Seventh Friday of Ordinary Time

Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes.

God has taught us everything we need to know to be holy people. He gave us the Scriptures to teach us. He gave us His Beloved Son to show us. He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us. He gave us His Church to shelter us. We know His Commandments from keeping holy the Sabbath day to not coveting your neighbors’ goods. We know the Golden Rule to love God and one another as God loves us. If we keep His Commandments and love with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, then we will be blessed and enter into eternal life with God, Our Heavenly Father.

Do we ask for and seek guidance in how best to live the Christ-like life? What can we do to better learn and practice the statutes of our God? How can we lead others to follow God’s commandments?

O Lord, guide us in the way of your commands.

Amen.

Sixth Friday of Easter

One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision, "Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city." He settled there for a year and a half and taught the word of God among them.

We all have fears and doubts. We wonder if what we are doing is the right thing. We wonder if the path we are taking will lead us to a better life. We wonder if our virtues and faith can overcome our vices and indifference. However, as long as we seek to do God's Will and go on following the Way, speaking the Truth, and living the Life, then we have nothing to fear. Nothing can truly harm us. Yes, the world can bruise us, mock us, and cast us aside, but God will be there through it all granting us His peace and protection. Our minds, our spirits, and our souls will remain untouched by the trials of the world and we shall know the tranquility that comes from knowing, loving, and serving God.

What fears, doubts, and sins do we have to overcome in order to be at peace? How can we trust in God's Love, Mercy, and Grace enough to speak the Good News? In what ways can we put God the Father, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit over our weaknesses and insecurities and let Him protect us from harm?

O Lord, help us to go on speaking the Good News and doing good works no matter the difficulties.

Amen.

The Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough."

Reaching the Kingdom of Heaven is no easy task. It requires us to strive for it. We are not perfect. We have faults, temptations, and sins that keep us from obtaining our full potential. Thankfully, God does not require us to be perfect. What He requires of us is the striving for holiness. We need to pursue God's Will with patience and persistence, never allowing our fears, doubts, or selfishness to get in the way of what we are called to do. We might stumble and fall, we may even fail most of the time, but as long as we keep trying to do the right thing God will give us the graces we need to succeed in this greatest of quests. The strength of our character will be measured by our ability to not only overcome our faults with God's help, but also to seek His forgiveness. If we let His Divine Mercy be our strength, then we shall be strong enough to enter through the narrow gate.

What are we striving for in our lives? Is being with God in heaven our main goal or has something else taking its place? How can we align our hearts, souls, and minds toward what is truly important, namely doing God's Will and joining Him in life everlasting?

O Lord, we are not strong enough to save ourselves, but with you all things are possible.

Amen.