Thirty-First Tuesday in Ordinary Time

In you, O Lord, I have found my peace. O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me.

Pride is a vice none of us can afford to have. Wherever we find it in our lives, we need to uproot it, cast it away, and burn it to ashes. The temptation to pride is one that can bring low even the most holy of people. It can corrupt our good works by turning them into acts weighed down with self-righteousness and disdainful judgments of others. We can prize our own time, talents, and treasures above others. We hear the music of the Church and instead of focusing on the glory of God, we are lost in criticizing others for being poorer singers than we. We see someone act with charity or mercy and we say, “I could do better!” The prideful taint all they touch turning gold to lead and bountiful harvests into wilted crops. Instead of building up the body of Christ, they build themselves up like a tower of Babel, until they collapse under the weight of their own sins and selfishness. So, let us be humble people, busy not with self-important “great things,” but with selfless good things.

Have we found peace in our lives? How can we uproot pride from our lives? What can we do to be happy with being humble?

O Lord, make our hearts not proud, but good.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

Jesus became a priest and victim for us. He became man so he might know and sympathize with us. He became a living sacrament of God’s Love to the world. He became our teacher. He became our brother. He became our servant and king. He did all these things to love us more perfectly. He did it to unite himself with us through His Body and Blood. He did it to triumph over sin and death. He did it to lead us to eternal life with him forever.

How can we imitate the selflessness of Jesus? What is God asking us to become for Him? What can we do to love God more perfectly?

O Lord, thank you for all you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Thirty-First Monday in Ordinary Time

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.

It can be very difficult to look out for other people's interests above our own. We are constantly tempted to think that our time, talents, and treasures are worth more than others. The sin of pride makes it hard to humble ourselves and regard others as more important than ourselves. However, if we want to be followers of Christ, then we have to be willing to sacrifice our own wants and needs for the glory of God and the good of others. We must be filled with love, compassion, and mercy. We must be of the same mind, love, and heart as Jesus. We must look out for others to the best of our ability even if it means giving up our time, our talents, and our treasures. In spite of what the world might think, we will never be impoverished by doing God's Will. Instead, we will be enriched by our Heavenly Father for all the good we did for Him and His children.

Are we willing to put God's Will and the good of others above our own? How can we learn to be humbler and more united to Christ in all we think, say, and do? How can we keep a better eye out for the interests and needs of others?

O Lord, we humble regard you and your children as more important than our own selfish desires.

Amen.

Nineteenth Friday in Ordinary Time

You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was, because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you, says the Lord GOD. But you were captivated by your own beauty, you used your renown to make yourself a harlot, and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by, whose own you became. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl, and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you, that you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.

We must always be on guard against ourselves. Selfishness and pride can lead us astray. They can cause us to misuse our time, talents, and treasures. The can take the beautiful image of God within us and disfigure it with sin and indifference. They can lead to bad habits and worse. Thankfully, God will never give up on us. He will try to bring us back into His good graces whenever we leave the narrow path to Heaven. This is why it is so important to learn to be selfless and humble. These virtues protect us against our darker inclinations and make it possible to resist temptation and be good and faithful children of God.

Are we on guard against our selfish and prideful inclinations? What can we do to protect the image of God within ourselves and live up to the New Covenant? How can we increase in virtue and decrease in vice?

O Lord, we thank you for pardoning all that we have done and failed to do.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD. Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.

We are constantly tempted to forsake God and try to build lives for ourselves. This spirit of selfishness and pride is one that leads to brokenness, emptiness, and death. Without the living waters of God, we dry up spiritually, mentally, and physically. We dig ourselves deeper and deeper into sin and are buried in fears, doubts, and worldly anxieties. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Instead of selfishness and pride, we can build our lives on selflessness and faith in God just like saints Joachim and Anne. They trusted in God, they placed their lives at His service and did everything He asked of them. They loved God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and passed on this devotion to their daughter, Mary, Our Heavenly Queen and Mother.

Are there areas in our lives where we are trying to be the builders and not letting God build for us? What sins, fears, doubts, and worldly anxieties are we allowing to bury us in guilt and worry? How can we become more faithful to God in all things, like the parents of Mary?

O Lord, we thank you for such great spiritual grandparents as saints Joachim and Anne.

Amen.

Fourth Friday of Lent

“With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls' reward.

In the end, we are either counted among the innocent or the wicked. We either revile and torture God and others in thought, words, and deeds, or we love and serve Him and His children with all our beings. We either put God to the test and try His patience or trust in Him completely. We either put God to death through lives of sin and indifference or we become living tabernacles where He can dwell forever and ever. We either rely on ourselves or we depend upon God and have faith that He will take care of us. We either a blinded by selfishness or we are aware of our God-given role in this life and embrace it wholeheartedly.

What areas of our lives are leading us to wickedness? How can we turn our backs on these evils and follow the light? What can we do to increase in virtue and innocence?

O Lord, lead us away from wickedness and into holiness.

Amen.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.  And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

In the end, there are only two destinations for us: heaven or hell. Our thoughts, words, and works paired with our faith in the Holy Trinity determine where we go. If we know, love, and serve God and His children to the best of our abilities and with faithful and hopeful hearts, then we shall go to heaven. If we love ourselves more than God and choose worldly goods over heavenly ones, then we shall send ourselves to hell. If we are willing to suffer and sacrifice for the good of others and the glory of God, then we shall be rewarded with eternal life. If we sacrifice others for our own gain and seek only to exult ourselves, then we shall be humbled in infernal flames. If we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to where we need to be and what we need to do, then we shall find the narrow path to God and enter the Gates of Heaven. If we ignore our consciences and make our own way, then we shall wander the wide road to our own destruction. The choice is ours... either we bend the knee to our Lord and King or we enslave ourselves to sin and selfishness. Hopefully, we choose the former.

Are we acting like God’s sheep or the devil’s goats? Are we willing to let go and let God be Lord and King over our lives? How can we give Him glory, honor, and praise through our actions?

O Lord, we are your sheep... lead us to where we need to be and show us what we need to do.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion, sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

Jesus offered one sacrifice for all of us on the cross. It is a sacrifice that we make present through the sacrament of the Eucharist and one we are all called to participate in. When we receive the Blessed Sacrament, we are asked to unite ourselves to Jesus as he united himself to us by becoming the Word Made Flesh. In a way, we are remade through our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ, becoming living sacrifices to God and for others. The surrender of self to God’s Will is a cornerstone of our faith and requires complete confidence in our Heavenly Father that our sufferings when united to Christ’s Passion and Death will lead to the Resurrection and eternal life.

Do we unite ourselves with Christ’s sacrifice, especially when we receive the Eucharist? How can we become living sacrifices to God’s Glory and for the good of others? Are we willing to give our lives in order to bring about God’s Will?

O Lord, purify us so we might sacrifice ourselves more perfectly to you and for your children.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves–I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves.

Love makes us go out to others. It makes us get up in the middle of the night and seek our beloved. It disturbs us in a good way. It does not let us rest or focus all our energies on ourselves. It requires us to go forth and seek what is best for God and others. If we only care about ourselves than the thought of others would be the furthest thing from our minds. We would have no need for them and become self-involved to the point we would ignore everything else. Selfishness would consume us. But when we love someone else, we can cast aside our selfishness and become selfless for them. Hopefully we do that for God and His children because it is the only way we will ever have eternal life.

What disturbs us from our selfish thoughts? Who do we love more ourselves or God and His children? How can we become more selfless and loving?

O Lord, may our hearts seek you every day and night.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

And I wept. Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried him. The neighbors mocked me, saying to one another: “He is still not afraid! Once before he was hunted down for execution because of this very thing; yet now that he has scarcely escaped, here he is again burying the dead!”

It takes courage to risk your reputation, well-being, or life to do what is right. This is what Tobit did and it is what we are called to do. Just as he went against the king and gave alms to the poor and burial to the dead. He knew it might cost him everything he owned and loved, but he would not sacrifice what was right for an easier life. His neighbors mocked him for doing good. They chose indifference to charity. They chose self-interest over love of neighbor. They refused to bury the dead or give alms out of fear... and it is their loss. They have their lives backward. They do evil and avoid good. But Tobit shows us the way to live. To be not afraid of doing what is right, even if it costs us everything in this world. For if we do good no matter what stands in our way, then we shall have our reward in heaven and our lives shall be secure forever.

Are we courageous when it comes to doing the right thing in face of opposition? Are we willing to suffer in order to know, love, and serve God and His children? How can we become more charitable to all?

O Lord, grant us hearts that will give your love to others without counting the cost.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

No matter how much we might want to convince ourselves otherwise, it is only by dying to our self interests that we can live for God. Every time we choose selfish sin over selfless love, we choose death over life. Every time we choose power, glory, wealth, lust, or any other vice over virtue, we choose death over life. Every time we turn our backs on the needs of others in favor of our own wants, we choose death over life. It is not easy choosing life over death because we are told that it’s the people you know, the places you go, and the things you have that prove whether your life is worth living. However, all of these worldly things are temporary. They are not the foundation of everlasting life. They come and go, but God remains with us always. It is only by loving Him, heeding His Voice, and Holding fast to Him that we find the true purpose of our lives. Without Him, we are dead, but with Him we shall live forever.

Are we choosing a blessed life with God or a cursed death with the world? Have we loved God as we should and heeded His Voice? What can we do to show that we are holding fast to God and His message of selfless love?

O Lord, give us lives that last, filled with faith and good works.

Amen.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles.  Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

It can be so tempting to repay unkindness with vengeance and imposition with rejection. However, these are selfish desires and do not reflect the commandment to love others as God loves us. God’s love is unselfish, it is given without expectation of return. In the same way, our acts of charity should be made not be engender praise or love for us, but because it is the right thing to do. Nor should our works of mercy be given half-heartedly or our forgiveness conditionally. If we want to be good and faithful servants of God, then our love must be selfless, freely-given, and persevering.

Are our hearts merciful and generous even to our enemies? What can we do to better know, love, and serve those who have hurt us? How can we do the same for those who take advantage of us?

O Lord, make our hearts fonts of your love and mercy.

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.

Just like Jesus, we were sent to this earth not to do our wills, but the Will of God. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him out of our own free choice and to do the same for all His children. He does not want to lose any of His children and it is up to us to do everything within our power to ensure that those who are entrusted to us won't be lost, but rather will rise again on the last day. We cannot do these things if we act selfishly and reject God's call to be a beacon of His love to the world. It is only by embracing this role that we will come to completion and know what it means to be whole in Christ.

What can we do to ensure that we do not reject anyone who comes to us? Are we willing to place God's Will before our own? How can we make sure we do not lose anyone who has been entrusted to us by God?

O Lord, we will do your will and not our own.

Amen.

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

If we want to be followers of Christ, like Mary, then we will be destined for the rise and fall of many. We will become signs of contradiction in the world. And swords will pierce our hearts, so that the hearts of many may be revealed. It might be through our lives that God reveals the inner character of others and whether they deserve heaven or hell. We are all called to become witnesses to and sharers of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace in order to show the world that there is another way to live that goes beyond selfishness and to selflessness. Last but not least, part of loving someone means being willing to sacrifice ourselves for them. If we love God, then we will be willing to suffer anything for His Divine Will. He may need us to drink a chalice of sorrow for the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, or the salvation or souls. However, just as Mary was rewarded for her holy life, so shall we be rewarded for ours as long as we remain true to God no matter what comes our way.

Do we live holy lives of contradiction? If not, then how can we become exemplars of what it means to be Disciples of Christ, like Mary? Are we willing to imitate Our Lady of Sorrows and suffer for the glory of God and the good of souls?

O Lord, bless us with hearts willing to sacrifice all for you and your children.

Amen.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

"No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus sacrificed himself for us not only to save us, but also to give us an example of what it means to truly love one another. Love is a sacrificial action. We must be willing to give up a part of what makes us who we are in order to love someone properly. In this way, you and I become "we" and together we are made whole by the love between us. If we live in such a way, then we shall discover our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies can be filled with love and that our acts of charity can help lead others to eternal life. This means renouncing our selfishness and pride, but in return we receive the gifts of selflessness and humility, which are infinitely more patient, mild, and rewarding. In this life we can be egotists or lovers and if we wish to follow in Christ's footsteps, then we had better learn how to love God and others more than our own selfish interests.

How often do we thank Jesus for being lifted up on the cross for our sins? What can we do to express our belief in his saving grace? How can we incarnate Christ's love for others in our own lives?

O Lord, we believe in you and hope that one day you will grant us eternal life.

Amen.

The Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

When we give, we should do so without thought of return. Instead we should do it because of a love of God and all His children. It is much easier to give our time, talents, and treasures to people who we know will pay us back in some way. It is much more difficult to do the same things with those whom might not return our favors or even completely reject them. However, true love is sacrificial. Jesus gave his life for all, even though he knew not everyone would accept him as their Savior and might even mistreat him and his followers. When we love people who cannot repay us in any way, then we act more like Christ. In a world that often asks, "What can you do for me?" It is a grace and virtue to constantly have upon our lips the question, "What can I do for you?" If we live our lives in such a way, then we will be blessed and our reward will come when God tells us that we are good and faithful servants and worthy of remaining with Him for all eternity.

Do we help others without thought of return? Do we treat those who might not be able to repay us in the same way as we would treat those who are always helping us? How can we be more generous with our time, talents, and treasures, especially for those whom we have difficulty loving?

O Lord, give us the grace to invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind into our lives so that we can pour out your love for them.

Amen.

Eighteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.

God isn't telling us that seeking profit or gain is wrong. He is telling us that seeking these things to the point of forfeiting our lives, our morals, and our faith is what is wrong. Many people seek profit for its own sake, which is greed and leads to corruption. However, if we seek profit and gain in order to better know, love, and serve God and others, then we are less likely to go astray because our motives are not selfish, but rather focused on love and charity. God will repay us in kind for all we've done and failed to do, so we should do everything in our powers to do the good and right thing and seek spiritual wealth over and above earthly wealth.

Are we focused on building up a spiritual treasury or a worldly one? Are we forfeiting our lives in the pursuit of selfish interests? How can we conduct ourselves in a manner that will lead us to eternal life rather than death?

O Lord, let our profits and gains be ones that lead us closer to you in spirit and truth.

Amen.

The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.  They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.  A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.  Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.  But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.  He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him.  If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.

The story of the Good Samaritan shows us how we should live our lives. We should treat everyone we meet as our neighbors, as our brothers and sisters in Christ. This means that no matter how busy we might believe ourselves to be, we should always make time for those we meet along the way. All of us know people in our lives who are in need of help, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It is up to us to approach them, tend to their needs, lift them up, and do everything in our power to make them whole again. We cannot do that if we believe our time is more important or if we walk past them because we do not want to get involved. Just like Christ, we should be constantly involved in the lives of those in need and take care of them no matter what it costs us.

Have we taken the time to help those who are in need? Where is the compassion in our lives? Are we willing to give our time, talents, and treasures to those in need of them without worry about the cost to us?

O Lord, help us to be Good Samaritans to all your children.

Amen.

The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

We can be tempted to run away from our daily crosses or try to push them onto others. However, if we want to follow Jesus, we should never be so selfish. Instead, we should deny ourselves, take up our daily crosses, and do God’s Will. Otherwise, we trade the promise of eternal life for the fleeting distractions of the worldly life. This is why Jesus tells us that in order to save our lives, we must lose them. It is because by expending our time, talents, and treasures on earthly endeavors, we rob ourselves of those heavenly things that last forever. But if we are willing to mortify ourselves by giving away our goods, praying, and fasting, then we will save up spiritual merits for ourselves and save our souls.

Are we willing to deny ourselves? Have we taken up our daily crosses without complaint? Are we willing to lose our lives in order to save our souls?

O Lord, help us to deny ourselves and take up our daily crosses.

Amen.

Eleventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When we give alms, we shouldn’t make a display of it or count the cost. Instead we should give freely and in a spirit of sacrifice. When we pray, we shouldn’t make a scene just to bring attention to ourselves. Instead, we should pray to God with selfless intentions or if we do pray in public, it should be because that is where we feel called to pray and give witness to God. When we fast, we shouldn’t seek the pity of others or put on false airs. Instead, we should mortify ourselves in such a way that no one knows what we are given up. We do not perform righteous deeds in order for them to be seen. We do them because they are what God calls us to do. And if we do them without thought of self, then be will be rewarded by God for our gifts of alms, prayers, and fasts.

When we give alms, do we give them for the right reasons? When we pray, do we pray sincerely? When we fast, do we fast to detach ourselves from the world?

O Lord, may we always perform righteous deeds for you alone.

Amen.