Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Who can know God’s counsel, or who can conceive what the LORD intends? For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.

Trying to divine God’s Will is impossible for us. We can never truly know what God wants from us if we depend on our own interpretations of signs. It is only when we open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit through prayer and through spiritual counsel from trusted and holy people that we can begin to glean what God wants from us. However, knowing is only the beginning because often what God asks of us requires great sacrifices and risks on our part. Also, the world is such a distracting place that sometimes we can lose sight of our spiritual goals and settle for worldly ones that take us further away from where we should be. When we shelter ourselves in earthly things, we become trapped by worries and concerns. But this is not what God wants from us, He wants us to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News and do so without counting the cost or fearing the consequences. He wants us to be fearless in our faith, boundless in our hope, and generous in our loving. He wants us to bear good fruits for Him and all His children, and that is the true test... the yield of our labors.

Do we think we know what God wants of us? How do we know this? Are we bearing good and abundant fruits?

O Lord, make us courageous in our pursuit of your will.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martha

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.

We can be a bit forgetful when it comes to all the things God has done for us. Like the Israelites, we can become lost in worldly things or feel abandoned by God. We can seek out false idols in our lives and while we might not think we are worshiping them, we can give them far more time, talents, and treasures than we give to God. However, it is far better for us to not become lost in the desert of sin, especially mortal sins like idolatry. Better for us to seek God and find Him, then to complain against Him when things don’t go our way. Better for us if we put our energies to use knowing, loving, and serving God and others, then to waste them in the fires of our own selfishness. 

Do we forget God in our daily lives? How can we rid ourselves of the idols of distraction and sin that surround us? What can we do to become more perfect followers of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, never let us forget you.

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.

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

There are many things in this world that can distract us from seeking the Lord. Pride can keep us from doing God’s Will above our own. Envy can poison our relationships with others. Anger can cause us to seek revenge instead of mercy and forgiveness. Greed can distract us from spiritual goods in favor of material ones. Lust can lead us to abuse and use ourselves and others for pleasure. Gluttony can cause us to gorge ourselves on things that are not of God. Sloth can lure us into a spiritual sleep where indifference and apathy overcome our call to service to others. With all these vices constantly calling out to us, it can be hard to hear the voice of the Lord. However, if we seek Him out each day in prayer and meditation upon the mysteries of our faith, then we will know God and be able to proclaim His wondrous deeds to all the nations.

Do we spend our days seeking the Lord or worldly things? Are we living our lives in such a way as to give thanks to God? How do we proclaim His wondrous deeds among the nations?

O Lord, help our hearts to always seek you.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Lent

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

It can be difficult to have a steadfast spirit in the world. We are constantly tempted by sins, bombarded by distractions, and struggling with our weaknesses. It can be very spiritually draining to fight off these things over and over again, especially our bad habits. Evil thoughts can weigh our hearts down and lead us astray. However, the beautiful thing about being Christians is the knowledge that God wants to forgive us and will do everything He can to save us. He will grant us mercy and graces to help us overcome every spiritual obstacle. Through the sacraments, He renews our spiritual reserves and makes it possible for us to avoid sins, ignore distractions, and conquer our weaknesses. He will not spurn us if we come to Him.

What sins, distractions, and weaknesses do we need to overcome? How can we do so with the help of the sacraments? What can we do to help others to conquer their obstacles to holiness?

O Lord, create a clean heart within us and renew our spirits.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

In the day to day of the world, we can get distracted by lots of things. We can lose sight of what really matters. We can forget what we really should want above all... to see God’s face in Heaven. However, with prayer, practice, and persistence we can bring this desire to the forefront of our lives. We can find ways to overcome our distractions, worries, and fears and instead focus on what is truly important... our relationship with God and with His children.

How can we rid ourselves of all those distractions that keep us from living the Christ-like life? What can we do to found our lives more perfectly upon God’s Presence within us? How can we improve our relationship with the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

O Lord, help us to establish our lives upon you so that one day we might see your face.

Amen.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

We all manifest the Spirit in different ways. This is because we all have a unique role to play in God’s Divine Plan. He has given us gifts and talents that make us perfect instruments of His Divine Grace. However, we must accept these gifts and use them to the best of our abilities. The world will try to distract us from using our God-given gifts. The Devil will try to twist our talents for his own ends. It is up to us to use our consciences to guide our thoughts, words, and works so they lead to God’s greater glory and the good of all His children.

What gifts and talents do we have from God? How can we use them to proclaim the Good News and help others? How can we encourage others to do the same?

O Lord, help us to manifest your Spirit through our every word and work.

Amen.

First Friday in Ordinary Time

Do not forget the works of the Lord! What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, we will declare to the generation to come The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.

The world is a distracting place. It can make us forget all sorts of things. Our responsibilities, our loved ones, even our God. It’s so easy to overlook God in a world full of people, places, and things that are crying out, “Look at us!” We can go from moments of devotion to moments of distraction in the blink of an eye. But this is part of the struggle we all have as Christians. It isn’t easy to constantly recall the debts and gratitude we owe God for all He has done for us. However, we must try our best and when we do remember God, we must throw ourselves entirely into declaring His glorious deeds and strength through our thoughts, words, and works. For if we do not remind the world of God, then we have failed in our duty as a Christian to be a light to all the nations.

What distractions are vying for our attention? How can we bring God to the forefront of our lives? What can we do to proclaim God to all the world?

O Lord, let us never forget the works you have done for us.

Amen.

Tenth Friday in Ordinary Time

Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"

God’s Voice is very rarely above a whispering wind. He Speaks to us softly, subtly, and sometimes He speaks to us through silence. He is not a dictator handing down edicts that we must follow or else. He wants us to make good choices on our own. It is more meaningful if we choose right over wrong out of our own choices. Sometimes we can’t hear God in our lives. We are too busy or pay attention to the wrong things, but God is always with us, whispering His Love, Inspiration, and Teachings into our ears. We have only to listen to Him carefully and earnestly and He will reveal to us what we are called to do.

Are we listening to God’s whispers? Are we allowing them to guide us to become better people? How can we learn to tune out the noise of the world and focus more on God’s Love, Inspiration, and Teachings?

O Lord, let us hear your whisperings.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation. Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

As Christians, we all are awaiting and praying for the Second Coming of Christ and the Day of Judgment. This is difficult to do if we allow ourselves to be lead into sin or if we cling to our worldly goods more firmly than our heavenly ones. There is nothing in this world that should keep us from God. No man, no woman, no ideology, no earthly goods, nothing. This is why we are forewarned by Peter to be on our guard. The Evil One will test and tempt us throughout our lives trying to distract us, to lure us into sin, or to infect us with indifference to our fellow man. However, if we found our faith on the solid rock of Jesus, we shall remain stable through the storms, we shall grow in grace, increase in knowledge, and go through our lives without spot or blemish. We shall be at peace with God and God will mark us with the sign of salvation so that when the end comes... we shall be with Him forever and ever.

What are we doing to prepare for and bring about the Second Coming? What can we do to resist all the temptations of the world? Are our lives founded upon the firm rock of Jesus, our Lord and Savior?

O Lord, lend us your strength so that we might grown in grace and knowledge.

Amen.

Third Friday of Easter

"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Distractions, indifference, and sin can leave us blinded to what is right. However, if we seek God’s Forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation and accept His Mercy, then our spiritual sight will be restored and we will once again know that is good. Our consciences will be cleansed and we shall see clearly what God wants us to do. And what is that? To accept His gifts, talents, and strengths and proclaim Jesus in our lives. We might not do this from the pulpit or a soapbox, but we should constantly be spreading the Good News through our thoughts, words, and works. If we do everything, great and small, with faith, hope, and love, then we shall be effective witnesses to the Way, the Truth, and the Life that will set people free.

Where are our spiritual blind spots? How can we remove the scales of distraction, indifference, and sin from our eyes? How can we spread the Gospel message to others, like Paul?

O Lord, grant us your sight and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, "I know him," but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

It isn’t always easy to keep God’s commandments. The world constantly bombards us with temptations, distractions, and all many of earthly goods that can lead us astray. We have to be constantly on guard against all that would lead us away from God and to ruin. Thankfully, God has given us many graces from the Church to the sacraments to our fellow believers. All of these things can give us the support we need to withstand the assaults of the Devil and his minions. And if we are weakened and do fall, we thankfully have the sacrament of reconciliation to flee to... and seek forgiveness for our sins. Then, we can start anew and strive to keep God’s commandments more faithfully so we might be perfected in, through, by, and with Jesus.

Are we keeping God’s commandments? How can we strengthen our resolve to remain firmly committed to our faith? What can we do to ensure the truth is with and in us?

O Lord, perfect us in you.

Amen.

Divine Mercy Sunday

For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and blood.

If we love God, then we will do everything we can to keep His commandments. This means knowing, loving, and serving Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and loving our neighbors as God loves them. These are not burdensome commandments. In truth, if everyone lived according to these commandments we would find our lives a lot less burdensome. It is by living these commandments faithfully that we can conquer the world, resisting its temptations, distractions, and indifferences. Equally important to remember is that following these commandments isn’t a bloodless affair. There will be times when doing the right and holy thing will require a sacrifice from us and even leave us wounded in some way. But just like Christ, we must be willing to pay the cost of living out faith.

What do we do to ensure we are living out God’s Commandments? How can we resist those temptations, distractions, and indifferences that lead us away from our faith? Are we willing to come through the grace of water and the sacrifice of blood just as Jesus did?

O Lord, we love you and want only to keep your commandments.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people: "You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan. This led to sin, because the people frequented those calves in Bethel and in Dan.

The temptations and distractions in our lives can become idols that take the place of God in our hearts. This is why we must be vigilant against sin and be willing to walk away from those things that divert our attention from knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. This isn’t to say that leisure activities should be completely cut out of our lives, but that they should always come in second place and be done in moderation. If we ever have to choose between what is right and what is wrong, then we should always do what is right. But in the same vein, we should always choose what is right over what is enjoyable and fun. Sometimes being a follower of Christ requires us to give up something we like for the greater good of being charitable and merciful. If we discover that we have a difficult time giving up a certain activity, even a good one, in order to do what is right, then we must find a way to reign in that activity and exercise our self-control.

What temptations and distractions are leading us away from our responsibilities to God and others? How can we align our lives more perfectly with knowing, loving, and serving our Heavenly Father and all His children? In what ways can we prepare ourselves to always choose what is good and right over those things we find enjoyable and fun?

O Lord, cast out from our hearts all those sins and worldly things that keep us from being completely yours.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Ordinary Time

Take ten pieces for yourself; the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon's grasp and will give you ten of the tribes. One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant, and of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

God always keeps his promises. Even when those whom he has made the promises turn away from Him. He knows we are not perfect, but He gives us every chance to live the lives He wants for us. He gives us the gifts, talents, and graces to do His Will in all things and at all times. If we fail to do as He asks, then He eventually will give our task to someone else, but He always leaves a part of His promise there for us to take and do good things with. Hopefully, we will not have to lose most everything like Solomon before we return to God, but if we do, then we should remember God remains with us even in the midst of our greatest failures. For our sake, He leaves us a chance to do better, to make amends for our sins, and keep at least a part of what He had planned for us.

What is God calling us to do? What is holding us back or distracting us from that vocation? How can we avoid the temptations that lead us astray and instead choose to follow God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths?

O Lord, remain with us and lead us out of our sins to a better life.

Amen.

First Friday of Ordinary Time

All the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, "Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us." Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the LORD, however, who said in answer: "Grant the people's every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king."

All of us have rejected God in one way or another. Some of us have rejected Him through sin. Others through being caught up in worldly distractions or laziness. However, no matter the reason, God will always be our King, waiting for us to allow Him to protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and the world. He won’t force us to accept Him because He wants us to give our faith to Him freely and without reservation. He wants us to become His followers by our own choice. So let us remember that when we make sins or worldly things our kings, we will suffer greatly for it, but if we turn to God, then He will grant us what is good and lead us to the Promised Land and eternal life with Him.

In what ways are we rejecting God? How can we overcome our sins and inordinate attractions to worldly things? What can we do to place God firmly at the center of our lives?

O Lord, you are our one and only King. Rule over our hearts forever.

Amen.

Twenty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

Nevertheless we urge you, brothers and sisters, to progress even more, and to aspire to live a tranquil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

In a world that is so busy, it is especially difficult to live a tranquil life. There are so many distractions and temptations around us. We can get sidetracked quite easily if we aren’t self-disciplined. Also, there are so many ways to be connected with other people that it can become very difficult to mind our own affairs. There is a constant temptation to talk with others continually, which if not carefully controlled can lead to gossip, bad-mouthing, nosiness, and all sorts of sins against others. In addition, all these diversions from TV to computers to cell phones can keep us from doing the work God is calling us to do. If we are persistently distracted from our responsibilities and relationships with others, we lose sight of what is important in life. We get nothing useful or important done. We put off what is necessary and good for what is unnecessary or evil. This is why it is so important to build up good habits and virtues and keep them strong by making them a core part of our daily lives.

How can we live more tranquil lives? What can we do to avoid the distractions that derail our good thoughts, words, and works? How can we do a better job of minding our own business and doing the work God has prepared for us?

O Lord, help us to progress in faith, hope, and love and aspire to live tranquil lives.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Lent

Thus says the LORD:  This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.

We are all tempted to harden our hearts. We all disobey God in one way or another. We all blind ourselves with sin and deafen our ears to God’s Word with worldly noise. We all turn our backs on God’s Will and follow our own way. We all find things to distract us from the true and holy purpose of our lives. However, this is not what God calls us to do. He wants us to obey Him, to listen to Him, to acknowledge His role in our lives. He wants us to walk with Him, not against Him. He wants our good, in spite of all the evils we do. He loves us enough to forgive us our sins great and small. But He will not force us to follow His commandments. He will not make us know, love, and serve Him and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. He wants us to come to Him of our own accord, out of a realization that it is only by placing our faith, hope, and love in Him that we can become the best versions of ourselves and prosper.

Are we listening to God’s commandments, teachings, and inspirations? Are we walking in the Way He has prepared for us? How can we soften our hearts and become good and faithful servants?

O Lord, we have not always obeyed you, but we desire to become obedient unto death, even death on the cross.

Amen.

Thirty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?

There are many things in this world that can claim our attention. Money, popularity, and all sorts of distractions can lead us astray. However, if we have these things it does not mean that we will lose our way. Rather it is how we use these things that determines if we are good and faithful servants. How we handle dishonest money and popularity will determine how we handle honest riches and recognition. If we use these things wisely and well, then we shall grow in virtue and God will trust us with rewards beyond anything the world can offer us. And if we do not have money or popularity, then we shall be judged by how we handle our lack of these things. If we act righteously, then we shall be lifted out of our earthly poverty and given heavenly treasures beyond counting.

What worldly things are vying for our attention? How can we use our earthly riches, popularity, or talents wisely and well? How can we prove our trustworthiness in both great and small things?

O Lord, we want to be your trusted servants.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

After healing Simon’s mother and curing many others in her house, Jesus rises early and goes off to a deserted place. Jesus seeks out a place of solitude so that he can pray to his Heavenly Father and reflect on everything he has done, is doing, and will do. We can learn a lot about how to meditate on the message of the gospels, contemplate God’s presence in our lives, and pray better by following Jesus’ example. We need to get away from our worldly distractions if we are truly to focus on our spiritual needs. However, once we are done praying, we also need to be ready to move on and go wherever God is leading us. We cannot become so comfortable in one place that we never leave. There comes a time in all of our lives when we have to go forth. Sometimes this means leaving behind our families or friends, other times it means making sacrifices of time, talents, and treasures. But no matter what God asks of us, we should remember that He never asks more of us than we can give and He always gives us the graces we need to endure.

Do we seek to be alone with God and enjoy His Presence? How can we better meditate on the gospels and contemplate God’s presence in our lives? Are we willing to go where God is leading us and preach the truth through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, help us to find our deserted place, where we can pray to you with all our hearts and listen to you with all our souls.

Amen.