First Wednesday of Advent

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"

In the end, God will destroy death for all those who choose to follow Him. He will release us from the bonds of sin and its fruit of death. He will wipe away our tears of suffering and save us from all the pains and ills of this world. His Saving Grace, will bring joy and happiness to all of us who walked the path of salvation with Him. This freeing and wondrous future is offered to us all. We have only to accept it from God’s open hands and choose the good over the evil, the right over the wrong, justice over injustice… virtue over vice.

Are we allowing God to unveil our eyes so we can see right and wrong clearly?  Do we believe God will save even us, who are sinful? When are we going to accept God’s Grace and Mercy and amend our lives so He can invite us to Heaven with Him?

O Lord, save us!

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Thursday in Ordinary Time

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sometimes we all fall into sin. We give into temptations and lose our way, but as Christians we are no longer slaves of sin. We are freed men and women and have the choice to make amends for our transgressions and to make ourselves right with God. We should indeed be ashamed of our failures, but we also cannot let them drag us into despair or keep us from seeking out God’s forgiveness. God is infinitely more merciful than we could ever be sinful and so we should not be afraid that He might deny us forgiveness If we seek it with humble and contrite hearts. When we return to God in this way, we declare ourselves slaves of His and allow Him to lead us toward holiness and salvation by whatever ways and means He decides are best for us. And it is up to us to remain in God’s service throughout our lives so one day we might be granted eternal life with Him.

Do we recognize there is no profit outside the service of our Lord and God? Are we willing to become slaves to God in all we think, say, or do? How can we rid ourselves of all those things that keep us from fully accepting the gifts of holiness and righteousness from our Heavenly King?

O Lord, free us from sin and accept us as your good and holy slaves.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Our help is in the name of the Lord. We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare; Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

We are often beset by the wickedness and snares of the Devil and the world. We are bombarded with temptations and assailed by evil. We are undermined by imperfections and apathy. We are weakened and chained by worries, doubts, and fears. However, God is always here to help us. He will rescue us from the fowler’s snare. He will protect us from temptations and evil. He will make firm our foundations by building up our faith, hope, and love. He will strengthen us and free us from all anxieties. He is our great Lord and Helper and we would do well to call on His Holy Name whenever we are in need or suffering.

Do we call on the Lord? Are we willing to allow God to break our chains and lead lives free from sin? How can we help to break the snares that others are trapped in?

O Lord, rescue us from the wickedness and snares of the Evil One.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Monday in Ordinary Time

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people. He has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David.

God comes to us every day, offering to set us free from our temptations, sins, worries, fears, doubts, and anxieties. He wants us to live peaceful lives full of love. He is a compassionate Father, who knows what is best for us and desires our good. He is a teacher, who shows us how to be faithful servants. He is a savior, who sacrificed Himself once and for all so we might join Him in Heaven. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and gifted us every grace. All so we might overcome the obstacles that try to keep us from being one in mind, body, and spirit with Him. So, let us make good use of all God has given us and allow Him to raise us up from the darkness of sin and into the light of holiness.

Do we welcome God into our lives each day? How can we prepare ourselves so we are open to God’s commandments, teachings, and inspirations? What can we do to help set others free from their own trials and tribulations?

O Lord, come and set us free.

Amen.

Twenty-First Friday in Ordinary Time

Rejoice in the Lord, you just! The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful ones; from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.

Evil can be alluring. It can be easy. It can tempt us in many ways. But no matter how alluring or easy or tempting it is, it ultimately leads to destruction. Destruction of our relationship with God. Destruction of our connections to family, friends, and neighbors. Destruction of ourselves from the inside out. Evil is corruptive by nature. It decomposes us in body, mind, and soul. It breaks us down and turns us into bleached corpses, dried out and lifeless. This is why we must strive so hard to guard against evil and all its empty promises. If we don’t then we will have no one to blame but ourselves because God give us everything we need to overcome our temptations and be freed from the chains of sin.

Do we hate evil? Are we guarding our lives against it? How can we grow in goodness and help others to do the same?

O Lord, we hate evil, guard our lives against its empty promises.

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.

Fifteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

His mercy endures forever. Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born, for his mercy endures forever; And brought out Israel from their midst, for his mercy endures forever; With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever.

God wants us to be free. He offers to break the chains of slavery to sin so we might have new lives in and with Him. He wants us to accept this gift of liberty and use it to make the right choices. He provides us everything we need for the journey through this life. He gives us grace to sustain us, hope to nourish us, and faith to guide us. He gives us His Love and Mercy so we might follow in the footsteps of His Beloved Son and be lights to the world. He wants us to choose the freedom of serving Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. It is up to each of us to accept this offering and use it to bring ourselves and others closer to the Promised Land.

What people, places, and things are enslaving us in this life? What is God offering us to help us get escape these evils? When we are freed from our sins, how can we avoid falling back into slavery and instead go forth into the Promised Land?

O Lord, bring us out of our slavery to new life in and with you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains, Till his prediction came to pass and the word of the LORD proved him true.

Even in our troubles, God remains faithful to us. We might suffer for a time, short or long, but always God will deliver us from our difficulties. If we are besieged by temptations, He will protect us from evil. If we are imprisoned by sin, He will offer us the freedom of forgiveness. If we are suffering in some way, He will heal us. If we are blind, He will help us to see. If we are lost, He will help us find our way. If we are falsely accused, He will be our Advocate. If we are mocked or persecuted, He will defend us. We might not always know why we have to pass through dark nights or imprisonments, but God is good and He will release us and help us to prosper in spirit and truth. We just need to remember God does marvelous things for all his good and faithful servants.

Are we weighed down by any worldly fetters or chained by imperfections and sin? Do we ask for God’s aid in freeing us? Do we remember even in our worst moments that God wants to do marvelous things for us?

O Lord, release us from our fetters and chains and help us remember your marvelous deeds.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. The LORD brings to naught the plans of nations; he foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations.

Divine Providence is something we cannot fight against. It brings low the best laid plans. It reminds us we are dependent on God and not in complete control of our lives. This is a good thing because all too often we want what is worst for us. We lose sight of what is good and holy in favor of what is evil and easy. We let our temptations lead us into sin and enslave ourselves to the world in various ways. However, God’s Divine Plan is one of true freedom. The type of liberty that leads us to become generous and loving people. People might say God forces us along His Way, but we still have the choice to accept His direction for our lives or fight against it. If we fight against it, we lose opportunities to be good and faithful servants. If we choose to accept God’s Will, then we will grow in holiness and bear abundant fruits. So, let us place our trust in God’s Divine Plan and decide to follow God where He wants us to go.

Do we struggle against God’s Plan for us? How can we become more faithful to the Way, the Truth, and the Life God is leading us toward? What can we do to design our lives in accordance with God’s Will?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

Although we might not be physically imprisoned like Peter, we are at times held captive by our doubts, fears, and sins. We can become chained by these things and paralyzed in our pursuit of holiness. Thankfully, God has given each of us a guardian angel to watch over us and help us when we are weak or in trouble. He has also given us the Good News to inspire us with hope and the Church to unbind us through the sacraments. He has provided us with every means of escape from our selfishness and our worries and our sins. We have only to get up quickly, put on our belts, sandals, and cloaks... and follow Him to release and salvation.

What are the things in our lives that are imprisoning us? Have we sought out God’s help in escaping from these things? Once we are free, what can we do to free others?

O Lord, we are willing to get up quickly and follow you to the ends of the earth.

Amen.

Ascension of the Lord

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.

It is important to wash clean our consciences on a regular basis. We all need healing from sins. We all need to come to God with humble and contrite hearts. We all need to make good confessions to free ourselves from the wickedness and snares of the Devil. The sacrament of reconciliation is a great source of hope for all of us. There should be no fear of such a wonderfully freeing experience. Instead, we should go confidently into the confessional and speak to God from the depths of our souls and allow Him to wash away our sins and cleanse us of our iniquities. It was for this purpose that Jesus Christ came into the world and we would do well to make use of God’s Divine Mercy.

Do we seek God’s cleansing sacrament as frequently as we should? Do we allow God to work His Divine Mercy within us? How can we lead others to the sacrament of reconciliation?

O Lord, thank you for the cleansing waters that flowed from your wounds.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Lent

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. Our fathers made a calf in Horeb and adored a molten image; They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock.

If we are not careful, we too can make false idols in our lives. We can allow someone or something to become more important than our faith. We can allow the world to lead us astray and cause us to place our trust and energies into empty pursuits. We can convince ourselves that wrong is right and walk the wide road to spiritual ruin. There are many ways we can exchange the glory of God for the meaningless pleasures of the world. This is why it is so important to take time each day to pray and meditate... to ponder our lives and where we are going, and to examine our consciences.

Are we doing God’s Will or our own? What false idols have crept into our hearts? How can we destroy them and replace them with complete trust in and love of God?

O Lord, remember us and lead us out of bondage to sin and false idols.

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday of Lent

The Lord is gracious and merciful. The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

God is faithful and holy. He will not forsake us, nor will He torment us. He is gracious and merciful. He wants to lift us up to heaven with Him. He wants to raise us from the slavery of sin. He does everything in His power to save each and every one of us. He would move mountains for us if it would help us to become good and faithful servants. But He also won’t force Himself on us. He wants us to love Him freely. And He deserves our love, too.

Do we recognize how gracious and merciful God is to us? How can we be more faithful in our words and holy in our works? Are we willing to let God lift us up from our sinful lives?

O Lord, make us more like you... gracious, merciful, faithful, and holy.

Amen.

Third Friday of Lent

I am the Lord your God: hear my voice. An unfamiliar speech I hear: “I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I rescued you.”

When we are in distress, God will rescue us. He will listen to our cries and come to our aid. He might not answer our petitions in the time and manner that we want, but He will give us the grace to overcome all our fears, doubts, pains, and obstacles. He will lead us to a better place, if not physically, at least spiritually. He will relieve us of our burdens and free us from our slavery to sin and worldly things. And ultimately, He will bring us out of bondage to a land flowing with the milk of His Divine Mercy and the honey of His Love.

What burdens are weighing us down? How can we free ourselves of all that is enslaving us to sin and the world? How can we help God rescue others from their difficulties?

O Lord, relieve us of our burdens and free us from our sins.

Amen.

Sixth Thursday of Ordinary Time

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth. Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”

God wants to free us from the chains of sin and prison of death. He does everything in His power to give us the graces we need to resist temptations, do good, and lead Christ-like lives. He didn’t need to do any of this for us, but He choose to do it anyway because we are made in His Divine Image and He unconditionally loves us. He wants us to choose freedom with Him over slavery to our worldly desires. Hopefully, we end up choosing life over death.

What are the sins and worries that chain and enslave us? How can we break free of these things and be released from our bondage? Do we praise God for all the help He has given us to free us from sin and death?

O Lord, release us from all evil.

Amen.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. 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.

Through baptism, we have been united to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. We have been given the vocation to walk the Way, speak the Truth, and live the Life of Christ. We have been asked to be willing to mortify ourselves and suffer for the glory of God and the good of others. We have been given the love, mercy, and grace we need to free ourselves from sin and death. All these things lead us into a deeper union with God and if we are willing to crucify our old selves for God, then we shall be made worth of a life with Him in Heaven.

How can we grow in union with God? Are we truly willing to crucify ourselves in meaningful and life transforming ways? How can we become more Christ-like in our lives so that we might overcome death and share in the resurrection?

O Lord, we choose to die for you so we might live with you forever.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Sin enslaves us to possessions, to people, to selfishness, and to evil. It yokes us to our bad habits and our evil inclinations. It weighs us down with wickedness. It eats away at our spirit, rotting it from the core. In the end, it leads us to destruction and wailing and gnashing of our teeth. Thankfully, God has given us His Beloved Son to free us from the bonds of sin. The Good News of Jesus Christ calls us to rebel against our bad habits and evil inclinations. It lifts the burden of wickedness from our shoulders. His Truth nourishes our souls and helps them grow in faith, hope, and love. The Word Made Flesh leads us upon the Way to Heaven by helping us live our lives for God and His children. So, the next time we feel burdened by our responsibilities to God, His Church, and His children, we should remember than they are much lighter than those chains that enslave us when we choose selfishness and sin over holiness and right.

Have we let our sins enslave us? How can we rid ourselves of the vices, bad habits, and imperfections that keep us from being free from evil? How can we thank God for the saving graces He has given to us through His Beloved Son?

O Lord, free us from sin and lead us to freedom in you.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Friday in Ordinary Time

Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus freed us from sin and death and the Mosaic Law. However, this freedom comes with its own responsibilities. His Way, Truth, and Life requires great sacrifices from us. Yes, we have been liberated from the wickedness and snares of the Devil, but our liberty also requires us to make a choice. We can live our lives by faith, hope, and love. Or we can live our lives in pride, envy, and selfishness. We can either become slaves to Christ or slaves of Satan. There is no middle ground... if we are indifferent or lukewarm, then we shall fall into Hell just as easily as those who chose evil outright. We had best keep these things in mind whenever we are tempted to sin or indifference so we might remind ourselves that if we want to receive the promise of Christ, then we must life out our faith without reservation.

Do we thank God for freeing us from slavery to sin and death? How can we know, love, and serve Him and His children more faithfully? What can we do to fight off the temptation to sin or be indifferent?

O Lord, ransom us from evil and make us into good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Thirteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.

To be truly free, we must be willing to give up our selfish and sinful pursuits and choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. This free choice can be a difficult one and the Devil will do everything he can to convince us that we are enslaving ourselves unnecessarily. He will try to convince us it is better to rule ourselves, then to be ruled by righteousness and goodness. However, his assertion is a lie... as are all his temptations. The choice we are given may be made of our free will, but in the end, we are choosing who will be our master... God or the Devil. Good or Evil. Justice or Injustice.

Are we seeking good and avoiding evil? How can we cultivate a deeper love of the good and a hatred of evil? What can we do to make the right choice and choose God over ourselves?

O Lord, we choose you above all.

Amen.

Eighth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished Lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Everyone in the world has been ransomed from death and sin by Jesus. However, not everyone accepts their release from our worldly prison. Some refuse to be unbound and instead cling to the chains of their sins and remain in darkness. They prefer their slavery to sin and its momentary pleasures to the freedom of virtue and its eternal joy. The choice between these two is obvious when looked at objectively, and yet everyone falls and fails. We are not perfect like our Heavenly Father is. We are not all loving like Jesus is. We are not sanctified like the Holy Spirit. We are imperfect, selfish, and sinful. However, God does offer us the graces we need to overcome all these failings by accepting the Body and Blood of Jesus into ourselves and uniting with the perfect, loving, and holy Trinity. Whether we take God’s outstretched hand is up to us. Hopefully, we do and choose to be ransomed from sin and death once and for all.

Do we appreciate the ransom Jesus paid for our forgiveness? Are we accepting of the help God is offering us? How can we resist our imperfections and choose to follow the perfect God?

O Lord, we are imperfect, but with you we can be freed to be better people.

Amen.