Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

God cannot deny the image of Himself that resides in each person. This is why He is so willing to forgive and bring us back into His good graces even after we have turned our backs on Him through sin or apathy. He wants us to be united to Him in body, mind, and spirit. He wants us to magnify Him through our thoughts, words, and works. However, He will not force us to be good and faithful children. He wants us to choose to know, love, and serve Him and the image of Him that exists in each person. If we deny Him, He will attempt to change our minds and give us every opportunity to atone for our transgressions, but in the end, He will deny us salvation if we refuse the offers of His Divine Mercy. But, if we persevere and die with Him, then we shall live forever with Him as co-heirs to His Heavenly Kingdom.

In what ways have we denied God’s Divine Image within us? How can we rid ourselves of these things that mar us so we can accept God more fully into our hearts, minds, and spirits? What can we do to persevere in our faith?

O Lord, we are willing to die for you.

Amen.

Fourth Friday of Easter

You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. “I myself have set up my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

We are the children of God. This means we are unconditionally loved by our Heavenly Father. He cares for us better than any earthly parent ever could and will do everything in His power to help us to grow in faith, hope, and love. He wants us to succeed in life, but like a good father, He will not force us to become what He wants us to be. He wants us to choose to know, love, and serve Him on our own because He knows He can’t force us to be good and faithful. We must want to follow in His footsteps before we can walk with Him into Paradise.

Are we living up to the responsibilities of being a child of God? How can we become better sons and daughters of our Good Father? What can we do to help others to be better children, too?

O Lord, you begot us and love us, help us to be holy children.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Easter

It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right.

Notice that in this letter, the Apostles give credit for their decision to the Holy Spirit. It is God, Himself, who has lead them to this revelation through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we believe God plays an important role in the life of the Church and guides it to make the right decisions in matters of faith and morals. This doesn’t mean it is perfect, far from it, but it does mean the collective wisdom of the teachings of the Church will lead us to do what is right and good. It might not always fit with popular philosophy or worldly pursuits, but is what we are called to do. The world might tell us to choose our own path, but God is whispering to us, “Choose mine and you will live forever.”

Do we let the Holy Spirit lead us in our decisions? How can we make Him a bigger part of our decision-making process? Do we keep ourselves free of those things that might lead us away from God?

O Lord, help us choose the right thing to do in our lives.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Lent

"Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

God is our mighty champion. He wants to defend us from evil and protect us from sin. He wants to lift us up when we fall, to lend His strength to us when we need it, and lead us to victory over the wickedness of the world. He wants to grant us His grace and forgiveness. He loves us all and He will not let our enemies overpower us if we trust and depend upon Him. However, He will not force His aid and protection upon us. He wants us to choose it freely and willingly by testing us and probing our minds and hearts. If we choose Him as the center of our lives, then He will rescue us from the power of the wicked and champion us through the valley of darkness to the light of paradise.

Do we seek out God’s help in our lives? Do we depend upon Him and trust He will see us through all our difficulties? How can we make Him the center of our lives in thought, word, and work?

O Lord, rescue us from the power of the wicked.

Amen.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Worldly things will not last. They are as temporary as shadows at dusk. They soon disappear. Our love should be focused on God and His children. God first of all. All the temptations of the world will try to entice us away from our Heavenly Father, Loving Brother, and Holy Advocate. It is up to us to make the choice to turn our backs on the empty, temporary things of this world and instead embrace and value the promises of Heaven.

Are we doing God’s Will? What worldly things do we have the most difficulty resisting? How can we find the strength to choose our love of God over all else?

O Lord, may our relationship with you always be more enticing than all the world.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

It can be so tempting to avoid sufferings and difficulties at all costs. However, our faith isn’t one of avoidance. Our hope isn’t to steer clear of trials and tribulations so we can live a long and peaceful life in this world. Our love isn’t based on doing good to those who do good to us or caring for others only when it is convenient. No, our faith is one of acceptance of the sorrows that come with consecrating ourselves to God. Our hope is to live a life grounded in God so when we die we will find a seat that the Eternal Banquet. Our love is one that opens our hearts to so wide we choose to know, love, and serve Him in spite of the sword which will pierce our hearts. Our faith, hope, and love give us the strength to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, engage the world with a spirit of confidence in God, and bear our crosses without compliant.

What temptations do we suffer from when it comes to Jesus’ call to pick up our crosses and follow him? How can we increase our faith, hope, and love so we have the spiritual strength to walk the ways of our own spiritual passions? Are we willing to engage the world with full confidence that God will lead us where we need to be?

O Lord, help us to think as you do.

Amen.

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts.”

God makes no distinction between us when it comes to giving us every opportunity to become saints. He wants every person in this world to choose Him over the world. He wants all of us to become heirs to His Kingdom and good and faithful servants. He never asks us to carry burdens beyond the strength He has given us. Nor does He give us impossible tasks. He wants us to succeed in those things which will bring us closer to Him and He wants to lead us to where we need to be in order to become the best versions of ourselves. He knows our hearts and what would fulfill and purify them. He gives us the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide us and with Him by our side we can become saints.

How are we living up to our calling to be saintly heirs to the Kingdom? Do we thank God for all the graces He has given us so that we can overcome the trials of this life? How do we let the Holy Spirit guide our decisions as the Apostles did?

O Lord, you have granted us the Holy Spirit. Give us also open ears and hearts to listen to and live by His spiritual guidance.

Amen.

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

God is our master. Of that there should be no doubt. If the choice is between God and anything or anyone else, we must choose God. It is to Him that we owe our existence and it is to Him that we should give our obedience. Sometimes doing God’s Will means suffering for and dying to something. We might suffer for proclaiming the faith as the disciples did, doing good works, and giving witness to the Word of God. We might be called to die to our worldly possessions, our bodily passions, and our selfish inclinations. We might even be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice... laying down our lives for our family, friends, and neighbors. Thankfully, we do not have to do all these things alone. God has given us His Holy Spirit to enlighten, guide, and protect us so that we choose to obey Him above all.

Do we obey God to the best of our ability? If not, then how can we become better witnesses to the faith? What can we do to allow the Holy Spirit to think, speak, and work through us?

O Lord, we promise to obey you above all else.

Amen.

Third Tuesday of Lent

But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.

These words are spoken by Abednego (Azariah) from within Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace after he, Shadrach, and Meshach refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. Knowing their decision could mean their death, these three men trusted God would save them from the furnace if it was His Will to do so. They would rather die than to worship a false god. What courage these men had and though it might be hard for us to realize it, we too are called to be willing to make the same sacrifice. The world offers us many false gods to worship: fame, glory, money, drinking, smoking, TV, music, games, sports, and even ourselves. This is not to say these things are evil in and of themselves (most aren’t), but rather that we avoid making them into idols that are more important to us than knowing, loving, and serving God and others. There are many worldly things that will beg for our attention and distract us from what is right. However, if we are willing to sacrifice all of them for God’s Will. If we are detached from them enough to walk away when they are demanding too much of our time and energy, then we shall find, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that we can withstand the sacrifice. And through this experience of self-surrender, our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies will be purified by the fires of fasting so we can become better almsgivers and prayers.

Are we willing to give up all those worldly things that consume our time, talents, and treasures? How can we learn to avoid obsession and turning goods into idols? What sacrifices can we make today to rid ourselves of those things that have become idols in our lives?

O Lord, give us the strength to make ourselves into a living sacrifices to you and for your children.

Amen.

First Friday of Lent

If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.  Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?

It is never too late for us to choose God over all else. There are many examples of great sinners who repent later in life or after committing terrible sins. St. Paul persecuted the early Church, but after his conversion he became a devoted preacher of the Good News. St. Augustine lived a life of sin, but after many years he came to hear the call of Christ and converted. Each of us is a sinner, some of us have sinned mortally, others venially, but whatever our offense, we still have the option to turn away from all our sins, keep God’s commandments, act justly, and live the Christ-like life. If we are truly contrite and repentant, then God the Father will forget what we have done because when He looks upon us He shall see the change the Holy Spirit has made in our hearts and His Beloved Son will ask for mercy for us as good and faithful servants. God does not want us to perish in the fires of Hell, He wants us to join Him in the paradise of Heaven. So let us take His Hand in hope of rising again and allow Him lift us up to eternal life.

 What are the sins that are keeping us from becoming good and faithful servants of God? How can we learn to keep all of God’s statutes and do what is right and just? How can we imitate God’s Mercy in our dealings with others?

O Lord, help us to turn away from all our sins and live in you.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Lent

“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.

Although God might not send a prophet to us warning of our destruction if we do not repent, He does give us all a conscience. This voice inside us warns us against evil and exhorts us to do good. It is the voice that calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It asks us to seek God’s forgiveness for our trespasses against Him. It wants us to be worthy of God’s Love and not His Wrath. Only by turning our backs on evil and choosing what is good that we can fulfill our vocation to know, love, and serve God and His children. If we do all these things, then God will forgive us our trespasses, offer us a way to reconcile with Him, and give us the grace to carry out His Will.

Do we listen to our consciences? What can we do to show God we are repentant? How can we prove we have turned away from sin and chosen what is right?

O Lord, we want to prove through our actions that we have chosen you above all else.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Advent

This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

God loves us and is merciful. He wants us to have peace in our lives, even in the midst of our trials and tribulations. He is not out to destroy us. He is not angry with us. He does not wish to turn us away at the gates of Heaven. He gives us every opportunity to obey His commandments, follow in His Son’s footsteps, and listen to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. However, He will not force us to obey, follow, or listen to Him. He wants us to choose to love Him and His children of our own accord and not because it is forced on us. It is up to us to accept His Love and return it to the best of our abilities. And if we do this, then we shall find Heaven not only open to us, but joyous at our coming.

Is our image of God one of justice tempered with mercy or do we fear He is too angry with us to forgive our sins? How can we thank God for the mercy He has shown to us? Do we live our lives knowing He will never abandon us?

O Lord, grant us your love, peace, and mercy.

Amen.

The Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Jesus does not want us to hate our fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, sisters, or even our own lives at least not in the way we might think of hating. Rather he is asking us to whom are we loyal to? Are we loyal to God first and foremost or are we loyal to family, friends, and those who give us what we want in this life. If we choose God, then we will be better able to know, love, and serve God and others. This may seem counter-intuitive to some, but when we do God's Will we serve others more than when we serve them directly because our actions bring God's grace into their lives. In addition, Jesus challenges us to take up our crosses and follow Him. God does not want us to suffer, but our sins cause suffering for others and ourselves. He could stop suffering by taking away our free will, but He doesn't do that because love depends upon the ability to freely choose another over ourselves. Because of God's respect for our freedom, we have to accept our cross in order to be Jesus' disciple. He does not force it on us. And if we do accept it, then although we might suffer, we suffer joyfully and secure in the knowledge that God will never abandon us.

Are we loyal to God, to others, or to ourselves? How can we foster a fidelity to God that will allow us to not only choose to be loyal to Him, but also to accept the crosses that come to us because of this choice? Are we willing to suffer in order to know, love, and serve God and others?

O Lord, help us to be loyal to you and to carry our crosses as faithful disciples.

Amen.

The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Many families are divided. The world encourages us to pick it over faith and many people make that choice. They decide to pursue their own earthly interests and set aside everything else including their parents, siblings, and friends. In this way, our faith can cost us many relationships. It can put strains on our family bonds, but God reminds us in this moment that He did not come to bring unity to the world, but rather division. It is a division that will make clear to Him where we stand… with Him or against Him. There is no middle ground in this. We are either all the way His or all the way the worlds. We are either willing to leave everything behind and follow Him or we put our families, friends, passions, or desires first.

Who or what comes first in our lives? Are we willing to be divided from those we love, but disagree with on faith? How can we more faithfully choose to live united with God above all else?

O Lord, may we always be united with you.

Amen.

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Even when we are acting charitably and mercifully, we can sometimes lose sight of what’s important in life. We can become all consumed with our “mission” that we forget the real reason why we seek to know, love, and serve our neighbors. We do it for God! Because we love His Divine Image within those we serve. We also can get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to take time to sit at the feet of Christ and listen to him in silent prayer. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by images, sounds, and all manner of tasks to do, we can fail to remember to open our eyes, ears, and hands to God. There is need of only one thing: allowing God to speak to us in the silence of souls and then acting on the inspirations He sends us through the Holy Spirit.

Do we take time out of our busy schedule to listen to God? Are we choosing the lesser part of listening to our worries or the greater part of listening to the Lord of Hope? In what ways can we create a spirit of peace in the daily storms of the world?

O Lord, we have need of only one thing: you.

Amen.