Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

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

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

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

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

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

I will walk with blameless heart. Of mercy and judgment I will sing; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise. I will persevere in the way of integrity; when will you come to me?

In order for us to have integrity, our every word and work must be aligned with the commandments of God the Father, the teachings of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Before we speak or act, we must ask ourselves, “Is what we are about to do good or holy?” If we can’t answer yes to this question, then we should try to figure out what we could say or do instead that would give glory to God or help others. We should seize every opportunity to know, love, and serve to the best of our abilities. We should strive to preserve our states of grace whenever we are in them and if we are in need of cleansing, then we should seek out confession and make ourselves right with God. We cannot be blameless of heart if we do not seek to be holy in all things great and small. Even our leisure should be a living prayer to our Creator who gave us the chance to not only work in this world, but also rest in it. But our rest should not be meaningless or without thanksgiving. So, let us take time before everything we do and sing praise to the God who has made us and given us the chance to be good and faithful servants.

Is our faith integrated into our daily lives? How can we live in a more perfect union with God? What can we do to make our every word and work into a prayer to the glory or God?

O Lord, help us to live lives of integrity, united with you.

Amen.

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood.

Trusting in the Lord means being willing to leave everything behind in order to follow Him. It means being willing to sacrifice our most precious earthly possessions. Sometimes it even requires us to walk away from family and friends. It means rejecting all idols and the falsehoods they represent. It means accepting God’s Will, no matter the cost. It means being willing to die upon a cross.

Do we constantly say to the Lord that we are here for Him? Are we truly willing to do God’s Will even if it costs us our goods, our relationship, and lives? How can we protect ourselves from the false idols that surround and tempt us?

O Lord, you are our trust.

Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

It is through our baptism that we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We share in his death through our own weaknesses and sins, which he took upon himself and cleanses from us through the cross. We also share in his new life through our faith in him, the sacraments of His Holy Church, and through our choices to live in imitation of him. His love and forgiveness offer us a model to follow and a yoke to embrace. So, let us carry our crosses without complaint or hesitation and seek to know, love, and serve God and His children in all things.

How often do we renew our baptismal promises? What can we do to keep our calling to be Christ-like at the forefront of our minds? How can we help others to rise from the death of sin and be resurrected into a new life?

O Lord, destroy the chains of sin and raise us to new lives in you.

Amen.

Fifteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations—Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. 

God’s covenant is not only with Abraham or Isaac. It is not only with the Apostles. It is with all his followers. It is with all who are willing to pick up the light burden of the cross and carry it where God wills us to go. It is with all those who choose to rest in God through prayer. It is with us if we keep His commandments to know, love, and serve Him and treat our neighbors as He treats them... with charity and mercy. If we do good and avoid evil and live lives that proclaim the Good News, then when we pass from this earth, we will have a place in Heaven and a share in salvation.

Do we remember the covenant God has with us? Do we keep it in mind when we are tempted to sin? How can we be faithful to the covenant like our Heavenly Father is faithful to us?

O Lord, we are bound to the New Covenant, remind us of this as often as we forget it.

Amen.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

There is a temptation to grumble when things don’t go our way or when we are suffering in some way. However, if we truly believe God is our Shepherd, then we should not doubt that He will provide relief for us. We shall not want for anything as long as we remain true to Him and do not leave His Wounded Side. His Love, Mercy, and Grace will pour out upon us as long as we cling to Him. He will spread a table before us and provide us the refreshment and nourishment we need to grow strong in faith, hope, and love. If we follow Him, He will anoint us with holiness and fill us with saving grace till we overflow with it.

Do we allow God to shepherd us? Are we open to letting Him guide our thoughts, words, and works? How can we become better followers of His Good News, allowing Him to lead us where we need to be?

O Lord, anoint us with your Holy Spirit and make us overflow with your goodness.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people. Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.

God has asked all of us to be leaders in His Church. He wants us to follow in His Beloved Son’s footsteps. He wants us to be fishers of men and shepherds of His flock. We can’t do that if we don’t take up our crosses and lead by example. Each of us has a unique leadership role to play in the Divine Plan. We have gifts and talents that only we can give. No one else can do what we do for God and His children. We might not realize how unique we are in the plan of salvation, but we are special and we do everyone a disservice if we do not live up to our potential. So, let us accept the seat of leadership God has prepared for us and give it our all.

In what areas in our lives are we being called to leadership? What gifts and talents can we use to further the glory of God and the good of others? How can we become better stewards of the goods and responsibilities God has given us?

O Lord, we praise your name for giving us a seat at your table.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Advent

 Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. O shepherd of Israel, hearken, From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. Rouse your power.

Sometimes we can become lost in the world and need God’s help to find our way back to Him. We need His Light to show us the way. We need to see His Face in family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers so we might be reminded He is always with us. We need His guidance and protection to lead us where we are called to go. We need Him to shine forth and rouse His Divine Power to save us from the temptations of the world and even from ourselves. All these things should lead us to turn to God in our lives and help others do the same.

Are we allowing God to be our spiritual shepherd? How can we be more faithful followers of Christ? How can we reflect the face of God to all whom we meet each day?

O Lord, let us see your face and be saved.

Amen.

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

"Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.

We all will suffer losses in our lives. Some of our losses will be in terms of wealth. Others in terms of health. Still more will be of our loved ones. We can react to these sufferings in many ways. We can become bitter and complain about how unfair life is, we can become lost in despair and sorrow, or we can accept our losses and trust God’s Grace will see us back to prosperity. We will be tempted to be angry toward God or to believe He has abandoned us, but all we need to remember is He is always with us. He sent His Beloved Son to suffer and die for us so we might never be alone in our darkest hours. Even if it is difficult for us to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we must remember it is there. All we have to do is put one step in front of the other and continue to follow the path Jesus Christ prepared for us.

Are we bitter or despairing of any losses we have suffered? How can we learn to trust God even in the midst of our dark nights? How can we cultivate the spirit of detachment needed to be able to let go of our goods, our health, and our loved ones so we do not fall into sin when we lose them?

O Lord, blessed be your name in our good times and in our bad.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

None of us are complete free of sin. We’ve all been persecutors of the Church in some shape, form, or fashion. We have persecuted it through our sins, through our failure to do good, or our indifference. Thankfully, God forgives us like He forgave Paul and gives us strength and graces to grow in faith, hope, and love. These gifts should make us strive all the harder to be good and faithful servants willing to do whatever God calls us to do.

Are we toiling as hard as we should to fulfill God’s Will in our lives? How can we become holier followers of Christ? How can we put the graces and gifts God has given us to the best use in bringing about God’s Kingdom?

O Lord, we are not fit to be your followers, but by your grace we will be good and faithful servants to you and your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

If we want to lead a Christ-like life, then our hearts and minds must be focused on knowing Jesus Christ and contemplating his crucifixion. It is important to follow the example of Jesus from the moment of his birth through the moment of his death and ascension into Heaven. His life teaches us the Way, the Truth, and the Life. His death shows us how to be merciful to others, even our enemies, and to make our lives into living sacrifices for the glory of God and the good of others. His Ascension into Heaven reminds us the goal of our lives isn’t to be successful in the world, but rather to strive for holiness so we might one day share in the Resurrection and the heavenly feast.

In what ways are we living in imitation of Jesus’ most holy life? Do we take time out of each day to contemplate the crucifixion and the sacrifices Christ made for us all? How can we prepare ourselves so we might be found worthy to spend eternity with God?

O Lord, our faith depends not on earthly wisdom, but on your power.

Amen.

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

St. Paul gives us an evocative comparison between the relationship of Christ and the Church and a husband and wife. It is an image we all would do well to keep in mind. We are all members of the Body of Christ, of the Church, with Jesus as our Head. He gives us direction and purpose, while we do God’s Will through our thoughts, words, and works. We are Jesus’ hands and feet… his way to interact with the world. This is why we are called to be submissive to him. Not because he wants to rob us of our free will, but because he wants to show us how to fulfill our free will through acts of goodness. He is devoted to us and wants what is best for us and this is why he asks for us to listen to him and follow his lead. He only asks us to do what is right and avoid what is wrong because he loves us and doesn’t want us to distance ourselves from him via sin and selfishness. He wants to be one flesh with us all... united forever.

Are we acting like the spouses of Christ? Are we living up to our responsibilities as members of Christ’s Body? How can we become better followers of Jesus?

O Lord, we wish only to be one flesh, one heart, and one spirit with you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

"Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

God wants us all to be able to join Him in His Kingdom. He gives us every grace to lead holy lives. He gives us every warning against sin and indifference. He offers us mercy and forgiveness for when we fall. He provides us with examples of good and faithful servants in the blessed and the saints of the Church. He has given us the Blessed Virgin Mary as an intercessor and His Beloved Son as a teacher and a model. He has supplied us with every advantage in our spiritual lives. If we want to be good and holy, then we have no excuse not to be so. And if we do remain pure and faithful, then one day we shall join Him in Heaven and feast with Him for all eternity.

Are we taking advantage of all the graces God has given us? What are we doing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, his mother, and all the saints? How can we remain good and faithful servants in a world that tempts us to evil and selfishness?

O Lord, we desire to be with you forever and ever.

Amen.

Nineteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

I did as I was told. During the day I brought out my baggage as though it were that of an exile, and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness, shouldering my burden.

We can only hope that when we stand before God at the Judgment we will be able to say, "I did as I was told." We might not always understand why God is asking us to think, say, or do something, but we must trust in Him. His Divine Plan is one that will lead to our betterment and our good if we allow it... if we follow it. We must be prepared for anything... to be exiled, to be persecuted, to lose everything... and to do it with humble and trusting hearts. We might have to leave our homes and set out into the dark unknown, but with God as our lamp and guide, we shall not go astray. We shall be able to shoulder our burdens patiently and without complaint.

Do we do as we are told by the commandments of the Father, the teachings of the Son, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? Are we prepared to suffer and even die for God's Will? How can we grow in our trust of God's Goodness and Grace?

O Lord, we wish only to do as we are told by you.

Amen.

Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.

As Christians, we are all called to holiness. This means being willing to make sacrifices. It means turning our backs on the ways of the world and choosing the Way of Christ. It means deafening ourselves to the falsehoods of the world and listening to the Truth Jesus proclaimed in the Good News. It means dying to our selfish selves and living our lives for the glory of God and the good of others. All our hopes and dreams should find their source, center, and summit in God. All our bodies, minds, and hearts must be transfigured and become more Christ-like. We must make ourselves into true children of God, putting aside our sinful desires and conducting ourselves with faith, hope, and love.

Are our hopes set completely on Jesus Christ? How can we become more obedient to God, our Heavenly Father? What can we do to allow the Holy Spirit to be holy through us?

O Lord, help us to be holy as you are holy.

Amen.

Good Friday

In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Jesus understands what it means to be tempted and to suffer and through these experiences he learned to resist evil and be obedient. His model is one we are all called to follow. Just like Jesus, we are asked to offer prayers and supplications to the one who can save us from death. We are asked to be reverent in our relationship with God and be willing to make our lives into sacrifices to God and for others. We might not be perfect like Jesus, but we are called to be the best versions of ourselves. This means being willing to better ourselves in body, mind, and spirit so we can carry out God’s Will more perfectly. It means knowing, love, and serving God and others as Jesus did in his life. It means embodying God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace by willingly carrying our crosses and entrusting our spirits to God, who know how best to transform us into his beloved sons and daughters.

Do we offer prayers and supplications to God with reverence and trust? How can we learn to be even more obedient to God in our lives? What can we do to become more and more like Jesus Christ?

O Lord, give us the grace of obedience and save us from death.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his Blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed, through the forbearance of God to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

Jesus is our bridge from earth to heaven. It is through him that we are all redeemed from our sins and given a chance to live with God in heaven. Christ is righteousness made manifest and if we want to live holy and good lives, then we must do everything in our power to imitate him in thought, word, and work. His Truth gives us a guide to being authentic people. His Life gives us a blueprint on how to live our lives. His Way gives us a roadmap to heaven. We are justified by the saving graces Jesus purchased for us through his Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection. It is through our witness to our faith and our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ that we participate in the righteousness, love, and mercy that flows from Jesus’ wounds.

Do we recognize ourselves as sinner? Do we come before God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and seek to make amends for our failings by imitating Jesus? In what ways can we follow in Christ’s footsteps and manifest righteousness?

O Lord, you are the source of all righteousness.

Amen.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you, for you are really the smallest of all nations. It was because the LORD loved you and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers, that he brought you out with his strong hand from the place of slavery, and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand, then, that the LORD, your God, is God indeed, the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant down to the thousandth generation toward those who love him and keep his commandments.

God didn’t choose to create us and offer us His blessings and graces because we are powerful, but rather because of our weakness. He wants to be our strength for goodness, for love, and for mercy. He wants to lead us out of our slavery to sin and our inclination toward evil to a better life founded on faith, hope, and love. He ransomed us from our sins because He wants us to love Him as He loves us with His Most Sacred Heart. He asks us to keep his commandments because they set our lives on the right path toward imitation of His Love and Mercy. All these things mold us into good and faithful servants shaped in His Divine Image, which is founded on the love between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

How do we thank God for creating and blessing us? How can we more faithfully follow Him? What can we do to make the Image of God manifest in our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, thank you for your merciful covenant.

Amen.

Eleventh Monday of Ordinary Time

We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.

Now is an acceptable time for us to live out our baptismal calling. It is an acceptable time to make ourselves into stepping stones to holiness and not into stumbling blocks. It is an acceptable time to commend ourselves to God and the proclamation of the Good News. It is an acceptable time to endure afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils and fasts in the service of God and His children. It is an acceptable time to purify ourselves, increase our knowledge, learn patience, grow in kindness through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is an acceptable time to love God and others with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths. It is an acceptable time to speak truthfully and powerfully of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. It is an acceptable time to arm ourselves with the weapons of righteousness that come from living out our faith with hope and love in spite of what glory or dishonor, insult or praise comes for doing so.

Are we stumbling blocks to the faith of others or stepping stones to Heaven? Are we willing to endure trials and tribulations in order to follow the teachings of Christ? How can we let the Holy Spirit sanctify us and enkindle the fires of love, mercy, and virtue within us?

O Lord, now is an acceptable hour for us all to become good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.

There is only one way into heaven and that is through the Divine Gateway of Jesus Christ. It is through his shepherding teachings that he shows us the true way to eternal life. There are no other paths to paradise, except those which go through Christ. The road to ruin is wide and full of thieves, stealing, slaughtering, and destroying poor souls. However, God will protect us from the dangers of the world if we are willing to listen to His Voice and follow Jesus along the narrow and righteous trail to heaven. He shall feed us with his Body and pour out his Blood for us so we might be sustained through our trials and have more abundant lives with him.

Have we accepted Jesus as our Shepherd? Do we listen to his voice? Do we follow him to where we need to be?

O Lord, help us to live our lives more abundantly in, through, and with you.

Amen.