Fourth Sunday of Advent

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We were created to be apostles. We were made to bear God into the world. We were conceived to proclaim the Good News to all the nations. God has given Himself to us through the Scriptures, the Church, and the sacraments. He wants us to succeed as His servants and heirs to His Kingdom. And if we want to accomplish His Divine Plan, then we must be obedient to Him. We must follow His Commandments. We must live according to His Way, His Truth, and His Life. We must listen to the inspirations and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must choose to be with Him as much as He is with us. We must belong to Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Are we with God or against Him? Are we answering the call to apostleship? What can we do to belong more perfectly to Him in all things?

O Lord, help us to become better apostles of the Good News for all.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; Your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, Their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence.

All of God’s commandments and teachings are for our own good. We might find them difficult to follow, but that doesn’t mean we should disobey them. We might not understand them, but that doesn’t mean we should turn a deaf ear to them. Instead, we should strive to do good and avoid evil because even though it might be hard, it is the right thing to do. Similarly, we should place our faith in God’s teachings in the hopes we shall one day come to an understanding of those teachings we have trouble understanding. By doing these things, we place our trust in God above ourselves. We say, “As you wish, Lord.” And He, in turn, will give us all the graces we need to prosper in our spiritual journey and have our names written in the book of life.

Do we trust all of God’s commandments and teachings are for our own good, even when they are most difficult to follow? Are we willing to follow God’s Will wherever it will take us? Are we willing to make the leaps of faith we need to in order to go where God is leading us?

O Lord, teach us what is good and lead us to the Promised Land.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Saturday in Ordinary Time

Remember the marvels the Lord has done! Then he struck every first born throughout their land, the first fruits of all their manhood. And he led them forth laden with silver and gold, with not a weakling among their tribes.

The world around us is full of marvels and miracles. If we do not see them, it is not God’s fault, but our own blindness. He constantly works within our lives in great and small ways. We might not connect the dots or see the whole picture in our lives, but He is there with us always. He has struck down our enemies and raised us up. He has given us graces and gifts beyond counting. He has led us forth laden with good things and built up our faith so we are not weaklings. The trials we undergo are not for our punishment, but for our betterment. He wants us to prove our metal in this life and the only way to do that is to cleanse us in purifying fires, forge us through our choices, and temper us with His Holy Spirit.

Do we remember the marvels God has done for us? Do we let God lead us where He wants us? What can we do to prove our metal to Him?

O Lord, lead us forth and strengthen us.

Amen.

Nineteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

You are my inheritance, O Lord. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

God is everything we should be striving for in our lives. He should be the source, center, and summit of our thoughts, words, and works. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and if we want to find ourselves, then we must seek Him. If we want to know who we truly are, we must strive to be more like Him. If we want to be at peace, we have to do whatever the Holy Spirit guides us to do. The only way we can ever have joy in this life is to know, love, and serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. However, this path is not an easy one. It leads to the cross, which we must carry without hesitation or complaint, sacrificing ourselves of the glory of God and the good of others. Then, and only then will we be made worth of the promises of Christ and the delights of Heaven.

Do we strive to follow the path of life God has shown us? How can we walk His Way more joyfully and trustingly? What can we do to prepare ourselves for the Heavenly Feast that awaits those who know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, show us the path that leads to you.

Amen.

Nineteenth Friday in Ordinary Time

His mercy endures forever. Who led his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endures forever; Who smote great kings, for his mercy endures forever; And slew powerful kings, for his mercy endures forever.

If we live holy lives by following God’s commandments, Jesus’ teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, then we will triumph over all that stand in our way to Heaven. There will be no wilderness of temptation and sin that will be able to confuse us and lead us astray as long as we allow God’s Light to show us the Way. There will be no enemies, human or otherwise, who will be able to keep us from the Promised Land. Every evil will part from us and every doubt will be washed away if we trust God will be with us through it all. His Mercy will always endure forever and for that reason we should be good and grateful servants.

What wildernesses do we need help passing through? How can we let go and let God lead us through these barren lands to the Promised Land? How can we aid others in their own journeys toward God?

O Lord, be merciful and lead us to eternal life with you.

Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.  By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. 

Sometimes we don’t know where God is calling us, but we go anyway. It is by faith alone that we set out along the way prepared for us. We trust Him even though we don’t have a clear picture of what the future holds. We intrinsically believe something better lies before us because God loves us. We understand we might wander for many years, get lost, be asked to make sacrifices, and undergo many trials, but if we believe in Him, He will lead us to the promised land. He will protect us from our enemies, including sometimes ourselves, and bring us to the place we need to be. And, once we arrive, if we do what is asked, He will welcome us into His Holy City with open arms and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants... Come, share your master’s joy!”

Where is God calling us? What is He asking us to do? How can we answer Him with the faith of Abraham, Mary, and all the saints who have come before us?

O Lord, grant us the faith to obey you whenever you call and go wherever you send us.

Amen.

Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel.

God has made known His Ways to us. He has shown us His Divine Love and Mercy through His deeds. The Incarnation united Him with us in body and blood. His hidden life with Mary illustrated how to be humble and obedient. His ministry revealed what it means to be forgiving, compassionate, and charitable to all, even our enemies. His Passion and Death were choices Jesus made to reveal what it truly means to give your life for others. His Resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit reminds us to hold onto hope no matter what and gives us the strength to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News.

Do we follow the ways of God? Do we imitate his good deeds? How can we be as kind and merciful as He is to us?

O Lord, help us to follow your ways.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. The LORD brings to naught the plans of nations; he foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations.

Divine Providence is something we cannot fight against. It brings low the best laid plans. It reminds us we are dependent on God and not in complete control of our lives. This is a good thing because all too often we want what is worst for us. We lose sight of what is good and holy in favor of what is evil and easy. We let our temptations lead us into sin and enslave ourselves to the world in various ways. However, God’s Divine Plan is one of true freedom. The type of liberty that leads us to become generous and loving people. People might say God forces us along His Way, but we still have the choice to accept His direction for our lives or fight against it. If we fight against it, we lose opportunities to be good and faithful servants. If we choose to accept God’s Will, then we will grow in holiness and bear abundant fruits. So, let us place our trust in God’s Divine Plan and decide to follow God where He wants us to go.

Do we struggle against God’s Plan for us? How can we become more faithful to the Way, the Truth, and the Life God is leading us toward? What can we do to design our lives in accordance with God’s Will?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.

The world teaches us to boast of what we have and what we have done. It tells us we should trumpet our own horns and let everyone else know how great we are. This is not what God wants. He wants us to boast of Him. He wants us to boast of His Goodness and Mercy. He wants us to boast of the cross He bore for us and the crosses we bear for Him. He wants us to humble ourselves through lives of sacrifice and love. He wants us to bring peace and mercy to all whom we meet, just as Jesus did in his own life.

Do we boast more of worldly things or Godly ones? What can we do to rid ourselves of our dependence upon the opinions of others and instead focus our lives on doing our Heavenly Father’s business? How can we humble ourselves so we can follow God’s commandments without feeling holier than others?

O Lord, we boast only of you and your cross.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

Although we might not be physically imprisoned like Peter, we are at times held captive by our doubts, fears, and sins. We can become chained by these things and paralyzed in our pursuit of holiness. Thankfully, God has given each of us a guardian angel to watch over us and help us when we are weak or in trouble. He has also given us the Good News to inspire us with hope and the Church to unbind us through the sacraments. He has provided us with every means of escape from our selfishness and our worries and our sins. We have only to get up quickly, put on our belts, sandals, and cloaks... and follow Him to release and salvation.

What are the things in our lives that are imprisoning us? Have we sought out God’s help in escaping from these things? Once we are free, what can we do to free others?

O Lord, we are willing to get up quickly and follow you to the ends of the earth.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.

We should constantly pray to be open to the wisdom of God. It is through His precepts that we are brought to joy and holiness. It is through God’s Divine Laws that we are freed from the blindness of sin and allowed to see the world as it truly is. And once we see things clearly, we come to see how empty worldly pleasures are. It is only in God that we can find true fulfillment and everlasting joy.

Do we follow the precepts of the Lord? How can we do so more joyfully? What can we do to open the eyes of others to the joy of knowing, loving, and serving God, our Father?

O Lord, enlighten our eyes so they might see the joys of following your commandments.

Amen.

Fifth Saturday of Easter

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Alleluia. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends.

We are God’s flock. He watches over us like a Good Shepherd, protecting us from harm. He guides us to green pastures and feeds us with the Bread of Life and the Wine of Salvation. He guards us from all our foes and does everything He can to raise and nurture us. He wants us all to be holy and healthy. He calls us back to Him when we go astray and carries us on His shoulders when we are weak. We would do well to follow his example and imitate him in all these things as we tend to the needs of our brothers and sisters in this world.

Do we cry out with joy for all God has done for us? Are we willing to be led by our Good Shepherd where we need to go? How can we be good shepherds to others?

O Lord, tend us.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Easter

Athirst is my soul for the living God. As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

This Easter season is a constant reminder that our souls should be athirst for God. We should long to be with God in prayer, in communion, and through acts of charity and mercy. We should seek to behold the face of God through meditation on the mysteries of our faith, through visitation of our Lord at mass and in adoration, and through being good and faithful servants to His children. When given the choice between chasing after worldly things and heavenly ones, our first instinct should be to follow Christ. This requires each of us to cultivate a spirit of longing for God within us and then do everything in our power to seek God out in our daily lives.

Are our souls athirst for the living God? How can we use our longing to make better decisions in our lives? What can we do to prepare ourselves to go and behold the face of God?

O Lord, we athirst for you.

Amen.

Fifth Saturday of Lent

The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock. Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

Sometimes God allows us to be scattered. He allows trials and tribulations to enter our lives and turn them upside down. He doesn’t do this to torment or harm us. He does this because He wants to test our metal. He wants to know if we truly love and serve Him or if we are only giving Him lip service when everything is going our way. He allows our difficulties to reveal our hearts and minds and hopefully to strengthen our faith, hope, and charity. It is much easier to think and say we are Christians, but much more difficult to show we are Christians by our love. Thankfully, after we are scattered, God comes to gather us again, bringing peace and guarding us from harm. We have only to pass through these dark nights to see the rising Son of the Resurrection and life eternal.

Do we turn to God when we are scattered by fears, doubts, and worries? Do we welcome Him into our lives when He comes to gather us back into His flock? Are we willing to let Him lead us where we need to go?

O Lord, guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Lent

It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

God wants us to be merciful like Him. He wants us to be good like Him. He wants us to be compassionate like Him. He wants us to love like Him. He wants us to magnify Him for all the world through our thoughts, words, and works. All the almsgiving, prayer, and mortification in the world will avail us nothing if we don’t do it in His Spirit. We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. God wants us to do them for Him and Him alone. It isn’t easy choosing to be Christ-like. It is a hard and narrow path filled with hardship and suffering and sacrifice, but if we follow in God’s footsteps and accept our crosses, then we shall taste the goodness of the Lord and enjoy His Heavenly Feast for all eternity.

Are we merciful like God? Are we good and compassionate like Him? How can we magnify Him in all we think, do, and say?

O Lord, wash us from our guilt and sin so we will become merciful, good, and compassionate.

Amen.

First Saturday of Lent

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart.

Seeking God with all our hearts isn’t easy. There are so many things in the world that demand our attention, drive us to distraction, and try to lead us astray. However, if we follow the commandments of God, then we will be able to follow God more perfectly and be blameless in His sight. If we strive to know, love, and serve God and His children, then we will be blessed. God pours out His Grace upon those who seek Him and do His Will with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. Yes, the way to salvation is narrow, but God’s arms are broad and He will draw us back to His path if we are humble enough to turn back to Him and take His Hand.

How can we become blameless in the sight of God? What can we do to become holier people? What changes is God asking us to make so we can walk in His Way, Truth, and Life?

O Lord, we seek you with all our hearts.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

The only sacrifice and oblation God wants from us is to do His Will in all things. This means being faithful to His commandments, Christ’s teachings, and the inspirations of the Spirit. This means placing our hope in God and trusting in His Grace and His Mercy. This means knowing, loving, and serving God and all His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. This means being obedient even to the point of sacrifice and death. This is the offering God wants from us... to imitate His Son, Jesus Christ, in all things and come to Him when He calls.

How can we make our lives into living sacrifices? What can we do to be better followers of the commandment, teachings, and inspirations of God? How can we more perfectly imitate Jesus in our lives?

O Lord, behold we come.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday in Ordinary Time

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Paul urges us all to live in a manner worthy of the call of Christ. It is a calling that emphasizes our oneness in Christ. We are called to be united to our Heavenly Father through the Body and Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The act of joining our hearts, minds, and spirits to God requires us to trust in Him, to be humble enough to submit our will to His, and to strive to preserve our unity. We are called to faith, hope, and love. We are called to be gentle and patient and bear with one another. We are called to live out our baptismal vocation and imitate Jesus Christ. We are called to be willing to be a prisoner for the Lord and put His Will before ours.

Are we willing to suffer and be imprisoned in order to follow God’s Will? How can we learn to bear with others in patience and mildness? What can we do in our lives to be more united with God and all His children?

O Lord, we wish only to answer the call you’ve given us to be united with you and your children in faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Fifteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level. Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD, we look to you; Your name and your title are the desire of our souls. My soul yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you; When your judgment dawns upon the earth, the world's inhabitants learn justice. O LORD, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.

God gives those who follow Him a peace that cannot be shaken by temptations, worries, and other worldly fears. It isn't a peace that promises no harm will come to us or we won't suffer, but rather if we choose to do God's Will, He will give us a sense of calm even in the midst of our sometimes-stormy lives. He will smooth out our path to Him with consolations, inspirations, and other graces that will help us through our dark nights. All we must do is keep His commandments, love Him, and love His children. This is the vigil He wants us to keep and one we can all succeed at if we prepare our souls for the trials of the night and trust in His Goodness.

Do we pray for God's peace to sustain us throughout our days and our lives? Are we willing to suffer patiently in order to do God's Will? How can we stand vigil and do everything God wants us to do with our time, talents, and treasures?

O Lord, smooth our ways and grant us your peace so we might accomplish your Will in all things.

Amen.

Fourteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it and said, "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said; "send me!"

Here I am, send me. These are the words all of us should have on our lips at all times. And, like Isaiah, we also need to be cleansed of our sins if we want to be able to succeed in our mission. We must be purged of all those fears, doubts, evils, and indifferences that keep us from being good and faithful servants to God. Yes, we can do good even as sinners, but we do a greater good if we can perform our works of charity and mercy while in a state of grace. Just as a bell rings out louder when it is unmuffled, so too our thoughts, words, and deeds ring truer and have greater effect when they are untarnished by our sins and imperfections. So, let us allow God to purge us of our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation so we might be better prophets of His Holy Word.

Do we take advantage of our opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation? Are we willing to allow God to send us where He needs us? What can we do to become better prophets of the Good News?

O Lord, purge us from our sins.

Amen.