Sixteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

“Were there no burial places in Egypt that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert? Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’? Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” But Moses answered the people, “Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.

How quickly we can forget all God has done for us! He does so much to show us His Love and Mercy. He gives us graces and consolations, and yet we find things to complain about. We wonder why He couldn’t do this or that for us and grumble about where He is leading us. How short our memories are when it comes to God’s faithfulness to us. He is always here for us, and yet we feel abandoned or anxious. We wonder why He couldn’t just leave us alone, let us rest on our laurels, and stay in our comfort zone. However, He has our best interests at heart. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love and we cannot do that without exercising our spirit and pushing ever onward toward the Promised Land. He tells us to, “Fear not!” because if we place our trust in Him, He will lead us to victory over sin and death.

In what ways do we remind ourselves of all God has done for us? How can we learn to accept whatever comes along the road to Heaven, rather than to complain about it? Are we willing to keep moving forward to the Promised Land in spite of the sacrifices we will need to make to do so?

O Lord, help us to keep in mind all you have done for us, especially when we feel most anxious and worried.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

“See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

There are moments in our lives when we might be tempted to complain about God not doing something for us. We might run out of patience and wonder if God will ever give us what we’ve prayed for. However, we need to remember God works on His own timetable... and orders all things for our betterment. He may not give us what we want when we want it for any number of reasons. Perhaps we might not truly need what we’ve asked for. Perhaps we wouldn’t appreciate the gift at the time. Perhaps we aren’t ready for it just yet. Perhaps receiving the gift would lead us astray. There are any number of God reasons for God to delay or deny the answers to our prayers. However, we should realize without a doubt that God always has our best interests at heart. He wants us to prosper and our graces and gifts to increase. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love by putting our trust in Him and acting with righteousness.

What are some of the things we have asked God for that we have not received? Can we understand or at least accept God’s decision to delay or deny our requests? How can we put our faith in God just as Abram did?

O Lord, grant us the patience we need to await the answers to our prayers and the humility to accept whatever you deem best for us.

Amen.

Eleventh Monday of Ordinary Time

We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.

Now is an acceptable time for us to live out our baptismal calling. It is an acceptable time to make ourselves into stepping stones to holiness and not into stumbling blocks. It is an acceptable time to commend ourselves to God and the proclamation of the Good News. It is an acceptable time to endure afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils and fasts in the service of God and His children. It is an acceptable time to purify ourselves, increase our knowledge, learn patience, grow in kindness through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is an acceptable time to love God and others with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths. It is an acceptable time to speak truthfully and powerfully of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. It is an acceptable time to arm ourselves with the weapons of righteousness that come from living out our faith with hope and love in spite of what glory or dishonor, insult or praise comes for doing so.

Are we stumbling blocks to the faith of others or stepping stones to Heaven? Are we willing to endure trials and tribulations in order to follow the teachings of Christ? How can we let the Holy Spirit sanctify us and enkindle the fires of love, mercy, and virtue within us?

O Lord, now is an acceptable hour for us all to become good and faithful servants.

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.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." 

We would all do well to remember Joseph's example of acceptance of God's Will. Just like Joseph, we are all called to welcome Mary into our homes because by doing so we also welcome the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father into our lives. Mary is the living temple of the Holy Trinity, wherever she is found the Triune God is found, too. As such, we should give Mary the veneration she deserves and learn from her how to know, love, and serve God and others as she did in her most holy and chaste life. The more we imitate Mary, the more we can incarnate Christ through our thoughts, words, and works. She constantly pours graces upon us when we seek her aid in prayer and meditation. She is our Mediatix and through her we not only received Christ, but also his love and mercy as well. We owe Mary a great debt of gratitude and the best way to repay that debt is to become faithful followers of her Son and loving children of God.

Are we afraid of accepting Mary into our lives? How can we welcome her into our every thought, word, and work? What can we learn from her in regards to how to live the Christ-like life?

O Lord, just as Joseph welcomed Mary into his home, so may we let her into our hearts.

Amen.

Twentieth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

We are all invited to the heavenly feast, but not all of us accept the invitation. Furthermore, some of us may accept the invitation, but then do nothing to prepare ourselves for the wedding of our hearts with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If we do not have any good words and works to clothe ourselves in, then we will be denied a part in the feast. It is not enough to simply show up without preparing ourselves first and the best way to prepare is to cultivate the virtues of faith, hope, and especially love of God and our neighbors. Otherwise, when our time of judgment comes we shall be silent too because we shall have nothing to show for all the time God has given us to do His Will. Thankfully, God gives us every chance to join Him at the feast and show Him our faith through our works.

In what ways are we denying God's call to join Him in heaven? What can we do to prepare ourselves for participating in the heavenly banquet? What good works are we doing in our lives to lead others to the kingdom of God, too?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to respond to your call to holiness and unity with your divine will.

Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

“What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

There are many wishes we can have in life. We can wish for health and happiness. We can wish for peace and goodness. We can wish for heavenly things or earthly ones. We can wish for God to protect us and our loved ones from harm. However, we need to remember that although we might feel entitled to these things, we won't always get them. We do not know what we are asking for. We do not see God's entire Divine Plan and how everything interconnects from our highest highs to our lowest lows. In the face of the difficulties which will inevitably enter into our lives, the only thing we can do is trust in God. Believe that no matter what happens on earth we will find happiness in heaven if we are willing to drink the chalice God has prepared for us.

What do we wish for? Do we truly trust in God? Can we drink the chalice He has prepared for us?

O Lord, we wish only to stay by your side always.

Amen.

The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.  Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.  Do not move about from one house to another.

Even when serving God, we will be tempted to misuse our talents and authority for personal gain or become prideful. This is why Jesus warns his disciples to carry nothing with them. He wants them to depend upon God, not themselves. He wants them to realize that God is the source of their good works. He also warns them to stay in the same house, to eat whatever is offered, and not to move around. This is because they should trust in Jesus’ words and that God will provide what they need. They should not seek out a more comfortable place. Instead, they should follow the guidance Jesus has given them and they shall receive the payment they deserve. In the same way, we are called to depend upon the Holy Spirit, listen to His inspirations, and do our good deeds not for selfish reasons, but because God wants us to do them.

Are we willing to trust in God completely? Are we willing to give up our personal interests and accept what God offers us? How can we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us more perfectly?

O Lord, we trust in you and will carry your peace wherever you call us to go.

Amen.

Ninth Monday of Ordinary Time

He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

Respect is something we should give to others every moment of our lives. This is because God dwells in all of us from the lowliest of the poor to the wealthiest of the rich. The image of God is emblazoned upon us and everyone around us. As such, we should treat everyone as God's Beloved Son. We cannot let selfishness, greed, pride, or any other vices get in the way of treating others with love and mercy. The tenants in this parable allowed their greed to rule over them and led them to do horrible things to others. They rejected the call to be good to and love others. They decided to build their lives on their own debased ideas. As Christians, we are called to cast aside our baser instincts and instead allow God to live and work though us so we can bear good fruits for the glory of God and the good of all.

Do we show respect to God in all things? How can we rid ourselves of the vices that might lead us astray? How can we become good and faithful tenants in the vineyard of souls that is the earth?

O Lord, let us not reject you, but rather choose to always respect you and the work you've placed before us.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Jesus makes it very clear that the Kingdom of God belongs to the child-like. He rebukes his disciples to make this point because they are acting like Jesus is their possession, instead of them being Jesus' disciples. Their possessiveness over Jesus isn't what Jesus wants from them. He wants them to be more like the children, who seek to touch him. It might not seem like much, but a child's touch shows trust and acceptance. Children don't touch things they don't like. Jesus knows this and he uses the children's actions to remind his disciples that they, too need to be child-like in their trust and acceptance of not only him, but other people. They should let everyone who wishes to take that leap of faith and believe come to Jesus. Lastly, Jesus embraces and blesses the children who come to him. It is the same for us, too. He wants to hold us in his arms and give us every spiritual blessing. All we have to do is approach him with child-like trust, reach out with acceptance, and receive his blessing in our lives.

Do we act like the disciples, deciding who is worthy to approach God and who isn't? How can we be more child-like? What can we do to show God our trust and acceptance of Him?

O Lord, may we be child-like in our love and dependence upon you.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

After denying Jesus three times, discovering the empty tomb of Jesus, and being visited by Jesus on two occasions, Peter decides to go out fishing. Peter used to be a fisherman. He’s familiar with the life of a fisherman and he probably would find great comfort in doing something that is “normal” after the events following Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Sometimes when we go through difficult times or times of great change, we have a tendency to seek out the familiar and attempt to rediscover our comfort zone. However, just like Peter, we can discover that our old life isn’t as fulfilling as it was. We’ve changed too much. Something within us has been transformed so utterly by an experience that our old lives aren’t rewarding anymore. It is at this point that we have the opportunity to grow as individuals and accept our new callings. We might not understand what exactly God is asking of us, but as long as we are willing to make up for our previous denials, procrastination, and hesitancy, then we shall find a new way to live. We shall be able love God as we should and take the first steps to feeding and tending His flock in our own unique fashions.

Do we love God more than all the people and things of this world? Are we willing to feed and tend God’s flock on this earth with the time, treasures, and talents He has given us? What changes is God asking us to make in our own lives?

O Lord, you know that we love you.

Amen.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

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

The thoughts of our hearts are revealed by how we respond to the gospel. Will we be righteous and devout, like Simeon, or will we ignore God’s call when it comes? As we live our lives, we shall have our metal tested in order that our faith (or lack thereof) might be revealed. If we do follow in Christ’s footsteps, then we also must expect to be contradicted by the world and be pierced by the sword of sufferings. We should be accepting of these times of trials because it is through them that we learn what it means to be truly faithful Disciples of Christ. It is through our difficulties that we discover our strengths and weaknesses. Without adversity, we would never know how strong our love for God and His children is. It is easy to love others when there isn’t a cost or when we benefit from the love, but how we react when difficulties arise is the true measure of our characters and the quality of our love.

What lies at the center of our hearts, the world or God? Are we willing to suffer in order to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? How does the way we live reveal the thoughts of our hearts?

O Lord, you have blessed us with the gift of your beloved Son, let us respond to your gift by bearing Jesus wherever we go.

Amen.

Fourth Tuesday of Advent

From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

God has not only done great things for Mary, but also for all of us. He has given us our lives and our free wills, gifts far greater than we can ever repay through any amount of good deeds. Even more, He has given us His Divine Mercy and offered to lift us out of our slavery to sin. He gave the gift of His Beloved Son's life to pay for our iniquities and cleanse us of our sins. And if we accept His Love, Mercy, and Grace, then we will be lifted up from our lowliness and brought into His Kingdom where He will fill us with good things and adopt us as His heirs.

Do we recognize the great things God has done for us? Do we not only fear disappointing God, but also hope He will lend us His Strength to overcome our weaknesses? Have we accepted the aid God has offered us and seek His protection in our times of need?

O Lord, you have done great things for us, give us the grace to love you as we should.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Just like James and John, we too should desire to drink the cup of Christ and be baptized by sharing in his sufferings. When we accept the cup God is offering, we accept God’s Will for us and choose to be baptized by the trials and tribulations that come when we choose to be good and faithful servants. It is not always easy to accept the troubles that come from doing good works. It seems counter-intuitive, shouldn’t we be rewarded for doing the right thing? But God does not promise us worldly consolations and He cannot give us the understanding of others and so sometimes we are persecuted for being faithful to God. However, we should not let these sufferings keep us from doing good. Consolations will come, just not always in the manner and time we want them to. So let us be willing to accept whatever comes our way, confident that in the end God will provide us the strength to suffer for His glory and overcome all obstacles to doing His Will.

Are we willing to drink the cup God has prepared for us? Are we willingly to suffer without complaint? Do we trust God enough to love Him no matter what trials come our way?

O Lord, grant us the strength to drink the cup you have prepared for us.

Amen.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Although today’s gospel speaks of the aftermath of the incarnation of Christ, we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary today because without her fiat there would have been no incarnation (at least as we know it). Mary, who was born without sin, is given a singular grace among all mankind. She is given the choice to bear the savior of mankind. She is not forced to bear Jesus, instead she freely accepts the gift of the incarnation into her womb. This acceptance makes possible the story of our salvation and this is why Mary is held in such high regard and venerated by Christians. Her assent to the our Heavenly Father opens the doors of grace to all of us and we would do well to remember her model and seek to learn from her virtues of faith in God, hope in His mercy, and love of Him and all His children.

Do we ask for Mary’s intercession in our lives? Do we seek to act in accord with God’s Will just as she did in her own most obedient life? Are we willing to say “yes” to our Heavenly Father just as Mary did?

O Lord, let us take Mary into our homes and our hearts.

Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God.”

Just as the people murmured and complained against God and Moses in the desert, they also do the same to Jesus. How could he be the bread that came down from heaven? Don’t they know his family? What gives him the authority to teach his message? However, their grumbling deafens them to the underlying message of Jesus. He has come to feed the world with a gospel of love, mercy, and grace that promises those who partake in it everlasting life. We should keep in mind the muttering crowd whenever we feel like complaining about something to God. Jesus asks for us to accept his word with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. We cannot do that if we are focused on what’s wrong in our lives.

What do we complain about? How can we foster a spirit of resignation in regards to these problems in our lives so that they do not interfere with God’s message of love, mercy, and grace? What lessons have we learned from the life of Jesus?

O Lord, draw me to yourself and your teachings.

Amen.

Fifteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Today’s gospel is full of hard teachings. Jesus tells us we need to love him more than our family, to take up our cross, and to lose our lives for his sake. The first teaching is not about rejecting our families because they are bad for us, but rather that we should not cling to them so tightly that we miss opportunities to do God’s Will. Sometimes when we are with family we have a harder time acting Christ-like toward them. However this is what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to be able to leave our family behind and come follow him. He also asks us to take up our crosses. This is also a difficult thing to do. We might be comfortable with our lives or feel like we are suffering enough. However, we should never fear bearing the cross with Christ. He will always give us the strength we need to carry our burdens. The worst thing we can do is reject our cross because by doing so we reject the sacrifices of Christ. Lastly, Jesus asks us to lose our lives for him and seek him, rather than the pleasures of the world. Life isn’t bad, it’s good, but if we don’t orient our lives toward God, then we can corrupt the inherent goodness of life by focusing on living for our own sakes, instead of living for God.

Do we love our family and friends more than God? Have we picked up our crosses or denied them? Do we live our lives for God or for ourselves?

O Lord, grant us the grace to pick up our crosses and love you more than our families and ourselves.

Amen.

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.

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.

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.