Twenty-Fifth Saturday in Ordinary Time

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.

God died for us through His Beloved Son to ransom us from sin and death. He sacrificed Himself for us, even though we are sinners and sometimes turn our backs on Him. He offered Himself once and for all. And the only thing we have to do is accept this truth and live our lives in accordance with God’s commandments. If we do this, then God will not only guard us from our foes, but raise us to Heaven as His beloved children and heirs to His Kingdom. He shall protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and all his minions. He shall pour out His grace and blessings upon us and make us into a holy people, full of love, mercy, and joy.

Do we call upon our Shepherd to guard us from temptations and evil? Do we give thanks to God for ransoming us from sin and death? How can we make God’s Goodness known to all whom we meet?

O Lord, we thank you for ransoming us from sin and death.

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.

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 Sunday of Easter

They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

God is a Good Shepherd. He is constantly looking out for our best interests. If we begin to wander away from Him, He gives us ample warning. If we put ourselves before others, He reminds us what is true important. If we get into danger, He guards us. If we are lost, He will guide us. If we are in need, He provides for us. If we are in sorrow, He comforts us. If we have fallen into sin, He offers us His Divine Grace to help us return to Him.

Are we good shepherds of those who are put into our care? How can we become better shepherds of others? Are our ears open for God to call us?

O Lord, with you, we will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty.

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.

Fifth Monday of Lent

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

When we live the Christ-like life, we have nothing to fear. There is no challenge, no enemy, no obstacle, no worry, no trial, no evil, no suffering that can truly harm us. When we have the light of Christ within us, we cannot go astray. God will lead us back to Himself, no matter where we are. When we rest in God, we can be at complete peace because He will water our souls with grace and refresh us with His Divine Love. When we allow the Lord to be our Shepherd, we will always have a home with Him and He will protect and guide us and lead us to the greener pastures of Paradise.

Are we unafraid to walk the way of the Lord? Are we willing to let Him shepherd us to where we need to go and what we need to do? How can we learn to rest beside Him and let Him refresh our souls?

O Lord, be our shepherd through dark valleys to verdant pastures and restful waters.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday in Ordinary Time

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage.

If we listen to the Holy Spirit within us, He will guide us in right paths to holy and fruitful lives. Even if those paths might pass through dark valleys and darker nights, we will have nothing to fear if we trust in God. He might not lead us along the paths we would choose, but He will lead us along those ways that will lead to our good and our salvation. With God at our side, we have nothing to fear from the world or from the evils within it.

Do we allow God to shepherd us? Are we willing to let Him lead us even to where we don’t want to go? How can we be more trusting of Him even when we are passing through dark valleys and darker nights?

O Lord, guide us along right paths to holiness and salvation.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

God is our Shepherd and Guide. He calls out to us for our own protection and to lead us to greener pastures. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love so we might become good and faithful children and produce good for all. When we are weak, He will carry us. When we are confused, He will call out to us. When we are lost, He will seek us out. He will never abandon us, He will always do everything in His power to lead us safely home to Him and Heaven. So, the least we can do is to listen for His voice in our hearts and do whatever He tells us.

Are our hearts hardened by the world or open to the inspirations of our Heavenly Father? Do we bow down and worship God as He deserves? Do we thank Him for shepherding us and guiding us to life everlasting?

O Lord, keep our hearts from being hardened by the world and our own weaknesses.

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 the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts.

Woe to us all if we do not do our part in shepherding people. Like Jesus, we are all called to be shepherds to our fellow man. We are asked to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless. We are tasked with caring for the sick and injured, bringing back the lost, and treating others with compassion. These are all things Jesus did during his most holy life and we would do well to imitate him from the moment we rise in the morning to the moment we fall asleep at night.

What are we doing to help shepherd the people in our lives? How are we bringing them closer to God? In what ways are we being charitable and merciful to those we meet each day?

O Lord, make us good shepherds.

Amen.

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

We all are shepherds in some way. We might have children of our own to lead and guide through their lives. We might have jobs that require us to tend to others through service. There might be some other duty we are bound to which gives us responsibilities and duties towards others. No matter what position of power we are in, we should make sure to do not lord it over others, but rather lead by good and loving example. In this way, we can imitate Jesus, who was a good and faithful servant of all in spite of being the most powerful man to ever walk the earth.

How can we be better shepherds? Who are the people who are in our care? What can we do to guide them to better, holier, and love-filled lives?

O Lord, inspire your shepherds to lead your flock closer to you in all things.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Advent

Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

God is powerful and His rewards are immeasurable. He feeds us with His Holy Word through the scriptures, the celebration of the readings at mass, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. He feeds use on His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. He gathers us into His arms from the moment of our birth in order to protect us and guide us. And we will lift us to His bosom on our last days as long as we are willing to be found and caught by Him. He also leads us through good times and bad ones with a care that is perfect. He wants only the best for us, but He will never force us to accept his gifts. It is up to us to recognize His Voice and follow in His footsteps.

Do we thank God for all the gifts He has given us? Do we feed ourselves upon God’s Word and Body? Are we willing to let Him gather us into His Arms?

O Lord, press us to your heavenly heart and lead us with care to paradise.

Amen.

Nineteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.  In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.

When we lose something, we often spend a lot of time and effort looking for it. Whether it is something of great value or small, we still will look. We don't like the idea of losing things and so we, like the shepherd rejoice when we find what was lost to us… no matter how small. Even if the effort involved in finding the thing is out of proportion to what was lost, we are excited to find lost things. In the same way, God is overjoyed when one of his lost sheep is found and returns to His beloved flock. He sees each of us as worth every effort to save and in light of this, we all should look at each other as worth saving, too. This isn't to say everyone can be saved, but rather we should make the effort to save others when we have the chance.

Are we more like the lost sheep or the shepherd? How can we not only follow God, but also lead others back to Him? What can we do to ensure those who are entrusted to us are brought closer to God through our words and works?

O Lord, seek me when I am lost and help me to lead others to you.

Amen.

The Fourth Tuesday of Easter

“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

Jesus has told all of us that He is the Christ, not only through his words, but his works as well. Now it is up to us to listen to his voice and believe. It might be difficult for us to accept some of Jesus’ teachings, but part of being Christian is putting our faith in the Gospel messages and the teachings and traditions of the Church. This is why it is so important to remember to pray to God, “Lord I believe. Help my unbelief.” We all have our doubts, fears, and anxieties, but how we handle them determines whether we grow in faith or falter. When we place our trust in God’s Plan and follow the commandments to love God and our neighbors, then we shall have a firm foundation to seek the truth in all we do.

Do we believe in the teachings of Christ in spite of our doubts?  Are we listening for his voice in our lives? Are we willing to trust in God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, give us eternal rest and never let us perish.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.

Jesus is our shepherd. He is our leader, our life-giver, and our protector. He will never let anything happen to us without doing everything in his power to help us overcome our obstacles and succeed. He even feeds us with his own Body and Blood to sustain our spirits through good times and bad. He will never abandon us, even if we abandon him in sin and get lost in the world. He will search for us no matter where we go and will offer us forgiveness if we will come back to him. He also offers to carry us when we are weak from doubts, anxieties, illness and other troubles. He promises to tend us with a loving kindness that will heal and strengthen us even in the midst of our greatest trials. All we have to do is call out to him, to let him lift us up, and lead us where we need to be.

Are we listening for the voice of God in our lives? Are we willing to let Jesus lead us, enliven us, and protect us? How can we become better followers of Christ?

O Lord, lead us to eternal life and never let us perish.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

After denying Jesus three times, discovering the empty tomb of Jesus, and being visited by Jesus on two occasions, Peter decides to go out fishing. Peter used to be a fisherman. He’s familiar with the life of a fisherman and he probably would find great comfort in doing something that is “normal” after the events following Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Sometimes when we go through difficult times or times of great change, we have a tendency to seek out the familiar and attempt to rediscover our comfort zone. However, just like Peter, we can discover that our old life isn’t as fulfilling as it was. We’ve changed too much. Something within us has been transformed so utterly by an experience that our old lives aren’t rewarding anymore. It is at this point that we have the opportunity to grow as individuals and accept our new callings. We might not understand what exactly God is asking of us, but as long as we are willing to make up for our previous denials, procrastination, and hesitancy, then we shall find a new way to live. We shall be able love God as we should and take the first steps to feeding and tending His flock in our own unique fashions.

Do we love God more than all the people and things of this world? Are we willing to feed and tend God’s flock on this earth with the time, treasures, and talents He has given us? What changes is God asking us to make in our own lives?

O Lord, you know that we love you.

Amen.

Fourteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus takes pity on all of us. He is moved by our every suffering, illness, setback, and trial. He becomes our shepherd through his proclamation of the gospel and his sacrifice on the cross. He cures us of our sins so we can walk his Way, he preaches the Truth to us, and he teaches us how to live our lives as children and heirs of God. We may feel troubled and abandoned at times, but we are never alone. Jesus is always at our side wanting us to turn to him and ask for his aid. When we do this, he gives it abundantly and without reservation. His compassion and forgiveness are unfathomable and we are blessed to have him with us on this earth. Let us hope we will be good and faithful servants so that we can spend the rest of eternity in his good graces.

What are we troubled about? Do we feel abandoned by God? How can we remind ourselves that Jesus is with us?

O Lord, show pity on us and lead your poor sheep through the heavenly gate.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus is our good shepherd and throughout the Gospels he constantly shows us what it means to lay down our lives for others. He protects us from those things which would kill us, not just physically, but spiritually. The only time we lose that protection is when we wander off on our own sinful ways and refuse to let him help us. Even then, he does not stop searching for and calling out to us. We can learn a lot about how to be good shepherds of men by emulating Jesus in our daily lives and laying down our life for our fellow children of God.

What do we do each day to imitate the Good Shepherd? Who do we lay our lives down for and how? What makes us afraid to risk ourselves for others?

O Lord, you are the good shepherd. Show us how to lay down our lives for others.

Amen.