First Thursday of Advent

Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

God is our Rock and if our lives are founded on Him, we shall not lose them. No storm of suffering will topple us. No quake of fear will bring us down. No flood of woes shall wash us away. With God as our cornerstone, we can withstand any trial and stand firm against all temptations. We shall survive all difficulties if we trust in God and let Him lead us to a saintly life. It may not be easy to keep the faith in the midst of sufferings, but reaching the Gates of Heaven is worth every test we must undertake.

Are our lives founded on Our Lord and God? Do we trust Him to support us through every trial? How can we make God the foundation of our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, we trust in you, Our Rock and Savior.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.

There is a reason we are not called to be judges. We think, speak, and act imperfectly. Our knowledge is limited and incomplete. Our feelings can get in the way of justice and truth. God’s Judgments, however, are true and just for He knows, speaks, and acts perfectly. He understands our true motives and therefore what we truly deserve. He gave us His Commandments so we might follow His Will. He offered us His Son so we might imitate Him. He sent His Holy Spirit to all so we might be enlightened and grow into holy and good servants.

How can we resist the worldly temptation to judge others? What can we do to place our trust in God’s Divine Judgment? How can we live in accordance with God’s precepts and lead true and just lives?

O Lord, your judgments are true and just.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Thursday in Ordinary Time

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sometimes we all fall into sin. We give into temptations and lose our way, but as Christians we are no longer slaves of sin. We are freed men and women and have the choice to make amends for our transgressions and to make ourselves right with God. We should indeed be ashamed of our failures, but we also cannot let them drag us into despair or keep us from seeking out God’s forgiveness. God is infinitely more merciful than we could ever be sinful and so we should not be afraid that He might deny us forgiveness If we seek it with humble and contrite hearts. When we return to God in this way, we declare ourselves slaves of His and allow Him to lead us toward holiness and salvation by whatever ways and means He decides are best for us. And it is up to us to remain in God’s service throughout our lives so one day we might be granted eternal life with Him.

Do we recognize there is no profit outside the service of our Lord and God? Are we willing to become slaves to God in all we think, say, or do? How can we rid ourselves of all those things that keep us from fully accepting the gifts of holiness and righteousness from our Heavenly King?

O Lord, free us from sin and accept us as your good and holy slaves.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment.

Complacent is something none of us should ever be in this world. There is nothing in this world that can be truly satisfying. Only God can fulfill us and only spending eternity with Him in Heaven can make us happy. Earthly pleasures and goods might give us a false sense of enjoyment, but ultimately these moments fade and we are left empty. We might be wealth, famous, or full of pride but none of this will matter in the end. We can’t take these things with us and God will not look at them when He makes His Final Judgment. Instead, of resting on our laurels, gorging ourselves on pleasures, and devising our own entertainment, we should seek to do God’s Will and sing His praises for all He’s done for us.

Are we complacent? Are we misusing the time, talents, and treasure God has bestowed on us? How can we do a better job of nurturing and growing our relationship with God, who is the ultimate source of all satisfaction?

O Lord, grant us the grace to recognize when we are being complacent in weakness or sin and the strength to resist all temptations to be satisfied with the world.

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.

Twenty-First Friday in Ordinary Time

Rejoice in the Lord, you just! The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful ones; from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.

Evil can be alluring. It can be easy. It can tempt us in many ways. But no matter how alluring or easy or tempting it is, it ultimately leads to destruction. Destruction of our relationship with God. Destruction of our connections to family, friends, and neighbors. Destruction of ourselves from the inside out. Evil is corruptive by nature. It decomposes us in body, mind, and soul. It breaks us down and turns us into bleached corpses, dried out and lifeless. This is why we must strive so hard to guard against evil and all its empty promises. If we don’t then we will have no one to blame but ourselves because God give us everything we need to overcome our temptations and be freed from the chains of sin.

Do we hate evil? Are we guarding our lives against it? How can we grow in goodness and help others to do the same?

O Lord, we hate evil, guard our lives against its empty promises.

Amen.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.  Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

We are not alone in our struggle against sin. There is a cloud of witnesses from the Patriarchs of the Old Testament to the saints of our times, who are all praying for us. They also provide us with an example of how to resist evil and do good no matter what. In their lives they rid themselves of every burden and sin that clung to them and persevered till the end of their earthly race. They kept their eyes fixed on Jesus and endured their crosses. We would do well to imitate them just as they imitated Jesus and His Mother. So, let us take our inspiration from these witnesses, be willing to suffer for the sake of holiness, and one day join God in Heaven. 

Do we call upon the saints for help when we need it? How can we live in imitation of the Jesus as the saints did in their lives? Are we willing to resist sin to the point of shedding our blood for the glory of God and the good of others?

O Lord, thank you for the example of your holy and selfless life and the lives of your saints.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.  The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house.

As Christians, we are called to forget our worldly lives and take our place among the saints. We cannot do that if we are constantly turning back to our earthly desires or dwelling upon our past mistakes. We must let go of these things and trust in God, who is our Heavenly Father and Mary, who is our Spiritual Mother. If we do this, then God will array us in gold and give us a seat at His Heavenly Banquet, where we will enjoy His Presence for the rest of time and beyond.

What do we need to forget in our lives? What do we need to leave behind? How can we cast these things away from us and not look back?

O Lord, grant us the grace to forget our worldliness and become one with you.

Amen.

Eighteenth Monday in Ordinary Time

Sing with joy to God our help. “My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.”

There are many things in this world that can drown out the voice of God. Other people can lead us astray. TV, computers, games, and other forms of entertainment can distract us from what we should be doing. Our goods and possessions can come to possess us. We can suffer setbacks and difficulties without once turning to God for help. We complain about what we have, we envy what others possess, we are consumed by consuming. Our hearts are hardened with hatred, prejudices, sins, and evil thoughts. However, all these things can be overcome if we turn to the Lord, pray for His intercession, and are willing to listen to what He is asking us to do with our lives. It might not be where we want to go, but it is what is best for us and the sooner we accept this and humble ourselves before God, we sooner we will have peace and spiritual prosperity.

What are the things in our lives that are drowning out God’s voice? What can we do to free ourselves from these spiritual dead ends? How can we walk in God’s counsel rather than our own?

O Lord, we sing to you, who helps to soften our hearts with love and mercy.

Amen.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Living by the Spirit requires a great deal of trust in God. Letting go of our own desires can be very difficult to do. We are constantly tempted to gratify ourselves in various ways. We all have certain things we like to do and sometimes these things lead us away from what we are called to do. However, there is hope for us. We can overcome our flesh and weaknesses. We can moderate our passions and the things we enjoy so we do not become enslaved to them and are willing to give them up when they interfere with our spiritual lives. By recognizing that we can’t always get what we want and accepting that sometimes we are called to mortification and sacrifice, we can let go and let the Holy Spirit lead us to holier lives.

What desires of the flesh are leading us astray or distracting us from our true callings as Christians? How can we become more open to letting go of our wants and letting God give us what we need? What can we do to be more attentive to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, we wish to live by your Spirit and not by our flesh.

Amen.

Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord. He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue... shall never be disturbed.

If we do justice, we will live in the presence of the Lord, but if we do not, then we reject God and all that He calls us to be. If we are truthful, then God is in our thoughts and words and works, but if we do not, then we deny the Word of God in favor of a worldly life. If we are good as our Heavenly Father is Good, we will bear abundant fruits, but if we choose evil, then we will reap destruction. If we are faithful then we will become more Christ-like in all things, but if we are indifferent, then we will become lukewarm and God will spit us out. If we hope in the Holy Spirit, we will be at peace no matter what happens to us, but if we doubt and fear, then we shall become lost. If we love, God will return our love a thousand-fold, but if we hate, then we will be judged according to how we judged others.

Do we act justly toward God and His children? How can we be better bearers of the virtues and Good News God calls us to embody? What can we do to walk blameless before our God? 

O Lord, help us to be just and truthful in all things.

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 Wednesday of Lent

Save me, O Lord, in your kindness. You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.

The wickedness and snares of the Devil are all around us. We see it in the world, in people, in places, and in things. We are constantly tempted by evil or tormented by those who see good and want to tear it down. God is our only refuge in this dark valley. He is our light, leading us to safety. He is our shelter, protecting us from the storm. He is our help, freeing us from the snares. If we want to have any hope of reaching Heaven, then we must commend our spirits to Him and allow Him to shepherd us to the Promised Land along the Way He has prepared for us.

Do we pray for God’s Help in overcoming the wickedness and snares of the Devil? Do we turn to Him in our times of need and commend our spirits to Him? How can we train ourselves to seek His Grace, follow His Light, and walk His Way?

O Lord, save us in your kindness.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Lent

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

It can be difficult to have a steadfast spirit in the world. We are constantly tempted by sins, bombarded by distractions, and struggling with our weaknesses. It can be very spiritually draining to fight off these things over and over again, especially our bad habits. Evil thoughts can weigh our hearts down and lead us astray. However, the beautiful thing about being Christians is the knowledge that God wants to forgive us and will do everything He can to save us. He will grant us mercy and graces to help us overcome every spiritual obstacle. Through the sacraments, He renews our spiritual reserves and makes it possible for us to avoid sins, ignore distractions, and conquer our weaknesses. He will not spurn us if we come to Him.

What sins, distractions, and weaknesses do we need to overcome? How can we do so with the help of the sacraments? What can we do to help others to conquer their obstacles to holiness?

O Lord, create a clean heart within us and renew our spirits.

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.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

Death has no victory over true believers. If we keep the commandments, do good, avoid evil, and love God and our neighbors to the best of our abilities, then death will have no sting. Death comes from sin and selfishness, but it cannot enter into the refuge of our hearts if we protect them with selfless love. Our corruptible flesh might wither and die and turn to dust, but our incorruptible spirit will live on and one day take on an immortal body in Heaven. We should do everything we can to remain in God’s Grace because we want to enjoy everlasting life with Him in Heaven.

What are the things in our lives that attempting to corrupt us? Where have we left ourselves open to death? How can we clothe ourselves with incorruptibility and immortality?

O Lord, give us victory over death.

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.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you. Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

God will help us if we are willing to let Him. He wants what is best for us and if we are committed to Him, He will lead us where we need to be and inspire us to do what needs to be done. If we trust in God and are open to His Holy Spirit, then we will do good and avoid evil. We will be secure from sin and able to resist temptations. Our faith is one that is meant to be lived with complete fidelity and joy. We should take delight in being the children of God and doing His Will in all things.

Are our lives committed to the Lord? Do we trust in Him enough to let Him led us where He wants and not where we want? How can we do good works in our lives.

O Lord, help us to do good.

Amen.

Sixth Thursday of Ordinary Time

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth. Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”

God wants to free us from the chains of sin and prison of death. He does everything in His power to give us the graces we need to resist temptations, do good, and lead Christ-like lives. He didn’t need to do any of this for us, but He choose to do it anyway because we are made in His Divine Image and He unconditionally loves us. He wants us to choose freedom with Him over slavery to our worldly desires. Hopefully, we end up choosing life over death.

What are the sins and worries that chain and enslave us? How can we break free of these things and be released from our bondage? Do we praise God for all the help He has given us to free us from sin and death?

O Lord, release us from all evil.

Amen.

Third Friday in Ordinary Time

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

Our salvation comes from the Lord. It is a gift given to us freely and lovingly. However, it is a gift we can reject through sin and selfishness. This is why we must be on constant guard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. He wants us to distrust and ignore the Lord. He wants us to do evil. He wants us to delight in ourselves. He wants our destruction. Thankfully, God is patient and merciful and if we trust in Him and are good, He will lead us to salvation and protect us from all that would harm us. Moreover, He will grant us our hearts’ requests as long as they will lead us closer to Him.

Do we trust in the Lord’s Divine Plan for our lives? What can we do to guard against the temptations of the Devil? How can we do better with the time, talents, and treasures God has given us?

O Lord, grant our hearts’ requests if they are in line with Your Divine Will.

Amen.