Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.

We believe in the resurrection of the dead. There is an afterlife and we will live it out according to how we lived this life on earth. We will go to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. There isn’t an end when we die. It is a beginning of eternity. Whether we suffer for that eternity or enjoy it is up to our actions and inactions while here on earth. This is a part of our faith that isn’t up for debate. It is both a comforting and uncomforting idea because it speaks to ramification for everything we think, say, and do.

Do we believe in the resurrection? If we do, then why to we forget this truth so often when we sin? How can we bring this truth to mind more faithfully so it can affect our decisions in this life?

O Lord, we believe you will raise us from the dead and lead us to life everlasting.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive. And he carried off all the treasures of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel, had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.

There are consequences to doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. Although He is merciful, He is also just. He can reach His limit and say, “No more.” He will turn us over to our enemies and let them take away all that we have and bring us low. He does this not out of spite, but out of love... in hopes that we might learn from our mistakes and make amends for our sins. It is up to us to humble ourselves and ask for God’s forgiveness and if we are contrite, then He shall grant us His Divine Mercy and restore us to a life.

Do we presume too much on God’s Mercy? What can we do to make amends for our faults and failings? How can we cultivate humble and contrite hearts?

O Lord, we surrender ourselves to you and pray that you might carry off all our evil inclinations and cleanse us of our sins.

Amen.

Eleventh Tuesday in Ordinary Time

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh. He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued. Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his time. I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son."

When we sin, we don't just affect our relationship with God and ourselves, but also our relationship with others and their relationship with God. We do not do good works or evil ones in a vacuum. The consequences for right and wrong echo throughout our lives and the world around us. We may not know how we've affected others, but in the end our choices both good and bad have an effect on our family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

Do we keep in mind that all our thoughts, words, and works have an effect on our relationship with God and others? How can we be more careful of how our decisions affect the faith and lives of others? Are we willing to humble ourselves after we sin and seek reconciliation with our Lord and God?

O Lord, have mercy on us.

Amen.