Thursday, April 30, 2015

Fourth Thursday of Easter

“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Pride is one of the deadliest and subtle of sins because it is so difficult for us to know when we are wrong about something or someone. Once we have an opinion, we often find it difficult to change it even in light of the arguments of others. However, we are not greater than the Son of God and by extension we should not consider ourselves better than our brothers and sisters who bear the image of God within their souls. Jesus came into the world to save souls, not condemn them. It was the sins he condemned, not the sinners. We should remember this model the next time we think we are better than someone else or desire to point out someone else’s failings. Most of the time, Jesus rebuked peoples' sins in a loving and mild way, we need to do the same. And if we have nagged or berated someone we should apologize for it and pray to be better instruments of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace.

What acts of pride have we committed? Did we attempt to make amends for them? How can we do a better job of being meek and mild like Jesus?

O Lord, we are not greater than you. We are merely children in need of your loving example of forgiveness.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Fourth Wednesday of Easter

“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”

If we believe in a loving God, then why do we so often fail to be loving? Sometimes we allow the darkness in our lives to overwhelm us with doubt and fear or deter us from doing the right and good thing. We need to remember that Jesus came into the world as light for us when things are at their darkest. No sin is too much for him to forgive if we will but believe in him and trust in his promise to protect us from evil and raise us out of sin.

How do we express our belief in Jesus? Do we try to see him in all the people around us? What do we do to allow the light of Christ to shine through us and into the world?

O Lord, be our light.

Amen.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Fourth Tuesday of Easter

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.

What a blessing and a grace to be in Jesus’ hand! While we are in his gentle hands, nothing can take us away from him. He teaches us His Truth. He leads us by His Way. He gives us His Life. How can we ever repay him for what he has done for us? Perhaps we can start by opening our ears and listening to his voice, by following in his footsteps, and accepting the eternal life he offers us so that we might never perish. When we do these things we become more Christ-like and begin to understand what it means to make our lives into a living sacrifice as Jesus did for us.

Do we listen for and to the God’s voice in our lives? Do we follow in Christ’s footsteps or do we make our own way? Have we truly accepted eternal life or have we settled for the worldly one we are living?

O Lord, keep us in the palm of your hand.

Amen.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Fourth Monday of Easter

“Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Jesus came to give us abundant life and it is up to us to follow him through his open gateway or to let ourselves be stolen and slaughtered by the thief. So how do we enter into the abundant life Jesus promises us? We do so by imitating Christ and becoming meek and mild like the lamb in his parable. When we humble ourselves and follow Jesus’ lead, we are protected and provided for by God. We are saved and our souls grow in faith and when the time of harvest comes we yield much to the shearer’s blade.

How can we do a better job of following Christ? What can we do to keep the thief of souls away from us? Are we as meek, mild and humble as we should be?

O Lord, lead us through your gate to abundant life.

Amen.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Fourth Sunday of Easter

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus is our good shepherd and throughout the Gospels he constantly shows us what it means to lay down our lives for others. He protects us from those things which would kill us, not just physically, but spiritually. The only time we lose that protection is when we wander off on our own sinful ways and refuse to let him help us. Even then, he does not stop searching for and calling out to us. We can learn a lot about how to be good shepherds of men by emulating Jesus in our daily lives and laying down our life for our fellow children of God.

What do we do each day to imitate the Good Shepherd? Who do we lay our lives down for and how? What makes us afraid to risk ourselves for others?

O Lord, you are the good shepherd. Show us how to lay down our lives for others.

Amen.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Third Saturday of Easter

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you?”

The way of our salvation can be hard and difficult for us to accept at times. We might be overcome with fears, doubts, and anxieties in regards to what Jesus is asking us to do on a daily basis. However, we should not be shocked by this. Christ gives us the perfect model for what it means to follow him when he makes his life a living sacrifice for our sins through his Passion and Death. What should be shocking to us is how we react to this sacrifice. It’s not always at the forefront of our minds. Sometimes we go long periods of time without giving it a thought, and yet his unblemished sacrifice is ever present to us through the outpouring of his love, mercy, and grace. Yes, the way of the cross is hard and difficult to accept, but Jesus accepted it for us, so why can’t we accept his offer to share his easy yoke?

What are the difficulties we expect to face while doing God’s Will? What hardships have come into our lives as the result of doing the right and good thing? What graces have we received because we decided to do the right and hard things in our lives?

O Lord, your way is hard to accept, but we want to walk with you now and forevermore.

Amen.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Third Friday of Easter

“For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.”

By Jesus’ own words he explains that he is truly present in the bread and wine we receive at Mass. He gives himself completely to us—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. When we partake in the Blessed Sacrament, we welcome him into our hearts and allow him to dwell their as he dwelt with his Mother in the manger and throughout his childhood. Similarly, he remains within us as he did with his disciples as he preached the gospel and revealed to them the mystery of his Most Holy Sacrifice of the Altar. When we consume his Body and Blood, we are consumed by him and the Holy Spirit. And when we partake in him, we become true Godbearers of the Divine Word.

Have we taken the time to appreciate the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Body and Blood we receive at the Mass? What do we do to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ? How do we reflect the graces we receive through the Blessed Sacrament in our lives outside of Church?

O Lord, let us eat your Flesh and drink your Blood and remain with you forever.

Amen.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Third Thursday of Easter

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

Jesus gave his flesh for the whole world and this sacrifice is made present to us again and again—though in an unbloody manner—through the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Altar. We would do well to contemplate what Jesus’ sacrifice means for us, not just abstractly, but concretely. If Jesus hadn't come, the world would be a darker place with little hope of anything more than mere survival. There would be no Christians, no priests, no religious, no Church, or anything else inspired by Christ’s teachings. So many hospitals and charities would never have existed. So many more people would have perished in famine, poverty, illness, and other maladies because without the Church there to help stabilize the fall of Rome, the majority of Western culture might have been snuffed out. Thank goodness Jesus did come down from heaven and give us his Flesh for the life of the world.

What would the world be like if there had never been a Christ? What if there was no promise of salvation for us though the Body and Blood of Jesus? How grateful should we be that Jesus did come and die for us?

O Lord, you are the living bread. We are blessed beyond all knowing to partake in you and your promise of eternal life.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Third Wednesday of Easter

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Sometimes we forget that our faith lives lead us inevitably to the Resurrection on the last day. What we do today will help determine where we will spend all of eternity. It’s hard to wrap our minds around the concept of eternal life. Our present lives are consuming enough without worrying about what will happen after we pass on to the next life. However, if we want to truly appreciate our faith and live it to the fullest, we need to have a healthy remembrance of what our goal is on earth, namely to prepare ourselves to live eternally with God in heaven. So the next time we get so busy that we think we don’t have time to pray or do some good deed, perhaps we should remember that we don’t know the hour of our death and we should do everything in our power to make time for God and seize those opportunities He gives us to prove that we believe in His Son.

Have we forgotten to pray, do good, or offer up our lives today for God’s glory? What are the worldly things in our lives which keep us from focusing on the heavenly ones? How can we focus even our mundane tasks on God so that we make our lives a living prayer to Him?

O Lord, we believe in your Son and hope you shall raise us up on the last day.

Amen.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Third Tuesday of Easter

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

We should all be clamoring for the Bread of Life. It is the one food that can truly sustain us through all our trials. So why then do we so often settle for the food of the world? Why do we spend so much time devouring the empty vanities that surround us? These worldly things do not satisfy our soul and after we have indulged in them they leave us hungry for more. We ought to set aside the junk food of our souls—our imperfections and sins—and start partaking in the substantial feast of good works God has set before us. Every day God gives us ample opportunity to come to Him through our works and believe in Him through our thoughts. So let us not deny the spiritual food He has prepared for us or delay our reception of it. Instead, we should make every effort to bring the Bread of Life into our hearts.

What are the imperfections and sins that keep us from filling ourselves with Christ? How can we set aside those worldly things which keep us from God? What efforts can we undertake to go to Jesus and express our belief in him?

O Lord, help us to come to you and never be hungry or thirsty again.

Amen.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Third Monday of Easter

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”

Jesus offers us the food of eternal life—himself. When we partake of him through the reception of His Body and Blood, we become sealed with the Holy Spirit. He gives us all the spiritual nourishment we need to endure to the end of our lives so that we can join him in the afterlife. We should try to remember this when we receive the gift of the Blessed Sacrament and do everything we can to prepare for Jesus coming into our hearts.

How do we prepare for the reception of the Eucharist? What can we do to make our hearts ready for Him? Do we reflect on the graces we gain through the reception of Him?

O Lord, give us the food of eternal life.

Amen.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Third Sunday of Easter

"Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?”

Sometimes we are troubled by and doubtful of God's Divine Plan for us. We only get a glimpse of what He intends for us and it frightens us. We wonder how we could ever do this thing or that thing He is asking of us. However, this is where trust in the Lord is necessary. We have to cultivate our faith in the Lord, so that when He does ask us to follow Him where we do not want to go we will have the fidelity to say, “Yes.” God does not promise an easy road for His followers. His path is a narrow one with many trials and tribulations along the way. If we stray, even if only by a little, we can get lost. Thankfully, when we do get lost God sends us the graces we need to return to Him just like He sent his Resurrected Son to the disciples when they were lost after his Passion and Death. We are given a new opportunity to live Christ-like lives and we ought to do everything we can to accept these graces and allow God to bring us back into His fold.

What troubles us in our lives? What questions frequently arise in our hearts? How can we address these troubles and questions in such a way as to build up our relationship with God?

O Lord, we are troubled. Help us to become more trusting in you.

Amen.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Second Saturday of Easter

But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

The Lord works with us. He gives us every grace we need to think, say, and do the right and good thing. Wherever we are lacking, he takes up the slack. We need to remember this the next time we face a seemingly impossible or very difficult task. We grow in our faith by risking ourselves for Christ, by being willing to go forth and preach the Gospel through our words and works. Let us be not afraid to be a sign of God’s love for His children. We may not cast out demons, speak in tongues, or anything else overtly special, but whenever we commit an act of charity or mercy, we perform a miracle. We should make sure we perform these miracles in the name of the Lord. When we do that we make ourselves and our actions into sacramental signs of God’s Love.

Do we go forth and preach the Gospels in our lives? In what ways do we recognize all the help God has given us? How can we be better signs of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace?

O Lord, work with us to go forth and preach your Most Holy Word.

Amen.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Second Friday of Easter

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?"

The boy has only a meager offering of loaves and fish, but Jesus multiplies them to feed thousands. In the same way, Jesus takes our meager good works and multiplies them to help thousands. Every act of love we commit ripples through the lives around us. Jesus magnifies love and turns our charitable works—no matter how small—into beacons of his Divine Love for all. So whenever we are presented with the opportunity to do good, we ought to offer whatever we have to God and let him feed His children with it. We should not let others convince us that our kindnesses are useless or meaningless. Our good works are given use and meaning by how God weaves them into his Divine Plan.

What acts of love, great or small, can we do for our fellow children of God? What opportunities to do good do we have available to us? In what ways have we noticed that our good works ripple away from us?

O Lord, let us offer you all our love so that you can magnify it and feed your children.

Amen.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Second Thursday of Easter

Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

God is trustworthy. This is something we should keep in mind whenever we start to ask, “Why me?” Perhaps the trials and tribulations we have in this life help lead us to where we need to be. Maybe the reason why we go through difficulties is because they serve some greater purpose. Most importantly, God gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit to see us through all of our problems. He loves us and expresses this love through all the graces He gives us. If we are so focused on our sufferings and complaints, we miss these little miracles that surround us. So the next time something bad happens to us, perhaps be shouldn't ask “Why me?” but rather “What grace will come from this?”

How often do we ask ourselves “Why me?” Can we change our hearts so this this question becomes: “What grace will come of this?” How can we remind ourselves that God gives us the Holy Spirit to overcome all our trials?

O Lord, we accept your testimony. Grant us the gift of your Spirit.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Second Wednesday of Easter

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

God loves us so much He sacrificed his own Son for us in hopes that we would open ourselves to His Mercy and Grace. Whenever we feel unworthy or depressed, we should remember these words and the sacrifice Jesus made for us during his Passion and Death. We are loved. No matter how unloved or unappreciated we might feel at any single moment, God loves us and that makes us worthy of loving ourselves. If God sees the good in us in spite of the bad, then who are we to condemn ourselves and deny the forgiveness He offers us. In the end, it is our choice because although God loves us He will not force us to love Him, our neighbors, or even ourselves. He allows us make the choice to follow Him and be saved or to follow ourselves and be lost. Hopefully, we choose to welcome His Love with open arms.

Do we recognize on a daily basis that God loves us? What do we do to remind ourselves of His Love Mercy, and Grace? Do we love ourselves in a healthy way, not selfishly, but selflessly?

O Lord, send your Son to us so that we might not perish, but rather have eternal life in, with, and through you.

Amen.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Second Tuesday of Easter

“Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?”

Jesus tells us what we need to hear, not necessarily what we want to hear. He challenges us to look beyond the worldly things around us and set our sights on the heavenly things we cannot see. He gives us a testimony of what we must do to be heirs of the Kingdom of God, but if we don’t put aside our earthly desires and take up heavenly ones, we will be lost and unable to live the lives we ought to be living. We need to open our ears and our eyes, to listen and to see, the Word of God living in the message of today’s Gospel. Only when we recognize and accept his Living Word into our hearts, will we be able to have the eternal life Jesus promises us.

What do we need to hear? What earthly things have we lost ourselves in? What can we do to recognize God when He is calling us?

O Lord, tell us about the heavenly things we have ignored and help us to seek them above all.

Amen.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Second Monday of Easter

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

Jesus tells Nicodemus—who comes to him at night—that he needs to be born from above in order to see the Kingdom of God. We, too, come to Jesus in the darkness of our own sins and doubts and question God. We ask him, “How can we be reborn again?” And he answers that the Spirit is the one who will give us new life and we don’t need to know where it comes from or where it is going. The only thing we need to do is listen to the Holy Spirit and follow God's inspirations. If we do these things, then we will be reborn into Christ and our thoughts, words, and works will have him as their source, center, and summit.

How can we be renewed in our faith? What steps do we need to take to become true children of God? What is the Holy Spirit calling us to do?

O Lord, we want to be born again in you.

Amen.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Divine Mercy Sunday

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Jesus Christ sends us all forth into the world. And as our companions, he gives us the Holy Spirit and God's Divine Mercy. He tells us no matter how afraid we are or how much we might doubt him, he is always at our side ready to give us the peace we need to persevere. Like the disciples who failed him during his Passion, he offers us a chance to make amends for our sins by becoming bearers of his Good News—his love, mercy, and saving grace. What a marvelous gift he gives us in the Holy Spirit. We should consult it at every turn of our lives. If we do this, then we will be at peace no matter what happens to us because we will know we did our best to be Christ in the world.

Do we allow God to send us into the world? How do we receive the Holy Spirit? How to we manifest God’s Divine Love, Mercy, and Grace in our lives?

O Lord, open our hearts so we might receive your Holy Spirit and live in accord with your Will.

Amen.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Jesus tells the Apostles to do this after he rebukes them for not believing he had been raised. He understands human frailty in the face of doubt. Sometimes our faith falters and we fail to live up to what Christ calls us to be. However, he always challenges us to go back into the world and proclaim the Gospel. He gives us every opportunity to be a person of good words and works. We have only to trust in what he tells us through the Church, the scriptures, and the Holy Spirit.

What don’t we believe about our faith? How can we learn to trust the teachings of the Church? In what ways do we go into the world and proclaim the Gospel?

O Lord, constantly remind us of our calling to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world.

Amen.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Friday in the Octave of Easter

"Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.

Children. What a wonderfully loving way to address his disciples! And the amazing thing is he calls us his children, too. Just like he asked his disciples if they have caught anything, he also asks us what we have been doing. Our own endeavors don’t always turn out how we want them and sometimes we fail. When we do have trials, God is there to give us advice and points us in the right direction. All we have to do is cast ourselves at the spot He points to and pull in our nets. He wants us to thrive, and not just survive. So the next time we feel like we are getting nowhere fast, perhaps we should look toward the heavenly shore for guidance.

What are we doing with our lives? If we are going through a rough patch, what can we do to turn over our troubles to God? Do we listen to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and cast our nets where He directs us?

O Lord, help us to live lives focused on becoming fishers of men.

Amen.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

"Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

When something unexpected happens we can become startled and terrified, just as the disciples were when Jesus appeared to them. However, no matter whatever happens in our lives, whether expected or not, God is constantly telling us, “Peace be with you.” He wants us to be calm and recollected in the midst of out triumphs and our trials. And if we truly trust in Him, we should always be at peace because we ought to know that He loves us and always has our best interest at heart. So let us be instruments of peace in this hectic world and welcome the Holy Ghost into our lives not with fear and trembling, but with joy and dancing.

Do we have peace in our lives? How can we cultivate the calm of Christ? What can we do to be an instrument of God’s peace?

O Lord, grant us your peace.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

The disciples who are walking with Jesus do not recognize him when they first meet him. They do not recognize him when he opened the scriptures to them. However, when he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, then their eyes were opened. But why does Jesus vanish? Why does he leave them? If we read closely we see that Jesus does not leave them. He makes himself present to their hearts through the celebration of the Eucharist. Sometimes we can forget who is residing in the Blessed Sacrament, either because we are overwhelmed with worries or thoughtless about our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. But we must always seek to recollect ourselves at Mass and realize that God is truly and wholly with us in the Eucharist. Our hearts should be ever burning within us as we approach and receive the Blessed Sacrament.

Do we recognize Jesus within the Body and Blood we receive during Mass? How do we prepare ourselves for receiving him into our hearts? What do we do afterward to give thanksgiving for all he has done for us?

O Lord, open our eyes to the blessing of the Most Holy Sacrament of Your Altar.

Amen.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.

When someone calls our name, we usually respond to them. Sometimes we know who is calling us even before we see them because we know their voices. God knows each of us by name and we should always keep our ears open to His call. This is especially the case when we are in the midst of trial and turmoil, like Mary was as she frantically searched for Jesus’ body. She was so distraught she didn't recognize Jesus by his appearance, but rather by his voice. The gospel is one of the ways God’s voice makes itself manifest to us and if we want to be able to recognize Him when he is calling, we need to familiarize ourselves with it. We also need to be open to the messages He sends to us through our family, friends, and neighbors. They might not always speak for God, but sometimes they tell us something God needs us to hear.

Are we listening for God’s voice? When we hear it, how do we react? Do we welcome it or ignore it?

O Lord, you are our teacher, help us to listen to your voice.

Amen.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Monday in the Octave of Easter

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.

Jesus meets Mary Magdalene and the other Mary while they are on their way to deliver the message of the angel. They are faithfully bearing the good news and because they are doing this Jesus rewards them with his greeting. We too are called to bring the Gospel message to others and if we do it well, God will reward us too. He will give us his Holy Spirit to uphold us in our hour of need. He will give us His only begotten Son through the sacrament of the Eucharist. He will give us His Fatherly Mercy when the Day of Judgment comes. In response we should be ready to greet the Holy Trinity with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, embrace the foot of his Heavenly Throne, and do Him homage.

Do we bear the message of Jesus as we should? If not, then how can we do a better job of delivering his message to our brothers and sisters? How do we greet God when he is made present to us through the sacraments?

O Lord, we embrace you and do you homage.

Amen.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

The Resurrection of the Lord

“Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large.

The women who come to anoint Jesus’ body are so intent upon their task that they have not thought about the obstacles in their way and are amazed when they discover that the Lord has risen. They came to the tomb in sorrow and uncertainty, but when they left it they are amazed. The folly of the cross has become the boon of the resurrection. Jesus has rolled back the stone of death and opened the entire human race to the rising sun of eternal life. The next time we fail or when we are uncertain, we should remember the glory of Easter. It is always darkest before the dawn.

What are we uncertain about? What expectations keep us from fully appreciating God’s work in our lives? Has God ever failed us or have we failed to see his saving hand even behind the trials of our lives?

O Lord, roll back the stones that block our hearts from you so that we might be open to the rising sun of your love.

Amen.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil

Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, 
‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’

Do not be amazed! What an odd thing to say after the Resurrection, and yet, how appropriate for us to hear. These are not earthly words. They are heavenly ones. They are filled with trust in God’s Providence. The angel is not amazed because he knows God always follows through on His Promises. We on the other hand are amazed because we are human and used to being let down or failing to follow through on a promise. This is not how God thinks or works. His Ways are above our ways and we should be very thankful for that. We should also remember that Jesus went before us to prepare the way to eternal life and now it is up to us to follow in his footsteps. This task is bewildering and frightening to us because it forces us to ask ourselves the following questions:

How can we make ourselves into a living sacrifice for our God and His children? How can we transfigure our lives to God’s Ways? How can we trust God’s Divine Plan when it is obscured by darkness?

O Lord, let us be not amazed that you have gone before us to prepare our way to the heavenly Kingdom.

Amen.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Good Friday

“Didn't I see you in the garden with him?” Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cock crowed.

Sin can be a very subtle thing. It can sneak up on us when we least expect it and lead us to think, say, or do something wrong. This is what happens to Peter in today’s gospel. He is concerned with what is happening to Jesus, which is a good thing, yet when he is confronted by others about his involvement with Christ, he denies Our Lord three times. He doesn't even know what he is doing until the cock crows. And one must wonder if he would have known he was sinning if Jesus had not warned him about what would happen. He might have kept on denying Jesus if not for the foretold sign of the cock’s crow. When we are in the midst of sin we often don’t know that we are. We need someone or something else to reveal it to us. Then, once we recognize our sin we have a choice to make, we can continue to sin or we can seek forgiveness and reconcile ourselves to Our Lord.

What are the subtle sins in our lives? Are there any warning signs we've been ignoring or been told to us by others? If we are denying Jesus in some way how can we make amends for our sins?

O Lord, we know we have denied you, but please forgive us as you did Peter.

Amen.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Holy Thursday

Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him,  “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”

Never say never when God is concerned. We might have our own preconceived notions about how things should be, but we should never close ourselves off to what God is calling us to do. Sometimes when we see something that doesn't mesh with our own opinion, we can rebel against it. However, Jesus constantly reminds his disciples that God’s Ways are not our ways. His Thoughts are not our thoughts. He has a Divine Plan that we need to take heed of when making our own. If we want to inherit the Kingdom with Christ, then we need to be willing to change our course mid-stream and swim against the current of our lives.

What are the preconceived notions in our lives? Are they in alignment with the gospel message of Christ? If not, then how can we replace them with ones that are from God and not from our own opinions?

O Lord, wash away our resistance to you so that we can inherit the Kingdom.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Wednesday of Holy Week

What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?

Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver—a cheap price—because of his greed. However, we too sell out Jesus in many ways. Some of us sell him for the false comfort of doing whatever we wish. Others sell him out for financial security. We also sell him out because we think we can do better or because we want something that belongs to someone else. We use the wages of sin to appease our appetites, but we soon discover an emptiness within ourselves which cannot be filled with worldly things—no matter how hard we might try. So we are left alone, eaten away by our own appetites, and like Judas one day we will be faced with a choice: remain unrepentant and kill ourselves through sin or seek forgiveness and live. It sounds like an easy choice, but it is far more difficult than we can possibly imagine because we become addicted to the material world and its temptations and lose sight of what is right and wrong. How can we seek forgiveness when we do not recognize our own sins? However, this is what we must do if we want to live, not just this life, but the eternal life which Jesus Christ offers us through Himself.

How do we sell out Christ? What are those sins which we are addicted to? How can we overcome them?

O Lord, we have sinned against you. Please, help us cast aside our sins and seek you out with contrite hearts.

Amen.