Third Friday of Advent

Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

We are all temples to the Lord. We are all made to be His dwelling place. Our hearts are meant to be tabernacles to our Lord, allowing Him to rest in and work through us. We should strive to be open to our Heavenly Father. We should accept the teachings and wisdom of the Son. We should seek to fulfill the Will of the Holy Spirit and become saintly people. This is the only way we can become who we are meant to be... children of God, who reflect the face of God in our own faces and pass on His blessings through our own thoughts, words, and works. So, let us manifest the Lord to the best of our abilities and allow Him to live and speak and work through us in all things.

Do we let God enter into the temples of our souls? Are we accepting of the blessings and graces He gives us? Do we seek for Him in all things?

O Lord, we seek your face.

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.

Thirty-Third Tuesday in Ordinary Time

The Lord upholds me. O LORD, how many are my adversaries! Many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “There is no salvation for him in God.”

The Lord upholds us against our adversaries, no matter how many there might be. He is our fortress, our protector, our rock. There is nothing in this world that can overthrow Him and the strength He lends us in our times of need. If we will but trust in Him and accept His blessings, gifts, and graces, then we shall not be put to shame. No matter how many rise against us we will triumph. No matter how much our foes claim we are fools, we will be proven to be wise at the Last Judgment when we gain salvation from Him.

Do we allow God to uphold us in our times of trial and weakness? Do we seek His help against our adversaries? Do we trust that with His aid, we will overcome all obstacles?

O Lord, uphold us.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

God will always give us the blessings, graces, and gifts that will strengthen us so we can do good and avoid evil. He encourages us through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of holy people, and the teachings of the Church to know, love, and serve Him and all His children. He gives us hope in His Goodness and Mercy and shows us how to be compassionate people. It is through Him and in Him and with Him that we can become manifestations of His Divine Will. In a similar way, we are called to encourage others in the faith and help them to grow into the saints they are called to be.

How are we using the strength God gives us? What are we doing with the inspiration and guidance He provides? How are we helping others to grow in goodness, grace, and hope?

O Lord, strengthen us in every good deed and word.

Amen.

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 

God has made us worthy of our callings in this life. He has given us the graces we need. He has provided us with gifts and talents and treasures sufficient to accomplish the works He wants us to do. He has blessed us in ways seen and unseen all so we might fulfill His Will on earth. If we fail to do good or avoid evil, it is not because He did not help us enough. It is because we ignored our calling, settled for something less, or choose a sinful life over a holy one. It is our fault and ours alone when we fall short because we are weighed down by doubts, fears, apathy, or selfishness. However, if we are willing to shrug off these things and place our trust in God, then there is no limit to how far we can go. We will be able to make the leaps of faith we need in order to achieve God’s Will and the world, including ourselves, will be better off for it.

Do we bring to fulfillment every good purpose and effort of faith? Do our thoughts, words, and works glorify God? What can we do to live up to the calling God has given us?

O Lord, make us worthy of your calling.

Amen.

Thirtieth Thursday in Ordinary Time

Save me, O Lord, in your mercy. Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name’s sake; in your generous mercy rescue me; For I am wretched and poor, and my heart is pierced within me.

There are moments in our lives when we just have to ask God to save us. We are lost in a sea of confusion. We are battered by storms of doubt and difficulties. We are crushed beneath a mountain of worries. We are pierced by sufferings and sorrows. We don’t have the strength to get back onto our feet without God’s Help. Thankfully, God is always listening and He will never give us a burden we cannot bear. He will always grant us graces, blessings, and strengths to overcome our trials. He takes pity on us, wretched and poor, and deals kindly with us. He tends to our wounds, guides us back to where we are meant to be, and shows us the way forward.

Do we ask God to save us or do we try to save ourselves? How can we learn to trust that God will deal with us kindly and rescue us from harm? What can we do to imitate His generous mercy in our own daily lives?

O Lord, in your generous mercy rescue us.

Amen.

Thirtieth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

The Lord has done marvels for us. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

God constantly offers us restoration. He provides for us a path to renewal and rejuvenation as His children. He gives us a way to shore up the foundations of our faith and rebuild areas of our spiritual lives that have fallen into disrepair. He wants our spiritual fortunes restored. He wants the roots of our lives watered and the branches of our lives to be fruitful. He wants us to sow no matter the difficulties so we can reap rejoicing. He wants us to prosper and the only way we can do that is to make Him the Source, Center, and Summit of our daily lives.

What marvels has God done for us? Do we thank Him for these graces and blessings? How can we learn to sow in tears so we can reap rejoicing?

O Lord, restore us.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Thursday in Ordinary Time

And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Our Heavenly Father is waiting for us. He wants us to ask for His Presence in our lives so He can give us all the graces and blessings He has prepared for us. He wants us to seek Him out along the narrow Way to salvation and to walk beside Him. He wants us to knock on the gates of Paradise and ask for entrance so He can welcome us into His Holy City. He is always within reach through our prayers and petitions and will never abandon us. And even when we abandon Him, He offers us a way back into His Good Graces through contrition, confession, and penance.

Do we ask God for what we need? Do we seek Him out in all we think, say, and do? Do we knock at the doors of Heaven and ask for them to be open to us?

O Lord, open the doors of Heaven to us, your humble servants.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi

For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us. O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the corpses of your servants as food to the birds of heaven, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.

We will not always be triumphant in this world. There will be times when we are defeated. We might fail in our personal lives. We might fail in our careers. We might fail in our finances. We might be besieged by worldly worries, concerns, doubts, fears, and anxieties. We might fail to be good and cave to temptations and sin. However, no matter what happens to us, if we trust in God, He will save us and raise us up again. He will give us the graces and blessings we need to rebuild ourselves and become living temples that give glory to God and build up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

How do we deal with defeat in this world? Do we turn to God and ask for His help? What do we do to help others when they are overwhelmed by sufferings?

O Lord, deliver us from evil and build us into a good and faithful people.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory. The nations shall revere your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory, When the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer.

Whenever we are damaged, knocked down, or ruined by something, God is there to help us. He offers to mend our wounds. He reaches out to lift us up. He is ready to rebuild us, better than before. He does not want to see us destitute or despised or destroyed. The world may do this to us, but He does not. He will do everything in His power to raise us out of our poverty, whether it is physical or spiritual. He will grant graces and blessings to those who are mocked and persecuted by the worldly. Even if our enemies destroy us in some way, He will resurrect us and bring us to a better life.

What areas of our lives need to be rebuilt? How can we make ourselves more open to God’s constructive work in our lives? What can we do to help others who are in need of building up their bodies, minds, and spirits?

O Lord, build us up into living churches.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Saturday in Ordinary Time

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.

God died for us through His Beloved Son to ransom us from sin and death. He sacrificed Himself for us, even though we are sinners and sometimes turn our backs on Him. He offered Himself once and for all. And the only thing we have to do is accept this truth and live our lives in accordance with God’s commandments. If we do this, then God will not only guard us from our foes, but raise us to Heaven as His beloved children and heirs to His Kingdom. He shall protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and all his minions. He shall pour out His grace and blessings upon us and make us into a holy people, full of love, mercy, and joy.

Do we call upon our Shepherd to guard us from temptations and evil? Do we give thanks to God for ransoming us from sin and death? How can we make God’s Goodness known to all whom we meet?

O Lord, we thank you for ransoming us from sin and death.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Thursday in Ordinary Time

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the LORD in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his strength. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign majesty.

Every moment of every day, we could sing the praises of the Lord. He has does so much for us from the moment we wake in the morning to the instant we fall asleep. He protects us through the night and sees us through each day. He pours His blessings and graces upon us and give us every chance to grow in faith, hope, and love and bear good fruits. He wants us to succeed in what is important in life and provides us every gift and talent we need to fulfill His Divine Plan for us. He is with us always, waiting for us to recognize His presence and allow Him to work through us for the salvation of souls. He does great and small things for us and for all of these things, we should be more than willing to praise Him.

In what ways do we praise God? How can we do so more meaningfully? What can we do to help others to praise Him, too?

O Lord, we praise you for your loving majesty.

Amen.

Eighteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. We have sinned, we and our fathers; we have committed crimes; we have done wrong. Our fathers in Egypt considered not your wonders.

God favors us in many ways and yet sometimes we forget how much He does for us. When something doesn’t quite go our way or when we are asked to take a leap of faith or make a sacrifice, we can sometimes rebel against Him. We choose selfishness and sin over self-sacrifice and virtue. We grumble and complain against God rather than glorify and praise Him. We have a worldly attitude toward God, asking, “What have you done for us?” Instead, we should be asking, “What are you, O Lord, asking of us?” And when He responds, we should take that leap of faith and say, “Yes!” This is what Mary did in her most holy life. It is what the saints and martyrs did. It is the only way for us to share in God’s promise of salvation and enter into the Promised Land.

Do we spend time each day thinking about all the blessings, graces, gifts, talents, and other marvelous deeds God has done for us? How can we repay God for all the goods He has given us? What can we do to bring blessings and graces into the lives of those around us?

O Lord, help us to remember your presence in our lives and be ever thankful for it.

Amen.

Seventeenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

O God, let all the nations praise you! The earth has yielded its fruits; God, our God, has blessed us. May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

God has blessed us in many ways. He is the source of all our good. He is the center of all our joy. He is the summit of all we should strive to be. If we cultivate our relationship with Him, then we will grow in faith, hope, and love. We will blossom with kindness and bear good fruits as long as we drink from the font of holiness and let the light of truth sustain us. If we have deep roots into our faith, then when dark nights or dry spells come into our lives, we will continue to thrive on the holy waters within our hearts. And when good times come, we will yield thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold.

How can we make God the source, center, and summit of our lives? What can we do to bear good fruits? How can we allow God to sustain us through the difficult times of our lives?

O Lord, help us to yield good fruits.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

From all their distress God rescues the just. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

God will rescue us if we are just and good. He will not abandon us in our times of need. Nor will He forget what we have done for Him and His children. He will bless us with every grace we need to become the best Christians we can be. He will guide us through the Holy Spirit to lives of imitation of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He will protect us from evil and save us from the fires of Hell. He will listen to us and give us what is best for us.

Do we thank God for all He has done to rescue us from sin and evil? Do we bless and praise Him as we should? What can we do to let our souls glory in the Lord?

O Lord, rescue us from our distress.

Amen.

Eleventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Praise the Lord, my soul! Praise the LORD, my soul! I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live.

There are many reasons for us to sing God’s praises. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we fall asleep at night, God is blessing us in one way or another. He may do so in small or great, hidden or obvious ways. He is constantly showing us how much He loves us through these acts of charity. He also reveals His Divine Mercy to each of us, offering forgiveness for our sins and helping us to resist temptations. It is only through His Strength that we can be strong. It is only through His Love that we can be loving. It is only through His Compassion that we can be merciful. And because of these things we ought to sing praise to God while we live so one day, we might join the choir of angels in Heaven and sing to our Beloved God forever and ever.

Do we take notice of all the good things God has done for us? How can we respond to God’s Grace in more meaningful and fruitful ways? What can we do to sing His praises to others?

O Lord, our souls will praise you all of our lives and beyond.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”

Jesus was sacrificed for us. This is something we should ponder and take to heart. Imagine for a moment what Jesus gave up for us. How he who was without sin died for us who are sinners. He died to give us the power of the Holy Spirit and the riches of grace. He died to grant us wisdom and strength. He died to bless us who are in need of blessing. We should marvel at what Jesus did for us through his passion and death all so we might share in his resurrection and join the choir of angels in singing, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

Do we meditate and ponder the sacrifice God made for us? Are we as forgiving as Jesus was for us? How can we give God the glory, honor, and praise He deserves?

O Lord, you are the worthy lamb who died for us.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak.

The Lord sends out His Holy Spirit to each and every one of us and through the Holy Spirit He offers us virtues, gifts, and graces. He pours out His Love and Mercy upon us and offers to make us holy, too. He wants our souls to be blessed and our lives to be good. He wants us to be great like He is great. He wants to clothe us in His Light and robe us in His Truth so we might walk His Way in confidence. He gives us more gifts than we can count. More than we could ever repay. And yet, all He asks of us is to be good and faithful servants and love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbors as He loves them. Truly, He is majestic, glorious, and good.

Are our hearts open and welcoming to the Holy Spirit? Do we put the graces and blessings we receive through the Spirit to good use? How can we magnify the greatness and the glory of God for all whom we meet?

O Lord, send your Holy Spirit to renew our hearts.

Amen.

Friday After Epiphany

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.

We have much to praise God for in our lives. He has given us everything from our own lives to the life of His Beloved Son. He has created and protected us. He has loved and blessed us. He has forgiven us our trespasses against Him and others. Whenever we turn to Him for help, He aids us... perhaps not always in the way we envisioned, but always in the way we need. He has strengthened us through grace and will never leave our side. He is our rock, our shelter, our foundation. As long as we trust in Him, we will never be overcome by the wickedness and snares of the Devil. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and this is why we praise and glorify Him, because He is a Good and Loving Father.

Do we realize how much God has done for us? How can we imitate His Generosity in our own lives? How can we become blessings in the lives of others?

O Lord, we praise you.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

May God bless us in his mercy. May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.

We all need God’s pity and blessing. None of us are without sins and imperfections. None of us are strong enough to resist all temptation. God knows this and that is why He sent His Beloved Son to become one of us and offer himself as a sacrifice for our failings. It is God’s pity that brings us blessing, but it is God’s Love that brings us His pity. It is His Divine Love that makes His face shine upon us and leads us to salvation. Truly, we are blessed in His Mercy and we would do well to be merciful ourselves for we will be judged as we treated others, for good and ill. Better for us if our thoughts, words, and works are weighed more towards selflessness and good than toward selfishness and evil.

Do we thank God for His Mercy and Blessings? How can we be as merciful as God is toward us? Do our thoughts, words, and works make known God’s Way of Love to others?

O Lord, bless us in your mercy.

Amen.