Monday within the Octave of Easter

You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.

Sometimes we are disciples of Christ, but other times we are lawless men, who crucify Christ. We are the latter when we give into temptation and sin or turn our backs in indifference on those in need. Thankfully, we know even Jesus’ closest companions, the Apostles, fled from him during his Passion and Death and only returned to him after the Resurrection. We know that just because we say we believe it doesn’t make us immune to our failings, faults, and weaknesses. Even knowing all of Jesus’ mighty deeds, wonders, and signs... all his words, teachings, and prayers... we still fail, but God knows us and this is why he sent His Beloved Son to die for us. He wanted us to see how much He loved us and give us an example of how we can rise again from our sins and do God’s Will. If Jesus’ disciples could recover from turning their backs on Jesus, so too we can recover from our sins and become good and faithful servants to the Lord and all His children.

How can we become more like the disciples after Jesus’ Resurrection? How can we put aside our lawless and sinful ways? Do we seek out God’s forgiveness for our sins?

O Lord, help us to follow the laws you have written on our hearts.

Amen.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

David grew steadily more powerful, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

The Lord of hosts is with us. And if we let Him fully into our lives, then He will make us more powerful, too. Perhaps not in worldly terms of fame, success, and fortune, but in the spiritual terms of faith, hope, and love. Just as David was the king of the Israelites, so are we called to be servant leaders for all whom we meet each day. We may not have a golden crown or temporal powers, but we do have crown of virtues and spiritual blessings. We may not have been anointed to kingship, but we are all anointed to discipleship and the best way to fulfill that calling is to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and love our neighbors as Jesus loves them. If we do these things, then we shall be models of excellence for all whom we meet, leading them closer to God and the ultimate victory of eternal life with the Holy Trinity.

Are we aware of God’s presence in our lives? Are we welcoming and inviting to Him? How can we become better servant leaders?

O Lord, remain with us and give us your strength to overcome evil and power to do good.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

When we trust in God’s Will and act in accord with it, we become true descendants of Abraham. It is one thing to think and say we believe, but quite another to act on our faith when we have doubts and fears. However, being Disciples of Christ means we must put aside our own insecurities and sense of unworthiness and take up the challenge to live Christ-like lives. We might not do so perfectly, but as long as we struggle to do good and avoid evil and repent for our failures, then we shall be able to answer God’s call when it comes and be saved.

Do we trust God’s Will? How can we place ourselves in the path of Jesus? Are our hearts open to responding to the call of Christ?

O Lord, bring salvation to our homes.

Amen.

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

If we want to be followers of Christ, like Mary, then we will be destined for the rise and fall of many. We will become signs of contradiction in the world. And swords will pierce our hearts, so that the hearts of many may be revealed. It might be through our lives that God reveals the inner character of others and whether they deserve heaven or hell. We are all called to become witnesses to and sharers of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace in order to show the world that there is another way to live that goes beyond selfishness and to selflessness. Last but not least, part of loving someone means being willing to sacrifice ourselves for them. If we love God, then we will be willing to suffer anything for His Divine Will. He may need us to drink a chalice of sorrow for the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, or the salvation or souls. However, just as Mary was rewarded for her holy life, so shall we be rewarded for ours as long as we remain true to God no matter what comes our way.

Do we live holy lives of contradiction? If not, then how can we become exemplars of what it means to be Disciples of Christ, like Mary? Are we willing to imitate Our Lady of Sorrows and suffer for the glory of God and the good of souls?

O Lord, bless us with hearts willing to sacrifice all for you and your children.

Amen.

The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed.  I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence."

Being Disciples of Christ requires a great deal of persistence. In order to do God’s Will, we often have to persist through trials and overcome obstacles. Because we forsake the riches of the world in favor of heavenly rewards, we will often find ourselves in need of or depending upon the charity of others. This requires a great deal of humility on our part. It is not easy to ask for help, but God wants us to ask for His help and the help of His children. By doing these things we give God and others an opportunity to express and share their love with us. At the same time, this experience of love multiplies our own acts of charity and mercy. That is the wonderful thing about love. It is the one thing we can give that does not lessen us, but makes us more than we already are. Being persistent in the virtue of love is one of the greatest callings in our lives. We might not always feel like helping out, but our feelings and passions should not rule us. Instead, our minds and wills should hold sway and choose to love in spite of how we might feel. This too is the lesson Jesus is trying to teach us. It is not only the persistence of the asker that we should imitate, but also the willingness to act charitably to others even when we do not feel inclined to do so.

Are we persistent in our love of God and His children? Are we willing to humble ourselves to ask for help? Are we willing to love others even when we feel inconvenienced or uninspired to do so?

O Lord, help us to be persistent in following your Will and acting with love and mercy.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other shore. A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

We should all want to follow Jesus wherever he goes. However, this is not an easy path to walk. Our faith, hope, and charity will constantly be tested as we are tempted to seek the comforts of the world around us. In order to succeed at being disciples of Christ, we will need to work tirelessly for the glory of God and the good of others. We do this best when we proclaim the Good News through our every thought, word, and work. By doing this, our lives become living signs of God’s Love and Mercy and inspire others to walk the same path to heaven.

Are we truly willing to follow wherever Jesus leads us? How can we overcome the temptations that attempt to lure us from the Way of Christ? In what ways are we signs of God’s Love and Mercy for His children?

O Lord, we will follow you wherever you lead us.

Amen.

The Fifth Saturday of Easter

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

Very few people like to be hated. In fact, many of us will do everything we can to avoid conflict with others or to be liked. However, Jesus reminds us that being a Christian isn’t supposed to be a popularity contest. The truths we hold as Disciples of Christ run counter to the perceptions of the world. The world believes the ends justify the means, that success in life is measured by money, titles, and toys, and everything is relative. But we believe in loving each other (even our enemies) to the best of our abilities, that success in life is measured by our faith, hope, and charity, and there are Divine Truths, which will never change. Jesus also reminds us that the world hated and persecuted him and it will hate and persecute us, too if we keep his commands. However, we can be comforted with the thought that all our sufferings can be combined with his to create a crown of glory which we can give to God when we join Jesus in heaven.

Do we belong to God or the world? Are we willing to be hated and persecuted in order to do what is right and good? Are we willing to love those who harm us, just as Jesus did?

O Lord, if we must be hated for your sake, then so be it.

Amen.

Friday in the Octave of Easter

When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.

When the disciples arrive on shore with their fish, they find Jesus with fish and bread already cooking on a charcoal fire. Jesus has prepared them a meal for his disciples after their long night of catching nothing. And so he has not only helped them catch their haul of fish, but also prepared a meal for them as well. What is even more interesting is that Jesus then has his disciples bring some of their own fish and add it to the fire, and then when all is prepared he shares the bread and fish with everyone. These symbolic acts help us to understand what it means to be Disciples of Christ. First, although we might feel abandoned and powerless, Jesus is always near and ready to help us. He will send us inspirations through the Holy Spirit that will help us to know where to cast the nets of our lives. He will give us all the graces we need to reap the rewards he has prepared for us. He will give us nourishment through his sacraments, especially through the Eucharist feast. He will share himself with us so we can share our faith with others and become fishers of men. With the help of these graces, we shall be able to add to the heavenly banquet through our thoughts, words, and works and partake in its bounty.

What graces has Jesus prepared for us as his disciples? In what ways do our lives fulfill our calling to be fishers of men? What are our contributions to the heavenly banquet?

O Lord, give us the guidance we need to be able to bring you the hearts and minds of others by weaving our lives into a net of faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Second Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Jesus appointed the Twelve to preach and drive out demons. In a similar manner, Jesus calls us to preach his gospel message and help his children, including ourselves, to drive out the sins that possess our lives. We are not asked to be perfect, none of Jesus’ Apostles were, but what we are asked to be is passionate about bearing God into the world through our thoughts, words, and works. So like the Apostles, we have to answer the summons of our Lord and to come to him through prayer, the sacraments, and our good works. Some of us will be asked to be rocks for our friends, family, and Church, just as Simon was in his life. Others will be called to love unconditionally like John. Or perhaps we will be asked to be like the other devoted Apostles, such as Matthew or James. No matter what our calling is, we should remember that God will always give us the graces we need to do His Will. Hopefully, we will answer Jesus’ call with hearts full of faith, hope, and love and never betray him.

What is Jesus calling us to do? Have we cultivated a passion for preaching the truths of the gospel, not only through our speech, but also our deeds? How can we answer God's summons more faithfully?

O Lord, let our lives proclaim your gospel all the days of our lives.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord”

John the Baptist is yet another person who gives us an example of what it means to do God’s Will. He might not have been a disciple of Jesus, but he certainly lived a Christ-like life. He proclaimed the Word of God, acted with love and mercy toward others, and ultimately gave his life for what he believed in. He was a good and faithful servant, who prepared the way of the Lord into this world. Although we might not be called to live in a desert and fast as John did, we are called to be prophetic people, evangelizing the world and preparing the hearts of others to receive the Lord more fully. We cannot do that if we do not cultivate a spirit of detachment from the world, seek to rectify our faults, and commit ourselves to proclaiming Jesus’ gospel through our thoughts, words, and works.

How can we lead others to the Lord if we do not take the time to straighten out our own lives? What can we do to prepare the way of the Lord into our lives and the lives of those around us? Are we committed to becoming a faithful servant, no matter what the cost might be?

O Lord, help us to proclaim your gospel and make you present in the world through our loving words and works.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

It sounds so easy for Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave everything behind and follow Jesus, but how many of us would do the same? We have so many responsibilities, doubts, fears, and distractions that it’s almost impossible to think of leaving them all behind and starting over with Christ. However, sometimes in our lives God calls us to move out of our comfort zones and leave everything we known in order to do His Will. We can always deny Jesus by claiming we already do this or that, or have too much on our plates, or make some other excuse to keep ourselves from being led to where we do not want to go. These moments of selfishness tempt us away from God’s Divine Plan. We must recognize that in order to be true disciples of Christ, we need to be willing to follow him away from everything we know and hold dear. We must be willing to sacrifice ourselves. Otherwise we will never reach our full potential as Christians and we will be the lesser for it.

What is keeping us from following Jesus? Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves for God and His children? How are we preparing ourselves to be fishers of men?

O Lord, give us the grace to leave everything and follow you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Jesus knows that being his disciple isn’t easy. He is truly sending all of us among wolves. Every day of our lives is fraught with temptations, persecutions, and trials. However, we must not be disheartened by the opposition we encounter. We also must not depend upon worldly things or people. Instead we should depend upon God and trust that His Providential Plan will protect our souls in the midst of our mission to bring God’s message to all whom we meet. No matter where we go and who we met, we are being called upon to bring peace to others and help them to rest in the Lord’s grace.

Are we willing to go out into the world and face the wolves? Have we put our trust in God? Do we bear the peace of God wherever we go and to whomever we speak with?

O Lord, let us depend completely upon you and bear your peace wherever we go.

Amen.