Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

As Christians, we are called to profess our faith through our words and works. The people who hear and see us should know without a doubt we are Christians by our expressions and acts of love and mercy. And if we do these things, we will never be put to shame. No persecution, mocking, failure, disrespect, or other suffering will be able to touch us because our hearts will be protected as long as they remain true to God and believe in the promise of eternal life. It is this belief in the resurrection that sparks us to action and to sacrifice for God and for others.

Do we confess that Jesus is Lord through word and deed? Do we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead? Do we trust that no matter what might happen to us God will never allow us to be put to shame?

O Lord, we believe in you with our whole hearts.

Amen.

Two Year Anniversary!!

First, thanks to everyone who has joined me on this journey of spiritual reflection. It is good to know others are reading these reflections and hopefully getting something out of them.

Second, I look forward to reflecting on the daily Old Testament readings (since we've read all the daily gospels over the course of the past two years) and Sunday gospels from Mathew with you in the coming year.*

Lastly, I hope you will continue to walk with me on this journey and explore the wonderful readings the Catholic Church.

*For those who don't know, each year's readings focus on a particular gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John is used for special occasions, such as the Easter season. This way Catholics essentially read the entire New Testament every three years.

First Tuesday of Advent

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.

All these things are true of Jesus, but they are also meant to be true of us, too. We are meant to be a blossoming sprout of goodness in the world. The Spirit of the Lord should rest on us, too. We should be wise, understanding, and full of good counsel and spiritual strength. We should cultivate our knowledge and fear of the Lord so that we can better live the Good News and be faithful servants to God and His children. We should not judge others by their appearance or hearsay, but rather be just in all things, especially to the poor and afflicted.

Do our lives reflect the life of Christ? How can we grow in goodness, wisdom, compassion, and justice? What can we do for the poor and afflicted?

O Lord, help us to blossom in goodness and justice.

Amen.

First Monday of Advent

Then will the LORD create, over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, a smoking cloud by day and a light of flaming fire by night. For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain.

If we lead holy lives, then God will protect and shelter us. He will give us rest and keep us from harm. He will overshadow us with His Love and guide us with the light of His Truth. With God, all things will be possible for us. Our words and works will honor and glorify God. And at the end of time, our world will be remade into a paradise. And if we have been good and faithful servants, then we shall be given the greatest gift of all: eternal life with our Beloved God.

Are we leading holy lives? Do we trust that God will protect us? Are we willing to make Him our refuge not only in this world, but in the next, too?

O Lord, you are our shelter and the light of our lives.

Amen.

First Sunday of Advent

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

In this season of Advent, we are all called to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the coming of Christ into the world on Christmas. However, we are also preparing ourselves for the Second Coming of Christ as well. Both the Incarnation and Second Coming are central beliefs in our faith. They are the bookends to what it means to be Christian. It is our belief in the Incarnation that is the bedrock of our faith. It reveals to us a loving Savior, who was willing to suffer, die, and be buried for us so that we could rise again with him. It is the Second Coming that gives us hope in a merciful judgment at the end of time and the possibility of eternal life spent with God if we follow His commandments, teachings, and inspirations. Taken together these two revelations provide us with the greatest expressions of love we will ever experience. And it is this love we are all called to imitate throughout our lives by being there for God and others, acting with love toward God and His children, and showing mercy toward those who have trespassed against us.

How can we prepare ourselves to celebrate the gift of the Incarnation at Christmas? Are we preparing ourselves for the Second Coming by living good and faithful lives? How can we give thanks to God for these great gifts, both past and future?

O Lord, help us to stay awake and prepare a place for you in our hearts.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.

Be vigilant at all times. This message is one we should take to heart. We are constantly tempted to lose our focus on what is important in life, namely knowing, loving, and serving God and others. Our good thoughts, words, and deeds can drown in the anxieties of daily life. Our sins can make us drowsy and cause us to fall spiritually asleep. However, the things of the world are passing, they can’t sustain our souls that yearn for the eternal life. Nor can they give us peace of mind or heart. The only one who can lead us to paradise is Jesus Christ, who gave us the roadmap to the narrow path to Heaven. Now it is up to us to be vigilant, pray for strength, and be willing to stand before God, trusting in His Divine Love, Justice, and Mercy.

Are we being vigilant in our spiritual lives? How can we overcome the traps of sin and anxieties? How often do we pray to God for the strength to do His Will not matter the cost?

O Lord, give us the grace to be vigilant at all times.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Friday of Ordinary Time

Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Jesus’ words will not pass away. His Truth will triumph over ignorance and deception. His commandments to know, love, and serve God and His children will always remain. His promise of life after death for those who follow him will never go unfulfilled. His words of forgiveness and mercy will echo throughout eternity. Everything Jesus said was to enlighten us and lead us to a never-ending life with him in heaven. We would do well in this life to remember his Good News and live it out to our fullest.

Have we listened to and learned from God’s words in scripture? Are we listening to God’s inspirations through the Holy Spirit? How can we make the gospel message of Christ into the source, center, and summit of our lives?

O Lord, may we be incarnations of your divine word.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

There are so many things to be thankful for. We should be thankful for our lives. We should be thankful for friends and family. We should be thankful for the great things. And the little ones. We should be thankful for our health, if we have it, and for our suffering because it brings us closer to Christ. We should be thankful for the successes we have enjoyed, but also the failures we have learned from. Most of all, we should be thankful because we are children of a loving and merciful God. He is our Heavenly Father and will do everything in His power to cleanse and heal us, if only we will give Him a chance and trust in His Will.

What are we thankful for? Have we expressed this thanks to God? How can we led more thankful lives?

O Lord, thank you for everything you have done for us, great and small, noticed and unnoticed.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Not a hair on our heads will be destroyed if we persevere in our faith. We might lose our livelihoods, possessions, and our earthly lives, but if we are true to God, then we shall gain eternal life. We might be betrayed by our parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, but if we are good and faithful servants, then we shall become a part of a heavenly family. We might be hated, persecuted, and mocked, but if we remain true to our beliefs, then we shall be loved by Love itself.

Are we willing to persevere in our faith through the loss of all our worldly possessions?  Are we willing to persevere through betrayal? Are we willing to persevere through persecution?

O Lord, give us a spirit of perseverance.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

If we seek to adorn our lives with costly things or make a show of our faith without any real substance, then in the end we will be thrown down. The weight of our earthly possessions will weigh us down and keep our thoughts from rising up to the heavens. If our prayers and actions are misguided and selfish rather than holy and sacrificial, then we shall have nothing to stand on when we come before God. Instead, our lives should be spent building up a treasure house of spiritual rewards built upon charitable and merciful words and works. Without these we are nothing, but with them we show ourselves to be good and faithful servants of God and His children.

Are we adorning our lives with worldly things or heavenly ones? Are our prayers and works meant to exult ourselves or God? How can we build the temples of our souls upon the firm foundations of faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, tear down the house of my pride and build me up into a temple of humility.

Amen.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we have nothing to offer God or others. We are too busy, too poor, too unworthy, or too afraid. But Jesus reminds us that we are not called to give out of our surplus, but from our poverty. It is our willingness to make time for God and others, to give of ourselves in spite of our hardships, to take a leap of faith, and to trust in God’s Providence that makes us into true Disciples of Christ. Our livelihood should be founded upon knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our ability. We might fail more than we succeed, but if Jesus has taught us anything it is that what the world might see as folly can become a triumph if we are willing to sacrifice ourselves for God and others out of love.

Are we giving out of our surplus or our poverty? What can we give to God and others that we aren’t already giving? Are we willing to give our whole livelihood?

O Lord, we want to give you more of ourselves.

Amen.

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

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews."

Jesus could have easily saved himself, but instead he choose to lay down his life for us. This choice is his crowning moment, when he proclaimed himself King of Paradise and our Savior. And although we are not faced with a true crucifixion like Christ, we are faced with many moments of crucifixion throughout our lives. If we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, then we must learn to embrace our trials and seek not to save ourselves, but to save others. This is what it means to be Christ-like, to live a self-sacrificial life, and to ultimately be remembered in the Kingdom of Heaven and be always with our God in Paradise.

Are we seeking to save ourselves or others? How can we learn to embrace our crosses like Christ did? How do we pay homage to Christ, our King?

O Lord, you are our King and salvation.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Lord is the God of the living and He wants all of His children to live with Him forever. However, we cannot do this if we turn our backs on Him and choose to die in sin. To live with God means choosing virtue over vice, selflessness over selfishness, and good over evil. If we cannot do this, then we shall die and have no one to blame but ourselves. However, if we recognize Jesus as our teacher and live in accordance with his commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as Jesus loves them, then we shall have eternal life.

Are we choosing life in the Lord or death in sin? Do we give thanks to God for not only giving us life, but sustaining our lives? Do we recognize Jesus as our teacher?

O Lord, you are our life.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

The temples of our hearts need the same cleansing as the Temple area in Jerusalem during Jesus’ time and just like Jesus, we need to drive out those things that are not in accord with God’s Will. We need to make ourselves into houses of prayer with the incense of our prayers rising up to God in thanksgiving and praise. We cannot do this if we harbor sins within our hearts. We cannot do this if we live lives of sin. To transform ourselves into worthy temples to God, we need to rid ourselves of our pride, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth. Then and only then can we make room for God to enter into our hearts, minds, and bodies and triumph over sin and death.

What sins do we need to cleanse from our hearts? How can we prepare ourselves to be true houses of prayer? Are we ready to live lives of virtue?

O Lord, make us temples of your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.

We will not have peace in our lives until we recognize that God is with us. We can try to fill the void in our hearts with every kind of worldly thing, but none of it will fulfill us as the love and mercy of God can. And if we let the world surround us and keep our spirits hemmed in, then we like Jerusalem shall fall and all we have built shall be torn down. However, if we accept God’s call to sally forth and proclaim the Good News through our thoughts, words, and works, then we shall overcome our enemies and free ourselves from the chains of sin and selfishness that keep us from seeking the peace that only comes from doing God’s Will.

Are we seeking our peace in the empty promises of the world or in doing God’s Will? What are those things in our lives that are keeping us hemmed in spiritually? Are we willing to break out of our bad habits, sins, and frailties so that we can come to know, love, and serve God more perfectly?

O Lord, we recognize your call and want to answer it wholeheartedly.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

Fear of failure can keep us from reaching our full potential as Christians. We can’t do good if we’re afraid of the cost in time, money, popularity, etc. We can’t avoid evil if we’re worried about ourselves more than others. We can’t be good and faithful servants if we are too anxious about what God is calling us to do. Sometimes we hide our gifts and talents beneath a blanket of insecurities. But Christ isn’t interested in our excuses. He demands good from his disciples. Anything less is unacceptable.

Have we buried our gifts and talents beneath our fears? How can we overcome our anxieties to become fruitful followers of Christ? In what ways can we return God’s Love and Mercy with spiritual interest?

O Lord, we want to multiply the gifts and talents you’ve given us.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

When we trust in God’s Will and act in accord with it, we become true descendants of Abraham. It is one thing to think and say we believe, but quite another to act on our faith when we have doubts and fears. However, being Disciples of Christ means we must put aside our own insecurities and sense of unworthiness and take up the challenge to live Christ-like lives. We might not do so perfectly, but as long as we struggle to do good and avoid evil and repent for our failures, then we shall be able to answer God’s call when it comes and be saved.

Do we trust God’s Will? How can we place ourselves in the path of Jesus? Are our hearts open to responding to the call of Christ?

O Lord, bring salvation to our homes.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Monday of Ordinary Time

As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

There are many voices in our lives that tell us to remain silent about our faith. Sometimes our family doesn’t want to hear our beliefs. Sometimes our friends don’t want to hear us. Sometimes our neighbors want us to keep our faith to ourselves. Much of the time it is our own fears, insecurities, and doubts that keep our lips sealed. However, we should not allow any person, including ourselves, keep us from proclaiming the Good News. It is part of our calling as Christians to give witness. This is not to say that we should do so to make a spectacle of ourselves, that is not the point. Rather, we do so because it is the right thing to do.

Are we willing to express our faith even when others will frown upon it? Do we echo the words of the blind man, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us”? Are we willing to witness to our faith no matter what others might say?

O Lord, give us the strength to proclaim our faith.

Amen.

The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Perseverance is the key to following in Jesus’ footsteps. Jesus’ entire life is one constant act of perseverance. From the persecutions of Herod and his family’s flight to Egypt to the trial of Pilate and his crucifixion, Jesus has shown us what it means to overcome all obstacles to our faith, to keep hope alive, and love without waiver. We might not be understood or loved by others because of our beliefs, but that should not matter to us. We should believe because it is God’s Will, not because it will make us popular. If we accept this truth, then God will protect us with His mighty hand. He will guide us where we need to be and help us to triumph over evil and enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Are we willing to do the right thing even if it means we will be hated for it? Do we trust that God will protect us if we persevere? What can we do to ensure that our faith endures?

O Lord, give us the grace of perseverance.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 
because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”

We can never pray enough, especially if we think of prayer as not only a mental or verbal activity, but also as a physical one. When we pray, it should be with our entire being, our every thought, word, and work. Our days should be a persistent prayer of praise to God for all He has done for us and our loved ones. If we do this, God will render a just decision for us out of love rather than annoyance. We can never ask God for too much help or seek His advice too many times. He is always willing to listen and aid us. We should not hesitate to speak to Him whenever we have the opportunity because He is the one Counselor who will never let us down.

Do we pray to God persistently? How can we build up the habit of prayer? Do we give thanks to God when He answers our prayers?

O Lord, we trust that you will render a just decision for us against our adversary,

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.

We are constantly tempted to attach ourselves to worldly things and if we give in we can lose out on many chances to follow God’s Will. We don’t know the day or hour when our lives on earth will end, or when the Second Coming will arrive, but we should constantly be preparing ourselves for it through our choices. How we spend our time, talents, and treasure has a great effect on our salvation. We cannot be so enamored with the world that we would choose it over an eternity with God in Paradise. There is nothing on earth that could ever take God’s place in our hearts and we shall be nothing but empty shells if we try. Instead, we should seize every moment that we can to do what is right and to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. And this means detaching ourselves from the world so that we can empty ourselves and let God fill us with His Love, Mercy, and Grace.

What are the things we are attached to? How can we detach ourselves from them? Are we truly willing to lose our lives in order to know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, help us to let go of this world so that we can embrace you in the next.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.

Although it is good to plan for the future and dream of better days, we should not lose sight of what is right before us. There are so many opportunities to do God’s Will and to love our neighbors that we should not ignore them in favor of what might be. We should remember that Jesus, and the Kingdom of God, is among us in those who need our help. Once we have taken care of our present obligations, then we can look to the future and our greater hopes. It is only by being vigilant in our faith that we can make sure that we are ready for God when He comes into our lives.

Are we taking advantage of those opportunities to do God’s Will right now? Are we keeping our hearts open to those moments when Jesus is calling us to service of Himself or His children. Do our lives make the Kingdom of God present to others?

O Lord, help us to recognize you when you come into our lives.

Amen.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

“Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

We should all be consumed with zeal for our God. He should be the first thing we think of in the morning. He should be at the center of our every thought, word, and work throughout the day. He should be the one we turn to at the end of each day for forgiveness and the strength to be better people. We should cast out everything within us that does not lead us to a deeper relationship with God, just as Jesus cast out those who we defiling his Father’s house. And once we have accomplished this, we shall have nothing to fear because even if the temple of our body is destroyed, we shall have confidence that we shall rise again.

Are we willing to rid ourselves of those things that keep us from being a worthy temple for the Holy Spirit? How do we express our zeal for our Heavenly Father? What can we do to unite ourselves with the sacrificial spirit of Jesus?

O Lord, fill us with zeal for you.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’

Following the commandments, doing good, and avoiding evil are all things we are obliged to do as Christians. If we do them, we cannot expect God to be impressed or indebted to us. We are merely doing what we are supposed to do. We are indeed unprofitable servants. We have no claim to anything beyond the fact that if we do our duty, then we can be thankful to God for giving us the teachings and graces to do what is right.

Are we following the commandments, doing good, and avoiding evil? Do we recognize that we are unprofitable servants with no claim to consolation or reward for doing our duties? How can we put aside our pride and accept the fact that we are lowly servants of the Lord?

O Lord,  please have mercy on us, your unprofitable servants.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Monday of Ordinary Time

If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.

Sometimes it's easier to forgive than to rebuke our family, friends, and neighbors. We often are tempted to let certain sins slide because we don't want to get into a confrontation with our loved ones or with strangers. However, our inaction doesn't do the other person any good. By saying and doing nothing, we let the person keep sinning and create a deeper and deeper gulf between them and God. It is not an easy thing to do, but we should be willing to compassionately tell others our concerns about their actions. At least then they will know what we see and that we don't like it. We might suffer because we say what needs to be said, but this is exactly what Jesus did in his life and one of the ways in which we are called to follow him. In addition, to being willing to rebuke others, we should also be willing to forgive them for the wrongs they commit against us. By doing this, they shall see that we love them and be more open to hearing our concerns.

Are we willing to rebuke others when they are living sinful lives? Are we willing to forgive everyone who has trespassed against us? Who are the people in our lives who need to be rebuked or forgiven?

O Lord, give us the conviction to rebuke those who are sinning and the compassion to forgive those who repent of their sins.

Amen.

The Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

We are all sons and daughters of the resurrection. Besides the cross, the resurrection is the foundational symbol of our faith. We believe that we suffer and die in this life so that we might rise and celebrate in the next. Our lives can seem barren and unfruitful in terms of money, fame, pleasure, and other worldly things, but if we have faith, act in hope, and love God and His children to the best of our ability, then our lives have been a success. God has not put us on this earth to exult ourselves and prosper materially. These things might happen to us, but they are not the goal of our lives. Instead, we are called by God to live sacrificial lives in imitation of Christ and accept our role as children of God. When we do this, our hearts are made happy, our minds are given clarity, and our wills choose what is right because our entire being is pointed not toward this life, but toward the resurrection and life everlasting.

Is the way we are living worthy of attaining the resurrection? If not, then what can we do to make the resurrection a central part of our lives? How can we embody the spirit of the resurrection in our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, we want to be worthy of the resurrection.

Amen.

Thirty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?

There are many things in this world that can claim our attention. Money, popularity, and all sorts of distractions can lead us astray. However, if we have these things it does not mean that we will lose our way. Rather it is how we use these things that determines if we are good and faithful servants. How we handle dishonest money and popularity will determine how we handle honest riches and recognition. If we use these things wisely and well, then we shall grow in virtue and God will trust us with rewards beyond anything the world can offer us. And if we do not have money or popularity, then we shall be judged by how we handle our lack of these things. If we act righteously, then we shall be lifted out of our earthly poverty and given heavenly treasures beyond counting.

What worldly things are vying for our attention? How can we use our earthly riches, popularity, or talents wisely and well? How can we prove our trustworthiness in both great and small things?

O Lord, we want to be your trusted servants.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’

Unlike the steward, we don't need to lose our jobs in order to treat others fairly. Our charity should not come from selfish reasons. We should not expect a return on our good deeds. However, the steward does show us how to react prudently when faced with difficulties and to forgive the debts of others. He does the wise thing when he gives up his portion of each debt so those whom are indebted to his master will welcome him for his generosity. Sometimes we are tempted to demand repayment for something or hold it over people, but this is not what Jesus preaches. He teaches us to forgive other's debts to us so that our own debts might be forgiven. We cannot be a collector and a forgiver at the same time. We have to choose if our lives will be base on taking what we want or on giving what we have.

Do we treat others fairly? Are we charitable and forgiving? Are we prudent in how we treat others?

O Lord, we are willing to forgive the debts of others. Please be willing to forgive our debts as well.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday of Ordinary Time

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.’

We should all strive to find sinners and lead them back to God. We should never give up on them, even if they make it painful and difficult to bring them back. Nor should we be discouraged if they refuse to return with us and continue to run away from their Lord and Savior. We are to be satisfied with seeking out, finding, and offering help to those in most need of God's Love and Mercy. We cannot save everyone, but we can search for them and let them know there is a way back. And sometimes we shall have to carry a person back upon our shoulders, weighed down with their burdens, but if we are faithful and trust in God, He shall give us the strength to carry our living crosses just as Jesus did so long ago. Then, when we reach the finish line, we shall be able to see all those whom we helped along the way and they shall bear us on their shoulders and proclaim that we were good and faithful servants to them and to God.

Are we willing to set aside our own plans, needs, and wants to help others to return to God? How can we help others to find God and a place in paradise? Are we willing to carry others back to God when they are too lost or weak to do it on their own?

O Lord, we rejoice in every lost sheep you send our way.

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

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

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

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

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

Amen.

Solemnity of All Saints

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We all suffer the loss of loved ones. Some of us know what it's like to lose a parent, others know what it's like to lose a sibling. We know what it's like to lose an extended family member or friend. We might even have witnessed the death of someone firsthand. How we respond to these moments can define who we are and who we will be in the future. We can choose to mourn with and comfort others or we can be selfish and blame others (and God) for what has happened or avoid reality altogether. It is in comforting others that we are comforted, it is in mourning with them that we can heal. It is by being empathetic, sympathetic, and loving that we can become beacons of blessing to others and lights for the whole world. And it is through our prayers that we not only give glory to God, but also lead souls from Purgatory to Heaven.

How do we mourn? How do we comfort others? How do we pray to those in most need of God's Mercy on earth and in Purgatory?

O Lord, help us to mourn faithfully and comfort others with hope and love.

Amen.