Twentieth Monday in Ordinary Time

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. They did not exterminate the peoples, as the LORD had commanded them, But mingled with the nations and learned their works.

God may have created us in this world, but He does not want us to be enthralled with it. He made us for Himself and does not want anything or anyone else taking us away from Him. He wants our undivided attention and gives us every grace we need to resist the temptations of the world around us. He set us apart from the world through our baptism and if we want any part in His Kingdom, then we must honor His wishes by living lives detached from earthly things. We must rid ourselves of all those things that compete with God for our attention. We must disentangle ourselves from worldly doubts, fears, worries, and possessions. And instead, we should pick up the life of Christ, put it on, and walk with God always at our side.

What do we need to exterminate from our lives? What worldly things must we disentangle ourselves from so we might attach ourselves more perfectly to Christ? How can we cultivate a spirit of holy detachment from the world?

O Lord, you created us to be wholly yours, let it be so always.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.  The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house.

As Christians, we are called to forget our worldly lives and take our place among the saints. We cannot do that if we are constantly turning back to our earthly desires or dwelling upon our past mistakes. We must let go of these things and trust in God, who is our Heavenly Father and Mary, who is our Spiritual Mother. If we do this, then God will array us in gold and give us a seat at His Heavenly Banquet, where we will enjoy His Presence for the rest of time and beyond.

What do we need to forget in our lives? What do we need to leave behind? How can we cast these things away from us and not look back?

O Lord, grant us the grace to forget our worldliness and become one with you.

Amen.

Eighteenth Monday in Ordinary Time

Sing with joy to God our help. “My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.”

There are many things in this world that can drown out the voice of God. Other people can lead us astray. TV, computers, games, and other forms of entertainment can distract us from what we should be doing. Our goods and possessions can come to possess us. We can suffer setbacks and difficulties without once turning to God for help. We complain about what we have, we envy what others possess, we are consumed by consuming. Our hearts are hardened with hatred, prejudices, sins, and evil thoughts. However, all these things can be overcome if we turn to the Lord, pray for His intercession, and are willing to listen to what He is asking us to do with our lives. It might not be where we want to go, but it is what is best for us and the sooner we accept this and humble ourselves before God, we sooner we will have peace and spiritual prosperity.

What are the things in our lives that are drowning out God’s voice? What can we do to free ourselves from these spiritual dead ends? How can we walk in God’s counsel rather than our own?

O Lord, we sing to you, who helps to soften our hearts with love and mercy.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Easter

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Exult, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting. Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.

In order to be good and faithful servants of our Lord, we have to trust in Him. We cannot waiver in our duties. We cannot hesitate to carry out His commands. We cannot serve God and serve someone or something else. We cannot hold anything back. Our whole minds, hearts, souls, and bodies must be given completely over to Him. For He has held nothing back from us, even to the point of sacrificing Himself on the cross for our redemption. If such an act is not worthy of our trust, then what is? The sooner we recognize God as our Heavenly Father and King, the sooner we can become heirs to His Kingdom.

Are there things holding us back from putting all our trust in God? How can we uproot these attachments and distractions so we can be fully dependent upon our Lord and God? What can we do to show our thanks for having such a good and gracious God?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin

For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.

The grace of God has done many things for us. It has brought us to life through the love of God the Father. It has given us every aid to be holy through the teachings and examples of Jesus. It has provided us with spiritual support through the inspirations and protection of the Holy Spirit. It has saved us and trained us to reject godless ways and worldly desires. It has encouraged us to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in an age that encourages us to live immoderately, greedily, and faithlessly. It gives us every opportunity to be cleansed of our sins, reform our lives, and become a people eager to do what is right. There is no excuse for us if we fail to live up to our calling as Christians because God's Grace provides us all we need to be good and faithful servants to God and His children.

Do we welcome God's Grace into our lives or shut it out through sin and pride? How can we be more open to the graces He is trying to pour out into our lives? What can we do to become more grace-full people, eager to do God's Will in all things?

O Lord, save us and train us to reject the godless and worldly ways that seek to lead us astray.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Everything in this world is a loss, except those things that lead us closer to God. We might be surrounded by worldly treasures and pleasures, but all of them are empty when compared to the spiritual treasures and pleasures we can gain through a holy, loving, and faithful life. The supreme good of our lives is coming to know, love, and serve our Heavenly Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is this good that we should constantly strive for in this life so we might magnify the Lord and rejoice in our Savior just as his most faithful servants did in their lives.

How can we detach ourselves from worldly things and see them all as a loss? What can we do to live our lives in accord with the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving God? Are we willing to sacrifice the world so we might gain heaven?

O Lord, you are the source of all spiritual gain. Grant us the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving you.

Amen.

Thirty-First Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Just like Jesus, we are all called to empty ourselves. We must rid ourselves of all the thoughts that keep us from being holy in mind. We must rid ourselves of all the passions that keep us from being holy in body. We must rid ourselves of all the selfish inclinations that keep us from being holy in spirit. We must be willing to humble ourselves and become obedient to God no matter what our obedience might cost us. We must bend our knees, give glory to God, and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord with our every thought, word, and work. If we do all these things, then our Heavenly Father will exalt us and bless us and save us.

How can we empty ourselves and become slaves to our Lord and God? In what ways can we cultivate humble hearts and obedient minds? Are we willing to bend the knee and trust in God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, we empty ourselves before you and hope you will fill us with your graces.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

"Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.

We all will suffer losses in our lives. Some of our losses will be in terms of wealth. Others in terms of health. Still more will be of our loved ones. We can react to these sufferings in many ways. We can become bitter and complain about how unfair life is, we can become lost in despair and sorrow, or we can accept our losses and trust God’s Grace will see us back to prosperity. We will be tempted to be angry toward God or to believe He has abandoned us, but all we need to remember is He is always with us. He sent His Beloved Son to suffer and die for us so we might never be alone in our darkest hours. Even if it is difficult for us to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we must remember it is there. All we have to do is put one step in front of the other and continue to follow the path Jesus Christ prepared for us.

Are we bitter or despairing of any losses we have suffered? How can we learn to trust God even in the midst of our dark nights? How can we cultivate the spirit of detachment needed to be able to let go of our goods, our health, and our loved ones so we do not fall into sin when we lose them?

O Lord, blessed be your name in our good times and in our bad.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Saturday in Ordinary Time

What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.

We all need to die to ourselves in order to live as Christians. We need to have a certain level of detachment from the world and all its anxieties, distractions, and temptations. We need to be able to put aside our evil inclinations, our bodily desires, and all those things that lead us away from God and keep us from putting on Christ. We are corruptible, dishonorable, and weak, but with Jesus we will be raised incorruptible, glorious, and powerful. Our bodies are sown naturally, but if we follow Christ, then we will be raised into spiritual bodies.

Are we dying to those things that keep us from living in Christ? How can we turn ourselves away from corruption, dishonor, and weakness and grow good, honorable, and strong? What can we do to nurture and nourish our spiritual bodies?

O Lord, transform our physical bodies into spiritual ones.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time

I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

As Christians, we need a certain level of detachment from the world around us. This separation comes not out of a feeling of indifference, but rather the realization that the world is passing away and any attachments we have to it will one day be dissolved. The only lasting attachments we can ever make are those with our Lord and God and this is what we should focus on in this world. Paul isn’t telling us not to get married, or weep, or rejoice, or buy goods, or use things. Rather, he is warning us against becoming too attached to people, places, and things. They come and go, while our relationship with God will determine our existence forevermore.

Are we appropriately detached from the people, places, and things in our lives? What can we do to forge a lasting relationship with God? How can we make Him and only Him, the source, center, and summit of our lives?

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from worldly things and fasten our hearts to you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, by a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes, but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears. Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead, bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet, do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread. That evening my wife died, and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.

When we suffer a loss in life, we mourn whatever has been taken away from us. Maybe it was a loved one, a possession, a job, or something else. No matter what, we cannot let ourselves be overcome by the loss. We must mourn and weep in light of what God is calling us to do. He doesn’t want all our energies to be spent on mourning and weeping. They will not bring back what is gone, nor will they lead us beyond our pain. Instead of focusing on the past, we must concentrate on the present in hopes of making a better future. This requires us to be able to detach ourselves from our losses and lean upon the Lord in our times of need and suffering.

Are there things in our lives that we have mourned for too long? How can we move past them and live more fruitful lives? What is God calling us to do now?

O Lord, turn our mourning into shouts of joy.

Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

The road to Heaven isn’t always easy to follow, but God is very clear as to what He expects from us as we travel towards His Kingdom. He wants us to get rid of all the things that distract us from our goal or that might push others away from Him. That means removing bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, and all malice from our lives. In their stead, we are called to be kind to one another, even our enemies. We are asked to be compassionate and as forgiving as God is with us. We are given Jesus as our guide in all things. If we follow him and imitate his Way of Love, then we shall become God’s beloved children. This may require many sacrifices on our part, just as it did for Christ, but if we face our crosses with trust and carry them without complaint or anger, then we shall find ourselves well on our way to the Kingdom of God.

In what ways have we grieved the Holy Spirit? How can we rid ourselves of all those things that keep us from being Christ-like? What can we do to become faithful imitators of Jesus?

O Lord, rid us of our evil inclinations and make us more and more like you.

Amen.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality.

Jesus gives us the perfect example of what it means to be detached from our goods and our very lives. He was willing to give up everything in order to pay the price for our sins. In a similar manner, we should be willing to sacrifice all that we have... our goods, our consolations, our merits, our lives... for the good of others. This is not because Jesus wants us to feel burdened, but rather because He wants us to do onto others as he has done for us. He has never asked us to do something he didn’t do in his own holy life. Yes, our sacrifices might cause us some difficulties and sufferings, but if they are done for the glory of God and the good of others, then God will give us the graces we need to thrive in our faith. Furthermore, if ever we are in need of the goods of others, then God will supply our needs from their abundance just as He asked us to do when we were able to provide. At one point or another in our lives, we are all poor and if we want to be taken care of, then we ought to make our own riches available to God and others.

Are we detached from our goods? Are we willing to share everything we have with God and His children? How can we make our time, talents, and treasures more available to God?

O Lord, we offer you our abundance for your glory and the good of all souls.

Amen.

Tenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you." Elijah answered, "Go back! Have I done anything to you?" Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Sometimes God’s calling comes to us unexpectedly, when we are in the middle of something, or otherwise not ready. He places His cloak over us and leaves. It is then our choice to follow Him or not. Like Elisha, we should be thankful for our callings and do everything we can to start out on the right foot and stay on the narrow path to Heaven.

What is God calling us to do? How can we best respond to His call? Are we willing to leave everything we know behind and follow God into the unknown?

O Lord, help us answer your calling like Elisha… with thankfulness, sacrifice, and trust.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday 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.

As a follower of Christ, we have to be willing to die to ourselves. We need to be able to detach our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths from all worldly people, places, and things. God, and God alone, must be our foundation stone. We must live for Him... to know, love, and serve Him with all our being. The world will throw all sorts of distractions in our way and it is up to us to step over these stumbling blocks and continue upon the narrow way to Heaven. We might not always succeed, but as long as we sincerely try to live with Him in all things, then He shall remain faithful to us and help us to grow in virtue and holiness.

What are some things we need to die to in this life? How can we learn to die to these things and live more perfectly in Jesus Christ? In what ways can we foster the spirit of detachment we need in order to live in the world, but not be consumed by it.

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from the world and unite ourselves to you.

Amen.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

After the ascension of Jesus to Heaven, the apostles return to the upper room and pray with Mary. In a similar way, we are also called to pray with our Heavenly Mother each and every day. We are asked to make a special place for God in our lives where we can spend time with Him and allow Him to enter into us so He can express Himself through our thoughts, words, and works. We cannot do that if we don’t make time to pray and make space for God in our hearts by cleansing them of earthly desires and worldly things.

Have we prepared a place in our hearts to receive the Holy Spirit? Are we ridding ourselves of those worldly things that keep us from welcoming God into our hearts? Is prayer a central aspect of our daily lives?

O Lord, we pray that you come and dwell within us.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Easter

The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

The early Christian community was a model of unity and charity. They shared their goods with each other and helped each other out to the best of their abilities. They bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord by proclaiming the Good News and helping the needy among them. They were more than willing to give up worldly goods in order to feed, clothe, and shelter the least of God’s children. We can learn a lot from this early community of believers and should imitate them as best we can. We might not have church houses anymore, but we can certainly make each of our homes into spiritual churches that nourish body, mind, and spirit.

How can we cultivate a spirit of detachment from our worldly things so that we can share them when needed? How can we bear witness to the resurrection as the early disciples did? What can we do to make our houses into domestic churches?

O Lord, make us one in heart and mind with you and all your holy ones.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

So Eli said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

We are all being summoned by God in one way or another. Like Samuel, we might think someone or something else is calling us and go off in the wrong direction, but eventually God will give us the clarity we need to make a choice to either listen to Him or turn a deaf ear. One thing we need however is time away from the world. For Samuel this time was when he was asleep. For us it may be taking a few minutes out of each day to invite God into our lives and simply listen in our hearts. No matter the time or place we choose, it is important for us to set aside this time in a quiet and reflective place away from worldly distractions. After all, we cannot listen to God’s inspirations if we are focused on earthly things. So let us take Eli’s advice and when we are at rest in the Lord and feel Him calling us, we should say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then God will reveal Himself to us and show us what we are being called to think, say, or do through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of our consciences.

Are we listening for the Lord? How can we place ourselves in the right place and state of mind to listen to God’s inspirations? How can we come to rest more perfectly in the presence of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, speak, for your servants are listening.

Amen.

Twentieth Friday of Ordinary Time

Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth stayed with her. Naomi said, "See now! Your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her god. Go back after your sister-in-law!" But Ruth said, "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."

Love is a powerful force. It can hold us together even in the midst of trials and tribulations. It can lead us to leave everything we know and follow the path it sets for us. Love is willing to sacrifice itself for its loved ones. If we want to become good and faithful servants of God, then we need to cultivate the virtue of love and abandon our attachments to worldly things. If we do this, then we will discover that our hearts will lead us to the Lord and we shall be with His people and He shall be our God in spirit and truth.

What are we doing in our faith lives to grow in love? Are we willing to detach ourselves from all worldly things? Where is God asking us to go?

O Lord, wherever you go, we will follow.

Amen.

Twentieth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Then all the trees said to the buckthorn, 'Come; you reign over us!' But the buckthorn replied to the trees, 'If you wish to anoint me king over you in good faith, come and take refuge in my shadow. Otherwise, let fire come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

It is easy to ask God to watch over us and protect us... to be our King. It is much more difficult to uproot ourselves from worldly things and plant ourselves in the shade of God’s Sovereignty. We can only do this if we are serious about becoming His good and faithful servants. We can only do this if we are willing to humble ourselves in good faith and take refuge under the branches of the commandments of God, the teachings of the Scriptures, and the traditions of the Church. If we are not able or willing to pull up our ties to worldly things and plant ourselves firmly in the Kingdom of God, then we shall be burned away in the fires of Hell. It is only those who are willing to live under God’s Love and Mercy that shall find eternal life.

Are we willing to give up our will and allow God’s Will to rule over us? When we call God our Lord and King do we do so in good faith and full humility? What can we do to uproot ourselves from the world and plant ourselves in the good ground of heavenly virtues?

O Lord, come reign over us.

Amen.