Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, “When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place.”

Joseph’s trust in God’ Providence is something we should all strive for. He believes God keeps His promises, maybe not always in the way or time we expect, but He always fulfills His oaths. Through Jesus, God promised us salvation if we would listen to Jesus’ teachings and follow in his footsteps. It is by doing these things that we align our lives with the Truth, walk the Way of Christ, and live the Life of love and mercy God calls each of us to. He also promised us that one day Jesus Christ would return and we would be judged according to our faith and works. We shall have a place either in Heaven or Hell. Hopefully, we choose to live in accordance with God’s Will and find ourselves counted among the saints.

Do we trust in God’s Providence? Do we believe God will take care of us and lead us to the Promised Land? How can we prepare for His coming as if it was to be today?

O Lord, take care of us and lead us to Paradise with you.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he told them. When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the cities that had grain and rationed it to the Egyptians, since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt. In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain, for famine had gripped the whole world.

Before the famine, Joseph interpreted one of Pharaoh’s dreams as being a foretelling of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Impressed by this insights, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all of Egypt. For seven years, Joseph stored up the bountiful harvest in preparation for the famine so that all of Egypt would be prepared. Sometimes we are given insights into our own futures and given the opportunity to store up for our own times of famine. Perhaps we might foresee the loss of a job, or anticipate the loss of our health, or sense family troubles ahead. The best time to prepare for difficulties is when we are having years of plenty. We can store up our treasures, make the best use of our talents and time, and prepare ourselves for the trials ahead... so when we come upon rough times we are not left with nothing. The prudence of Joseph is something we should all strive for because when we are prepared for the worst, we are less likely to waste our time despairing, and instead learn to live within the limitations of the moment in hopes of experiencing years of plenty again.

Are we prepared for the worst? Do we foresee any difficulties in our lives? How can we prepare for them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to live through the famines of our lives.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Advent

“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? “‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel.  I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

David wants to build a house for the Lord, but God makes clear He doesn't need one. Sure, David had good intentions, but God reminds him God is not looking for a place to live outside the hearts and minds of his followers. He already lives in Heaven and wants us to join him there. He doesn't need an earthly home with us when He has already prepared a far better one with Him. It is up to us to prepare ourselves to join Him. We do this best by doing good, avoiding evil, trusting in God in our times of affliction, and ultimately resting in the palms of His Hands.

How are we preparing ourselves for Heaven? What can we do to help others reach the Promised Land, too? Are we allowing God to dwell within and work through us?

O Lord, give us rest with you in Heaven.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Monday of Ordinary Time

At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.

Jesus is Wisdom Incarnate. We can learn a lot from what he said and did in his life. He has given us a narrow path to follow and we would do well to recognize it and follow in his footsteps. There is something greater than us that can only be found in Jesus. He fulfills us if we let him. He saves us if we seek him in faith. His wisdom is greater than all the philosophers ever to speak and his preaching is more potent than all the prophets. This is why we should listen to him and allow him to lead us wherever we need to be. He'll never lead us astray. We have only to trust in him and he will show us our calling and how best to live our lives so that when the judgment comes, we shall be found to be good and faithful servants.

How are we preparing for the Final Judgment? Do we meditate upon the Wisdom of Christ and try to understand how to become holier people? Do we repent of our sins?

O Lord, you are greater than all things. Help us to focus our lives on fulfilling your Will.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Friday of Ordinary Time

"No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins."

If we truly want to be Disciples of Christ, then we can't hold onto our old sinful selves. Sin leaves us weak and unable to hold the love and mercy we are all called to be filled with. God may try to pour Himself into us, but if our hearts aren't contrite, then they burst, God's graces spill out of us ineffectually, and our opportunities to do good are ruined. In order to hold God's graces properly, we need to have a conversion of our hearts. He need to line them with contrition and acceptance of the sacrifices God is asking of us. If we do that, then our hearts will be made anew and whole and able to be filled with God's Love and Mercy. Then, when God pours us out in thought, word, and work, our lives will refresh the spirits of others and give glory to Him.

What sins must we overcome in order to renew our hearts? What can we do to prepare ourselves to be filled with the heavenly wine of God's Love and Mercy? How can we become better vessels of God's Will?

O Lord, make us fresh wineskins, continually pouring out your graces.

Amen.

Twenty-First Friday of Ordinary Time

The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

We all fall asleep from time to time, not just physically, but also morally. We have lapses of judgment, we fall into temptation, and then into sin. The foolish are those who after falling into sin are not prepared to relight the lamps of their souls. They fail to make ready their hearts to receive God's graces through acts of contrition, reconciliation, and penance. They do not see what they have done as wrong. Instead they try to cover up their faults or buy their way out of their problems. And in the end, they delay coming to Christ and discover the door to Heaven is locked and that they have made themselves strangers in the eyes of God. However, if we are wise, then we prepare ourselves for those moments when our light fails. We know we are sinners and so we make sure that the sacrament of reconciliation is close at hand so that we can refill the lamps of our souls with the graces of God's Love and Mercy. Once we do this, our light glows again for God and His children and our souls burn brightly for all to see and we will be ready to enter into the heavenly feast with God when He calls us to His side.

Have we fallen into sin? What can we do to relight the fires of our hearts? What can we do to stay awake once we have reignited the lamp of our holiness?

O Lord, make us ready to enter into your heavenly feast.

Amen.

Twentieth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

We are all invited to the heavenly feast, but not all of us accept the invitation. Furthermore, some of us may accept the invitation, but then do nothing to prepare ourselves for the wedding of our hearts with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If we do not have any good words and works to clothe ourselves in, then we will be denied a part in the feast. It is not enough to simply show up without preparing ourselves first and the best way to prepare is to cultivate the virtues of faith, hope, and especially love of God and our neighbors. Otherwise, when our time of judgment comes we shall be silent too because we shall have nothing to show for all the time God has given us to do His Will. Thankfully, God gives us every chance to join Him at the feast and show Him our faith through our works.

In what ways are we denying God's call to join Him in heaven? What can we do to prepare ourselves for participating in the heavenly banquet? What good works are we doing in our lives to lead others to the kingdom of God, too?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to respond to your call to holiness and unity with your divine will.

Amen.

Sixteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

God continually tries to sow His Word in our hearts. It is up to us to make sure the seed of faith falls on good ground. If we do nothing to prepare our hearts to receive the Good News, then the seed will be eaten up before it gets a chance to grow, killed when our faith is tested, or strangled by our worldly worries. But if we enrich the soil of our souls with virtues, then we will produce good fruit. We will not only grow in faith, but bud in hope and bloom with charity. Our every thought, word, and work will yield a hundred, sixty, or thirtyfold. We shall live life abundantly and help others do the same.

What do we do to prepare our souls to receive God’s Word? How can we help others to prepare themselves? Are we enriching our lives with the virtues of faith, hope, and charity, or are we allowing our doubts, fears, and selfish interests to destroy our lives?

O Lord, cultivate my soul with your heavenly virtues and so that I can accept the seed of faith and yield a good harvest.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

What a grace God has given us through the Church and its sacraments! He has provided us with everything we need to prevail against evil and to free ourselves from sin. All we have to do is trust in Jesus and be obedient to the teachings and traditions of the Church. There is no feeling of freedom like the one we receive through the sacraments. Through baptism, we are freed from original sin. Through reconciliation, we are freed from our sins of commission and omission. Through the sacrament of communion, we are united together with the Body and Blood of Christ and are freed from our venial sins. Through the sacrament of confirmation, we accept our calling to be witnesses to our faith, by word and deed. Through the anointing of the sick, we unite ourselves to the Passion of Christ. Through the sacrament of marriage, we are given the graces we need to unite as husband and wife. Through the sacrament of ordination, we are configured to Christ and become apostolic ministers.

Are we making every use of the graces God has offered us through the Church and its sacraments? Do we follow the teachings and traditions of the Church? How do we prepare ourselves to receive the sacraments?

O Lord, thank you for the blessing you’ve offered us through your Church and its sacraments.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Advent

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

We are all called to be prophets and to prepare the way of the Lord and bring the good news of salvation to others. We do this by following the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, living lives in imitation of Jesus, and giving glory to the Father for the great things He has done for us. We also do this by speaking comforting words to those in need of them and acting with compassion for all God’s children. In a way, we are the first fingers of dawn, heralding the radiant love of God for our families, friends, and neighbors. And if we do God’s Will and become instruments of His shining graces, then we will be like lamps in the darkness of the world, bearing the light of the gospels wherever we go.

 Are we preparing ourselves to be prophets of the Good News? Are we lights of God’s love in the darkness of the world? How can we become better prophets to God’s children?

O Lord, give us the grace to be prophets of your word. Guide our feet onto the way of your peace.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Advent

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.”

We should never be afraid of doing God’s Will. The obstacles in our way may seem insurmountable or the sufferings unbearable, but God never gives us more than we can bear as long as we ask for and accept His help. If we live our lives in accord with the gospel, we too will have joy and gladness, many will rejoice at our birth, and we will be great in the sight of the Lord. We might not be called to such great things as St. John the Baptist, but what we are called to do in our lives will have the indelible mark of being founded upon Christ. So let us do God’s Will without complaint or hesitation and prepare the way of the Lord.

Are we doing God’s Will in our lives? Do we think, say, and do everything in accord with the gospel message of Christ? What can we do better to prepare the way of the Lord?

O Lord, help us bring joy and gladness into the world through our words and works.

Amen.

Second Thursday of Advent

Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.

In a way, we are all called to be John the Baptist in our lives. We are asked by God to become prophets of Jesus’ life, teachings, and sacrifice. This is not an easy task. Others will oppose us, but it is a necessary step along the way to our salvation. If our lives do not proclaim the coming of the Lord, then what good are they? We shall have nothing to show for our lives if we do not fast, pray, proclaim, and evangelize as John did, though a life of example to those around him. So let us be beacons on a hill, voices in the wilderness, giving glory to God and preparing the way of the Lord into the hearts of others.

Are we willing to be prophets of the gospel of Christ? What have we done to proclaim the kingdom of heaven in our lives and the lives of others? Have we prepared the way of God into our hearts and the hearts of others?

O Lord, make us into prophets of your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Advent is a time of preparation and one of the things we are called to prepare is our hearts. We need to make them ready to receive the Lord and make straight the paths of our lives. There are many obstacles in our way, the primary of these being our own sinfulness. Our pride, greed, lust, wrath, sloth, envy, and gluttony get in the way. The narrow road to salvation is surrounded by temptations that will lead us astray. If we truly wish to prepare the way of the Lord in our own lives, then we will need to overcome our sins by building up good habits and filling in our lives with virtues. Our road to heaven starts with God’s Mercy, but we also need to walk that narrow path with contrite hearts and spirits of repentance.

Are we preparing the way of the Lord in our lives? What are we doing to make straight our paths to Heaven? What are the obstacles, sins, distractions, imperfections, etc., which are keeping us from doing God’s Will?

O Lord, help us to prepare our hearts for you.

Amen.

First Sunday of Advent

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

If we live our lives in accordance with Jesus’ teachings, we will have nothing to fear at the end of our lives or at the end of time. We will be able to stand erect and raise our head, confident in our redemption. What a wonderful gift God has given us in Jesus and his Good News. He has shown us the way to our salvation. It is by becoming more Christ-like that we will be able to prepare ourselves for the trials and tribulations of life and be able to come out of them with hearts forged in the fires of suffering and tempered with love and mercy. We do not need to be afraid of the end because it shall also be the beginning of our lives with God in Heaven as long as we have lived a good life.

Are we afraid of the end of our lives or the end times? If so, then why are we fearful and what can we do to change our fears into hopes? Are we willing to have our hearts tested, purified, and cleansed through whatever means God chooses?

O Lord, may we stand erect and raise our heads as we wait in hope for your coming.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Sometimes we hear the end is near, the Day of Judgment is coming, and many other warnings about the end of time. We should listen to Jesus’ advice and realize that no one knows the day or hour of the Second Coming and it’s not our job as Christians to guess at when it will come. Instead, we should be preparing for its arrival as if each day is our last one on earth. We should also be praying for the end to come. After all, when the Day of Judgment arrives Christ will come with it as well as our opportunity to spend eternity in the loving presence of God. If we live our lives in love and service of God and His children, then we have nothing to fear.

What can we do to keep ourselves grounded in doing God’s Will and not worrying about things that are beyond our control? Are we preparing ourselves for the end of our lives and spending eternity with God? Will we be able to honestly tell God we were good and faithful servants?

O Lord, we want to spend eternity with you in heaven.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.

Sometimes we take God for granted. When we pray for something and we receive it, we might thank God with a little prayer (or not), but fail to contemplate what He has done for us. When we are inspired by God, we sometimes forget to recognize where our good ideas come from. We are surrounded by daily miracles, great and small, and yet sometimes we continue on with life as if the world is what matters when in reality it is God and His Kingdom that we should be concerned about. Let us put our concerns in the right place from this day forward.

How do we remind ourselves to be thankful for God’s gifts and inspirations? What do we do to cultivate a spirit of repentance in light of all that God has done for us? How are we preparing ourselves for the day of judgment?

O Lord, you have done might deeds for us. Help us to respond with repentant hearts.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.

We all need to prepare ourselves for the reception of Jesus through the Eucharist. We might not wander through Jerusalem as the disciples did, but we need to wander through our hearts, seeking the place where we can unite ourselves to the Body and Blood of Jesus. It is through the Blessed Sacrament that we are united with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. When we partake of the Eucharist, we are not just reenacting the Last Supper, we are also making it truly present again. Jesus is with us during the Eucharistic celebration from start to finish. He remains with us afterward as well. We would do well to remember how important it is to prepare ourselves to receive Him, who died for us all. So the next time we are about the go to communion, let us make ready our hearts for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

How do we prepare for the Eucharist? What do we do before, during and after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ? How can we carry Jesus out into the world with us after the Mass?

O Lord, help us prepare our hearts for you.

Amen.

Third Sunday in Advent

I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord.”

How often in our lives have we been asked: Who are you? What do you have to say for yourself? These questions strike at the heart of our existence. They force us to evaluate ourselves and our relationship with God and others. John the Baptist says he is not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet, he is a simple voice crying out to the world, Make straight the way of the Lord. We too need to realize that we are not called to be the Messiah, we cannot save ourselves. Only God can do that. The best we can do is to make ourselves into prophetic signs of the love, mercy, and grace the Holy Trinity offers to all His children.

Who are we? What do we have to say for ourselves? Have we spent our lives making straight the way of the Lord for others and ourselves?

O Lord, grant us the thoughts, voice, and works we need to bear you into the world even in the midst of its daily trials.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

Preparation is something we do each and every day of our lives. We prepare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We prepare for work and play. We prepare for family, friends, and neighbors. We prepare for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. However, in this daily preparation for things great and small we can often forget to prepare ourselves for the most important event in our existence: the second coming of Christ.

How often do we let our preparations for earthly things interfere with our preparations for the heavenly ones? Do we spend time each and every day preparing ourselves for the coming of our God? If the hour of His arrival came before this day was done would you be able to say to Him, I prepared your Way and made straight your Path, O Lord.

O Lord, grant us the grace to live our lives as John the Baptist and constantly prepare for your second coming by being good and faithful servants baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Amen.