God for all the help He has given us to free us from sin and death?

O Lord, release us from all evil.

Amen.

Thirtieth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Indeed I shall continue to rejoice, for I know that this will result in deliverance for me through your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. My eager expectation and hope is that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two.

Paul rejoices at the prospect of life or death. He sees both paths as ways to fulfill his calling. In the same way, we are called to be detached enough from life to be not afraid of death. Death is just a doorway to Christ and a new life. We have nothing to fear from it. If God sees fit to take our lives today, then our response should be, "Amen. So be it!" If He lets us live for many years to come, then we should response, "Amen. So be it!" Both options should spark a fire of hope within us. Life should spark within us an eagerness to do fruitful labor and magnify Christ in thought, word, and work. Death should spark within us the joyful expectation of spending the rest of eternity with our Beloved God. There is no loss for us in death as long as we live the Christ-like life and strive to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the commandments of our Heavenly Father.

Do we rejoice in God no matter what He is asking of us? Are we bold in our faith, always seeking ways to magnify the Lord? How can we cultivate the attitude of detachment we need to be willing to live or die for our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, we shall rejoice in life or death as long as both lead us ever closer to you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ.

Death will not prevail against us if we are true disciples of Christ. If we allow our thoughts, words, and works to be guided by the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we shall overcome sin and death. Just as Christ raised from the dead after his crucifixion, so too, we will rise if we put our trust in Him. God will bring us back to life if we if we belong to Him. And the only way to belong to Him is if we follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ, our Lord and Exemplar.

How can we lead life-giving lives that bring others and ourselves closer to God? What can we do to prepare ourselves for our death and the life that comes afterward? Do we pray for the souls of those whom have gone before us?

O Lord, give us your life-giving Spirit today so we might enjoy your presence forever and ever.

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.

Holy Saturday

We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

Being a Christian means dying to ourselves in order to live for God. It means uprooting our vices and indifference so we can be wholeheartedly God’s people. It means being willing to sacrifice everything we have in order to love God without distraction. It means casting off our slavery to sin, seeking absolution for the wrongs we have done, and dying with Christ. If we do all these things, then we shall be raised from the death of sin, we shall share in the Resurrection of Christ, and death shall lose its power over us.

In what ways do we need to die to sin and selfishness? What sins do we need to seek absolution for? How can we more faithfully live for God in Christ Jesus?

O Lord, we choose to die to ourselves so we will live for you.

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.

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

None of us really imagines our time running out, at least not when we are healthy and young. We see all these people in the world who die, but rarely do we think about how that might happen to us at any time. There are no guarantees we will live to see the end of this day or the beginning of the next. We may assume so and make plans, but we never truly know when our time on earth will come to an end. This is what we are reminded of in today’s reading and we would do well to heed its advice. Our time is running out and we should use it to the best of our abilities and for the greatest good. We often find reasons to waste time and that is what we are warned against. We should be spending our energies on heavenly and spiritual pursuits and not on worldly ones. Sure, there are times when we need to rest and relax, but we should keep a close eye on those times to make sure they are rejuvenating us and not draining us of time better spent doing good works.

Is our time spent on worldly or spiritual pursuits? How can we make heavenly things the focus of our lives? What can we do to avoid wasting time?

O Lord, help us to focus our time, talents, and treasures on fulfilling your will and not our own.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Advent

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"

In the end, God will destroy death for all those who choose to follow Him. He will release us from the bonds of sin and its fruit of death. He will wipe away our tears of suffering and save us from all the pains and ills of this world. His Saving Grace, will bring joy and happiness to all of us who walked the path of salvation with Him. This freeing and wondrous future is offered to us all. We have only to accept it from God’s open hands and choose the good over the evil, the right over the wrong, the just over the injustice… virtue over vice.

Are we allowing God to unveil our eyes so we can see right and wrong clearly?  Do we believe God will save even us, who are sinful? When are we going to accept God’s Grace and Mercy and amend our lives so He can invite us to Heaven with Him?

O Lord, save us!

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Thursday of Ordinary Time

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin can be alluring in many ways, but it leaves a bad aftertaste. It leaves us weakened, empty, and ashamed. It disfigures us, marring our bodies, minds, and hearts. It hobbles and binds us, restricting our ability to do good and avoid evil. It turns us into slaves of our lesser passions and selfish instincts. Ultimately, sin leads to death. However, God offers us the gift of sanctification, which strengths, fulfills, and encourages us. It restores the image of God that is within each of us and marks us as co-heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. The saving graces He provides us through the sacraments, free us from our slavery to sin and offer us the chance to turn our lives over to God. We are given the choice to take up the yoke of our faith and carry it without complaint. And if we do this with hope and love, then we shall be given the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer.

What sins do we find ourselves drawn to the most? How can we learn to resist the temptations to those sins and become obedient servants to God? Are we willing to accept the cross that leads to eternal life?

O Lord, we are your slaves. Do with us as you will.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Monday of Ordinary Time

For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.

All of us experience death in our lives, whether it is someone we are close to (such as a family member, friend, or co-worker) or someone we only know in passing. No matter who it is, or how their death happened, it reminds us that there are no guarantees about how long our lives will be. Some of us will live to a ripe old age, others will pass in our youth. Some of us will be prepared for death’s coming, knowing our time here on earth is drawing to a close. More than a few of us will be taken at a time and place we never expected. Part of life as a human being is dying. Even Jesus died and we can learn a lot about both how to live and die from watching how Jesus did both. Jesus loved life and lived every moment to its fullest, but he wasn’t afraid to risk his life when the time came for him to take up his ministry. He was willing to die to himself so others might live and we see this most clearly in his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. He did not have to die, but he chose to die because he wanted to show us passing from this life isn’t to be feared. Rather, for his good and faithful followers, it is simply a doorway to an everlasting life with God Our Father, Our Teacher, and Our Advocate.

Who in our lives has died? How have we dealt with their deaths or consoled others who have lost loved ones? What can we do to ready ourselves for our own deaths?

O Lord, we want only to die with you so we might rise with you on the last day.

Amen.

Palm Sunday

“My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

How true Jesus’ words are of many of us. Our spirits may be willing to keep watch with Christ and do God’s Will, but our flesh is weak and we fall into indifference and sin. It is so easy for us to forget how much sorrow Jesus suffered for us and how much he sacrificed for our sins. We were not there at the agony in the garden, the trial of Jesus, his scourging, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, his slow death upon the cross, and his final breath. Because of this, we are more likely to focus our attention on the triumphs rather than the tribulations of our Lord and Savior. It is easier to celebrate Easter, then sacrifice for Lent. However, without the fasting, almsgiving, and prayer of Lent, we would not appreciate the glorious resurrection of Easter and the enkindling spirit of Pentecost.

Do we acknowledge the Passion and Death of Christ in our daily lives? How can we teach ourselves to remain with God, even in the midst of trials and sufferings? What can we do to make our spirit stronger than our flesh?

O Lord, wake us from our weaknesses and give us the strength to accept the cup of suffering you have prepared for us.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

No matter how much we might want to convince ourselves otherwise, it is only by dying to our self interests that we can live for God. Every time we choose selfish sin over selfless love, we choose death over life. Every time we choose power, glory, wealth, lust, or any other vice over virtue, we choose death over life. Every time we turn our backs on the needs of others in favor of our own wants, we choose death over life. It is not easy choosing life over death because we are told that it’s the people you know, the places you go, and the things you have that prove whether your life is worth living. However, all of these worldly things are temporary. They are not the foundation of everlasting life. They come and go, but God remains with us always. It is only by loving Him, heeding His Voice, and Holding fast to Him that we find the true purpose of our lives. Without Him, we are dead, but with Him we shall live forever.

Are we choosing a blessed life with God or a cursed death with the world? Have we loved God as we should and heeded His Voice? What can we do to show that we are holding fast to God and His message of selfless love?

O Lord, give us lives that last, filled with faith and good works.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Lord is the God of the living and He wants all of His children to live with Him forever. However, we cannot do this if we turn our backs on Him and choose to die in sin. To live with God means choosing virtue over vice, selflessness over selfishness, and good over evil. If we cannot do this, then we shall die and have no one to blame but ourselves. However, if we recognize Jesus as our teacher and live in accordance with his commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as Jesus loves them, then we shall have eternal life.

Are we choosing life in the Lord or death in sin? Do we give thanks to God for not only giving us life, but sustaining our lives? Do we recognize Jesus as our teacher?

O Lord, you are our life.

Amen.

Solemnity of All Saints

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We all suffer the loss of loved ones. Some of us know what it's like to lose a parent, others know what it's like to lose a sibling. We know what it's like to lose an extended family member or friend. We might even have witnessed the death of someone firsthand. How we respond to these moments can define who we are and who we will be in the future. We can choose to mourn with and comfort others or we can be selfish and blame others (and God) for what has happened or avoid reality altogether. It is in comforting others that we are comforted, it is in mourning with them that we can heal. It is by being empathetic, sympathetic, and loving that we can become beacons of blessing to others and lights for the whole world. And it is through our prayers that we not only give glory to God, but also lead souls from Purgatory to Heaven.

How do we mourn? How do we comfort others? How do we pray to those in most need of God's Mercy on earth and in Purgatory?

O Lord, help us to mourn faithfully and comfort others with hope and love.

Amen.

Easter Sunday

Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”

The empty tomb is a wonderful image for us to keep in mind as we celebrate the Easter season. Jesus has risen! He has conquered death with his sacrificial Life. He has conquered sin with his virtuous Way. He has conquered false teachings with eternal Truth. Sometimes we must undergo symbolic deaths of our own in imitation of Jesus. These may be deaths to certain sins, imperfections, or even good things that we sacrifice for God or others. We also undergo deaths when we move, change jobs, and during other instances of change in our lives. However, each of these deaths brings us to a new life and an opportunity to fulfill God’s Will in another way. This is why we are constantly reminded to “be not afraid” throughout the gospels. We should not be afraid of death whether it is literal or symbolic because if we die for God and the good of others, then we will rise with Christ on the last day and share in the paradise of Heaven.

How do we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ in our daily lives? How do we express our thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice and the saving grace he poured out upon us through His Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection? Are we willing to undergo the symbolic deaths that will lead us to a better life?

O Lord, thank you for giving us the saving grace necessary for us to lead holy lives and rise with you.

Amen.