Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, while from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: "This is the way; walk in it," when you would turn to the right or to the left. He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, And the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant.

God guides us in many ways. He gives the His Holy Spirit to inspire us to holiness. He gives us our consciences to remind us of right and wrong. He gives us models in the faith through, Jesus, Mary, and the saints. He shows us the way to live as good and faithful servants. He gives us guidance through the Scriptures and the traditions and teachings of the Church. He gives us the sacraments to sustain us. He pours out His Love, Mercy, and Grace so our souls might flourish in the faith and we might produce good fruits through our thoughts, words, and works.

Are we accepting of God’s guidance and help? What way does God want us to walk? How can we be more open to the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, show us the way we are called to walk in this life.

Amen.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Do not forget the works of the Lord! Hearken, my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter mysteries from of old.

God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks to us through our consciences, letting us know the difference between right and wrong. He listens to us through our prayers and gives us inspiration and solace through the Holy Spirit. He teaches us through the thoughts, words, and works of Christ and shows us what it means to be His children and heirs to His Kingdom. He offers us words of love and mercy and asks only that we listen to Him when He speaks to us and to put into practice what He tells us. He gives us the Scriptures and reveals to us eternal truths and mysteries through the parables and stories we find within. If we truly care about God, then it is impossible to forget His works. They are all around us as constant reminders that we are not alone in this world. We have a Heavenly Father, who cares for us and was willing to sacrifice His Beloved Son so we might have a chance to share in the bountiful harvest that awaits us all in Heaven.

Are we listening and living God’s teachings? Are our hearts open to the Scriptures and the teachings they offer us? How can we become more faithful followers of the wisdom of God?

O Lord, we will not forget your works.

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.

Fifth Friday of Easter

It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right.

Notice that in this letter, the Apostles give credit for their decision to the Holy Spirit. It is God, Himself, who has lead them to this revelation through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we believe God plays an important role in the life of the Church and guides it to make the right decisions in matters of faith and morals. This doesn’t mean it is perfect, far from it, but it does mean the collective wisdom of the teachings of the Church will lead us to do what is right and good. It might not always fit with popular philosophy or worldly pursuits, but is what we are called to do. The world might tell us to choose our own path, but God is whispering to us, “Choose mine and you will live forever.”

Do we let the Holy Spirit lead us in our decisions? How can we make Him a bigger part of our decision-making process? Do we keep ourselves free of those things that might lead us away from God?

O Lord, help us choose the right thing to do in our lives.

Amen.

Friday within the Octave of Easter

Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.

Our every thought, word, and work should be done in the name of Jesus. No matter what we are doing, the spirit of Christ should be within us and guiding our decisions. We might be at home, at school, at work, at play, or anywhere in-between, but no matter where we are our faith, hope, and love in Jesus ought to guide us. Our good deeds ought to have the good of others and the glory of God as their aim. They should be done in the name of Jesus Christ. We shouldn't shy away from proclaiming the Good News in our actions both great and small. Jesus ought to be the cornerstone of our lives, the foundation of our faith, the saving shelter of our souls. There is no other name by which we are saved and so his name above all names ought to be ever on our lips.

Do we honor Jesus by thinking, speaking, and acting in his name? How can we bring Jesus into every facet of our lives? What do we need to do to make Jesus the cornerstone of our lives and keep him there forever?

O Lord, it is in your name that we find salvation.

Amen.

Tuesday within the Octave of Easter

Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

God is calling each of us to become good and faithful servants to Him through our baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He desires humble and contrite hearts, willing to confess our sins, do penance, and sin no more. He wants to forgive us and to pour out His Divine Mercy upon us. He wants us to be confident in Him as our Heavenly Father. He wants us to live our lives in accordance with the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus Christ. He wants us to make use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to become a holy people guided by our consciences and righteousness. He wants us to accept and renew our baptismal promises and become heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. Most of all He wants to save us so we might feast with Him forever and ever.

Are we faithfully living out our baptismal promises? Are we living in accordance with the Father’s commandments, the Son’s teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations? How can we make better use of all the graces God has give us through our baptism?

O Lord, we repent of our sins and seek only to live out our baptismal promises more perfectly.

Amen.

Easter Sunday

Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Easter is the perfect time of year to reevaluate our priorities and renew our spiritual lives. It is a time for cleansing ourselves of our sins, indifference, and distractions and starting over with a clean slate. Over the course of each year, we can find ourselves falling into bad habits and today is a good day to put an end to them and begin a new life of good habits. Easter is a day of resurrection, of breaking free from the chains of sin and death and choosing to seek out the risen Lord. It is a time to cast off our worldly worries and weaknesses and put on the white garment of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. It is a day to rid ourselves of malice and wickedness and celebrate the Way, Truth, and Life of the Risen Lord with sincerity.

Are we living our lives in accordance with the Father’s commandments, Jesus’ teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations? What sins, weaknesses, and imperfections do we need to clear out of our hearts and minds? How can we renew ourselves in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, we celebrate your Resurrection with the bread of sincerity and truth.

Amen.

Sixteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”

God has given us everything we need to fulfill our end of the New Covenant, just as He gave the Israelites what they needed to fulfill the Old Covenant. He has given us the Scriptures to guide us and the Church to shepherd us. He has given us His Beloved Son as a sacrifice and sign of His Covenant with us. In return, He asks for our faith in His commandments and teachings. He asks us to place our trust in Him and not the world or ourselves. He asks us to love Him and others as He loves us. The Passion and Death of Jesus sealed the New Covenant with the Body and Blood of Christ and we in turn seal our end by following the Scriptures and traditions of the Church, especially when we make present Jesus’ sacrifice when we partake in the Blessed Sacrament.

Are we thankful for all God has given us through the New Covenant? Are we living up to our end of the bargain? How can we live more covenantal lives?

O Lord, everything you have said we will heed and do.

Amen.

Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

The Word of Life lived among us and showed us the way to live. He showed us how to be forgiving, compassionate, merciful, and loving. He gave us a model of faith, hope, and charity and an example of what it means to make our lives into testimonies to God’s Goodness. He offers us an illustration of what it means to proclaim the Truth and follow it without complaint. Last but not least, he showed us how to know, love, and serve God and His children in a spirit of fellowship.

Are we living our lives according to the examples Jesus gave us? How do we testify and proclaim the Good News? How do we live out our fellowship with God and His children?

O Lord, in you we find the only true and never-ending fellowship.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Lord is the God of the living and He wants all of His children to live with Him forever. However, we cannot do this if we turn our backs on Him and choose to die in sin. To live with God means choosing virtue over vice, selflessness over selfishness, and good over evil. If we cannot do this, then we shall die and have no one to blame but ourselves. However, if we recognize Jesus as our teacher and live in accordance with his commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as Jesus loves them, then we shall have eternal life.

Are we choosing life in the Lord or death in sin? Do we give thanks to God for not only giving us life, but sustaining our lives? Do we recognize Jesus as our teacher?

O Lord, you are our life.

Amen.

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

When we follow our Father’s commandments, we are blessed. When we listen to what Jesus teaches us through his life, we are blessed. When we believe what God tells us through the Holy Spirit, we become blessed. We are surrounded by opportunities for blessing every day of our lives and the more we are open to these opportunities, the more we grow in faith, hope, and love. Mary is a great model of how to live a blessed life, a life that proclaims the greatness of the Lord and rejoices in God, our Savior. She shows us through her words and works what it truly means to humbly trust in God and to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. This is why we call Mary blessed and if we wish to be blessed too, then we ought to surrender ourselves to the Lord, recognize the great things He has done for us, and always keep holy His Name.

Do we believe in the commandments of the Father and the teachings of Christ? Do we keep ourselves open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the opportunities God presents us? How can our lives better proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in our Savior?

O Lord, we believe in you and want only to be your lowly servant.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus’ authority comes from his divinity and his relationship with the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Together, the Holy Trinity can do all things. We, like Jesus and John, also have heavenly origins. God gave each of us the breath of life through the Holy Spirit. This breath enlivens and inspires us, allowing us to become kings of service, priests of sacrifice, and prophets of the truth. Of course, if we choose to follow the commandments of the Father, the way of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we should expect to be questioned, opposed, and even persecuted by the world. However, as long as we listen to God and trust in His authority over our lives, then we shall be able to overcome these obstacles and do what is right and good.

Do we believe in Jesus’ authority over our lives? Are we willing to follow the Father’s commandments, Jesus’ way of life, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to fulfill our calling to be prophets of the truth?

O Lord, we believe in you and your authority over us.

Amen.

The Third Saturday of Easter

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

Believing in the gospel message is hard, but this shouldn’t shock us. Jesus’ teachings challenge us to live spiritual lives rather than worldly ones and because of this our more selfish instincts can rebel against the idea. We wonder why we cannot have it all and still remain a follower of Christ. However, God wants all of us, our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies. He doesn’t want a divided heart. He gave himself completely for us and if we really want to be his disciples, then we must be willing to give up our lives for him, too.

What is the hardest thing about believing? How can we do a better job of trusting God in spite of our doubts and difficulties with our faith? Are we truly willing to give up the world in order to gain heaven?

O Lord, give us your Spirit so that we might live forever with you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

We would all do well if we constantly asked ourselves, what we can do to accomplish the works of God. We do this best by believing in the teachings of Jesus Christ and living them out to the best of our abilities. We might not understand how to accomplish God’s Will or why He wishes us to undertake a certain task, but that is why we have faith He knows best and will always give us the graces we need to do His Works. We all have a choice in this life between surviving on the earthly things that perish or thriving on the heavenly things that endure forever. We will be constantly tempted to partake in vice and sin and to enslave ourselves to the world, but if we want to live free, then we need to believe in the Good News and proclaim it through our every thought, word, and work of this day and all our days.

Do we work for the worldly food that perishes or the heavenly food that endures? How can we accomplish God’s Will in our lives? Do we believe in Jesus and live according to his teachings?

O Lord, help us to thrive on heavenly things.

Amen.

The Third Friday of Lent

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Jesus is our teacher, but he is also our model as well. He does not just tell us what is right. He also does it. He shows us how to lead an authentic and holy life, the Life we are all called to aspire to and put into action. However, it is up to us to recognize the Truth that Jesus has spoken and to follow the Way he has laid out for us. When we do these things, we too become living sacrifices to God and loving neighbors to all.

Do we try to imitate Jesus in everything we do? Do we put Jesus’ words into action in our lives? Do we love God and our neighbors with all our hearts, minds, and strength?

O Lord, you are our teacher show us how to become living sacrifices.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday of Ordinary Time

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The scribe sums up Jesus’ teacher’s perfectly. He gets it! He knows what God wants and now he has only to put these words into action, just as we must put them into action in our own lives. We need to learn from Jesus how we can love God with all our heart, understanding, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is what God wants from us, not just prayers and participation at Church, though these are good things to be doing. He wants us to live our faith, to bear His Love, Mercy, and Grace into the world through our thoughts, words, and works. If we do these things, we will soon discover that the Kingdom of God is not far from us because we make it present to others through our actions.

How do we ensure that God has the highest place in our lives? What do we do to love God with all our hearts, understanding, and strength? Do we love our neighbors as ourselves—or even better as God loves us?

O Lord, help us to love you and your children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths,

Amen.