Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

God will always give us the blessings, graces, and gifts that will strengthen us so we can do good and avoid evil. He encourages us through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of holy people, and the teachings of the Church to know, love, and serve Him and all His children. He gives us hope in His Goodness and Mercy and shows us how to be compassionate people. It is through Him and in Him and with Him that we can become manifestations of His Divine Will. In a similar way, we are called to encourage others in the faith and help them to grow into the saints they are called to be.

How are we using the strength God gives us? What are we doing with the inspiration and guidance He provides? How are we helping others to grow in goodness, grace, and hope?

O Lord, strengthen us in every good deed and word.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

We must believe God will do good things for us if we are to have any hope of eternal life. We must believe whatever we lack in our spiritual lives will be provided to us out of the bounty of our Lord. We must believe He will grant us blessings, graces, talents, and treasures to help us to achieve His Will in the world. We must be courageous and stouthearted and unwavering in our love of Him and all His children and trust that in the end all will be for our benefit and salvation.

Do we trust that good things will come to us, even when we are in our darkest hours? What can we do to build up and support our hope in God? Are we willing to wait for the Lord with courage?

O Lord, grant us the patience to wait for you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

Lord, in your great love, answer me. But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

Despite what we might suffer in this life, we should never lose hope. We should trust in God’s Goodness and Mercy and believe with all our hearts, minds, and strengths that He will save us. He loves us and will answer us at a time and in a way that has the greatest chance of guiding us to Heaven. When we are afflicted and in pain, He is there offering us healing. He wants to protect us, but will not force His protection upon us. He wants us to welcome Him into our lives and sing His praises. So, let us offer Him thanksgiving for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us, now and forever.

Do we seek consolation from God when we are afflicted or in pain? Do we ask for God’s protection from all evil? How can we sing His praises to others, especially those who are suffering themselves?

O Lord, let you saving help protect us.

Amen.

Thirtieth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy. Look, answer me, O LORD, my God! Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”; lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.

Our hope is indeed founded upon God’s Mercy. It is not up to us if we are forgiven. It is up to God. We can only offer small penances and repayments to God for what evils we have done and what goods we have failed to do. We are not perfect and depend upon His Divine Mercy. It is only through Him that we have a chance at redemption. It is only in Him that we have any hope of triumph. He is the source of our good, the center of who we should be, and the summit of what we are called to become. He is the light that guides us where we need to go and shows us the way out of the dark valleys that surround us.

Does our hope reside in God’s Divine Mercy? Do we allow God to light the way when we are lost? How can we become what we are called to be?

O Lord, answer us and give us your light.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God. Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight against a faithless people; from the deceitful and impious man rescue me.

God is more than willing to stand beside us in our battles against temptation and sin and impiety. He will armor us with virtues and arm us with graces and blessings. He will lend us His Strength and shall not abandon us during our times of need. However, He will not do anything, if we reject His help. If we think we can handle our difficulties on our own, He will not force his protection on us. If we choose evil over good, He will withdraw from us until we make amends. This is not to say He will completely abandon us, He will always be within reach, but there are some sins that require us to go to confession and do penance so we might open our hearts more fully to Him. And even when we are in a state of sin, God will constantly offer us opportunities to make things right with Him and with others because He wants us to spend the rest of eternity with Him.

Do we place our trust and hope in God? How can we resist the temptation to sin and instead remain loyal to God in all things? What can we do to make amends with God after we do fall from grace?

O Lord, fight with me against my own faithlessness and the temptations of the deceitful.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest

In God is my safety and my glory. Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from him comes my hope. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.

No matter how strong or wealthy or famous we are, we will never be truly safe until we put our trust in God. If we depend upon ourselves, we will falter and fail, but if we turn to our Heavenly Father, He will protect and guide us. The goods of this world do not last and cannot give us true comfort or rest. All things will turn to dust in the end, but our relationships with God will last forever. He is the one constant in our lives and if we want any hope for happiness, then we must build our lives upon Him and make Him our stronghold.

Do we depend upon God or ourselves when in need? How can we more perfectly place our hope in God? What can we do to build up a spiritual stronghold to the Lord within our hearts?

O Lord, you are our safety and our glory.

Amen.

Seventeenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

O God, let all the nations praise you! The earth has yielded its fruits; God, our God, has blessed us. May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

God has blessed us in many ways. He is the source of all our good. He is the center of all our joy. He is the summit of all we should strive to be. If we cultivate our relationship with Him, then we will grow in faith, hope, and love. We will blossom with kindness and bear good fruits as long as we drink from the font of holiness and let the light of truth sustain us. If we have deep roots into our faith, then when dark nights or dry spells come into our lives, we will continue to thrive on the holy waters within our hearts. And when good times come, we will yield thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold.

How can we make God the source, center, and summit of our lives? What can we do to bear good fruits? How can we allow God to sustain us through the difficult times of our lives?

O Lord, help us to yield good fruits.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be afraid to sacrifice and suffer. Jesus showed us that being willing to suffer for the good of others is not only good, but necessary to salvation. Yes, we can be good and do good without too much difficulty when it requires little or no sacrifice, but what happens when doing the right thing will cost us greatly? Will we have the same courage and fortitude to do good in the face of great sacrifice? Hopefully, we will be able to let go and give everything we have to God for His Glory and His children’s good. As today’s scripture says, affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, proven character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint. So, let us pour ourselves out in selfless sacrifices so we might be a sign to the world that proclaims... sacrifice is good and should not be run away from.

Are we providing a good and faithful example of what it means to sacrifice and suffer for God? How can we become more enduring, hopeful, and loving in all our endeavors? In what ways can we allow God to pour Himself out into the world through us?

O Lord, hope in you never disappoints.

Amen.

Tenth Friday of Ordinary Time

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise. I believed, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; I said in my alarm, “No man is dependable.” 

When we are going through tough times, we can be tempted to lose hope and despair. However, as long as we remember God is with us in all things, we will be able to fight off this temptation to doubt and worry and instead choose to trust in God no matter what is happening to us. Yes, even when we are greatly afflicted, we can be calm and at peace with the knowledge that God is always by our side. He is there as a comforter, guide, and protector and as long as we let go and let Him work within our lives we will be rewarded, if not in this life, then in the next.

Do we offer up all our trials and tribulations as sacrifices of praise to God? How can we keep hope even in our darkest hours? What can we do to help others through their difficulties?

O Lord, we will always hope in you no matter what afflicts us.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Easter

How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

It is impossible for us to truly repay God for all He has done for us. He gave us the world we live in. He gave us His Divine Image. He gave us our lives. He has offered us His Love, His Grace, and His Mercy. He has given us more than we could ever return to Him. All He asks for in return is our faith, hope, and love so we might know, love, and serve Him and all His children to the best of our abilities.

Are we making a good-faith effort to repay God for all He has done for us? What can we do to build up the Kingdom of God on earth? How can we fulfill our baptismal vows?

O Lord, help us to be counted among your faithful ones.

Amen.

Third Friday of Easter

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

God is faithful and kind to us. In good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in sin and holiness, He will always love us. His love is unconditional. It does not weaken with time or out of anger. It endures all out of a deep love for His every child. He is our Heavenly Father and in Him we have the Promise of eternal life.

How can we become as faithful and kind as our Heavenly Father? In what ways can we go out into the world and tell the Good News? How can we strengthen our faith, hope, and love?

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

Amen.

Third Thursday of Easter

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise; He has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip.

Joyful spirits are something we all need to cultivate in this world. Having a joyful spirit can be the difference between optimism and despair. Without joy, faith weakens and withers. Without joy, hope drains and disappears. Without joy, love falters and fails. We must be able to rejoice in our triumphs as is right, but also remain joyful in the midst of trials. God loves a joyful spirit. He gives strength to those who cultivate joy in their hearts and spread its good seeds to others. He wants His children to have a contagious joy that can’t help but spread from person to person, bringing each person closer to Him.

Are we joyful people? How can we increase our joy? What can we do to bring joy to others?

O Lord, we cry out to you with joyful spirits.

Amen.

Monday in the Octave of Easter

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.

God is our hope. In Him we are safe from all distress. In Him we find rest. In Him we find purpose. In Him we find love and mercy and grace. He is the Lord of our Longing and only in Him will we ever find fulfillment. All the things of the world will pass away and be forgotten, but His relationship with us will always remain. He is our allotted portion and our cup of salvation. He has given us everything we need to have eternal life. We just have to throw our lot in with Him.

How do we give hope to others? What do we do to keep God’s children safe? Are we willing to put all our hopes in God, trusting He will lead us to the best of endings?

O Lord, you are our hope and safety.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Think about what it means to be an ambassador for Christ. Just like a worldly ambassador, we have many responsibilities to our God and King. We act on His behalf through our thoughts, words, and works. We are His representatives to those around us... to our families, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. If we fail to live up to our duties, then we fail not only God but all those whom we were supposed to aid through our position. If we are corrupted or selfish, we give the world yet another reason to reject God. However, if we are true to our faith by spreading hope and love to all the nations, then we will become powerful testaments to God’s Goodness. We shall help others to be reconciled with God and guide them to salvation. We are all called to magnify the Lord in all things and help others to know God is With Us. It was for this that we were put on earth and hopefully we fulfill that purpose each and every day of our lives.

Are we good and faithful ambassadors for Christ? What are we doing to lead others to reconciliation and salvation? How can we manifest God’s Love for all and do all things with righteous hearts?

O Lord, we are your ambassadors send us where you will.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

The desire for evil things can seep into our lives and ruin the foundations of our faith. It can wear away the solid rock beneath us and cause us to fall. Sin, grumbling, indifference... all of these things tear down our spiritual lives. And we cannot say God did not warn us against these worldly vices. He has shown us again and again how wickedness leads to destruction. None of us should be so prideful as to feel secure in our salvation. It is only by the Grace and Mercy of God that we have any hope of eternal life despite how often we displease Him with acts of selfishness and sin.

How can we rid ourselves of the desire for evil? What can we do to amend our lives so we might avoid sin, grumbling, and other temptations? How can we do a better job of seeking our salvation rather than our self-satisfaction?

O Lord, help us to be more pleasing to you.

Amen.

Second Thursday of Lent

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.

If we want to prosper spiritually, then we have to prepare our souls to be good soil for the Word of God. We have to clear away the debris that doesn’t belong. We have to till the dirt so that it welcomes the seeds of faith. We must plant our fields near the running water of hope. We have to tend the vineyards and orchards of our souls with love. We have to protect ourselves from the wickedness and snares of the Devil. We have to uproot the weeds of weakness, imperfection, indifference, and worldliness that try to choke off our growth. If we do all these things, then when the time of harvest comes, our souls will produce good and abundant fruits.

How can we place our hope more firmly in the Lord? What are we doing to prepare the vineyards and orchards of our souls to bear much fruit? How can we protect ourselves for those things that would destroy our faith?

O Lord, work within our souls so they might prosper.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.

Our hope should rest in the Lord.  The world can’t promise us anything will last forever. Only God can give us eternal happiness. The wicked will promise us much, but all they can deliver is empty. The way of sinners may be easier to walk on earth, but after death it becomes a way of ruin and suffering. However, if we delight in the laws of the Lord and meditate on them, then we shall live good and faithful lives worthy of salvation.

Do we meditate on the commandments of the Lord? How can we be more faithful to them? What can we do to resist the temptations of the world and live holy lives?

O Lord, we hope in you.

Amen.

Seventh Thursday of Ordinary Time

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Not so, the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

We are relentlessly tempted to wickedness by the world. The world tells us to do what feels good, when what it really is saying is do what is wrong and forget what is right. Worldly people do not care about giving glory to God or doing good for others. They are only concerned with themselves and what benefit they can get from doing this and that. Yes, they might be charitable, but for all the wrong reasons. They might be helpful, but only when they see gain for themselves. As Christians, we are called to do what is right and good no matter the cost to ourselves. We must be willing to carry our crosses in this world and suffer greatly. We must be willing to be mocked and persecuted for our beliefs. We must be willing to be rejected by everyone around us. God’s Will is not the will of the world. It is a harder road, but one worth traveling because the wide road of wickedness leads to destruction.

How can we resist the temptations of the world? What can we do to rid ourselves of all wickedness? Are we willing to suffer in order to do what is right and good?

O Lord, watch over us and lead us to live just and hopeful lives.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday in Ordinary Time

O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple. Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain, fairest of heights, is the joy of all the earth.

If we know, love, and serve God, then our souls become temples to God. He dwells within us and pours His Love and Mercy out upon us. It isn't always easy to upkeep our inner temples, but they need constant tending through prayer, charity, mortification, and acts of mercy. Without these actions, our temples would fall into disrepair and collapse. However, God gives us all the building blocks we need to build Him a great temple within our hearts. So, let us make use of all those graces, goods, and blessings He has given us and make a place of refuge for ourselves and all those whom we meet each day.

Do we treat ourselves, body, minds, and spirits, as living temples of the Lord? How can we build up our inner temples? What can we do to keep them from being weakened and destroyed?

O Lord, we ponder your mercy and hope to build up a temple for you within our hearts.

Amen.

Fourth Monday in Ordinary Time

Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord. How great is the goodness, O LORD, which you have in store for those who fear you, And which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of the children of men.

No matter what might be happening in our lives, no matter the trials, the sufferings, the failures... we should take comfort in the Lord. He is our beacon of Hope in the darkness of the world. He is full of goodness and compassion and will never abandon us to evil. We might go through great challenges and difficulties, but He will always give us the graces we need to overcome the challenges of our lives. He holds a special place in His Divine Heart for those of us who respect and love Him enough to fear disappointing Him above all.

Are we hopeful? Do we trust in God’s Goodness and Divine Grace? How can we nurture a healthy fear of failing the Lord?

O Lord, we hope and take refuge in you.

Amen.