Fifth Tuesday of Easter

They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.

The words Barnabas and Paul spoke to the early Christians have just as much validity today. We, like our predecessors, have to persevere in faith. We have to be willing and able to undergo many hardships for the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Just as Jesus underwent a Passion for us, so, too, we must undergo one for him. We must be willing to make our lives into living sacrifices for the glory of God and the good of others. This is no easy task, but it is one that we all must perform if we want to be disciples of Christ. Thankfully, with prayer, fasting, and a firm trust in God's Divine Plan, we can become good and faithful servants and worthy successors the Apostles.

Are we persevering in our faith in the face of the temptations, distractions, and indifference of the world? Are we willing to undergo hardships for our faith? How can we make our lives into living sacrifices for God's Glory and the good of all?

O Lord, we commend ourselves to you and seek only to do your will.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Mourning, weeping, and fasting for those who have wronged us isn’t something we all immediately think of, but David does exactly this for Saul... the man who tried to kill him. It’s easy to imagine mourning those who are our family and friends, like Jonathan was to David, but quite a different story for those who have persecuted us. However, just like David, we are all called to have compassion on our enemies as well as our friends. Just because someone does evil to us, doesn’t give us the right to deny their dignity, ignore their sufferings, or take pleasure in their pains. If we do any of these things, then we fall short of living out the commandment to love one another as Jesus loves us.

Are we willing to make sacrifices in order to help those who have harmed us in some way? Can we forgive the past transgressions of others and do what is right even to our enemies? How can we live out the beatitude to mourn with others?

O Lord, help us to treat our enemies as Jesus would treat them.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Monday of Ordinary Time

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see." He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days; after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah trusted that as long as they sought to remain pure and undefiled God would provide them with the sustenance they would need to survive and even thrive. They chose to risk their lives in order to live out their faith. They chose to fast for their Lord and God instead of feast on worldly pleasures. Because of their faith, they grew in wisdom and prudence and found favor with the king. Their trust was rewarded just as our trust in God is rewarded today. We might not be taken captive and asked to eat unclean foods, but we are tempted and the world asks us to partake in lives of sin. This is why it is so important for us to place our faith in God and trust He will deliver us from all evil. He may let us suffer setbacks in this life, but they are only meant to strengthen our beliefs and prove our love for Him above all. It is not an easy path to keep ourselves clean from sin, but it is necessary if we want to have a place in the everlasting feast.

Do we trust God will see us through every trial? How can we keep ourselves pure and undefiled? Are we willing to suffer and fast in this life in order to enjoy and celebrate the next one?

O Lord, see us through every test of our faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

For near is the day of the LORD in the valley of decision. Sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness. The LORD roars from Zion, and from Jerusalem raises his voice; The heavens and the earth quake, but the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the children of Israel.

It is important for us to live our lives as if the day of the Lord is near. We never know when our time on this earth will end. Some live long lives, others short ones. There are no guarantees we will have a tomorrow to make amends for our sins or to do the good we are called to do. However, if we take refuge in the Lord each and every day, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, through acts of charity and mercy, and through the resistance of temptation, then we shall be able to stand against evil and choose good above all.

Do we live our lives as if we might die or Christ might return at any moment? How can we live in anticipation of the second coming? In what ways do we seek refuge in God?

O Lord, help us make the right decisions. The ones that will lead us closer to you.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish." When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Acts of repentance both cleanse and renew us spiritually. Through fasting, almsgiving, and praying we show God we are serious about changing our lives and making amends. By turning our back on our evil ways and denying temptations, we choose the better life over the easier one. When we sin, we either repent or harden our hearts. The former leads to forgiveness and everlasting life, while the latter leads to death and damnation. It might not be easy to turn from our evil ways, but it is necessary if we want to live and spend eternity with God in the Heavenly Kingdom. Thankfully, God is loving and merciful and more than willing to forgive us as many times as it takes for us to finally convert our hearts and do God’s Will always and in every way.

What do we need to repent for? How can we show God the sincerity of our repentance? Can we convert our hearts to what is right in the face of our temptations?

O Lord, help us to turn away from our evil ways and follow you.

Amen.

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus.  When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. 

Worship, fasting, prayer, and proclaiming the Word of God. All of these actions played pivotal roles in the success of the early Church and they can make a world of difference in our own lives, too. First, worshiping together as a community unites us in Christ through shared prayer and the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. Fasting cleanses us from our attachments to worldly things and helps to disciple our passions so that we can put heavenly things before all else. Prayer opens our hearts and minds to God and allows us to enter into a dialogue with our Heavenly Father. And silent prayer helps us to let go of our worries and fears and let God speak to us in the solitude of our thoughts. Worship, fasting, and prayer help prepare us to proclaim the Gospel through our words and our works. They give us the graces we need to manifest God’s Love and Mercy and find fulfillment as disciples of Christ.

Do we make the most of the time we spend with God in worship and prayer? How can we make fasting a central part of living out our faith? In what ways do we proclaim the Word of God?

O Lord, set us apart and send us to where we need to be.

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.

Friday after Ash Wednesday

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Fasting isn’t about giving up trivial things (chocolate, candy, etc.) or making exterior changes in our lives (exercising more, watching less TV, etc.). Yes, these can be parts of the whole experience, but they need to be grounded in the desire for an interior change that springs from choosing heavenly things over worldly ones. Fasting means acting justly toward others, helping them with their burdens, setting them free from those things that oppress them, breaking the yokes around our neighbor’s necks. It means sharing with, sheltering, and clothing those in need. It is learning to sacrifice yourself for others and never turning your back on them. If we do all these things, then we shall be a light for the whole world showing them the path of love, mercy, and grace that God has prepared for us all. It is not enough to think, say, or do the right thing out of a sense of obligation, we have to do good works because we want to be more like Christ.

What are we fasting from during this Lenten season? How can we interiorize the act of fasting? What can we do to transform ourselves over this time of purification so that we can be more Christ-like year around?

O Lord, give us the grace to fast not only outwardly, but inwardly, too.

Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

As we enter the season of Lent, we are called to return to God with our whole hearts. We are asked to fast from worldly things. We are encouraged to rend our hearts from the people and possessions that keep us from returning to God. Often, we make excuses to delay doing what we know is right. We choose feasting, pleasures, and sin over fasting, compassion, and sacrifice. We would rather be comfortably sinful, then to be sacrificially virtuous. Thankfully, God is gracious and merciful, giving us everything we need to not only resist temptation, but also recover from our sins. He does not want to punish us. He wants to bless us. And if we make our lives into living libations for the Lord, then we shall find our Heavenly Father welcoming us into His arms when we enter into Paradise.

Have we chosen a life of feasting or fasting? Are we willing to rend our hearts from the world? How can we make ourselves into living sacrifices?

O Lord, we want to return to you with our whole hearts.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

It is tempting to get caught up in outward appearances and things of the flesh, but this is not the reason why God put us here. He put us on the earth to love Him freely and wholeheartedly. We cannot do that if we focus on worldly things. Instead, we should focus on the heavenly things we can do, such as praying, almsgiving, and fasting. Also by participating in the mass, not as an obligation, but as a celebration of our faith. In order to be a true disciple of Christ, we need to make God the source, center, and summit of our loves. Then, and only then, will everything be made clean for us.

How can we avoid getting caught up in worldly things? How can we cleanse our hearts, minds, and spirits so that they are ready to receive Christ? Is God the Alpha and Omega of our lives?

O Lord, cleanse us and inspire us to always do good.

Amen.

Eleventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When we give alms, we shouldn’t make a display of it or count the cost. Instead we should give freely and in a spirit of sacrifice. When we pray, we shouldn’t make a scene just to bring attention to ourselves. Instead, we should pray to God with selfless intentions or if we do pray in public, it should be because that is where we feel called to pray and give witness to God. When we fast, we shouldn’t seek the pity of others or put on false airs. Instead, we should mortify ourselves in such a way that no one knows what we are given up. We do not perform righteous deeds in order for them to be seen. We do them because they are what God calls us to do. And if we do them without thought of self, then be will be rewarded by God for our gifts of alms, prayers, and fasts.

When we give alms, do we give them for the right reasons? When we pray, do we pray sincerely? When we fast, do we fast to detach ourselves from the world?

O Lord, may we always perform righteous deeds for you alone.

Amen.

The Third Sunday in Lent

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,  and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree  but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

We are all called to bear good fruit for our Heavenly Father. Every day of our lives we make choices that determine if our fruit will be sweetened by holiness or rotted by sin. Each day that passes without us producing good works is another day that God finds nothing on our branches. The longer we go without a yield, the more God’s Justice cries out for us to be cut down. Thankfully, Jesus, the Gardener of our souls, pleads with our Father to have patience and gives us every grace and chance we need to become fruitful servants. However, Jesus cannot make us bloom without our acceptance of his aid and he cannot nurture our souls if we cut ourselves off from him through sin. In order to grow as Christians and bear good fruit, we need to allow God to cultivate our souls through our fasting, almsgiving, and prayer.

Are we prepared for the day when God shall come to us seeking a harvest? Are we willing to let Jesus cultivate our souls so that they grow in grace and goodness? What acts of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer can we make in order for our souls to flourish?

O Lord, at times we have been barren, but by your grace we will bear good fruit from now on.

Amen.

Friday after Ash Wednesday

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Fasting is an important part of our faith. It reminds us of our need to be detached from worldly things, helps us cultivate spirits of contrition for our sins, and unites us with the sufferings of Christ. However, it also does something else which is just as important. It reminds us that we should be thankful and appreciative for what goods we have been given by God. Sometimes it can be easy to take the goods in our lives for granted, whether it is the people around us, our jobs, our health, etc. And so during this Lenten season we should take time to reflect upon everything God has done for us and also to rejoice in the graces God has blessed us with.

Are we cultivating spirits that are detached from the world, full of contrition, and united with Christ? Do we keep in mind all the goods God has given us and offer Him thanks and praise for it all? Do we take time every day of our lives to reflect on our blessings?

O Lord, may our fasting bring us closer to you and transform us into more grateful disciples.

Amen.

Ash Wednesday

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are the three keystones to the celebration of the Lenten season. Each of them reminds us of what it means to be Christ-like. In almsgiving, we imitate the generous and compassionate spirit of Jesus by giving of our time, talents, and treasures. In prayer, we give God the praise He deserves through our acts of petition and thanksgiving. In fasting, we remind ourselves of the need to be detached from worldly things and to cultivate a spirit of reconciliation with God and others. And just like Jesus, we are supposed to do these three things not to be noticed or praised by others like the hypocrites do, but because it is the good and right thing to do. This doesn’t mean completely hiding our faith; after all we do place ashes on our foreheads as a public declaration of our shared faith and united desire for God’s forgiveness. But what it does mean is that when we proclaim our faith publicly, like Christ did during his ministry, that we should be doing it for God’s sake and not our own.

How will we be sharing our time, talents, and treasures during this Lenten season? What should we be praying for in order to help us become better bearers of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace? What can we fast from so that we can cultivate a spirit of detachment from the world?

O Lord, may our almsgiving, prayer, and fasting bring us closer to you.

Amen.

Second Monday of Ordinary Time

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.”

Our faith is one of both fasting and feasting. We fast because it teaches us to discipline our minds and bodies. It also reminds us that worldly things pass away. They are not what is truly important in this world, nor should we attach ourselves to them. This is why we foster a spirit of detachment from the world through fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, especially during Lent. However, our faith is also a festive one because we believe Jesus not only died for our sins, but also rose again from the dead promising us a heavenly banquet with him if we live our lives according to his commands. Every Sunday, we celebrate the Eucharistic feast with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are united as one Church with the souls on earth, in purgatory, and in heaven. This is why we do not fast on Sundays, they are days of feasting in the Church, even during Lent. And so, we as Christians are called to cultivate a spirit of fasting in regards to worldly things and feasting in regards to heavenly things. And if we do this, we will find a balance in life that is both fruitful and rewarding for ourselves and those around us.

Do we fast from worldly things? Do we feast on the heavenly ones? Do we treat Jesus as our bridegroom when he comes to us through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist?

O Lord, help us to know when to fast for you and when to feast with you.

Amen.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.  And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

We can learn a lot about how to live a holy life by following Anna’s example. We should spend more time in the presence of the Lord not only in church (via the mass, adoration, etc.), but also in fasting and prayer. We should also make a point to give thanks to God for every day He has given us in this life and speak to others about Jesus and the salvation he offers to all. It can be so easy to get caught up in the worries of the world and forget about spending time with God. We should seek out God’s presence in our lives and let Him speak to us through the sacraments and our daily reflections on the graces He has given us.

How can we better worship God, both day and night? How can we cultivate the habits of fasting and prayer? How can we express our thanks to God for all He has done for us?

O Lord, thank you for your redeeming graces in our lives.

Amen.

Second Friday of Advent

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Wisdom is an important virtue to build up in our lives. When we have it, we know when to fast and when to feast. We do not mourn the loss of those things that keep us from doing God’s Will, nor do we feast upon those things which weigh us down with sin. Instead, we fast in order to purify ourselves of our attachments to worldly things and we feast to celebrate the graces God has given us to overcome our trials. Fasting is something that many do not understand the need for, but it is imperative that we cultivate the ability to fast and offer up all our sacrifices to God for the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of souls. Feasting is also important because we should be thankful for all the goods we have been given by God. And in the spirit of graciousness, we should be willing to share all our gifts with our fellow children of God.

Do we know when to fast? Do we know when to feast? Are we cultivating the wisdom we need to live gracious and fruitful lives?

O Lord, grant us the wisdom to know when to fast and when to feast.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

“To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’”

In today’s gospel, Jesus compares the people of his generation with squabbling children, some of whom want to dance and some of whom want to weep. He goes on to say that John came fasting and they rejected him and now Jesus comes feasting and they reject him. The people are making excuses not to listen to John and Jesus. They really aren’t interested in understanding their message, instead they simply want to tear it down because it threatens them. However, in the end, Jesus makes it clear that the wisdom of John and Jesus’ lives will be revealed. We cannot be all joy or all sorrow, all dancing, but no weeping, all pleasure and no pain. Both feasting and fasting are needed in order to live our lives in accord with God’s Will. We should be thankful for the goods in our lives, but equally we should be grateful for the opportunities to share in the sacrifices God made for us.

Do we feast with God and fast for him? Are we willing to sacrifice what we have to know, love, and serve Him? Are will thankful for all that He has given us?

O Lord, let us dance and weep with you according to your will.

Amen.

Eleventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Alms, prayer, and fasting are what God asks of us, but He does not ask us to make a scene when we do these things. He tells us to do them in secret—without any fanfare. This does not mean we shouldn’t do these things out in public. That’s not the point Jesus is trying to make. If we have the opportunity to give alms, pray, or fast in public, we should do so, but we should not draw attention to ourselves. These acts should be focused on doing God's Will, not for an audience of men. As long as we give alms, pray, and fast out of love of God and not attention, then we should not worry when or where we are, even in public. The key is consistency. If we give alms, pray, and fast in private, then we should not worry about witnessing to our faith in public. After all, Jesus shared his gospel openly, why shouldn’t we?

When we give alms, do we do it because it’s the right thing or because we want to feel like philanthropists? When we pray, do we do it in a spirit of humility or do we desire others to see how holy we are? When we fast, do we do it as an act of renouncement of the world or to impress the world by our righteousness?

O Lord, we want to give alms, pray, and fast for you and you alone.

Amen.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

We are all offered the chance to be filled with wisdom and favor of God. However, not all of us accept this offer or recognize it when we are faced with the decision between good and evil. This is why we must fast and pray as Anna did in her life. We are asked to build our spiritual lives upon these two pillars of faith. We also must remember that fasting does not have to be just from food, but it can also be from anything else that keeps us away from God, distracts us from Him, or would be a worthy offering to our Lord. Prayer too is just as important as fasting and is our means of communing with God on a personal level. It helps build up our relationship with him, just as our conversations with family, friends, and neighbors do.

What are we willing to fast from in the coming days, months, and years? How are we preparing ourselves to receive God’s wisdom into our lives? How are we building our relationship with God through our prayers?

O Lord, help us to fast from those things that keep us away from you and to pray that we might be drawn to you so that we might be filled with your Wisdom and Favor.

Amen.