Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need. Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice; He shall never be moved; the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

We all have something we can give to others. We have an abundance of time, talents, and treasures at our disposal, which we can use to give glory to God and for the good of others. We might not be able to say, “Yes” to every request, but when we can, we should make time for those in need. Just as God is gracious with us, so we should be gracious to others, conducting our lives with justice, mercy, and charity for all whom we meet.

What do we have to give to God and others? How can we use our time, talents, and treasures to bear good fruits? In what ways can we be more generous with ourselves?

O Lord, give us the grace to be generous and just in all our thoughts, words, and works.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity.

God treats all of us with equity. He doesn't show bias towards anyone. He gives to all of us exactly what we need when we need it. He gives us gifts and talents in accord with our natural abilities so we can glorify Him in our own unique ways. He does marvelous deeds for us each and every day in little and big ways. We can barely imagine the depths of His Love and Mercy. We can hardly guess at all that He has done for us. We should be ever grateful for the gift of His Divine Image and the freedom to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

What marvelous deeds has God done for us? How can we repay Him for all He's done for us great and small? Do we treat others with the equity and generosity that God treats us?

O Lord, make us firm in faith and equitable in love.

Amen.

Friday After Epiphany

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.

We have much to praise God for in our lives. He has given us everything from our own lives to the life of His Beloved Son. He has created and protected us. He has loved and blessed us. He has forgiven us our trespasses against Him and others. Whenever we turn to Him for help, He aids us... perhaps not always in the way we envisioned, but always in the way we need. He has strengthened us through grace and will never leave our side. He is our rock, our shelter, our foundation. As long as we trust in Him, we will never be overcome by the wickedness and snares of the Devil. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and this is why we praise and glorify Him, because He is a Good and Loving Father.

Do we realize how much God has done for us? How can we imitate His Generosity in our own lives? How can we become blessings in the lives of others?

O Lord, we praise you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Not that I say this because of need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

Paul is grateful to the Philippians for all the help they have given to him. He rejoices in their charity, even though he doesn’t need it. He sees their generosity and kindness as profitable for their own souls. This is how we should react to other people’s kindness to us. We should be grateful for it, but strive to be self-sufficient and to live in humble circumstances. We should be the same person whether we live in abundance or in need. No matter our situation, we should place our trust in God and be willing to go where He needs us to go, do what He needs us to do, and carry the crosses we need to carry.

Do we thank others for the help they’ve given us? How can we learn to live in humble circumstances? What can we do to become self-sufficient in, through, with, and for Christ?

O Lord, give us the strength for everything.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

Our lives are either guided by the flesh or by the spirit. If we are guided by the flesh, then we will fall into every kind of wickedness. We will become prideful, envious, wrathful, lustful, gluttonous, greedy, and slothful. We will live worldly lives constantly chasing our evil passions and empty pleasures. In contrast, if we live according to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we shall have fruitful lives. We shall have love, joy, and peace no matter what might be going on in our lives. We will grow in patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness. We will learn to tame our passions and gain the self-control we need to become holy people. Last but not least, our flesh will be crucified by our sacrifices and we will be freed from the chains of our sins and able to live as good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

Are we living according to the flesh or according to the Holy Spirit? How can we rid ourselves of those evil inclinations that lead us into temptation and sin? How can we grow in the virtues that will lead us to life everlasting?

O Lord, crucify our flesh with its passions and desires so that we might be made holy.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days.

The rich described here are not only those who have wealth, but also those who have time and talents to spare, too. When we withhold the gifts and goods God has given us and hoard them for ourselves or keep them locked away, we store up the chains that will bind us to Hell. Letting our time slip by us, our talents rot, and our treasures sit idle will lead to misery and destruction. If we fail to use what God has given us for His glory or the goodness of others, then we will have no chance to go to Heaven and receive the gift of everlasting life. We will instead by cast into the fires of Hell. It is only by being generous with what we have that we will build a storehouse of good which will be evidence of our choosing God above all else.

Are we generous or miserly? What are we doing with our time, talents, and treasures? How can we build up goodness in our lives instead of evil?

O Lord, help us to use our time, talents, and treasures wisely and well.

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.

Seventh Thursday in Ordinary Time

Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

Being rich in and of itself isn’t going to condemn anyone. It is rather what we do with the riches we have that will determine our fate. And riches here don’t just apply to our wealth, but also our talents and time as well. If we waste what God has given to us in any of these areas, we will have to explain ourselves to Him at the Day of Judgment. If we misuse or abuse our time, talents, and treasures, then we shall be called to account for it. Any wages we withhold from God or His children will be known and we will pay for it... in acts of penance in this life, Purgatory, or Hell.

Are we withholding our time, talents, and treasures from God or His children? How can we put our lives to better use? What can we do to help those in need and be free with what we have?

O Lord, make us into more generous people.

Amen.

Second Friday of Ordinary Time

Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm. Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your grasp and you did not kill me. For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed? May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day. And now, I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession."

It isn’t easy treating our enemies generously. It’s difficult to do good to those who have done evil to us. However, we are all asked to respect the dignity of others, no matter how much they might disrespect us. God asks all of us to do no harm to others. It isn’t our place to judge or punish, but rather to love unconditionally just as Jesus did. Only our Heavenly Father can judge the hearts of others and we disrespect Him when we try to take justice into our own hands. Instead of selfish retaliation, we are called to be generous to our enemies and let them go unharmed. Perhaps our example of kindness, will change our enemies’ hearts and make them realize the error of their ways, but even if it doesn’t then we can be secure in knowing that we turned the other cheek just as Jesus did and although the world might slap it... God will heal our temporary pain and replace it with eternal life in and with Him.

Who are the people we find it most difficult to love? Are we treating them generously and lovingly? How can we become more charitable to those who are unkind to us?

O Lord, grant us generous and merciful spirits.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

Our faith is one that embraces many cultures and races. We are open to welcoming anyone who is willing to profess our Creed and live according to the Word of God and the Traditions of the Church. Although many might accuse us of being unwelcoming or intolerant, this is not the case. We welcome all those who want to live the Christ-like life. We may not condone every lifestyle choice, but that doesn’t mean we condemn those who sin. Jesus didn’t condemn sinners, he loved them, cared for them, and did good things for them. All in the hope that they would see the truth of his words and sincerity of his actions and come to accept his Way, Truth, and Life. Similarly, we are called to greet sinners with open arms and hearts and be willing to treat them as Jesus did... with generosity and kindness.

Do we embrace the cultures and races around us? Do we love our neighbors even when they are living in sin? How can we learn to love those whom we do not agree with or find difficult to like?

O Lord, make us into one, united, welcoming people.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you.  Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.

God’s generosity is the reason why we are alive. It is the reason we have been saved. It is the reason we are loved. He holds back nothing that can help us to become the best people we can be. He gives us exactly what we need when we need it. He gives us our just reward for knowing, loving, and serving Him and His children. If we see others who don’t work as hard as us or who do evil and yet succeed in the world, it is not because God is punishing us or treating us unjustly. It is because God loves everyone equally because we are all made in His image. He offers everyone the same payment for a good life... a life everlasting with Him. In His eyes, it doesn’t matter how late or early we come to the faith as long as we come to Him. So let us not envy others whatever good they have in this world or whatever graces God gives them because God is generous and free to do as He wills with His Love and Mercy.

Are we envious of others? How can we uproot our envy and replace it with love and mercy? In what ways can we reflect and magnify God’s generosity through our own thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, help us to be as generous to others as you are to us.

Amen.

Seventeenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

This fiftieth year you shall make sacred by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when every one of you shall return to his own property, every one to his own family estate. In this fiftieth year, your year of jubilee, you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth or pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines. Since this is the jubilee, which shall be sacred for you, you may not eat of its produce, except as taken directly from the field.

The Jubilee year is something we can learn a lot from. In this year slaved were set free, property returned, and the soil rested. First, the captives are freed. This reminds us of how each of us have been freed from the bondage of sin and death through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Second, property is returned. This reminds us God is the true owner of all our goods from our gifts and talents to our possessions and property. Even our lives are given to us on borrowed time and one day all we have and are will return to God. Lastly, the fields are rested and allowed to be picked by all Israelites. This reminds us sometimes we need to trust in God and let Him bring forth good fruits from us spontaneously. It also reminds us to share those good fruits with others, without counting the cost.

What can we do to free ourselves from our sins? How can we make a return of everything we have to God, the source, center, and summit of all our goods? Do we trust God will provide for us if we let Him and share the harvest He provides us with others?

O Lord, make us into living jubilees, celebrating your mercy, generosity, and charity to all your children.

Amen.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles.  Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

It can be so tempting to repay unkindness with vengeance and imposition with rejection. However, these are selfish desires and do not reflect the commandment to love others as God loves us. God’s love is unselfish, it is given without expectation of return. In the same way, our acts of charity should be made not be engender praise or love for us, but because it is the right thing to do. Nor should our works of mercy be given half-heartedly or our forgiveness conditionally. If we want to be good and faithful servants of God, then our love must be selfless, freely-given, and persevering.

Are our hearts merciful and generous even to our enemies? What can we do to better know, love, and serve those who have hurt us? How can we do the same for those who take advantage of us?

O Lord, make our hearts fonts of your love and mercy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’

Unlike the steward, we don't need to lose our jobs in order to treat others fairly. Our charity should not come from selfish reasons. We should not expect a return on our good deeds. However, the steward does show us how to react prudently when faced with difficulties and to forgive the debts of others. He does the wise thing when he gives up his portion of each debt so those whom are indebted to his master will welcome him for his generosity. Sometimes we are tempted to demand repayment for something or hold it over people, but this is not what Jesus preaches. He teaches us to forgive other's debts to us so that our own debts might be forgiven. We cannot be a collector and a forgiver at the same time. We have to choose if our lives will be base on taking what we want or on giving what we have.

Do we treat others fairly? Are we charitable and forgiving? Are we prudent in how we treat others?

O Lord, we are willing to forgive the debts of others. Please be willing to forgive our debts as well.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Saturday of Ordinary Time

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

Jesus outlines what we all must do in order to bear good fruit in our lives. We must not only hear the word, but also embrace it with generous and good hearts. This means that we listen not only to the commandments of God the Father, but also the teachings of the Son and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Then, having listened to these things we should put them into practice generously and in a spirit of charity toward all. When we do this, we may discover that we are opposed, persecuted, and mocked by others and the world, but this should not discourage us. Instead, we should bear our fruit through perseverance. If we do this, then we shall be rewarded with a treasure house of merits in heaven and an eternal life to enjoy them with our Beloved God, the Holy Trinity.

Are we listening to the word of God? Have we embraced the Good News with generous and good hearts? What can we do to prepare ourselves to persevere in this life and bear good fruit?

O Lord, help our hearts to find rich soil of your graces and thrive in the light of your love and the waters of your mercy.

Amen.

The Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

When we give, we should do so without thought of return. Instead we should do it because of a love of God and all His children. It is much easier to give our time, talents, and treasures to people who we know will pay us back in some way. It is much more difficult to do the same things with those whom might not return our favors or even completely reject them. However, true love is sacrificial. Jesus gave his life for all, even though he knew not everyone would accept him as their Savior and might even mistreat him and his followers. When we love people who cannot repay us in any way, then we act more like Christ. In a world that often asks, "What can you do for me?" It is a grace and virtue to constantly have upon our lips the question, "What can I do for you?" If we live our lives in such a way, then we will be blessed and our reward will come when God tells us that we are good and faithful servants and worthy of remaining with Him for all eternity.

Do we help others without thought of return? Do we treat those who might not be able to repay us in the same way as we would treat those who are always helping us? How can we be more generous with our time, talents, and treasures, especially for those whom we have difficulty loving?

O Lord, give us the grace to invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind into our lives so that we can pour out your love for them.

Amen.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

After telling his disciples that those who want to be first among his disciples must become the least and servants of all, he goes even further and shows them how to receive the lowly and the poor in spirit. He takes a child and wraps his arms around it. This hug expresses the depth of love Jesus has for us all. He wants his disciples to understand they must love others, especially the lowly, whom the child represents, with generous and gentle hearts. He makes clear that we will be judged by how we treat those who are most in need in this world. If we do treat them with love and respect, then we shall be blessed by not only Jesus, but His Father and the Holy Spirit.

How do we receive the lowly? Do we treat them well? How can we love those in need more perfectly?

O Lord, help us to receive others as you receive us.

Amen.

First Saturday of Advent

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.  Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Jesus reminds us that without cost we have received his love, mercy, and grace and in order to be his disciples, we are to give these to others without cost. God’s love for us is unconditional. His mercy is inexhaustible. His grace is ever present. In the same way, we should be loving, merciful, and full of grace toward all whom we meet. We are all called to be laborers for the harvest of souls and although we might not have miraculous powers, we can be instruments of God’s Will in everything we do. We can go into the world and proclaim the kingdom through our humble words and self-sacrificing works. God has given each of us the powers we need to be Godbearers in this world. We have only to accept the mantle and do everything within our power to be good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

Are we willing to labor for the kingdom of God? Do our thoughts, words, and works proclaim the Good News? Do we give ourselves to others without counting the cost?

O Lord, you have given us everything. Let us give everything to others in the same spirit of generosity.

Amen.

Thirty-First Friday of Ordinary Time

He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’  He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.

The steward in this parable has squandered his masters property and is about to be removed from his position. However, instead of calling in the debtors and forcing them to pay him his usurious fees so that he might have money, he waves the fees and has each debtor write a new promissory note. These new notes are written for the amount owed to the master minus the steward’s normal fees. He does this to ingratiate himself with his master’s debtors giving up his fees for the gratitude of others. Jesus remarks about the prudence of this sacrifice and how we can learn from this steward about how to handle those in debt to us. We can either demand repayment plus interest for short-term gain and the animosity of those in our debt or we can forgive those who are indebted to us and perhaps gain their long-term admiration. Not that we should forgive others with the expectation of some later return. This would not be truly forgiving another’s debt to us, but rather changing the manner of repayment. Instead, we are asked to forgive and forget and then let the other person decide how to react to our generosity. Perhaps by our example, they too will learn to do the same to others in their lives and we will have been an instrument of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace.

What have we squandered in our own lives? Who are the people we believe to be in our debt? How can we forgive and forget their debt to us?

O Lord, let us be prudent in our dealings with others and be able to forgive the debts others owe to us without counting the cost or expecting anything in return.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

We are all sinners, some of us more than others, but just because we have sinned more than others does not mean that we are beyond God’s forgiveness, nor does it mean that those who have sinned less deserve God’s forgiveness. The grace of God is given to both sinners and saints as a free gift of God in hopes that we might become better people because of it. However, in the end as long as we seek God’s Mercy with truly contrite hearts we will be able to enter into the kingdom no matter how sinful we have been. So too no matter how holy we have been in our lives, if at the end of our days we condemn others or sin against God and His children, than all our good works rot in the storehouse of our hearts and we will discover that we have nothing to offer God. So let us be ever humble before God and His children and seek to wash the feet of Jesus through helping our fellow children and never looking down on them.

Do we realize how much in debt we are to God? Do we treat sinners with Christ-like compassion and generosity? How can we be more forgiving in our own lives?

O Lord, forgive our debts as we forgive those in debt to us.

Amen.