The Nativity of the Lord

When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my son; this day I have begotten you? Or again: I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me? And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

Jesus came into the world to purify us and he accomplished that through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. However, the road to salvation had many way points throughout time. From the beginning, Jesus’ sacrifice for us was planned. His conception, his birth, and his life on earth were set in motion before creation. The Father of the Universe, the Son of Salvation, and the Holy Spirit of Love between them conceived the world with man’s redemption in mind. All time has been ordered to this end, united by the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all time. So, let us be joyful and thankful for this day, for the birth of Christ, and sing with the angels of Heaven, “Glory to the newborn King.”

What is our role in the history of salvation? What are we doing to bring about the salvation of souls and purification from sins? How can we bring the message of Christmas into the world every day of the year?

O Lord, thank you for coming into the world as a little child and purifying us from our sins.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil.

Rejoice, pray, and give thanks without ceasing... this is the will of God for all of us. God wants us to be filled with joy and happiness. He wants us to be cheerful even in the midst of our daily trials. He wants us to pray to Him constantly and be in dialogue with Him through the Holy Spirit so our relationship with Him can bear much fruit. He wants us to give thanks to Him for all the good He has done for us. He wants us to accept His Love, Mercy, and Grace with adoring, contrite, and humble hearts. He wants us to be on fire with the Holy Spirit and listen to the voice of our consciences. He wants us to be open to His inspirations sent to us through our thoughts and the thoughts, words, and works of others. He wants us to test everything in order to make sure our days are filled with people, places, and things which lead to good and avoid all evil. In short, He wants us to be alive in Jesus Christ so we might live with Him forever in heaven.

Do we have joyful hearts, even in the midst of trials? Do we pray without ceasing and give thanks to God all the days of our lives? Are we letting the Holy Spirit think, speak, and work through us for the good of all?

O Lord, we rejoice in you. We pray to you. We give thanks to you.

Amen.

Second Wednesday of Advent

The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

God doesn’t get tired of us. He loves us just as much when we are saintly and when we are sinful. He does not force us to do anything, but rather lets us choose. He wants us to be good and faithful servants because we love Him and He is willing to wait patiently for us to come to Him. His unwavering love does not grow faint or weary, but that doesn’t mean His Love and Mercy for us will trump His Justice. If we fall into sin, He is more than willing to forgive us. However, we need to be contrite for our sins and honestly desire to amend our lives. We might not always succeed, but we should not grow weary of trying to be holy. God gives us every strength and grace we need to overcome the temptations we face. He gives us spiritual vigor during our times of trial and will renew us after every battle with our sinful selves. If we let Him, He will grant us wings which will bear us to heaven and eternal life.

Do we give thanks to God for being so patient with us? Are we truly grateful for the love, mercy, and support He has given us throughout our lives? How can we express our thanks for all God has done for us?

O Lord, give us your strength and vigor.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

I will praise your name forever, Lord. Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. 

There is much we should be thankful for as Christians. We should be thankful for having a Heavenly Father, who created us in His Divine Image. We should be thankful for His Beloved Son, who proclaimed the Good News for us and gave up his life so we might be saved from sin and death. We should be thankful for the Holy Spirit, who is always with us, granting us inspiration and guidance so we might lead holy lives. The Holy Trinity is someone we can all praise forever because He has done so many works for us, great and small. He has united us with himself, revealing His Love, Mercy, and Grace. Yes, indeed, we have much to be thankful for because our God is full of glorious majesty and wondrous works.

What are we thankful for this year? In what ways do we show our thankfulness to God for all He has given us? What can we do to help make others thankful?

O Lord, we will praise your works and proclaim your might forever and ever.

Amen.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

To the upright I will show the saving power of God. “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; Then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”

God wants all His children to be upright and good. He wants us to offer him praise and thanksgiving for all our gifts and graces. He wants us to recognize Him as our Heavenly Father. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him to the best of our abilities. He wants us to call upon Him in our times of trouble and distress. He wants to rescue us from the slavery of sin and spare us a destructive death. He wants us to give Him glory and place our trust in Him. All for our benefit, not His. He does not need anything from us, but He does want what is best for the members of His Spiritual Body.

Do we offer God our praise as a sacrifice? Do we fulfill our vows to Him? Do we call on Him in our times of distress?

O Lord, we offer our praise to you as a sacrifice.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Friday in Ordinary Time

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God and so should we. Our voices should lift up with the angels and saints and declare our thanks to God for all He has done. We should also proclaim and appreciate His handiwork, both great and small. He has truly done many things for us from the moment of our conception to this moment in time. And He will continue to do so through the rest of our lives and forever. What a wonderful Father we have, who loves and cares for us beyond anything we could hope for. What an amazing Brother we have in Jesus Christ, who showed us how to live holy lives. What a great Holy Spirit we have, an Advocate for us in our darkest hours and a light to lead us where we are called to be. Yes, indeed, let us proclaim the glory of God, for He is Good and Merciful, even to us poor sinners.

In what ways do we proclaim the glory of God? How do we join our voices with those of the angels and saints? What can we do to celebrate having such a wonderful Holy Trinity watching out for us in all things?

O Lord, we declare the glory of God and proclaim His handiwork.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

Lord, in your great love, answer me. But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

Despite what we might suffer in this life, we should never lose hope. We should trust in God’s Goodness and Mercy and believe with all our hearts, minds, and strengths that He will save us. He loves us and will answer us at a time and in a way that has the greatest chance of guiding us to Heaven. When we are afflicted and in pain, He is there offering us healing. He wants to protect us, but will not force His protection upon us. He wants us to welcome Him into our lives and sing His praises. So, let us offer Him thanksgiving for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us, now and forever.

Do we seek consolation from God when we are afflicted or in pain? Do we ask for God’s protection from all evil? How can we sing His praises to others, especially those who are suffering themselves?

O Lord, let you saving help protect us.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time

The Lord is compassionate toward all his works. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might.

In order to spread the Good News, we have to be willing to live and proclaim it. We cannot sit idly by and let salvation happen to us. Salvation comes to those who are willing to ask, seek, and knock for it. It comes to those who are willing to suffer and die for it. It comes to those who are willing to pray, give alms, and sacrifice for it. It comes to those who love God and show compassion to His children. Salvation comes to those who are active in their pursuit of God’s Will and willing to do whatever it takes to make His Will be done.

Do we talk to others about what God has done for us? How can we spread the Good News in our lives and the lives of those around us? How can we be compassionate toward others as God is compassionate toward us?

O Lord, we give you thanks by speaking of your glory and might to all who will listen.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Friday in Ordinary Time

Come with joy into the presence of the Lord. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name.

We should all seek to be in the presence of the Lord. We should strive to find ways to make Him present in our daily lives. We can do this in many ways. We can see God in the world around us and appreciate everything He has created. We can pray to Him in thanksgiving for all the graces and blessings He has given us. We can meditate upon His Divine Mysteries and contemplate Him in all His glory. We can read the Scriptures as a living book and imagine ourselves in the time of Jesus. We can be holy people, good as our Heavenly Father is good. We can imitate Christ and follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can go to Church for adoration and mass. We can participate in the sacraments and grow in faith, hope, and charity. The important thing is to seek God out in whatever we are doing, great and small, in chores and leisure and everything in between.

What are we willing to offer in thanksgiving to God? How can we show our thanks to God? How can we make God present in our daily living?

O Lord, we thank you for being with us and bless your holy name.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martha

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.

We can be a bit forgetful when it comes to all the things God has done for us. Like the Israelites, we can become lost in worldly things or feel abandoned by God. We can seek out false idols in our lives and while we might not think we are worshiping them, we can give them far more time, talents, and treasures than we give to God. However, it is far better for us to not become lost in the desert of sin, especially mortal sins like idolatry. Better for us to seek God and find Him, then to complain against Him when things don’t go our way. Better for us if we put our energies to use knowing, loving, and serving God and others, then to waste them in the fires of our own selfishness. 

Do we forget God in our daily lives? How can we rid ourselves of the idols of distraction and sin that surround us? What can we do to become more perfect followers of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, never let us forget you.

Amen.

Twelfth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD, or proclaim all his praises?

There are many ways we can give thanks to God. We can give Him thanks through our prayers. We can give Him thanks through our acts of almsgiving. We can give Him thanks through our moments of mercy. We can give Him thanks through our mortifications and sacrifices. We can give Him thanks through our daily chores. We can give Him thanks with a glance toward Heaven. We can give Him thanks through our work for and with others. We can give Him thanks by proclaiming the Good News through our every word and work.

How do we give God thanks? How can we tell of God’s mighty deeds and proclaim and praise Him to others? How can we be good as God is good to us?

O Lord, we give thanks for you are good.

Amen.

Eleventh Monday of Ordinary Time

The Lord has made known his salvation. In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. 

God has made known His Salvation in many ways. He made it known to the Israelites in the Old Testament. He made it know through the coming of Jesus Christ. He made it known through the life, passion, death, and resurrection of His Beloved Son. He made it known through the proclamation of the New Testament and the sacrifices of the early martyrs. He made it known through the institution of the Church and its traditions. He made it known from generation to generation through the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit. He tries to make it known through us and through the way we think, speak, and work. He wants us to reveal His Justice and Mercy to all the nations. He wants us to show His Kindness to the world. So, let us be God-bearers, magnifying the Lord in all we are from the beginning to the end of each of our days.

Do we give God thanks for all He has done to save us from sin and death? In what ways are we making God’s Salvation known to others? How can we become better signs of God’s kindness and faithfulness toward all of mankind?

O Lord, make your salvation known to and through us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

In the end God will be victorious. Good will overcome evil. Holiness will defeat sin. Life will destroy death. And knowing these things should give us a lot to sing about. We should sing a song of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father for all the amazing graces He has given us. We should sing God’s praises to the mountains and seas. We should march throughout the world as saints, proclaiming God’s Mercy and the promise of Heaven. We should sing joyfully to the world and bear the Good News with all our thoughts, words, and works.

How can we join our voices to those of the heavenly choir? What can we do to bring the music of mercy and love into our world? What joyful notes are we being called to sing for God and His children?

O Lord, we sing your praises on the harps of our hearts.

Amen.

Sixth Tuesday of Easter

Your right hand saves me, O Lord.  I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple, and give thanks to your name.

God is constantly trying to save us. He saves us from temptations. He saves us from evil influences. He saves us from sin. He saves us from immorality. He saves us form the wickedness and snares of the Devil. He saves us from eternal darkness and death. He saves us from our enemies. He saves us from ourselves. He saves us in great and small ways each and every day and for this we should give thanks with all our hearts and sing His praises.

Are our eyes open to the moments of saving grace that surround us? How can we make God’s mission to save us easier for Him? What can we do to amend our lives today?

O Lord, save us.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Easter

I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD, I will chant your praise among the nations. For your mercy towers to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the skies. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; above all the earth be your glory!

Each and every day we should give thanks to our Lord and God. We should chant praises of Him for His Love and Mercy. We should be inspired by how faithful He is to us, who can be so unfaithful. We should exult our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We should give them glory for being such a Good and Holy Trinity to us in all things.

How often do we give thanks to our Lord? Do we praise and exult God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What can we do to glorify Him?

O Lord, we give you thanks, praise, and glory.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Easter

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Exult, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting. Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.

In order to be good and faithful servants of our Lord, we have to trust in Him. We cannot waiver in our duties. We cannot hesitate to carry out His commands. We cannot serve God and serve someone or something else. We cannot hold anything back. Our whole minds, hearts, souls, and bodies must be given completely over to Him. For He has held nothing back from us, even to the point of sacrificing Himself on the cross for our redemption. If such an act is not worthy of our trust, then what is? The sooner we recognize God as our Heavenly Father and King, the sooner we can become heirs to His Kingdom.

Are there things holding us back from putting all our trust in God? How can we uproot these attachments and distractions so we can be fully dependent upon our Lord and God? What can we do to show our thanks for having such a good and gracious God?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just.

When we are in need of strength and courage, all we have to do is ask for them and God will provide. If we need joy or justice, all we have to do is seek them out in the Lord and He will grant them to us. If we desire mercy and love, then all we have to do is knock at the door of Jesus’ Sacred Heart and he will let us in. God is good and He will never ignore us. If our prayers are seemingly unanswered, then perhaps God is answering us in an unexpected and better way. Because He loves us, He does not always give us what we want. He knows better than us what we would do with our requests and sometimes we aren’t ready for our prayers to be answered.

Do we give thanks to God for not only when He answers our prayers, but also when He answers them in ways we don’t expect or might not even like? Do we ask Him for the graces to be strong and courageous in the faith? How can we be as just and merciful as God?

O Lord, we shout for joy for you have answered us with love and mercy.

Amen.

The Resurrection of the Lord the Mass of Easter Sunday

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”

Let us give thanks for the present of Easter, the gift of salvation, and the reward of eternal life. The Lord made the Sabbath for us. He prepared for it from the beginning of time and carried through on the promises He made to our ancestors. He gave His Beloved Son to the cross in order to cleanse our sins through His Body and Blood. He showed us mercy in spite of our sins, our failings, our faults, our doubts, our anxieties, our fears, and our indifferences. Imagine sacrificing ourselves for people who give us nothing but apathy, mockery, and evil. Could we give up our lives for such as these? God tells us, “Yes!” and so, we should make ourselves into living sacrifices... no matter the cost.

How will we celebrate this Easter season? How can we give thanks to God for all the good He has done for us? How can we show mercy to others?

O Lord, your mercy endures forever.

Amen.

Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time

 You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

Every good, grace, talent, and power we have has been given to us by God as a free gift. He provides everything we need to grow in faith, hope, and love because He wants us to spend the rest of eternity with Him. He wants us to rule over our minds, bodies, and spirits with prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice. He wants us to overcome the enemies of evil, temptation, and indifference. He wants us to follow in His Beloved Son’s footsteps and become priests, prophets, and servant kings.

Have we thanked God for all the goods, graces, talents, and powers He has given us? How can we rule over ourselves more perfectly? In what ways can we be more like Christ?

O Lord, thank you for the powers you have given us.

Amen.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

The Lord will remember his covenant forever. I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights.

It can be tough to remember God’s covenant with us, especially in a world full of temptations and distraction. We can lose sight of God’s Goodness and the debts we owe Him for all the gifts He has given us over the years. We can take for granted God’s Love and Mercy and lose our way. Thankfully, God sends us daily reminders, great and small. Instances of His Presence in our lives. The greatest of these reminders is the Blessed Sacrament, which we can receive on a daily basis if we seek it out. And even when we can’t make it to Mass, God pours out His graces on us and makes us part of His company, His children. So, let us be thankful and delight in the works of the Lord.

Do we remember our covenant with God on a daily basis? Do we give thanks to Him for all He has done for us? How can we overcome everything that stands in the way of us being part of God’s company?

O Lord, great are your works.

Amen.