Third Sunday of Advent

Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

We might not give sight to the blind, cure the lame and lepers, heal the deaf, or raise the dead, but we can proclaim the Good News to the poor and recognize Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Sometimes we want everything a certain way. We have expectations for the future. However, we need to remember that God did not put us in this world to have everything our way or to meet all our expectations. We aren’t all called to live spectacular lives full of fame, glory, or wealth. No, most of us are called to live quiet lives. Ordinary in every way, except that as Christians we recognize the source of our goods and are asked to proclaim it by knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. In short, we are called to live our lives in anticipation of Jesus’ coming, not expectation of earthly rewards.

When people look at us, what do they see? Do we proclaim the good news to the best of our ability? Are we living lives of anticipation or expectation?

O Lord, bless us with a spirit of anticipation of your second coming.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

 As you go, make this proclamation: "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

After Jesus gives the Twelve authority over demons and illness, he sends them out to proclaim: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Twelve become heralds of not only God’s Mercy, but also of His promise of everlasting life with Him in heaven. We, too, are called to proclaim these things and to do good in imitation of Christ. We might not be able to cast out demons or cure the sick, but we can forgive and help those who are tormented by their sins. We can care for and tend to the needs of those who are ill. In this way, we go out into the world as the Twelve did, bearing the authority and love of God.

What are the gifts and talents we can use to proclaim the Kingdom? In what way do we proclaim the Kingdom through our everyday duties and chores? How do we reveal God’s Love to those in most need of His Mercy?

O Lord, let our every thought, word, and work proclaim your Kingdom.

Amen.

Ninth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

We have responsibilities to the world, but we also have them to God, too. Whenever these do not conflict, then we are obliged to perform both duties. It is a good thing to act as a responsible citizen and we should not shirk our worldly tasks. However, when they conflict with doing God’s Will, then we have the obligation to put God first and our country second. This does not mean that we should look for loopholes and try to rationalize our own selfishness or laziness. It means that we should be discerning about how our government acts and if it is acting contrary to our Christian morality, then we should attempt to work within the system to bring it back into compliance with God’s message of love, mercy, and grace. As Jesus says, render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, then we shall be acting not only rightly, but for the good as well.

What are our obligations to our family, friends, neighbors, country? What are our obligations to God? When they are in conflict with each other how do we resolve the crisis?

O Lord, help us to remember to repay you first and the world with what is left over.

Amen.

Tuesday after Epiphany

Give them some food yourselves.

Sometimes when we are faced with a difficult situation we hope it will go away or someone else will take care of it. However, Jesus tells us what we should do instead. We should show pity and fix it ourselves, no matter how imposing the circumstances. Compassion for others in the midst of trials is an important aspect of our Christian calling. We are not just supposed to feed His sheep when it is easy, but also when it looks near impossible. Ultimately, the disciples trust in Jesus carries them through their miraculous mission to feed the crowd and because of this trust they gather a bountiful harvest from the crowd.

What do we do when faced with a difficult task? Do we try to run from it or pass it off to someone else or do we confront it and put our trust in God and do it ourselves? How do we show our pity and compassion to others in the midst of our own trials?

O Lord, help us to feed your flock through our thoughts, words, and works.

Amen.