The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.

All of creation should rejoice in its Creator. That is after all one of the reasons the whole world was created... to know, love, and serve our Heavenly Father. It is in knowing Him that we become wise and hopeful. It is in loving Him that we learn to become charitable and merciful. It is in serving Him that we fulfill our vocation as His children and co-heirs. He is the Alpha and the Omega of the universe and should be the beginning and the end of our lives. It is in, by, through, and with Him that we accomplish the greatest good. So, let our hearts and voices resound with hymns of thanksgiving, joy, and exultant praise for our Good and Faithful Lord.

Do we take time to appreciate all God has Created? What can we do this year, and in all our future years, to soak in the joy and gladness of creation? How can we be better children to our Father, who created us to know, love, and serve Him and all His creation?

O Lord, let us join the heavens and earth in rejoicing before you, our King and Father.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

We praise your glorious name, O mighty God. “Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.”

What a wonderful blessing it is to have God as our Father. His Divine Love created us in His Divine Image. His blessings and graces are poured out for us constantly. Every gift, talent, and good we possess He has passed onto us through His Hands. He will never abandon or forsake us. He is always with us. He knows what is best for us, even when we don’t. He is our most perfect Father and will protect us from every evil as long as we let Him. So, let us praise His Glorious Name and thank our Mighty God for all He has done, is doing, and will ever do for us.

Do we accept and acknowledge God as out Heavenly Father? What do we do to be good and faithful children to Him? How can we show our appreciation for everything He has given us?

O Lord, our Father, blessed may you be.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Their message goes out through all the earth. Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.

We often talk about the world as if it is an antagonist to our faith, but there is a difference between the world and the worldly. The world as part of creation is good and reflects the glory and majesty of its Creator. It is the worldly, those who focus on earthly things rather than heavenly ones, that we are at odds with. There is beauty and wonder in the world around us, which we should celebrate and give thanks for. There are marvels on the earth, in the seas, in the skies, and beyond that we should appreciate because they reveal a God whose works are wondrous indeed. All throughout the earth the voice of our Creator resounds, reminding us that we are part of His Divine Plan and beautiful, too.

Do we take time to appreciate the world around us? How do we fulfill our calling to be good stewards of the earth? What can we do to listen more carefully to the voice of our Creator?

O Lord, your voice resounds through all the earth.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Thursday in Ordinary Time

How great are the works of the Lord! The works of his hands are faithful and just; sure are all his precepts, Reliable forever and ever, wrought in truth and equity.

We are works of the Lord and as such we are all called to greatness. Some are called to greatness by becoming priests, deacons, and religious. Others are called to be lay faithful and ministers. Many are called to build domestic churches as husbands and wives. Still others are called to live the single life. We are asked to be preachers, teachers, servants, counselors, builders, homemakers, business people, athletes, writers, and all manner of occupations. And if we do them with faith, hope, and love, then the works we do, no matter how seemingly small, will be great indeed. So, let us be wrought in truth and equity, formed in faith, and justice, and become holy people in whatever we do.

Do we appreciate that God has created us for a purpose? How can we live up to the vocation God has called us to? In what ways can we become more reliable servants of God and others?

O Lord, how great are your works!

Amen.

Sixth Thursday of Easter

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.

God constantly reveals His saving power to the world. Throughout the ages, He has proved again and again how compassionate He is. He forgave Israel over and over. He sacrificed His Beloved Son for our salvation. He sent the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us. He is with us through every trial and tribulation from birth to death to the afterlife. He is a just and merciful God, who remembers each of us with kindness and faithfulness. And all He asks from us in return are humble and contrite hearts that love Him and His children as much as He loves us.

Do we appreciate God’s saving grace and its role in our lives? How do we reveal the saving power of God? How can we be as merciful and loving as our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, make us into instruments of your saving power.

Amen.

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?

It can be humbling to think about how much God cares for us. He created us out of pure love. He gave us His Beloved Son as a teacher and as a sacrifice for our sins. He sent his Holy Spirit into the world to be our constant guide and inspirer. He treats each and every one of us as if we are the center of His Universe. He is always with us no matter what and provides for our every spiritual need. He is a devoted Father to us all. We can only hope to imitate Him to the best of our abilities and be good and faithful servants to His Will.

How can we become more mindful of God? What can we do to help ourselves and others to appreciate Him for all He has done for us? How can we care for God’s children as much as He does?

O Lord, give us the grace to be as caring as you are.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him. Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

When we think of the benefits God gives us, we often think of the gifts, goods, and graces He provides us. However, there is another benefit that He gives us... discipline. Trials, sufferings, difficulties can sometimes seem like a punishment, but they are not allowed to happen to us without a reason. We might not understand why we must suffer, but God knows what good comes from our tribulations. He doesn't allow evil to befall us because He doesn't care, but rather He allows it so we might do what is right. If our lives came too easily for us, we would take everything for granted and lose our perspective. We would come to expect everything to arrive on a silver platter. We would forget that doing what is right and good often takes sacrifice of worldly pleasures. So, let us not complain when we are undergoing trials, but rather accept them gratefully as chances to build up our faith, rely on our hope, and show our unwavering love.

What difficulties are we going through? What can we do to get through them without bitterness? How can we see our trials as a blessing and not a curse?

O Lord, we shall never forget all the benefits you've given us.

Amen.

First Tuesday in Ordinary Time

You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands. O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?

It is hard to imagine why God loves us so much. We have so little to offer Him other than our good works, sacrifices, and love. Compare these to the wondrous works, the ultimate sacrifice, and the unending love He has give us. And yet, God is mindful of us. He cares for us. He loves us. In fact, He is so in love with us that He made us in His Image. He has sacrificed His Beloved Son for us. He has given us His Spirit. Everything He is, He has given us even though we can never truly repay Him. He has given everything to us as a gift because He wants us to succeed in becoming holy people, who love Him and reflect His Image to all the world.

Do we appreciate all that God has done, is doing, and will do for us? What are we being called to do in response to God’s gracious gifts? How can we become more faithful, hopeful, and loving children to our caring Lord?

O Lord, we glorify your name over all the earth.

Amen.

Eighth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished Lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Everyone in the world has been ransomed from death and sin by Jesus. However, not everyone accepts their release from our worldly prison. Some refuse to be unbound and instead cling to the chains of their sins and remain in darkness. They prefer their slavery to sin and its momentary pleasures to the freedom of virtue and its eternal joy. The choice between these two is obvious when looked at objectively, and yet everyone falls and fails. We are not perfect like our Heavenly Father is. We are not all loving like Jesus is. We are not sanctified like the Holy Spirit. We are imperfect, selfish, and sinful. However, God does offer us the graces we need to overcome all these failings by accepting the Body and Blood of Jesus into ourselves and uniting with the perfect, loving, and holy Trinity. Whether we take God’s outstretched hand is up to us. Hopefully, we do and choose to be ransomed from sin and death once and for all.

Do we appreciate the ransom Jesus paid for our forgiveness? Are we accepting of the help God is offering us? How can we resist our imperfections and choose to follow the perfect God?

O Lord, we are imperfect, but with you we can be freed to be better people.

Amen.

Ninth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

"It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to have me die, so that I need no longer live to hear such insults." At that time, then, she spread out her hands, and facing the window, poured out her prayer: "Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works for ever!" At that very time, the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God. So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit's eyes, so that he might again see God's sunlight; and to marry Raguel's daughter Sarah to Tobit's son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her.

Both Tobit and Sarah pray for God to end their lives. They are suffering greatly and don’t feel like they can go on. Sometimes the difficulties we face are so overwhelming we might be tempted to make the same prayer. However, the end of Sarah’s prayer is the best way to petition God for help. We should bless God for all He has done for us and be thankful for the many miracles, great and small that He performs for us. If we do this, then we will receive help from Him through the Holy Spirit and his angels.

Do we turn to God when we are undergoing trials? Are we faithful in our prayer lives? How can we appreciate what God does for us on a daily basis?

O Lord, help us so we can see the light of your love and have our own devils driven away from us.

Amen.

Third Friday of Lent

I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

When we come to God contritely asking for His forgiveness, He is more than willing to absolve our sins, give us penance, and send us forth to sin no more. He wants to heal our every defection. He wants to have a reason to withhold His wrath and to love us freely. He wants to give us life-giving graces that will help us grow in faith, sustain our hope, and blossom in love for Him and His children. He wants to be at the very root of our every thought, word, and work. He wants us to bear good fruits and provide us with protection. He is Our Heavenly Father, Our Life-Giving Brother, and our Holy Spirit and if we accept Him into our lives, then we will flourish and prosper.

Do we seek our God when we have sinned? Do we appreciate everything He does for us through His Divine Mercy? How can we grow the Kingdom of God through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, pour out your mercy on us so that we might blossom in faith, hope, and love.

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.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, 
listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded 
at his understanding and his answers. 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. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

The holy family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph shows us all how to live our lives in relationship with God and each other. We, like Jesus, should always seek to do our Heavenly Father’s Will. So too, we should be like Mary and Joseph seeking to understand Jesus’ role in our lives and the messages God sends us through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. We might not always appreciate the tribulations we suffer, just as Mary and Joseph didn’t, but we can accept with humility that our sorrows can help us grow in wisdom and favor before God and man. This is why we should treasure our trials just as much as we do our triumphs. By doing so, we learn to appreciate not only what we have, but also the sufferings of Christ. In this way, we imitate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ by responding to our adversity in the same way as he did… by not letting it trouble our hearts or sour our souls. The holiness of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph’s family did not come from lack of hardship, but rather the selfless acceptance of God’s Will without counting the cost.

Do we ask God why He has done something to us? How can we learn to transform our anxieties into trust in God’s Divine Plan? How can we appreciate what we have and to be willing to suffer for the glory of God?

O Lord, we shall treasure all your words in our hearts in the hopes of one day growing in wisdom and favor with you and your children.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

After sending his disciples out to preach the good news, Jesus gathers them together again, debriefs them, and then asks them to come with him to rest for a while. Jesus wants to impress upon his disciples the need to rest. We can’t keep going full speed ahead twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Just as God rested on the seventh day, so we too need to rest, relax, and reflect upon what we have done. In this way we can reenergize ourselves for the next set of tasks in our lives. Without rest, we get run-down and lose focus. We let our activities take over our lives without reflection upon their greater meaning. If we don’t rest, then we don’t gain the perspective we need to make the right choices in our lives. If we are always busy, than we shall miss out on opportunities for spiritual growth.

Are we too busy to rest and relax with Jesus as the disciples did? Are there things we do now that we could cut from our busy schedules so that we could have some more rest in our lives? Do we reflect upon our activities in order to better appreciate what they mean to us, others, and more importantly if they are in line with what God wants from us?

O Lord, gather us with you and lead us to rest.

Amen.