Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.  This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.

Praying for those in authority is something we all should do. Even if we do not agree with a person’s politics, we should still pray that they make the best decisions for the people they represent. We should pray that our leaders resist the temptations of office, such as corruption, pride, arrogance. We should also pray that our leaders build up the kingdom of Christ and not tear it down through their speeches, decisions, and laws. We might not be able to claim ultimate victory over the worldly in the realm of politics, but that doesn’t mean we should leave the field, either. Instead, we should treat our foes with love and mercy and try to show them the truth by being good citizens who are faithful to the Gospel.

Do we offer prayers for our leaders? How can we show love and mercy to our political foes? What can we do to make our country into one that respects the dignity of each human and our religious freedoms?

O Lord, we pray for those in authority.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Monday of Ordinary Time

"Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

None of us are worthy to have Jesus come under the roofs of our hearts. However, Jesus is not concerned with whether we are worthy or not, but rather whether we are contrite in seeking him out or not. If we are contrite and seek his healing for us or another, then he shall come to us and give us every grace we need to overcome our trials in this life. Contrition, obedience, and love are needed for us to be saved from eternal death. We cannot be contrite if we do not truly hope to amend our lives and follow God. We cannot be obedient if we do not have faith in and fidelity to God. We cannot love if we are not willing to do as God tells us through our consciences. All three are needed, faith, hope, and love and the greatest is love.

Even though we are unworthy of God's Love, are we open to its coming into our lives? Do we recognize God's authority over our thoughts, words, and works? Do we love others enough to seek God's help for them just as the centurion sought help for his servant?

O Lord, we are unworthy, but only say the word and we shall be healed.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Tuesday of Ordinary Time

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

We are often told in today's society that everyone is entitled to their opinion or truth is a matter of perspective, but this is not what Jesus taught us through his words and deeds. He proclaimed the truth with authority and so should we. We shouldn't be afraid of being persecuted, mocked, and misunderstood by those who don't believe in Divine Truth. They might ask us, "What is truth?" and challenge us to prove without a doubt that God exists, that He loves, and that He died for us so that we might join Him in eternal life. However, we should not be intimidated by those who cast doubts upon us or belittle us for our beliefs. As long as we believe in Jesus Christ, and him crucified, then our words and works will speak louder than all our critics. This is what Jesus did and it is what we are called to do. It is not any easy way, but it is the only Way that will lead us to the Truth and Life everlasting.

Do we believe in Jesus' authority? If so, then how has that changed the way we know, love, and serve others? Can we honestly claim that our lives are founded upon the authority of Christ?

O Lord, give our every thought, word, and work the authority that comes with your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus’ authority comes from his divinity and his relationship with the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Together, the Holy Trinity can do all things. We, like Jesus and John, also have heavenly origins. God gave each of us the breath of life through the Holy Spirit. This breath enlivens and inspires us, allowing us to become kings of service, priests of sacrifice, and prophets of the truth. Of course, if we choose to follow the commandments of the Father, the way of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we should expect to be questioned, opposed, and even persecuted by the world. However, as long as we listen to God and trust in His authority over our lives, then we shall be able to overcome these obstacles and do what is right and good.

Do we believe in Jesus’ authority over our lives? Are we willing to follow the Father’s commandments, Jesus’ way of life, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to fulfill our calling to be prophets of the truth?

O Lord, we believe in you and your authority over us.

Amen.

The Second Wednesday of Lent

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus was a servant leader and he calls all of us to follow his example. We need to remember that our authority, talents, and accomplishments come from God and should be used in the service of Him and His children. We also have to cultivate a sense of humility so that when we are given authority over others we do not lord it over them. Our every thought, word, and work should imitate Christ and just as he became a slave to all so must we. Last but not least, we ought to develop a spirit of self-sacrifice and detachment from the world so that we can always be prepared and willing to lay down our lives for others.

How are we preparing ourselves to be servant leaders in the Church and to the world? Do we give God the glory for all our authority, talents, and accomplishments? How can we cultivate spirits of humility and self-sacrifice?

O Lord, we want to serve and give our lives for the many.

Amen.

The Second Tuesday of Lent

As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us we are following him not because we want to exalt ourselves, but to humble ourselves as God's servants. We can claim whatever authority or titles we wish, but in the end God is the only true authority. It is from Him that all the lesser authorities flow. He is the only Teacher we need to heed. He is the only Father we should seek to please.  He is the only Master we are called to serve. He gives us all we need to become His good and faithful followers. This is why it is so important to live our lives as servants of God and His children because it is the best way for us to imitate the loving service God has given us.

Do we listen to the teachings of Christ and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? Do we seek the approval and protection of our Heavenly Father? Do we accept Jesus Christ as our king and seek to serve Him and all God's children to the best of our abilities?

O Lord, show us how to be good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Fifth Monday of Ordinary Time

As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

As word of Jesus’ healing powers spread, more and more people come to him seeking to be cured. They might not know Jesus’ message, but they recognize his authority from all his good works. We too should recognize Jesus’ authority and power and turn to him for help with our problems whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. And just like those who sought him out so long ago, we will be healed, too. We have only to come to him in faith, stretch out our hands in hope, and lovingly accept the graces he gives us.

Do we recognize Jesus’ authority in our lives? Do we come to him when we are sick or in trouble? Are there other people in our lives who we can lead to God’s healing powers?

O Lord, heal us of our afflictions.

Amen.

First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

The crowd in the synagogue recognizes that Jesus is teaching and acting with an authority they have not seen before. He is able to command unclean spirits and drive them out of the possessed. Just like Jesus, we are called to teach and act with authority. We might not be asked to be prophets or drive out demons, but we are asked to make Jesus present through our thoughts, words, and works. We are his eyes, ears, hands, and feet in this world and tasked with bringing the good news of the gospel to those in most need of it. We can do this through little and great acts of charity and mercy. In this way, we manifest God's Divine Grace to the world and make known His Love to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Do we recognize Jesus’ authority and listen to his gospel message? How do we make Jesus present to others through our thoughts, words, and works? What can we do to reveal Jesus’ authority to others and help bring them closer to God?

O Lord, you have taught us your gospel with authority. Help us to live it out each day.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’  But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Where was Jesus’ authority from? This is the question the chief priests and elders put to Jesus, but it is also the question at the center of our faith lives. In our lives, we will eventually have to answer if we believe that Jesus’ authority is of heavenly or human origin. If we truly believe Christ's authority is heavenly, then we will choose to live our lives in accord with his gospel message and imitate him in everything we do. Without a faith in Jesus’ divine authority, we have nothing firm to hold onto in our lives. If Jesus is just a man, then there would be no Savior of the World and no life everlasting. Thankfully, we believe Jesus is not only man, but divine, too. His authority isn’t just a human one, but an eternal one. This is why we are called to trust in him, put aside our doubts, and live out his gospel message.

Do we believe Jesus’ authority is from heaven? If so, then how has that effected the way we live our lives? What do we do to live out the gospel message Jesus gave to us through the New Testament?

O Lord, your authority is divine. Help us to respect and bow to it always.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Tuesday of Ordinary Time

He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

When someone speaks with authority about a subject we tend to listen to them. So why then, do we have such trouble listening to the Lord and putting into practice the gospel messages He has given us? Perhaps it is because we are distracted by worldly things or do not understand the meaning and responsibilities of His good news. It can be difficult to keep ourselves open to the workings of God. However, we cannot give up. We must continually strive to know, love, and serve God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. What Jesus is asking of us may be amazing and seemingly impossible for us to do, but his authority reassures us that as long as we place our trust in him, then all things are possible, even those we feel the least comfortable with.

Do we listen to God? Are we putting into practice his gospel message? Do we believe that with God all things are possible?

O Lord, your authority calls us to go beyond ourselves and make our lives a living, “Yes!” to your will.

Amen.

Twelfth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go.’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

The centurion recognizes Jesus’ authority over all of God’s children and in this series of examples he illustrates for all of us what it means to have dominion over all creation. We, like the centurion, should trust that when we ask something of God that He can use His authority to help us. Perhaps it might not be in such a dramatic way as the healing of the servant, but God listens to our prayers and answers us in His own way and at the time of His own choosing. Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or God the Father have authority over our lives, we should respect that power as the centurion does. We should recognize how unworthy we are of God's help, while at the same time being bold enough to ask Him to aid us in spite of our failure to love Him and His children as we ought to do.

Do we recognize God’s authority in our lives? Do we give thanks for all the great and small things God does for us? Are we like little children, willing to ask our Heavenly Father for His graces even though we haven’t been the best of heirs to His Kingdom?

O Lord, let us be subject to your authority.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”– they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”

We cannot hedge our bets when it comes to God. We either believe or don’t. We might have doubts, but in the end we either choose to let God help our unbelief and allow ourselves to believe… or we turn our backs on God. Each of us must answer this question for ourselves: Was Jesus’ teachings and baptism of heavenly or human origin? If we believe the latter, then we set aside God and simply see Jesus as at best a decent man or at worst a charlatan. If, however, we choose to believe Jesus came down from Heaven, then we must also accept his teachings whether we agree with them or not. There is no cafeteria in Heaven where we can pick and choose our beliefs, there is only one banquet that everyone partakes from… made up of the fruits of the Truth, the Way, and the Life. We might not understand or like the taste of some of these fruits, but they are given to us out of love and we would do well to accept them because they come from God, Who loves us.

By what authority did Jesus live his life? What do we truly believe about the origins of his power? How can we show God that we believe in Him, even if there are certain aspects of the faith we have difficulties accepting?

O Lord, we believe, help our unbelief.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Lent

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”

Jesus speaks the truth with authority. He tells us not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear. He offers us the Living Word of God in himself. All we have to do is listen and then put his words into action. Throughout the gospels we hear people refer to Jesus’ authority. They recognize his authenticity. He doesn't just tell them the message of God’s Mercy, but shows them through his good works.

Do we listen to the authority of God? Do we reflect His Divine Truth in our lives? When others see us do they recognize us as Christians who speak and act authentically?

O Lord, help us to live authentic Christian lives.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.

Jesus tosses out an evil spirit from a synagogue in today’s gospel. In doing so he reveals to his audience at the time and to us that he speaks with divine authority. The power behind his words is undeniable in the eyes of many of those who witnessed his works. His power impresses them because the Pharisees and scribes did not speak with personal authority. They represented the teachings of their masters, but Jesus is the Word of God made Flesh and when he speaks it is with an authority all of his own. This authority challenges us to follow in Jesus' footsteps and walk with him along His Way, which is not the way of the world.

What is this gospel of Jesus to us? Do we recognize His authority not only over unclean spirits, but over our sin-stained souls? What are we doing to protect ourselves from the wickedness and snares of the Devil?

O Lord, open our hearts to your teachings.

Amen.

First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Authority is a very important concept in faith teaching. When we are taught about our faith we need to believe in the authority of our teacher or at least in the material he is teaching otherwise we will doubt everything they claim. The scribes and Pharisees drew their teaching authority from their scriptures and the traditional interpretations of them. When they spoke it was with the authority of the Old Testament. However, Jesus speaks with his own authority and this astonishes his crowds because he does not depend upon the Old Testament. This is because Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the New Testament. He fulfills the old and grants new insights into it through his teachings. His authority challenges the long held beliefs of those who hear him just as it challenges us today.

Who is the authority we turn to in the midst of the world? Is it Jesus Christ and His message of the Gospel or is it ourselves and our sometimes misguided interpretations of the Good News? What can we do to internalize and externalize the authority of God in our lives?

O Lord, you teach the Gospel with authority. Help us to receive your teaching with an open heart and willing spirit.

Amen.

Third Monday in Advent

By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?

Authority has always been important for us as human beings. When we have questions that need to be answered, we do not ask anyone, but rather we ask those whom we believe have authoritative experience with the issue at hand. When someone of equal or lesser status tells us to do something we may or may not do it, but if someone of higher authority tells us to do it, we tend to drop what we are doing and take up the task. Even those of us who tend to buck authority still have the ability to recognize it when we see it. There is something about it which draws or repulses us like magnetic poles. When the chief priests and elders question where Jesus’ authority comes from they question everything about him, and so he turns the question back on them by asking if John the Baptist’s baptism was of heavenly or earthly origin. This is what they are asking of Jesus. Are you a heavenly prophet or earthly man? When they cannot answer about John, Jesus refuses to answer them because if they cannot recognize John’s origin, then how can they do so with Christ’s?

In what areas of our lives do we question Jesus’ authority over us? Do we spend enough time each day recognizing the heavenly origins of the people, places, and things around us? What authority has God given us and how do we use it to bring about His Will?

O Lord, you have authority over us all. Grant that we might not question this authority, but rather learn how to be humble servants to you in all things.

Amen.