Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin

Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth. Defend the lowly and the fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the lowly and the poor; from the hand of the wicked deliver them.

God will bring judgment to the earth and we would do well to remember that. Each of us is given a role to play in the building up of the Body of Christ. Some will be called to be parents and guardians, others to be care-takers and educations, still others will be asked to be protectors and leaders. All of us are asked to bear God’s Love and Mercy into the world and to proclaim the Good News with our every action. We, like Him, are tasked with defending the lowly and fatherless, rendering justice to the afflicted and destitute, and rescuing the lowly and poor from the hands of the wicked. We are all meant to be manifestations of our Heavenly Father’s Will, the Son’s Word, and the Holy Spirit’s Heart. And if we wish to be found worthy of Paradise, then we must magnify our Lord by being His eyes, ears, lips, and hands.

Do we defend the lowly and fatherless? Are we just toward the afflicted and destitute? What can we do to rescue the lowly and poor from wickedness and evil?

O Lord, help us to bring your just judgment to the earth.

Amen.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

You are God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.

We are God’s building. We are His Church and Temple. We are all parts of one dwelling. We all serve a purpose. We are all founded in one faith, one baptism, for one God. We are united in the Body of Christ which is manifested through us. We are builders, too, of faith, hope, and love. We add onto the Church through our thoughts, words, and works and as such we must take our responsibilities seriously. We must be careful to build upon the foundation of Christ and not upon anything else. We must add onto the Church through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must not damage or distort what God has constructed for us. We must be vigilant in the defense of the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Church, while still being open to growing His Temple in new and sanctifying directions.

Do we take care of God’s Temple within our souls? In what ways do we build up the Church? Are our spiritual foundations rooted in Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we are your building, do with us what you will.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

We must believe God will do good things for us if we are to have any hope of eternal life. We must believe whatever we lack in our spiritual lives will be provided to us out of the bounty of our Lord. We must believe He will grant us blessings, graces, talents, and treasures to help us to achieve His Will in the world. We must be courageous and stouthearted and unwavering in our love of Him and all His children and trust that in the end all will be for our benefit and salvation.

Do we trust that good things will come to us, even when we are in our darkest hours? What can we do to build up and support our hope in God? Are we willing to wait for the Lord with courage?

O Lord, grant us the patience to wait for you.

Amen.

Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin/Doctor of the Church

God is with us. I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those that know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia: “This man was born there.” And of Zion they shall say: “One and all were born in her; And he who has established her is the Most High LORD.”

We are all born to become citizens of the City of God. We are all given rights and responsibilities by the mere fact of our conception. God is with us from the moment of creation and remains with us even through death to the final judgment and beyond. He wants us all to be good and faithful servants, willing to do our duty to Him and to all His children. So, let us come together as one and live out our calling to be God’s representatives on earth in hopes of one day enjoying the Heavenly banquet with our Lord and King.

Have we accepted our citizenship within the City of God? How are we respecting the rights of others and fulfilling our responsibilities as Christians? What can we do to build up the Kingdom of God?

O Lord, we will strive to be good and faithful citizens of your Kingdom.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Jesus Christ holds us together as Christians and human beings. He is what binds us to be loving and respectful to one another no matter the differences between us. He showed us time after time how he has called all men and women to become his disciples. He reminds us again and again that each of us has a role to play in God’s Divine Plan. We are not all the same, but we do fit together when we choose to be a part of His Spiritual Body, the Church. It is through the teachings and traditions of the Church that we are bound together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, each in his or her own unique way. So, let us each allow ourselves to be placed where we are needed in the Church so it might be a strong, holy, and united family.

What role is God calling me to take up in His Holy Church? How can we fulfill this vocation with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? How can we help others to fit into the Body of Christ, too?

O Lord, build us into a living and united temple sacred to you.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Easter

How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

It is impossible for us to truly repay God for all He has done for us. He gave us the world we live in. He gave us His Divine Image. He gave us our lives. He has offered us His Love, His Grace, and His Mercy. He has given us more than we could ever return to Him. All He asks for in return is our faith, hope, and love so we might know, love, and serve Him and all His children to the best of our abilities.

Are we making a good-faith effort to repay God for all He has done for us? What can we do to build up the Kingdom of God on earth? How can we fulfill our baptismal vows?

O Lord, help us to be counted among your faithful ones.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Easter

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. The LORD is king, in splendor robed; robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

God is our King and as such deserves our respect. We should fear disappointing Him, not because He will punish us for our faults, but because He is a Good Father and we don’t want to disappoint Him. He is robed in majesty and so we bow before His Will and sing His glory and praises. He is robed in splendor and so we allow Him to lead us. He is girted with strength and so we seek His help through the teachings of Jesus and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. As His children and heirs, all His Kingdom is promised to us if we will accept it and all the rights and responsibilities that come with living out our baptismal promises.

Do we show respect to God in our thoughts, words, and works? How can we live our lives as worthy heirs to our Father? What can we do to build up the Heavenly Kingdom on earth?

O Lord, you are robed in majesty, splendor, and strength.

Amen.

Sixth Saturday of Ordinary Time

I will praise your name for ever, Lord. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might.

We should all give thanks to God for what He has done for us. In little and great ways, He has guided and blessed our lives so we have the best chance to join Him in Heaven. Without Him we would be lost to the abyss and have no hope of salvation. But with Him, we can think, say, and do things that will bring us closer to Him and the glory of His Kingdom. It is His Might that becomes our strength in times of need and we should learn to accept and lean on Him when we are in need physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. He is the rock on which we are meant to build our lives because He is the root of our strength.

Do we thank God for the might He lends us? How can we use the strength He gives to build up His Kingdom? Are we willing to be humble and allow Him to uphold us in our times of need?

O Lord, lend us your might.

Amen.

Third Monday of Advent

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king's son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment.

We all are called to be just in our dealings with God and others. If we want to be part of the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father, then we must treat others with dignity and respect. We have to govern ourselves with discipline so our every thought, word, and work will build up the Kingdom of God and not tear it down. When others see us, they should know we are Christians by our faith, our hope, and our love. They should say, "there is a just people" and we should respond, "come join us."

What can we do to govern ourselves with justice? How can we help justice flourish in our own time? How can we bring peace into our lives and the lives of those around us?

O Lord, plant your justice in our minds and hearts so they might yield the fruits of peace.

Amen.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

We are all called to be temples of God. We are all asked to be sacred spaces wherein God can dwell. We are given the grace to build our lives upon the foundations of the rock of Christ. Whenever we worthily receive the Word of God or the Blessed Sacrament, we are transformed into living temples to the glory of God for the good of all. We strive to keep ourselves holy and help others to do the same for we are all called to build up the Church and be united as One Body of Christ. Woe to us if we fail in our calling to be good and faithful servants or if we destroy the foundations of faith in others, but blessed are we if we strive to uphold the faith in ourselves and all of God’s children.

Are we treating ourselves and others as temples of God? How can we build up our faith, hope, and love? What can we do to remain holy dwelling places for our Lord and God?

O Lord, build us into living temples to you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

As Christians, our belief in Jesus brings us together. It forges us into one, united people of God. It transforms us into living temples built upon the foundations of love for the Holy Trinity and all of God's children. There are no strangers among us, but rather fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We are built together by our Heavenly Father in order to do His Will and bring about His Kingdom. Our time, talents, and treasures are given to us for this purpose. We are meant to use them to build up His Church and woe to us if we waste or bury them.

Is God the Father the foundation of our lives? Is Jesus Christ the capstone of our faith? Are our hearts sacred temples adorned with the inspirations and graces of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, make us into dwelling places for you.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

When we are faithful to our calling, we are at peace... even if we are suffering, persecuted, mocked, and facing difficulties. This is because when we are doing God’s Will, we know everything will turn out right in the end. We might have to overcome obstacles and struggle through trials, but God’s Grace sees us through to the other side. When we are building up the Church through our thoughts, words, and works, we are filled with the knowledge that we will be consoled... if not in this life, then in the next. Last but not least, when we walk in the fear of the Lord, we understand our every action should be done for God’s greater glory and to reflect His Goodness. If we have such an attitude, then we will strive to be holy because we do not want to disappoint our Heavenly Father.

Are we at peace with ourselves and our relationship with God? How can we build up the Church? Are we properly fearful of disappointing God?

O Lord, grow our faith.

Amen.

The Epiphany of the Lord

You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:  that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

We are all coheirs to the Kingdom. We are all members of the same body. We are all copartners in Christ. We are all called to work with each other to give glory to God and build up the Church. We are all tasked with becoming stewards of the faith, doing God’s Will in all things. We are all given the opportunity to be good and faithful servants, who give witness to the faith by sharing ourselves with others. We all have a vocation to be priests, prophets, and servant leaders, leading people to the Way, the Truth, and the Life by word and example. There are many who are only exposed to Divine Truth through us and we have a responsibility to proclaim the Good New through our every thought, word, and work.

Are we good and faithful stewards of our faith? How can we become better coheirs of the Kingdom, members of the Church, and copartners with Christ? What can we do to fulfill our callings to build up the body of Christ?

O Lord, we want to be better stewards of your grace.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Monday of Ordinary Time

All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him! Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt, be assisted by the people of that place with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, together with free-will offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.

We are all charged with building temples to God within ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We do this in various ways through our virtues, our gifts, and our generosity toward others. Our every thought, word, and work should have building up the Kingdom of God as its aim or at the very least be offered up for this purpose through prayer. We build temples to our Lord and God through our acts of charity and mercy, through our choice to do what is right rather than what is wrong, and through following the teachings of Jesus in spite of what the world tells us to do. We build up the faith in others through spending our time, talents, and treasures ministering to them through great and small acts of evangelization and kindness.

Have we made our hearts into temples to God? What can we do to build up the faith in others? How can we become builders of the faith?

O Lord, help us to build a house to you within our hearts.

Amen.