The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.

As Christians, we are called to put on Christ and all his virtues. It is from his cloth that we are cut. We cannot be whole or holy without him. It is his compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience we are called to embody. And it is only through, with, and in him that we can learn to bear with and forgive one another. As Jesus forgave us through his sacrifice on the cross, so we must imitate him from our own crosses. So, let us be perfected through his love. Let the peace of Christ control our hearts so we might be one in body, mind, and spirit with him.

Have we put on Christ and all his virtues? Do we bear with and forgive others as God bears with and forgives us? Have we put on the love of Christ and allowed ourselves to be united with him in all things?

O Lord, may your peace control our hearts.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Sunday 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.

God cannot deny the image of Himself that resides in each person. This is why He is so willing to forgive and bring us back into His good graces even after we have turned our backs on Him through sin or apathy. He wants us to be united to Him in body, mind, and spirit. He wants us to magnify Him through our thoughts, words, and works. However, He will not force us to be good and faithful children. He wants us to choose to know, love, and serve Him and the image of Him that exists in each person. If we deny Him, He will attempt to change our minds and give us every opportunity to atone for our transgressions, but in the end, He will deny us salvation if we refuse the offers of His Divine Mercy. But, if we persevere and die with Him, then we shall live forever with Him as co-heirs to His Heavenly Kingdom.

In what ways have we denied God’s Divine Image within us? How can we rid ourselves of these things that mar us so we can accept God more fully into our hearts, minds, and spirits? What can we do to persevere in our faith?

O Lord, we are willing to die for you.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Tuesday in Ordinary Time

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? If you, O LORD, mark iniquities, LORD, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

Thank goodness God doesn’t mark our iniquities! Instead, He offers us forgiveness and mercy. He allows us to wash away and cleanse our sins though the sacrament of reconciliation. He allows us back into His good graces if we come to Him with humble and contrite hearts, confess our sins to a priest, and do penance. What a wondrously loving God we have! One who is willing to forgive and forget our sins if we are willing to be humbled before Him.

Do we appreciate how forgiving and merciful God is to us? Do we mark the iniquities committed against us? What can we do to be more forgiving of ourselves and others?

O Lord, may you be revered forever for your mercy and forgiveness.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.  Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 

We are all Paul is some way or another. Some are blasphemers. Others persecutors. Many are arrogant in their own unique ways. All of us have acted wrongly whether out of full-knowledge and consent to sin or out of ignorance. Thankfully, God is infinitely more forgiving than we could ever be sinful. No matter what we have done or failed to do, He has the grace to wash our stains and imperfections away and give us a clean start. After all, Jesus Christ did come into this world to save sinners and we all are sinners. Some of us foremost among them. However, God is compassionate and if we come to Him and confess our sins with humble and contrite hearts, then He will treat us mercifully. God is patient and kind. He will never use our admission of guilt against us. Instead, He will respect us for having the courage to admit we are wrong and in need of help and He will give us the graces we need to overcome our weaknesses and defend ourselves from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and all the evil powers of the world. Then, one day, when the race has been run, He will welcome us into the Heavenly Kingdom and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.” And all the sins of our past will be left behind and forgotten.

In what ways are we like Paul before his conversion? Do we make regular use of confession to help us uproot our weaknesses and sinful tendencies? How do we mirror God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace to others, especially those who tempt us to sin or who we have difficulty forgiving?

O Lord, we thank you for treating us with such infinite mercy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

You have searched me and you know me, Lord. Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

God is ever-present in our lives. There is not a moment when He abandons us, even if we might sometimes feel that way. He is always beside us, even when we turn our backs on Him. He does not leave us alone, no matter how much we might push Him away with sin. He is a loving Father who is always waiting for us to return to Him when we go astray. And sometimes, He goes far out of His way to find us and bring us home. There is no place we can flee that is out of His reach and nothing we can do that He won’t forgive if we are truly sorry and contrite. So, let us not be afraid of Him, but rather embrace Him and make Him a central part of every day.

Do we sometimes think we can escape God? How can we embrace God as central to our lives? What can we do to make ourselves more present to Him as He is ever-present for us?

O Lord, you are always there for us.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.

God is kind. He cares for each and every human being and has sacrificed His Beloved Son to prove His Love to us. He is merciful because even though we take Him for granted, ignore Him, turn our backs on His teachings, choose worldly things over Him, and fail Him in countless ways... He still is willing to forgive us. Even though we are sinners, He still shows us compassion in our own times of trial and difficulty. He is much slower to anger than any of us and much more forgiving. He knows we are weak and fallen, but He gives us the grace to be strong and rise up again. If we do make Him angry, but confess our sins with contrite hearts and do penance, then He will let go of His anger and let us back into His Good Graces. We should feel blessed to have such a merciful and kind God and strive to imitate Him whenever we can.

Are we kind? Are we merciful? How can we become better imitators of God’s gracious goodness?

O Lord, make us kind and merciful as you are kind and merciful.

Amen.

Tenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

It is truly humbling to consider how much God has forgiven us. Think about all of our imperfections, failures, trespasses, and sins. Think about what we have done wrong in this life and all the goods we have failed to do. And yet, God continues to love and forgive us. He pardons us of our iniquities and heals us of our ills. He redeems us from destruction and offers us everlasting life. He crowns us with kindness and compassion as a show of what we are called to do as Christians. Truly, He is kind and merciful and all He asks of us is to be kind and merciful to others and to love Him as He loves us.

Have we thanked God for being so kind and merciful to us? Are we kind and merciful to others like God is to us? What can we do to show our desire to be pardoned, healed, and redeemed?

O Lord, pardon our iniquities and redeem us.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”

Jesus was sacrificed for us. This is something we should ponder and take to heart. Imagine for a moment what Jesus gave up for us. How he who was without sin died for us who are sinners. He died to give us the power of the Holy Spirit and the riches of grace. He died to grant us wisdom and strength. He died to bless us who are in need of blessing. We should marvel at what Jesus did for us through his passion and death all so we might share in his resurrection and join the choir of angels in singing, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

Do we meditate and ponder the sacrifice God made for us? Are we as forgiving as Jesus was for us? How can we give God the glory, honor, and praise He deserves?

O Lord, you are the worthy lamb who died for us.

Amen.

Sunday of Divine Mercy

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”

God’s Mercy endures forever. When He forgives us, it isn’t like how we forgive. Sometimes we are tempted to bring up old wounds to those who have harmed us. We do this especially when we are annoyed with another person such as a sibling, friend, and co-worker. We snap and say things that could be hurtful. This is why it’s so important to keep in mind the example of Christ on the cross. He was arrested, beaten, mocked, and scourged. He was forced to carry his cross and was treated like a criminal. And yet, he bore these terrible burdens without complaint and forgave his persecutors. He does this for us, too. If only our mercy and forgiveness could mirror his!

How do we give thanks to God for His Goodness and Love? How do we show others God’s Mercy? What can we do to keep ourselves from giving into the temptation to point out past harms done to us?

O Lord, we are thankful for your goodness.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Lent

The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

How fortunate for us that we have such a kind and merciful God! Just imagine how we might feel in His place when we see so many of our children turning their backs on us for various reasons. Imagine being betrayed by those whom we love. Imagine being taken for granted and ignored by the people we care about. Would we be as patient, loving, and forgiving as God? And yet, God pardons all our iniquities. He heals us of our ills. He redeems us from destruction. He even crowns us with kindness and compassion. Yes, we are blessed to have such a good God on our side.

Are we as kind and merciful as God is to us? Are we willing to pardon those who trespass against us? How do we repay God for all the kindness and compassion He has shown us?

O Lord, you are kind and merciful.

Amen.

Second Monday of Lent

Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins. Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low.

We should count ourselves very blessed that God is loving and merciful. He offers us forgiveness for all our imperfections, weaknesses, and sins. He is willing to forgive and forget our iniquities and cleanse us of our sins. All we have to do is come to Him with humble and contrite hearts, confess our sins, do penance, and amend our lives. Then, He will show us His boundless compassion and lift us up from our lowliness, raising our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies back into His good graces.

In what ways have we sinned against God? How can we amend our lives so we do not sin in these ways again? Do we make time to confess our sins and do penance?

O Lord, remember not our iniquities.

Amen.

Fifth Friday in Ordinary Time

Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord. Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.

None of us are perfect. God knows this and that is the reason He gave us the example of His Beloved Son. Jesus showed us what true forgiveness is. He revealed to us the Divine Mercy of God through His life, passion, death, and resurrection. He showed us how to be just and compassionate. He showed to us how to forgive others, even those who we find most difficult to forgive. God also gave us the sacrament of reconciliation because He knew we would need it. We are not perfect in this life, but we can ask for forgiveness, do penance, and strive to be better people.

Are we just? Are we forgiving? How can we be more merciful like Christ?

O Lord, we rejoice in your just compassion toward all.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.

Jesus’ sacrificed himself for the forgiveness of sin, once and for all. In a similar way, we also must be willing to sacrifice ourselves by forgiving those who trespass against us. It isn’t always easy to forgive someone who has done us wrong, but if we want to be true to our calling as Christians, then we must put aside our disappointments and dislikes and have mercy on everyone who has harmed us in one way or another. Jesus was willing to forgive those who mocked, tortured, and crucified him. We should be willing to do the same without hesitation. So, let us make our lives into a living sacrifices united with Christ’s poured out for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of souls.

Are we willing to forgive those who have trespassed against us? How can we learn to be more merciful towards those who have harmed us? How can we free ourselves from the chains that come from being unforgiving?

O Lord, free us from any grudges we might hold against those who have sinned against us and help us to forgive.

Amen.

Thirtieth Monday in Ordinary Time

Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. 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.

We should seek to be imitators of God in all things, especially in the way we know, love, and serve others. We should be compassionate, merciful, and forgiving. We should be kind and good and seek to do what is right. We should offer ourselves as living sacrifices for the glory of God and the good of others. We must strive to live in love as Christ loved us. This requires a willingness to sacrifice ourselves for what is right and to suffer for God. It means living a life that mirrors Jesus' life from beginning to end. This isn't always easy, but it is a lighter yoke than the chains of sin and will lead us to everlasting life if we are willing to follow in Christ's footsteps.

How can we become more like Christ in our every thought, word, and work? How can we live in love? In what ways can we become more compassionate and forgiving?

O Lord, help us to become good and faithful imitators of you in all things.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.

Thankfully for us, God is merciful. Even if we sin and turn our backs on Him in thought, word, or deed, He will forgive us if we realize our errors, confess our sins, and do penance. We should take comfort in this thought and be thankful God is with us and not against us. He wants us to succeed in our spiritual lives and to become good and faithful servants. He wants us to be found worthy of eternal life and rewarded at the heavenly feast. We might only know Him now by word of mouth and blind faith, but one day we will receive the Beatific Vision of the Holy Trinity. Our eyes will rest on His Glorious Being and our hearts will be filled with a selfless love that reflects the outpouring of love God has given us.

Do we trust God can do all things? Do we repent of our failings in thought, word, and work? How can we prepare our minds, hearts, and bodies so we might one day be found worthy to partake in the Heavenly banquet?

O Lord, we disown our selfish feelings and desires and repent of any evils we have done.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

None of us are complete free of sin. We’ve all been persecutors of the Church in some shape, form, or fashion. We have persecuted it through our sins, through our failure to do good, or our indifference. Thankfully, God forgives us like He forgave Paul and gives us strength and graces to grow in faith, hope, and love. These gifts should make us strive all the harder to be good and faithful servants willing to do whatever God calls us to do.

Are we toiling as hard as we should to fulfill God’s Will in our lives? How can we become holier followers of Christ? How can we put the graces and gifts God has given us to the best use in bringing about God’s Kingdom?

O Lord, we are not fit to be your followers, but by your grace we will be good and faithful servants to you and your children.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Now indeed then it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers. Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

The world constantly tells us to get even and make our enemies pay for what they’ve done to us. We are encouraged to take an adversarial relationship with those who have done us wrong in some shape, form, or fashion. However, Paul reminds us this is not the Way of Jesus. Christ did not come to proclaim a Gospel of Getting Even. No. He came to proclaim the Gospel of Love and Mercy. He showed us how to walk this path of compassion by turning his other cheek to those who persecuted him. He suffered mockery, beatings, and even death on a cross and never once did he raise his hand to strike down his enemies. Instead, he forgave them while he bled on the cross. If we want to have a part in his Kingdom, then this is exactly what we must do, too. Be kind and loving to all, even our enemies, and forgive those who do not know what they are doing.

Have we fallen into the worldly trap of trying to get even with someone else? How can we rather seek to forgive those who have harmed us? What can we do to become more Christ-like in our compassion?

O Lord, give us the grace to repay evils with goods and cheating with generosity of spirit.

Amen.

Nineteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in death of anyone who dies, says the Lord GOD. Return and live!

God judges us according to our ways. If we are virtuous and loving, then He judges us as good and faithful servants. If we are full of vices and hatred, then He will cast us into the fires of Hell. He is merciful, but also just. He will not grant us His forgiveness if we do not seek it or if we take it for granted. He only gives his compassion to those who are compassionate and cast away all their crimes. He wants us to make for ourselves new hearts and spirits that are fashioned in His likeness. It is only by becoming models of Him that we can hope to return to Him and live forever. 

Are we virtuous or full of vice? How can we turn away from our sins and be converted? What can we do to fashion new hearts and spirits in the image and likeness of God?

O Lord, convert us from our crimes and make new hearts within us.

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.

Eighteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

God’s Divine and Natural Laws are written upon our hearts. His Holy Spirit reminds us constantly of what is good and evil through our consciences. We have an innate understanding that God is our loving and protective Father. He will not abandon us. He is our God and we are his people. He is a gracious God, who forgives us and helps us to grow in faith, hope, and love. If we live our lives according to the commandments and the golden rule to love God and our neighbors, then we shall find ourselves welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven as good and faithful servants.

Do we live our lives in accordance with God’s Commandments? Do we listen to our consciences and the Holy Spirit? How can we be as forgiving of others as God is to us?

O Lord, you are our God and we are your people.

Amen.