Thirteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

With faith all things are possible. We just have to believe in God’s Love and Mercy and trust that whatever happens will be for the good. It takes a great deal of spiritual courage to bring our fears, doubts, and sins before God and to place our hope in Him. Evil thoughts might try to convince us that God cannot forgive what we have done or we are not worthy of forgiveness, but we shouldn’t listen to them. Instead, we should seek our God and present ourselves to Him as we are and ask for Him to heal us and make us as we should be. Only then can we rise from our infirmities, pick our lives off the ground, and go home to our Heavenly Father.

Are we willing to bear our sins to God so He might cleanse us of them? What can we do to cultivate a deeper faith and hope in God’s Mercy? How will we lead our lives once we are granted forgiveness?

O Lord, forgive us our sins and lead us home to you.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

What a grace God has given us through the Church and its sacraments! He has provided us with everything we need to prevail against evil and to free ourselves from sin. All we have to do is trust in Jesus and be obedient to the teachings and traditions of the Church. There is no feeling of freedom like the one we receive through the sacraments. Through baptism, we are freed from original sin. Through reconciliation, we are freed from our sins of commission and omission. Through the sacrament of communion, we are united together with the Body and Blood of Christ and are freed from our venial sins. Through the sacrament of confirmation, we accept our calling to be witnesses to our faith, by word and deed. Through the anointing of the sick, we unite ourselves to the Passion of Christ. Through the sacrament of marriage, we are given the graces we need to unite as husband and wife. Through the sacrament of ordination, we are configured to Christ and become apostolic ministers.

Are we making every use of the graces God has offered us through the Church and its sacraments? Do we follow the teachings and traditions of the Church? How do we prepare ourselves to receive the sacraments?

O Lord, thank you for the blessing you’ve offered us through your Church and its sacraments.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

“Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

There are times in our lives when we, like the disciples, feel like we are perishing. We are terrified by whatever we a facing. Sometimes it is the loss of a job, a loved one, or our health. Whatever the crisis, Jesus is near, reminding us to have faith. We should know how much God loves us and that no matter what happens, He is always with us. And so, even in the midst of the darkest of nights, we should find great calm and comfort knowing that God will never abandon us. He will rebuke the winds and the sea for us if we ask Him and we will be amazed at how much He shows us His Love, even when we fail to do the same.

Do we truly trust that God will save us? How can we put aside our fears and doubts and let in the calm of Christ? Are we as amazed as we should be at the love and mercy God shows us?

O Lord, let us have faith that you will see us safely through the storms of our lives.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other shore. A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

We should all want to follow Jesus wherever he goes. However, this is not an easy path to walk. Our faith, hope, and charity will constantly be tested as we are tempted to seek the comforts of the world around us. In order to succeed at being disciples of Christ, we will need to work tirelessly for the glory of God and the good of others. We do this best when we proclaim the Good News through our every thought, word, and work. By doing this, our lives become living signs of God’s Love and Mercy and inspire others to walk the same path to heaven.

Are we truly willing to follow wherever Jesus leads us? How can we overcome the temptations that attempt to lure us from the Way of Christ? In what ways are we signs of God’s Love and Mercy for His children?

O Lord, we will follow you wherever you lead us.

Amen.

The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Being a disciple of Christ requires a great deal of sacrifice from us, we have to be willing to give up everything for God. We cannot grow too attached to people, places, or things because all of these things are passing and much less important than following in the footsteps of Christ. Proclaiming the kingdom of God through our thoughts, words, and works should be the first priority in our lives. Nothing should come before it, even our families. Material goods cannot compare to the heavenly goods we can store up for ourselves by being willing to follow Jesus wherever he leads us.

How can we detach ourselves from the people, places, and things in our lives so that we can more perfectly attach ourselves to Christ? Are we willing to follow Jesus no matter the cost? What are we doing to proclaim the kingdom?

O Lord, we shall follow you, proclaiming the kingdom of God.

Amen.

Twelfth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

Jesus sees Peter’s mother-in-law is ill and heals her, then goes on to heal many others who are brought to him. We can learn a lot about what it means to love by reading the scriptures and then imitating Jesus’ actions. When we see someone in need, we should have the same response as Jesus does. We should seek to comfort the afflicted and do everything we can to help them heal. So too, we should be willing to sacrifice ourselves to help them as best we can. Jesus did not turn people away because he was too busy, too tired, or needed a break. He did everything he could to help those in need and so should we.

Who are the people in our lives who are most in need? How can we know, love, and serve them? What are we willing to sacrifice for their benefit?

O Lord, you have taken away our infirmities. Help us to do the same for others.

Amen.

Twelfth Friday of Ordinary Time

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it.  Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

God can make us spiritually clean at any time as long as we seek him out in the sacrament of reconciliation. We all can become infected with imperfections and sins that keep us from being true reflections of God. When we fall into sin, we disfigure the image of God within us and make it difficult for anyone to recognize. However, these defects can be fixed. We can be healed, if we are willing to seek out God, ask for His forgiveness with contrite hearts, and do penance. This is how we can prove our sincerity to God and once we have completed all that is asked of us, we will be freed from our imperfections and sins and have a clean conscience to lead us along a better path.

Are we spiritually clean? What imperfections and sins are obscuring the image of God within us? When was the last time we went to the sacrament of reconciliation?

O Lord, make us clean.

Amen.

Twelfth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

Our faith isn't superficial. Sure, we can fool others and fake being good and faithful people, but the truth is seen by God. He knows when our seemingly good acts have evil or impure intentions. He knows when we are being truly faithful and when we are just going through the motions. He knows when we are doing good things, not for His sake, but for the praise of others. Nothing we do is secret from Him. This is why it is so important to be truly faithful in our souls and do the God's Will in everything. Yes, this requires a great deal of sacrifice from us. We have to give up our selfishness, our impure passions, and all those things that may tempt us to sin. However, this is a path that will lead us to life everlasting and graces beyond counting.

Are we being truly faithful or just faking it out of a sense of obligation or desire to be admired by others? Are we truly repentant of our sins and genuinely seeking to amend our ways? How can we become more faithful to God so that He will know us as His own?

O Lord, help us to be truly faithful to you in all things.

Amen.

Twelfth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.

The way we speak and act determines whether we bear good or bad fruits in our lives. If we speak the Word of God and do God’s Will, then we will produce goods and live life abundantly in heaven. If we speak ill and do everything for selfish reasons, then we will produce evils and be cut down and thrown into the fires of Hell. This is the choice we have to make in our lives: to do good or evil. It should be an easy choice, but as with many things, we complicate the choice with anxieties, doubts, fears, passions, and excuses. However, if we want to be worthy of heaven, then we must put aside all these things and instead nourish ourselves on the faith, hope, and love of God, who shows us how to bear the best fruit.

Are our lives bearing good or bad fruits? How can we cultivate our souls so that they only produce goods? What can we do to get rid of those things that cause us to produce bad fruits?

O Lord, give us the grace we need to make all our fruits good.

Amen.

Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.

Staying on the right path is a constant struggle in our lives. We are continually tempted toward sin and selfishness and away from virtue and self-sacrifice. If we are not careful, we can be led astray by our passions or indifference and find ourselves on the wide road to destruction. Jesus never told us that his Way would be easy to follow. But we should spend every moment trying to find and stay on the narrow path to God because it is the only road to eternal life. This is why we should make sure our footsteps are lit by the lights of faith, hope, and love. Without them we are lost, but with them we will be able to walk securely and live a life worthy of passing through the heavenly gates.

What are the temptations, sins, and distractions that are leading us toward the wide road of destruction? How can we live more virtuous and selfless lives? In what ways can we help others stay upon the narrow path to heaven?

O Lord, lead us to your heavenly gates and life everlasting with you.

Amen.

Twelfth Monday of Ordinary Time

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

It can be tempting to point out the flaws and faults of others. It is often easier to see their sins because we are distanced from them. However, just because we see someone sinning, doesn’t give us the right to judge. We shouldn’t condone the sin, but we shouldn’t condemn the sinner. God is the judge who will have the final say because He knows the hearts of His children better than anyone else. So instead of focusing on other people’s problems, we should focus on our own. We are not sinless and we should constantly remind ourselves of this fact. Perhaps with time and practice we will be able to see the wooden beams in our eyes and notice our moral blind spots. Then, we will be in a better position to advise our brothers and sisters because we shall do so out of love and mercy and not out of false pride.

What are the sins that blind us to our own faults? How can we see ourselves more clearly? What can we do to remove these sins from our lives?

O Lord, remove the beam of sin from our eyes so that we can see others as you want us to see them.

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 Saturday of Ordinary Time

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

Sometimes we can become so worried about worldly things that we lose sight of the goal of life: to know, love, and serve God and His children so that we can get to heaven. The world can swamp us with worries, doubts, and fears as we try to juggle our needs, wants, and hopes. However, as long as we trust in God, He will provide everything we need to not only survive, but to thrive as His children. Worrying about the past or the future can keep us from seeing what we are supposed to be doing in the present. So let us clear our minds of those things that are blinding us to what we should be seeking: the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.

What worries, doubts, and fears keep us from doing God’s Will? How can we overcome them? What are we doing today to seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness?

O Lord, you know what we need, want, and hope for. Give these things to us in your own way and time.

Amen.

Eleventh Friday of Ordinary Time

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

It can be tempting to store up treasures on earth. They are more tangible and because of this we can point to them as evidence of our success. However, no worldly treasure will ever last. They will all pass away in time. If we want rewards that truly last, then we need to turn to God and store up treasures in heaven. We do this by knowing, loving, and serving God and our family, friends, and neighbors. Unlike earthly rewards, the treasures we store up through our acts of love and mercy will never decay. In addition, our treasure house of merits multiplies our goods as we give them away to others. It is in this way that we become vessels of God’s Love, never running dry of the wine of charity.

Are we storing up worldly or heavenly treasures for ourselves? How can we build ourselves into a treasure house of God’s graces? What do our hearts treasure most?

O Lord, you are the source of all our treasures.

Amen.

Eleventh Thursday of Ordinary Time

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

This is how Jesus tells us to pray. He makes it clear that our God is also our Heavenly Father. We are His children and as such we are called to do His Will on earth. In return, He sustains us with our daily bread, forgives us as we forgive, and delivers us from evil. We need all three of these things in order to grow in faith, hope, and love. We need the Body and Blood of Christ to nourish our spirits. We need to be merciful toward others so that our own faults might be forgiven. Lastly, we need to be delivered from temptation and evil because alone we would fall into sin, but with God at our side we can overcome every obstacle to living the Christ-like life.

Do all our thoughts, words, and works find their source in our Heavenly Father’s Will? Do we seek out the strengthening graces of the Blessed Sacrament as often as we can? Are we willing to forgive those who trespass against us and avoid temptation and sin?

O Lord, teach us how to make our lives a living prayer that give glory to your hallowed name.

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.

Eleventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus’ teachings push us to go beyond living lives of righteousness and justice to lives of love and mercy. He asks us to love those who persecute us. He challenges us to love those people we dislike the most. He points out that loving those who love us is easy and should be expected. If we truly want to prove ourselves to God, then we must put aside our pride and emotions and choose to love those who hate us and whom we are tempted to hate. God loves all His children, no matter how disfigured by sin and selfishness and if we want to live Christ-like lives that are worthy of eternal happiness with God, then we too must love others with the same unwavering will.

Do we love those who persecute us? How can we learn to love those whom we dislike? What can we do to temper our righteousness and justice with love and mercy?

O Lord, help us to love all your children, even those whom are our enemies.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

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 to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

It takes a great amount of humility and love in order to resist the temptation to repay evil with evil. Our first instincts are to fight those who persecute or hurt us (or perhaps to flee from them). However, this is not the way Jesus wants us to respond. Instead, we are called to turn the other cheek. In addition, we are challenged by Christ to hand over whatever we have to those who ask us and to go the extra mile with those who press us into service. This kind of life is not an easy one. Our prideful selves and the Devil will tempt us to rebel against it by asking us: Why should we sacrifice everything for others? What about us and our needs? Why shouldn’t they serve us instead? These questions may enter our thoughts, but let us never let them enter our hearts. They are selfish questions that lead us away from knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. Instead, we should humbly accept our calling to be givers, no matter the worldly cost, because in the end it is the treasure we store up for ourselves in heaven that matters most.

Do we turn the other cheek when people commit evils against us? Are we willing to give up our wants and needs for others? Will we go the extra mile, even for those who mistreat or exploit us?

O Lord, let us never turn our backs on those in need and never raise a hand against those who harm us.

Amen.

The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Just because someone has sinned against us, someone else, or themselves, doesn’t give us the right to turn our backs on them. In truth, it is even more important for us to do everything in our power to help them reconcile. We might find it hard to forgive those who have harmed us in some way or who have committed sins that repel us. However, these are the people we are most called to forgive, those with the biggest debts. They might not appreciate our attempts at reconciliation. They might even persecute us or try to take advantage of us, but if we do succeed in mending our relationships with them, then much love can flow from our persistence. In addition, when we sin or fail others, we should do everything we can to make amends for our failings and like the woman in this gospel, we should humble ourselves before Christ and seek his forgiveness for all we have done and failed to do. If we do these things, then we shall be saved and at peace.

Who are the people who have sinned against us? Are we reaching out with love and mercy toward them? Can we find it in our hearts to forgive their trespasses?

O Lord, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Amen.

Tenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.

It's amazing how much truth can be captured in one sentence. Let your "Yes" mean "Yes," and your "No" mean "No." This saying is something we all should take to heart. It can be so easy to say, "Yes," to something, but then change our minds. We break promises. We forget. We let fears, doubts, and anxieties keep us from following through with our plans. We can be too hasty in saying, both "Yes" and "No." We should put more thought into our decisions and make sure we are making the right choice from the beginning. We shouldn't make decisions lightly or with the knowledge that we are only saying "Yes" or "No" with no plan to follow what we say. This is not to say there aren't times when we should change our minds, especially when new information is discovered. Being too stubborn to change our minds is also a fault. However, changing our minds should be something we take very seriously precisely because we put effort into our initial decision.

Does our "Yes" mean "Yes" and our "No" mean "No?" Do we take time to properly weigh our decisions and responses to others? Do we take our decisions to heart and follow through on them to the best of our abilities?

O Lord, let our "Yes" mean "Yes" and our "No" mean "No."

Amen.

Tenth Friday of Ordinary Time

You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.

God is always looking at our deeper intents. He alone knows our inner struggles. He sees what is truly going on within us. This is why Jesus makes clear that thoughts can be sinful, too. This isn't to say that stray thoughts, unasked for and unintended are sinful. Everyone has those, but rather sinful thoughts are those that we dwell upon and let live in our hearts. They are the ones we don't push away or try to rid ourselves of. Jesus is warning us not to let our minds become consumed with sinful desires. We should seek to rid ourselves of them at the first sign of temptation. It isn't easy to keep our minds clean, but it is one of the best defenses against sin. Rejecting sinful thoughts from the very outset uproots the evils within us before they can take hold.

What sinful thoughts do we have? How can we rid ourselves of them? If we are having trouble with certain sins, do we ask God for the strength to tear out the causes of our temptations and throw them away?

O Lord, let us not commit evils in our hearts or minds.

Amen.

Tenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

Holding onto grudges is never healthy. Even if we think we are right and the other person is wrong, we should seek a way to settle our differences. Even if we feel unjustly persecuted, we should seek to make peace with them. Jesus did not seek apologies from those who sinned against God and him. He could have been mad at his persecutors when they beat him, denied him, and crucified him. But instead he asked His Father, Our Father, to forgive them for they knew not what they we doing. Sometimes the people who are mad at us don’t know what they are doing either and we should make every attempt to reconcile with them. Jesus could have been angry with his disciples when they fled from him, but he forgave them, gave them the Holy Spirit, and sent them out into the world to spread his Good News. If Jesus can forgive his persecutors and disciples, then who are we to withhold forgiveness to others?

Who are we holding grudges against? Who is holding a grudge against us? How can we settle our differences in a way that is healing for everyone?

O Lord, help us to forgive those who trespass against us and seek forgiveness for our own transgressions.

Amen.

Tenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

The greatest of God’s commandments are to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, and to love our neighbors as God loves them. Everything else boils down to these commandments and so we are called to proclaim and teach them to others. If we fail to do so, then we shall lessen ourselves in the eyes of God. However, if we are willing to sacrifice everything to obey these commandments and teach them through our words and works, then we shall become the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. Of course, in order to effectively teach others how to be obedient to God’s Will, we have to surrender ourselves to Him and be willing to let go of those things, especially our selfishness, that might tempt us to break these commandments. If we can do that, then we shall become living examples of what it means to love God and our neighbor and will build up a treasure of merits in heaven.

Do we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Do we love others as God loves them? How do our thoughts, words, and works show others how to live out these greatest of commandments?

O Lord, teach us to obey you and give witness to your commandments to love.

Amen.

Tenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

We are meant to be lights to the world. Our thoughts, words, and works should shine before others, leading them toward God’s Divine Light and away from the darkness of sin. We are not meant to hide our faith, hope, or charity from the world. Instead we are supposed to reflect the love and mercy of God and be a source of grace for those around us. We do this best through our good deeds, through which we give glory to God. We might be tempted to keep quiet when we hear evils spoken by or about others. We might be tempted to close our eyes to injustices or those in need. But this is not why God gave us the breath of life. We should speak out and give an unquestionable witness to the love of God for all His children, even if it leads to our persecution.

Are we lights for the world? Is there anything holding our spirits back from blazing like the Sun? How can we share our faith with others who are in darkness?

O Lord, make us a light that shines before others and glorifies you.

Amen.

Tenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Beatitudes should be a way of life for us. We should see in these blessings a higher calling and a way to know, love, and serve God and His children more perfectly. They are also a promise by Jesus that when we follow in his footsteps on earth, we build up treasures for ourselves in heaven. If we are humble in spirit, mourn with those who are suffering, submit to God’s Will, hunger and thirst for righteousness, show mercy to others, keep our hearts clean from sin, make peace, and are willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and insulted for our faith in Jesus, then we shall be rewarded. By doing all these things, we become living Beatitudes and instruments of blessing for the whole world, just like Jesus.

Are we living out the Beatitudes? Are we willing to suffer and even die in this life so that we might be rewarded in the next? How can we live lives that are a spiritual blessing to those around us and ourselves?

O Lord, give us the grace to live out the Beatitudes with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Amen.

The Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”

Arise. It's a word Jesus uses a lot in his ministry to others. He tells it to the people he heals, from the paralytic to the dead. This is because he wants all of his children to arise from their afflictions. He wants us to overcome our failings and imperfections and arise to callings. He wants us to rise from the ground when we stumble and fall. He wants us to be resurrected on the last day and spend eternity with him. He does not want us to blinded by tears of sadness or bound by our fears. He wants to set us free from all that holds us back from doing His Will. The only thing we have to do is listen for his calls to arise and answer them each time by getting to our feet and walking the path God has prepared for us.

Are we weeping or sorrowful about something in our lives? How can we arise to the challenges before us and live our lives as Jesus wants us to? What can we do to stand with Jesus and walk his way?

O Lord, let us answer your call and arise to every occasion.

Amen.

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

We do not always understand why things happen in life. Certainly Joseph and Mary didn’t understand why Jesus disappeared for three days. Imagine the emotions they went through during their search only to finally find Jesus in the temple. And then, when they discover him, he isn’t looking for them, but rather he is listening to, questioning, and answering the temple’s teachers. It is only natural for Mary to ask Jesus why he had put them through three days of anxiety. And yet, Jesus does not apologize. Instead, he asks her why they did not start their search in the temple. In a similar way, when we feel lost or anxious, we should take Jesus’ advice to his parents and turn to God first and trust that He will lead us where we need to go and show us what we need to do. Then like Mary, we will learn to treasure all these things in our hearts and come to believe that in the end even the most worrisome of situations will turn out for the best if we have faith in God.

Are there things going on in our lives that we don’t understand? How can we turn these over to God and learn to trust Him enough to lead us to the right place at the right time? Is our first reaction when we are in trouble to depend on ourselves or on God?

O Lord, remind us that it is in your house that we shall find what we are looking for.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."

It is much easier to cut our losses and walk away from problematic people, then to go the extra mile for them and find a way to mend our relationships with them. However, this is what we are called to do. It is part of our vocation to love God and others without holding back. Jesus would search for us if we were lost, lift us up, and carry us back to our heavenly home. We should do no less for those around us. We should be willing to search for a way to know, love, and serve those who are lost and help them to find God and themselves through our acts of charity and mercy. By doing this, we reveal the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus through our words and works and show them what it means to be Christ-like. We also give all of heaven a reason to rejoice and be glad for all those whom our actions touch.

Are we willing to seek out the lost no matter the cost? What can we do to lead them back to God and the safety of our heavenly home? Who are the people in our lives in most need of being carried back to God?

O Lord, help us to find your lost sheep.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday of Ordinary Time

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

When we love God with all our hearts, understandings, and strengths and love our neighbors as Jesus loves them, we transform our lives into a living embodiment of God’s Love and glorify Him through our every action and sacrifice. Understanding and enacting God's teachings are central to our faith. It is in love that we find meaning in our lives and it is through love that we fulfill our calling as Christians. Love is our true and universal vocation, the one that leads us along the narrow path to heaven and eventually to life everlasting. Without love, we are nothing and to nothing we will return. But with love, we are united with God and our neighbors. We are made whole and shall never die.

Do we love God with all our hearts, understandings, and strengths? Do we love our neighbor as ourselves? How can we cultivate the sacrificial, but fulfilling, virtue of love in our lives?

O Lord, we love you and all your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living.

Sometimes we do not entirely understand one of God’s teachings and are misled by our own intellect to believe we know better. We can claim to have more insight into the faith than two thousand years of accumulated knowledge. We can claim that “times have changed” or Jesus was confined by his times. However, if we want to be Christians, then we need to trust not in our wisdom and cleverness, but rather in God’s eternal truth. This is especially necessary for those issues or teachings which we do not understand. In a world which tells us that truth is relative and changeable, it can be hard for us to accept that the Scriptures present an immutable reality, a Divine Truth, which we cannot argue or compromise with. This requires a great deal of trust on our part and a firm belief in Jesus’ gospel message and the power of God.

Do we know the Scriptures and trust their teachings? Do we recognize the power of God? Are we willing to sacrifice our own intellectual doubts and choose instead to believe in spite of our unbelief?

O Lord, we trust in your word and power.

Amen.