Fifth Sunday of Lent

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish,  that I may gain Christ and be found in him,  not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Jesus lived, suffered, died, and resurrected for us. He sacrificed everything to bring us salvation. In the eyes of the world, He lost all that he had. And yet, in the eyes of his faithful, He lost nothing. Instead, he gained everything. Should it be any different for us? No, we must also be willing to lose everything in order to do God’s Will. We must consider the world and all it offers us to be so much rubbish. We must strive to be faithful and righteous in a land that is neither. In the end, the only way for us to attain resurrection from the dead is to be willing to die to our passions, our desires, and ourselves.

Are we willing to accept the loss of all things in order to do God’s Will? How can we nourish our faith in Christ so we might grow in righteousness? What can we do to know, love, and serve God and all His children more faithfully?

O Lord, conform us to your death so we might attain the resurrection.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Lent

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and as such we have rights and responsibilities to our Lord and God. We have the right to God's Love Mercy and Grace. We have the right to life, to liberty from sin, and the pursuit of spiritual happiness. However, these rights do not come without cost or responsibilities. The cost of being saved is being willing to conform our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies to the commandments of the Father, the teachings of the Son, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. In order to live, we must be willing to die to ourselves. In order to be free, we must be willing to become humble servants of God. In order to have happiness, we must be willing to face trials and sufferings for God's Glory and the good of others. If we want to be saved, then we must be willing to lose ourselves in the Love of God and stand firm with our Beloved, now and forevermore.

Do we act like citizens of the world or citizens of Heaven? Are we using or abusing our God-given rights? How can we conform ourselves more perfectly to God's Will so we can joyfully fulfill our spiritual responsibilities?

O Lord, change us so we conform more perfectly with your glorified body.

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.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 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.

We are constantly told we have to fill our lives with success, goods, and all manner of worldly things. However, this is not what Jesus did in his life and it is not what we should do either. Just like Christ, we should empty ourselves of all those things that might get in the way of our relationship with God. We must be willing to give up our will for the Will of our Heavenly Father. This means becoming a slave to God, a slave by choice and one that sacrifices everything for the glory of their master and the good of others. This requires a great deal of humility and a willingness to die to ourselves in ways we might find difficult. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and we are best served by choosing to know, love, and serve God and his children without reservation.

How can we empty ourselves so we might be filled with the Holy Spirit? What can we do to become good and faithful slaves to our heavenly Father? In what ways can we imitate Jesus Christ’s humility in our own lives?

O Lord, we choose to be your humble slave.

Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

When we are suffering trials in body, mind, or spirit, it is difficult to see that God is with us. However, He is and if we trust in Him and allow Him to strengthen us, then no obstacles will be too difficult to overcome. We may be afflicted by the world, but not constrained in our faith. We may be perplexed by our problems, but not driven to despair. We may be persecuted by our enemies, but never abandoned. We may be struck down by some hardship, but not destroyed. This is because although we might suffer in body, mind, and spirit, our sufferings are united to the life of Christ. In him, they find their meaning and purpose as a sacrifice finds its meaning and purpose on the altar. So, let us manifest the life of Jesus in our mortal flesh by making ourselves into living sacraments of sacrifice and grace for the glory of God and the good of all His children.

What afflictions, confusions, and persecutions are we suffering? How can we make them into meaningful sacrifices to God? How can we die to ourselves so that we might live more perfectly with God?

O Lord, we carry your dying within us so that we might live your life.

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 Saint Justin, Martyr

The end of all things is at hand. Therefore be serious and sober-minded so that you will be able to pray. Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.

As Christians, we should treat every day as if it will be the end of all things. We do not know the hour when our lives or the world will end. And so, we should do everything we can to fill our days with faith, hope, and love. We are all called to think the thoughts of God, to speak His words, and to do His good works. This requires us to be serious and sober-minded in our prayer lives and making sure we put aside some quiet time for God each and every day. It also asks us to be intense in our love and mercy so we can serve God and His children more perfectly. This isn’t always easy with all the distractions the world waves in front of us, but if we are to go to our ends with peaceful hearts, then we must die to ourselves and live through, for, with, and in Jesus Christ.

Do we treat each day we are given with the thanks we should? Are we serious about our prayers? How can we love God and others with more intensity?

O Lord, you are our beginning, middle, and end.

Amen.

Eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.

As Christians, we are all called to holiness. This means being willing to make sacrifices. It means turning our backs on the ways of the world and choosing the Way of Christ. It means deafening ourselves to the falsehoods of the world and listening to the Truth Jesus proclaimed in the Good News. It means dying to our selfish selves and living our lives for the glory of God and the good of others. All our hopes and dreams should find their source, center, and summit in God. All our bodies, minds, and hearts must be transfigured and become more Christ-like. We must make ourselves into true children of God, putting aside our sinful desires and conducting ourselves with faith, hope, and love.

Are our hopes set completely on Jesus Christ? How can we become more obedient to God, our Heavenly Father? What can we do to allow the Holy Spirit to be holy through us?

O Lord, help us to be holy as you are holy.

Amen.

Holy Saturday

We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

Being a Christian means dying to ourselves in order to live for God. It means uprooting our vices and indifference so we can be wholeheartedly God’s people. It means being willing to sacrifice everything we have in order to love God without distraction. It means casting off our slavery to sin, seeking absolution for the wrongs we have done, and dying with Christ. If we do all these things, then we shall be raised from the death of sin, we shall share in the Resurrection of Christ, and death shall lose its power over us.

In what ways do we need to die to sin and selfishness? What sins do we need to seek absolution for? How can we more faithfully live for God in Christ Jesus?

O Lord, we choose to die to ourselves so we will live for you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

It can be difficult to disregard ourselves for the sake of our faith, but it is necessary if we want to receive the reward of eternal life. Throughout our lives we will be tempted in many ways to abandon or compromise our beliefs, to do evil, and turn our backs on God. We might be lured by pride, envy, wrath, greed, lust, gluttony, or sloth, but these sins lead to death. The only way to live forever is to choose faith, hope, love, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice as the pillars of our every thought, word, and work. By building our lives around these holy virtues, we can overcome all temptations, avoid sin, and embrace the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ.

Are we willing to give up everything for God? How can we resist temptations to selfishness and sin? What are we doing to build our lives on virtue and self-giving?

O Lord, we are willing to disregard ourselves for your sake and the sake of your children.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Monday of Ordinary Time

Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die.

There are many ways to die from physical death to dying to one’s selfish instincts. As Christians, we are constantly under siege by temptation. We are told by the world it is okay to do what is wrong as long as it makes us feel good. We are told to put ourselves before God and others. We are told we are wasting our time by praying, doing good works, or imitating Jesus. The world frowns on all these things and persecutes us when we choose what is right over what is easy. Those who do not believe put us to death in various ways from being angry with us to ignoring us. They try to force us to see the error of our ways and if we do not conform to our worldly passions, then they turn their backs on us, mock us, or even strike out against us. Being a Christian in a secular world can cause us many trials and tribulations, but thankfully if we are faithful we shall overcome all obstacles and enter into eternal life.

Are we willing to die for our faith? How can we resist the temptation to live worldly lives? How can we become living examples of what it means to live sacrificial lives?

O Lord, we are willing to die for you and your Good News.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Monday of Ordinary Time

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are all called to be slaves of Christ. It is only by turning our lives over completely to God the Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit that we can experience true freedom. Giving our total obedience to the Holy Trinity and trusting in God’s Divine Providence is something we all must do if we want to live out the Gospel message and give witness to the Christ-like life. Just as Jesus was obedient to the point of death on a cross, so too must we be obedient even to the point of being persecuted for our faith. We might not die as the Son of God did, but we might experience many smaller deaths... to selfishness, to opportunities for worldly advancement, to our relationships with those who might lead us away from God, to earthly riches and success. However, these deaths when united with Christ’s Passion and Death can bring about great good in our lives and lead us to eternal life with our loving God.

Are we willing to become slaves of Christ? How can we live our lives in total obedience and trust in God? Are we willing to die in great and small ways in order to live forever with the Holy Trinity in Heaven?

O Lord, we place our obedience and trust in you, our Divine Master.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.

Everyone has parts of us that are earthly and that need to be put to death in order for us to live more fully as Christians. Some of us have immoralities and impurities, which have crept into and darkened our lives. Others have passions, evil desires, and greedy inclinations that lead us away from God’s Way, Truth, and Life. We have sins such as anger, fury, malice, slander, obscenity, and lying which harm ourselves and others in body, mind, and spirit. If we do not root out these evils from our souls, they will grow, choking our virtues and strangling our faith. This is why we must be constantly vigilant against the temptations of this world and instead focus our energies upon putting to death our sins so that we might put on our new selves. It is only when we do this that we are renewed and become more faithful images of our Creator.

What parts of us need to be put to death so that we might live in Christ? How can we cleanse ourselves of all those things that keep us from being remade in the image of God? How can we become more obedient to our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, help us to take off our old selves and put on you.

Amen.

Tenth Friday of Ordinary Time

We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Dying to ourselves isn’t easy, but it is necessary if we want to be good and faithful followers of Christ. This doesn’t mean we sacrifice our individuality, but rather than our individuality is practiced in a way that mimics Christ’s willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of all. God wants each of us to worship Him in the unique way that only we as individuals can know, love, and serve Him. We do this best by both dying to those things that are not of God and living for those things that are from God. When we persevere through afflictions, perplexing problems, persecutions, harm, and all the other trials, we make manifest the life of Christ in our flesh. We become an incarnation of our Lord and Savior, giving ourselves over to our Heavenly Father just as Jesus did in His Most Holy Life... as a living sacrifice for the salvation of souls.

What things in our lives do we need to die to? What are the things in our lives we should be living for? How can we manifest Jesus more perfectly in our thoughts, words, and deed?

O Lord, make us incarnations of your Way, Truth, and Life.

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.

Easter

Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

After being told by an angel that Jesus has risen, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary rush off to bear the good news of the resurrection to the other disciples. They were overjoyed with the idea that Jesus was alive, yet fearful, too. Why were they afraid? They were bearing a message that might not be readily accepted by the disciples. After all, who would believe such a miracle after the sufferings of the last three days? They feared the doubt the disciples might express. They feared the are-you-crazy looks they might receive from the others. Similarly, when something happens to us that changes our lives in a fundamental way, it can be both amazing and frightening at the same time. We cross a threshold, we die to our former selves and enter into a new life. Whether it be changing jobs, moving, welcoming a child into the world, deciding on a vocation... all these things bring with them conflicting emotions. However, what Jesus told both Marys holds true for us. As long as what we are doing is out of love of God and His children, then we do not need to be afraid. We should instead, go tell others what has happened and meet Christ where he is calling us to be.

Are we bearing the good news of Christ’s resurrection to the world around us? How can we overcome our fears and focus on the joy of doing God’s Will? Are we willing to meet God where He is calling us?

O Lord, we will follow you to where you are calling us.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Lent

Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.

This world is only a way point on our road to forever. It is not meant to be the beginning and the end of our lives. It is only the end of the beginning. It is the inciting event that propels us into eternity either as selfish sinners doomed to Hell or selfless saints destined to share our afterlives with God. If we allow this world to consume us, then there will be nothing left of us for God to save. We shall have no thoughts, words, or works to show Him. However, if we know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, then we shall be saved. We shall witness the creation of the new heavens and earth. We, like God, will forget the things of the past and instead we shall rejoice and be happy.

Do we realize that the things of this world are fleeting and will never satisfy the true desires of our hearts? Are we willing to die to our lives so that we might live forever with God? What are we doing to prepare ourselves for the new creation and eternal life with God?

O Lord, we want to be a delight to you and all your children.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

No matter how much we might want to convince ourselves otherwise, it is only by dying to our self interests that we can live for God. Every time we choose selfish sin over selfless love, we choose death over life. Every time we choose power, glory, wealth, lust, or any other vice over virtue, we choose death over life. Every time we turn our backs on the needs of others in favor of our own wants, we choose death over life. It is not easy choosing life over death because we are told that it’s the people you know, the places you go, and the things you have that prove whether your life is worth living. However, all of these worldly things are temporary. They are not the foundation of everlasting life. They come and go, but God remains with us always. It is only by loving Him, heeding His Voice, and Holding fast to Him that we find the true purpose of our lives. Without Him, we are dead, but with Him we shall live forever.

Are we choosing a blessed life with God or a cursed death with the world? Have we loved God as we should and heeded His Voice? What can we do to show that we are holding fast to God and His message of selfless love?

O Lord, give us lives that last, filled with faith and good works.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

In order to live for God, we must die to ourselves. We must be willing to give our every possession, including our lives, in order to do God's Will. This is the only way to produce the good fruit God desires from us. We cannot yield anything but the weeds of sin if we do not tend to our souls and cultivate the virtues of faith, hope, and love. If we love ourselves more than God, then we lose the light of truth, our roots wither, and we put ourselves at risk of dying a death that we can never return from. But if we are willing to sacrifice everything we are and have for God's sake or for His children, then we shall preserve our lives for eternity with the Holy Trinity. We must follow in Jesus footsteps if we want to be saved. This means living a life that is sacrificial and loving and selfless. Then and only then can we claim to be servants of God and discover the honor that comes from being a humble disciple of Christ, His Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Are we willing to die to ourselves so that we can live for God and His children? How can we prune our lives of the temptation to selfish love? What can we do to be better followers of Christ?

O Lord, we hand over our lives to you. Do with them what you will.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Dying to self is hard to do, but this is exactly what Jesus is asking us to do. There are so many things in this world which we can do, so many temptations to deny, so many acts of mercy to perform. When we fall into temptation we choose to plant the seed of our soul in a dark place where the Light of Truth does not shine and we fail to grow spiritually. However, if we love God with all our hearts, bodies, minds, and strengths and our neighbor as ourselves, then we die to ourselves and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us choose self-sacrifice, so that we might be transformed from a single grain of God’s love into a tree of grace and mercy for all whom we meet.

What are the things in our lives which we need to die to in order to produce more fruit for God’s glory? How do sacrifice ourselves for love of God and His children? What fruits have we produced or failed to produce due to our choices?

O Lord, we wish to die to our selves and bear much fruit.

Amen.