Fourth Saturday of Lent

O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge. O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, Lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.

God is our refuge, protecting from evil and sheltering us from the storms of life. Through His compassion, He shows us how to be a refuge for others. He shows us how to love all His children, even those who are most difficult to love. He shows us how to provide for the needy. He shows us how to comfort the suffering. He shows us how to be good as He is Good. He shows us how to rescue those in danger. He shows us how to be holy in all things. He does all of this because He wants us all to grow into living tabernacles, bearing Him into the world through our thoughts, words, and words... through our almsgiving, prayers, and mortifications.

Do we turn to God when we are in need of shelter? Are we a refuge for others? How can we follow God’s example and become living tabernacles of God’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity?

O Lord, help us to become living refuges for all those in need.

Amen.

Third Wednesday of Lent

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes.

Each and every day we need to find time to praise God. It can be in little ways or great ways. It can be through how we treat others or how we treat ourselves. It can be through prayer, mortification, or almsgiving. It can be through acts of charity, mercy, or penance. Praising God can be done in many ways and at any time. A simple glance toward heaven in thanksgiving is sometimes all that is necessary to show our faith. A quick prayer of petition is all that we need to show our hope. A humble act of self-sacrifice can express our great love.

How often do we praise the Lord? What little or great ways can we show God that we are His loving children? What can we do to spread a love of God to others?

O Lord, we praise you for all you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

When Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"

The only sacrifice and offering God desires from us is for us to echo the words of Mary and say, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done unto me according to thy Will.” All the almsgiving, mortifications, and prayers mean nothing if we do not do them in accordance and in respect of God’s Will. If someone needs help, but we say to them come back later I’m praying, then are we doing God’s Will? If we mortify ourselves in some way during Fridays or Lent out of obligation and not love of God, then how can we expect to grow in faith? If we give alms to the poor or needy, but do so only out of our surplus or to absolve ourselves from doing more, then are we truly being charitable? We can do all the right things, for all the wrong reasons. However, if we make our entire lives into sacrifices and are willing to give everything to God, then His Spirit will work through us and we will become not only a worthy offering, but a fruitful vine full of good works.

Are we willing to do God’s Will no matter what it might cost us in the world? How can we transform ourselves into living sacrifices for the glory of God and the good of others? What can we do to ensure we are doing the right things for the right reasons?

O Lord, we come to do your will.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Easter

When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.

If we lead a good and faithful life, then we shall be raised from the dead when Jesus comes again. We shall have a share in his saving grace and share in his resurrection. Like Tabitha, our lives should be full of good deeds and almsgiving. Like Peter we should pray and trust in God’s Goodness. We don’t have to do great things to be good Christians. We only have to do the right things with love and put our faith and hope in the Lord. If we do this, then we shall be alive in the Holy Spirit and everything we do shall lead others closer to the Lord.

How can we make our lives full of good deeds and almsgiving? Do we take time out of our days to kneel and pray for God’ intercession in our lives and the lives of those around us? What can we do to make Jesus known to those whom we meet each day?

O Lord, raise us up from our sins and help us to be full of good deeds, almsgiving, and prayers.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

For near is the day of the LORD in the valley of decision. Sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness. The LORD roars from Zion, and from Jerusalem raises his voice; The heavens and the earth quake, but the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the children of Israel.

It is important for us to live our lives as if the day of the Lord is near. We never know when our time on this earth will end. Some live long lives, others short ones. There are no guarantees we will have a tomorrow to make amends for our sins or to do the good we are called to do. However, if we take refuge in the Lord each and every day, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, through acts of charity and mercy, and through the resistance of temptation, then we shall be able to stand against evil and choose good above all.

Do we live our lives as if we might die or Christ might return at any moment? How can we live in anticipation of the second coming? In what ways do we seek refuge in God?

O Lord, help us make the right decisions. The ones that will lead us closer to you.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish." When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Acts of repentance both cleanse and renew us spiritually. Through fasting, almsgiving, and praying we show God we are serious about changing our lives and making amends. By turning our back on our evil ways and denying temptations, we choose the better life over the easier one. When we sin, we either repent or harden our hearts. The former leads to forgiveness and everlasting life, while the latter leads to death and damnation. It might not be easy to turn from our evil ways, but it is necessary if we want to live and spend eternity with God in the Heavenly Kingdom. Thankfully, God is loving and merciful and more than willing to forgive us as many times as it takes for us to finally convert our hearts and do God’s Will always and in every way.

What do we need to repent for? How can we show God the sincerity of our repentance? Can we convert our hearts to what is right in the face of our temptations?

O Lord, help us to turn away from our evil ways and follow you.

Amen.

Ninth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: "Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. A king's secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be declared and made known. Praise them with due honor. Do good, and evil will not find its way to you. Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies.

When good things happen to us, our first response should not be to congratulate ourselves, but to thank God. After all, every good thing comes from Him. He is the Source, the Center, and the Summit of all that is good and holy. We should never slack in praising God or His deeds. In a similar vein, we should do everything we can to be people of almsgiving. Almsgiving is one of the many ways we can imitate Christ and reflect God’s Divine Image into the world. It is though our acts of charity and mercy that we bring God into the lives of others and leave them better off. So let us make sure we are not only prayerful and fasting, but almsgivers, too.

Do we thank God for all He has done for us? Do we recognize Him as the Source of all our goods? How can we better imitate Him through our almsgiving?

O Lord, make us gracious almsgivers.

Amen.

Palm Sunday

“My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

How true Jesus’ words are of many of us. Our spirits may be willing to keep watch with Christ and do God’s Will, but our flesh is weak and we fall into indifference and sin. It is so easy for us to forget how much sorrow Jesus suffered for us and how much he sacrificed for our sins. We were not there at the agony in the garden, the trial of Jesus, his scourging, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, his slow death upon the cross, and his final breath. Because of this, we are more likely to focus our attention on the triumphs rather than the tribulations of our Lord and Savior. It is easier to celebrate Easter, then sacrifice for Lent. However, without the fasting, almsgiving, and prayer of Lent, we would not appreciate the glorious resurrection of Easter and the enkindling spirit of Pentecost.

Do we acknowledge the Passion and Death of Christ in our daily lives? How can we teach ourselves to remain with God, even in the midst of trials and sufferings? What can we do to make our spirit stronger than our flesh?

O Lord, wake us from our weaknesses and give us the strength to accept the cup of suffering you have prepared for us.

Amen.

Thirtieth Monday of Ordinary Time

“Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

The best way to keep holy the Sabbath is not only going to Mass, but also doing good works. We should do good whenever the opportunity arises. This spirit of compassionate charity should be at the heart of our faith. Our religious observances shouldn't be the end of our faith, but only the starting point. Both faith and works are necessary for our salvation. Faith in God is founded on our trust that our Heavenly Father will provide us the graces we need to do good, avoid evil, and be saved. Acts of charity and mercy give God proof that our faith isn't just words or empty promises, but beliefs at the very core of our existence. In truth, every day should be a Sabbath day for us where we can rejoice in the Lord, proclaim our faith, and perform acts of almsgiving and prayer.

How do we celebrate the Sabbath? How do we express our faith beyond religious observances? How can we make charity the very heart of our Christian identity?

O Lord, may our lives be filled with acts of faith and love so that we can bring hope to all your children.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

It is tempting to get caught up in outward appearances and things of the flesh, but this is not the reason why God put us here. He put us on the earth to love Him freely and wholeheartedly. We cannot do that if we focus on worldly things. Instead, we should focus on the heavenly things we can do, such as praying, almsgiving, and fasting. Also by participating in the mass, not as an obligation, but as a celebration of our faith. In order to be a true disciple of Christ, we need to make God the source, center, and summit of our loves. Then, and only then, will everything be made clean for us.

How can we avoid getting caught up in worldly things? How can we cleanse our hearts, minds, and spirits so that they are ready to receive Christ? Is God the Alpha and Omega of our lives?

O Lord, cleanse us and inspire us to always do good.

Amen.

The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Jesus reminds us that God wants to give us the kingdom. He wants the best for us. He wants us to be not afraid. However, it is up to us to choose where our treasure is and to what our hearts belong. We can store up worldly riches or heavenly ones, but not both. One will always take precedence over the other. This is why Jesus tells us to sell our belongings and give alms out of the proceeds. He wants us to detach ourselves from the world so that we can attach ourselves to God. And when we do choose God over the world, we will be rewarded with a love that never wears out and no one can steal or destroy.

What are we afraid of? Where does our treasure lie? Are we willing to detach ourselves of all our worldly riches in favor of receiving our heavenly rewards?

O Lord, we treasure you and your kingdom over all our possessions.

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.

The Third Sunday in Lent

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,  and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree  but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

We are all called to bear good fruit for our Heavenly Father. Every day of our lives we make choices that determine if our fruit will be sweetened by holiness or rotted by sin. Each day that passes without us producing good works is another day that God finds nothing on our branches. The longer we go without a yield, the more God’s Justice cries out for us to be cut down. Thankfully, Jesus, the Gardener of our souls, pleads with our Father to have patience and gives us every grace and chance we need to become fruitful servants. However, Jesus cannot make us bloom without our acceptance of his aid and he cannot nurture our souls if we cut ourselves off from him through sin. In order to grow as Christians and bear good fruit, we need to allow God to cultivate our souls through our fasting, almsgiving, and prayer.

Are we prepared for the day when God shall come to us seeking a harvest? Are we willing to let Jesus cultivate our souls so that they grow in grace and goodness? What acts of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer can we make in order for our souls to flourish?

O Lord, at times we have been barren, but by your grace we will bear good fruit from now on.

Amen.

Ash Wednesday

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are the three keystones to the celebration of the Lenten season. Each of them reminds us of what it means to be Christ-like. In almsgiving, we imitate the generous and compassionate spirit of Jesus by giving of our time, talents, and treasures. In prayer, we give God the praise He deserves through our acts of petition and thanksgiving. In fasting, we remind ourselves of the need to be detached from worldly things and to cultivate a spirit of reconciliation with God and others. And just like Jesus, we are supposed to do these three things not to be noticed or praised by others like the hypocrites do, but because it is the good and right thing to do. This doesn’t mean completely hiding our faith; after all we do place ashes on our foreheads as a public declaration of our shared faith and united desire for God’s forgiveness. But what it does mean is that when we proclaim our faith publicly, like Christ did during his ministry, that we should be doing it for God’s sake and not our own.

How will we be sharing our time, talents, and treasures during this Lenten season? What should we be praying for in order to help us become better bearers of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace? What can we fast from so that we can cultivate a spirit of detachment from the world?

O Lord, may our almsgiving, prayer, and fasting bring us closer to you.

Amen.